J-pop single review Akikawa Masafumi Sen no Kaze no natte

Akikawa Masafumi is a classical singer (not enka). Sen no kaze ni natte is his megahit single which sold more than 1 million copies.

1. Sen no Kaze ni Natte- The title means I am in the thousand winds that blow. It is a wonderful, soul-stirring and heartwaerming ballad which emphasizes the immortality of human emotions. Akikawa Masafumi belts out this song and every word is filled with a lot of emotion. The song begins with a simple piano instrumental until the powerhouse vocals enter. This ballad is so pure that no other ballad released in recent times can compare to it. If you listen to it, you will know what I mean. It is like Utada's First Love- a one in the world ballad. Because I found the lyrics so beautiful, I would love to share them with you. This song is actually based on an English poem. I am writing down the poem here. The translation of the song is more or less similar but there are slight differences. Here it is-

Do not stand at my grave and weep
I am not there; I did not sleep

I am in the thousand winds that blow
I am the diamond glints on snow
I am the sunlight that ripens grain
I am the gentle autumn's rain

I am in the morning hush
I am in the graceful rush
Of birds circling in flight
I am the starshine of the night

I am in every flower that blooms
I am in a quiet room

Do not stand at my grave and cry
I am not there; I did not die.

Truly beautiful!!
Rating-5 (full!!)

2.Ringo Oiwake- is the b-side of this single. It sounds a lot like enka with a sad atmosphere and tinkling instruments. The vocals are very strong in this track too. It is as good as any a-side or even better. It is actually a cover song. Hibari Misora is the original artist (no wonder the song is so good!)
Rating-4.5

This single is worth purchasing. Akikawa-san's vocals simply mermerized me and when my mother heard it, though she doesn't know anything about Japanese, she loved this song. She keeps requesting me to play this song again and again.

Pros
Outstanding melodies
Deep and meaningful lyrics
Akikawa san's voice is very powerful
Beautiful cover

Cons
Does this have any??
Well, I guess some of you might find Akikawa-san's voice a bit old-fashioned though the single was released in 2006.