Change your mood with rainy songs
~Songs to listen to on a rainy day, chosen by 6 Monosasu staff members~

We have entered the rainy season.

When it rains for days on end, it can be depressing,
I feel like rainy days are a little bit out of the ordinary, like the flow of time is a little different.

On a rainy day, listening to music that is perfect for rain can change your mood and help you enjoy the rainy day. Have you ever had such an experience?

Today, we asked our music-loving staff to recommend some music for rainy days.

I don't know when the sun will shine, but I want to listen to this song with the thought, "It's raining right now."
Sunny Day Service "Sunny Day Service"

Sunny Day Service "Sunny Day Service" Midi (1997/10/22) ( Amazon )

The album also includes a song called "Rain."
When I think of the band Sunny Day Service, I have a strong image of "rain."
Before the mood cleared up, I don't know why, but it felt annoying and disorganized.
And this album fits that image perfectly.

If I say it like that, you might think that I'm going to get annoyed while listening to it...
Rather, it feels like it resonates with the "rain"-like feelings I have and seeps into me smoothly.
I don't know when the weather will clear up, but it's raining right now. This is an album to listen to with that feeling in mind.

Contemporary music at the shrine in the light rain
Toru Takemitsu "Sketches of Rain Trees II - In Memory of Olivier Messiaen"

  Performed by Kotaro Fukuma Composed by Toru Takemitsu "Toru Takemitsu: Piano Works" Naxos (August 1, 2007) ( Amazon )

I chose a piece by contemporary composer Toru Takemitsu.
"Sketches of a Rainy Tree" is a two-part work, and the one we are introducing this time is the second part, composed when composer Olivier Messiaen passed away.

This song has beautiful dissonances and the lingering sound is enjoyable.
There is some space, so it feels even better when the sound of rain comes in.
I think it represents the rain in Japan.

Although it's a little unusual, I recommend listening to this song at a shrine.
My hobby is collecting temple stamps, so I often go to shrines.
I think shrines look prettier when the weather is cloudy.
I'll go looking for light rain.
There are fewer people on rainy days.
I find that spending some peaceful time listening to this song and the sound of rain helps me relax.

Toru Takemitsu's music has a unique worldview and instantly grabs your heart.
It's a compelling sound.
Please give it a listen.

It's raining today, so I don't have to do anything.
Quruli "Rose Flower"　

Quruli "Bara no Hana" Victor Entertainment (2001/1/2) ( Amazon )

The topic of "rain" reminded me of a song by Quruli that I had completely forgotten, and I pulled out the CD for the first time in over a decade.
I like the lyrics, which start with a frustrating line, "It's a rainy morning, so we won't be able to meet again today...", but end with, "Now that we're safe, let's go on a journey, let's cry and laugh to our heart's content", which gives off a strange sense of liberation.

For example, on a day off, it's been raining since morning and I plan to stay indoors all day, that's when I'd want to listen to it.

A song whose lyrics seep into your heart, just like rain seeps into the earth.
Lyrics: Jukichi Yagi Music: Takehiko Tada "Rain"

"Complete Collection of Japanese Choral Songs: Rain, Takehiko Tada's Works" Japan Traditional Culture Promotion Foundation (2005/10/21) ( Amazon )

The song is set to a poem by Taisho-era poet Yagi Jukichi and written by composer Tada Takehiko.
This is a familiar song for those who sing in male choirs, and some of them may have a special attachment to it.

This song is performed by an unaccompanied male choir and lasts about three minutes. The melody has a solemn (not heavy or solemn) harmony throughout, just like the poem, and there is a tenor solo in the middle.

I haven't sang much myself, but when I was in college, I listened to my seniors perform.
When I listen to this song, I feel like the lyrics are soaking into my heart, just like rain soaking into the earth. It's a song I'd like to ruminate on in my mind on a quiet, rainy day.

The sound of praising the blessed rain
Nina Simone “I Think it’s going to rain today”

Nina Simone "And Piano!" RCA (2001/11/8) ( Amazon )

Nina Simone, singing while playing the piano, is an American singer who was active mainly from the late 1950s to the 1990s.

I think Nina Simone has the power to draw the listener into her world.
This song in particular evokes a lot of imagery.

The song begins in a quiet atmosphere, like listening to the sound of falling rain indoors.
At the end, it seems as if he is praising the blessed rain while looking out at the pouring rain outside.
Maybe there's a rainbow in the sky.
This song spreads that image.

Have fun on a rainy day

What kind of music would you like to listen to on a rainy day?
There are songs ranging from quiet ones that make you feel immersed in the rain to dramatic ones.
Each person had their own interpretation of "rain."

I spoke to a few other staff members,
One staff member said that he sometimes falls asleep listening to a CD that plays the sound of rain.
Indeed, the sound of rain itself has a relaxing effect.

I feel like the usual "rain" can feel a little different when accompanied by music.
I hope to do another music feature on a different topic!