This song is neither an anti-war song nor a patriotic anthem. It was originally written as a gospel song expressing the desire to live sincerely with faith in God in a society full of absurdity. We were singing it even before HEAVENESE officially began its public activities.
However, in the drastically changed society due to the pandemic, the establishment of Tokyo y’sBe Academy and the increasing opportunities to perform alongside elementary, middle, and high school students have created more concrete ways to carry forward what was received from our predecessors.
During this process, we tried incorporating the melody of “Umi Yukaba” into the interlude of this song. That became the starting point for this project.
We have always loved the melody, so by incorporating it into our own song, we wanted to introduce this beautiful tune with a feeling different from that of a ‘military song.’ That’s why we decided to try it.”
It fit surprisingly well, and even though it was just the melody without lyrics, there was a quiet, moving sense as if the subtle emotions of the boys and girls from that time were seeping through.
Some sang it without understanding, some with joy, some through tears, and some with desperate hope for a better future before they perished. All these bittersweet emotions seemed to resonate within the melody.
Eventually, “Until we reach home (Never Forget) ”, featuring “Umi Yukaba,” became a regular part of HEAVENESE performances. Seeing students sing with all their hearts came to symbolize the essence of an intergenerational troupe.
Many elderly participants have said they felt reassured when they saw people of vastly different ages standing together on one stage. As they near the end of their lives, it is only natural to reflect on what they can leave behind. Perhaps their sense of reassurance comes from realizing that their memories and emotions are indeed being passed on.
While the last generation of living witnesses to WWII is still with us, we feel a strong calling to preserve—even just a little—the traces and memories of their youth, the songs they once sang, as works of art. This music video was created from that conviction. If we are able to pass on the emotions embedded in their singing to the young people of the next generation, there would be no greater joy.
Marre & Kumiko