“Song of War”: A classic that sings of the tragedy and folly of war
Songs of war that are etched deeply into the human heart.
Within those voices lie prayers for peace, love for family, and memories that should be passed down across generations.
Living in the present, we can reflect anew on the horrors of war and the preciousness of peace through these songs.
In this article, we introduce moving songs themed around “war” that have left their mark on the history of Japanese music.
Shall we take a fresh look—through music—at the importance of a peaceful, conflict-free everyday life that we must protect?
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[War Songs] Masterpieces that sing of the misery and folly of war (31–40)
Song of the Four Seasonswataame
A song that portrays a fleeting love and the passage of time against the backdrop of the shift from spring to summer.
Although it is not a work themed around war, its Japanese-style sound and heartrending lyrics resonate with the feelings of those who have lost someone dear to war.
Released in October 2012, it was included in the VOCALOID album “V love 25 -Exclamation-.” The clear, translucent singing of the Vocaloid beautifully depicts an unattainable love between a cherry blossom spirit and a human.
The scene where the promise “I will never leave you alone” is made is especially striking, conveying lingering regret and longing for days gone by.
Children Who Don’t Know WarJirōzu
Here’s a song released in 1970, with lyrics by Osamu Kitayama and music by Jiro Sugita.
It was reportedly performed for the first time at a concert during the Osaka Expo.
Though it represents the postwar generation, it also reads like an anti–Vietnam War song, and its lyrics include references to trends among young people at the time, such as long hair.
I can only pray that the number of children who know war will never increase.
cobalt blueThe Back Horn
THE BACK HORN is a four-piece alternative rock band that continues to work energetically under the concept of delivering music that shakes the listener’s heart.
Their major 9th single, “Cobalt Blue,” written after the powerful shock they felt at the Chiran Peace Museum for Kamikaze Pilots, features a melancholic ensemble that begins with a striking guitar-riff intro.
The lyrics, told from the perspective of young men tasked as members of the special attack units that symbolized the final days of the war in Japan, evoke a resolve and sorrow far removed from today’s peace.
It’s a heart-wrenching rock tune that teaches us the importance of never repeating the same mistakes and grief again.
wishHayashi Asuka
A heartrending song whose plaintive vocals convey the tragedy of war and strike straight to the heart.
Asuka Hayashi’s clear, translucent voice further brings out the lyrics imbued with a wish for peace.
Released in July 2004, this work became one of her signature songs for its anti-war and peace messages.
The fact that it was supported even by Self-Defense Forces personnel dispatched to Iraq attests to the song’s power.
With vocals that resonate deeply and a profound message, this track will inspire listeners to reflect on the meaning of peace.
No more warGReeeeN
GReeeeN is a four-member vocal group that has released numerous hit songs since their debut, including “Aiuta” and “Kiseki.” The track “no more war,” featured on their second album “Ah, Hello Again,” opens with a guitar arpeggio intro whose melancholy lingers in your ears.
Its message, weaving sorrow and anger over innocent children losing their lives because of a few foolish adults, prompts us to reflect on the gravity of the future that war steals away.
With rap lines layered over a deep, textured ensemble and a driving, uplifting chorus, it’s a song that truly stirs the heart.
[War Songs] Masterpieces that sing of the tragedy and folly of war (41–50)
Dead girlHajime Chitose
In response to the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, composer Yuzo Toyama set music to the poem “The Dead Little Girl,” published in 1956 by Turkish poet Nazim Hikmet, and it is sung by Chitose Hajime.
The work portrays a seven-year-old girl who lost her life to the atomic bomb, embodying her heartbreak and anger toward war.
At the end of the song, there is a message from the girl pleading for a peaceful world.
It is a work we hope to pass down to future generations to continue conveying the horrors of war.
War and PeaceALI PROJECT
Known for their original sound and literary lyrics, ALI PROJECT is a musical duo consisting of Arika Takarano and Mikiya Katakura, active across a wide range of fields including anime songs, film scores, and commercials.
As its title suggests, “War and Peace” is a song that laments a world where war never ceases and expresses a fervent wish for peace.
In the chorus, Bach’s “Little Fugue in G Minor” is quoted, evoking a grand, philosophical atmosphere drawn from classical music.
The piece conveys both the sorrow and the strength of confronting the absurdity of war.
