To be young. To be filled with hopes and dreams. To be fearless. To think about what it would be like to fall in love. To have your heart broken. And then it happens. Love. When you are in love, even the seemingly insignificant can bring a smile to your face. Or a tear to your eye. Every day is an adventure.
The collection of songs tells the story of a young Japanese woman who spent her youth living such days…
FULL VERSIONS
Black Robe
Let Me Love Again
Moscow
Dream
Granada
You And I
Cold As Winter Wind
Marseilles
As Long As I'm With You (Rome)
Winter In Paris
We Will Be Together
Liner notes
Woman’s Tale I
1. Black Robe
Questioning the meaning of life and her place in it, she turned to religion for some answers. She began attending a church in Tokyo and it was there that she met a young Japanese priest whom she was deeply drawn to…
She knew it was a forbidden love. So she concealed her true feelings for him, though it tormented her. Eventually, he left the church in Tokyo and moved to southern Japan.
2. Let Me Love Again
She thought she would never overcome the pain of this loss. She felt as if she had sold her soul to the devil. But time heals all wounds and she learned to love again.
Even though her days were filled with love, she realized that her questions about life remained unanswered. She needed to be alone… away from work, school, friends, family and even her new love. She decided to go abroad in hopes of finding some answers in her travels. Promising her love that she would come back to him, she left her home and everything else in Japan behind. And so began her long journey.
3. Moscow
She arrived in Russia in the middle of August, vising several cities including Moscow. She stood in front of Red Square in the freezing cold and rain. She wondered why the people look so sad.
4. Dream
After visiting Russia, she went through Sweden and Norway and met three German students along the way. She decided to travel with them to their destination in Frankfurt, Germany. One hot summer afternoon, she and her friends were having a picnic in a field in Denmark. She fell asleep and began to have a strange and vivid dream.
The sky was red and she was being held by a faceless man who had appeared from the middle of darkness. In his hand was a bouquet of white flowers. Though she thought she should be afraid, she felt an unusual calmness in her heart like she had never felt before… She was soon walking through unfamiliar places, cities and towns that she had never set foot in. And when she looked back, she saw that the road was disappearing into the darkness as she passed. Suddenly, she awoke and found herself lying under the brightness of the sun.
5. Granada
Her journey continued. After saying goodbye to her newfound friends in Frankfurt, she travelled though France and Spain. Without a cloud in the sky, the sun shone endlessly and Granada awaited her. One night she visited Sacromonte where many caves were carved side by side. There she watched the passion of the flamenco dancers until dawn.
6. You and I
Leaving Seville, she caught the midnight train. On it, she met a young Canadian man. The moment their eyes met, they fell in love…
7. Cold as Winter Wind
She had not forgotten about her love back in Japan. And she felt the anguish of love torn between two men. But it was becoming clear that she was falling deeply in love with the young Canadian who was unlike any man she had ever known. She could only imagine what her love in Japan would have said to her had he known: that she was cold-hearted. She would not have been able to deny it.
8. Marseilles
She was filled with both love and uncertainty. But she kept telling herself that it would be unwise to fight fate. This young Canadian was her fate. Still, they both decided that it would be best to separate. They agreed to leave the possibility open of meeting each other once again in Marseilles, France, if it was truly meant to be. After being apart for a several weeks, she realized that he was the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. She got on the train for Marseilles, anxious to be in his arms again.
9. As Long as You Are With Me (Rome)
They travelled together through Austria and Switzerland. By the end of the fall they were in Rome. She felt wonderful and carefree. As long as he was by her side, nothing else seemed to matter.
10. Winter in Paris
Cities came and went. They settled in Paris. However, Christmas approached and soon he had to return home to spend the holidays with family. He left, one cold morning, promising he would be back.
11. We Will Be Together (Canada)
Three months had passed and not a word. She had almost given up hope when suddenly a letter arrived. It was from him. It read, “Come to Canada…”
She had yet to find all the answers to the questions from her youth. Perhaps she never will. But her journey has taken her not only to different places in the world but to the happiness she feels today. She has learned many lessons. She has no regrets. She will continue to follow her heart on the road to her dreams.