Do you know the song Tsubasa wo Kudasai?

In this article, we will talk about the famous song Tsubasa wo Kudasai (翼をください) which literally means “please give me wings”. This song was written by the group Akaitori and released at the Nemu Popular Festival that took place in 1970 in the city of Shima in Mie. The song became so famous that it ended up being included in choirs and taught in schools throughout Japan, becoming a song known by the entire Japanese population.

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For a long time, this song has been re-released in various albums by different singers. The song was even the official theme of the football team in the 1998 World Cup. “Tsubasa wo kudasai” has also appeared in various anime such as Evangelion, Danganronpa, Nichijou, K-ON, and many others. See the song below sung by Yui:

Embedded video (YouTube)

Song Lyrics

いま私の願いごとが かなうならば翼がほしい
この背中に鳥のように 白い翼つけてください

この大空に翼をひろげ 飛んで行きたいよ
悲しみのない自由な空へ 翼はためかせ 行きたい

子供の時 夢みたこと
今も同じ夢に見ている

この大空に翼をひろげ 飛んで行きたいよ
悲しみのない自由な空へ 翼はためかせ

この大空に翼をひろげ 飛んで行きたいよ
悲しみのない自由な空へ 翼はためかせ 行きたい

Romanization of the song

Ima watashi no negaigoto ga kanau naraba tsubasa ga hoshii
Kono senaka ni tori no you ni shiroi tsubasa tsukete kudasai

Kono oozora ni tsubasa wo hiroge tonde yukitai yo
Kanashimi no nai jiyuu na sora he tsubasa hatamekase yukitai

Kodomo no doki yume mita koto Ima mo onaji yume ni miteiru

Kono oozora ni tsubasa wo hiroge tonde yukitai yo
Kanashimi no nai jiyuu na sora he tsubasa hatamekase yukitai

Kono oozora ni tsubasa wo hiroge Tonde yukitai yo
Kanashimi no nai jiyuu na sora he tsubasa hatamekase yukitai

Translation of the song

If now my wish were to come true, I would wish for wings
Just like a bird, please put white wings on my back

I want to spread my wings and fly in these skies
I want my wings to flutter in a free and sorrowless sky

What I dreamed of as a child, even now, I see the same dream

I want to spread my wings and fly in these skies
I want my wings to flutter in a free and sorrowless sky

I want to spread my wings and fly in these skies
I want my wings to flutter in a free and sorrowless sky

Breaking down the song

いま私の願いごとが かなうならば 翼がほしい
Ima watashi no negaigoto ga kanau naraba tsubasa ga hoshii

If now my wish were to come true, I want wings!

• いま – 今 – now;
• 私 – I;
• 願い事 – wish, dream, request;
• かなう – to come true (wish), to correspond, to be;
• ならば – if;
• 翼 – wings;
• ほしい – I want, desire;

この背中に鳥のように 白い翼つけてください
Kono senaka ni tori no you ni shiroi tsubasa tsukete kudasai

Just like a bird, please put white wings on my back

• この – this;
• 背中 – back;
• 鳥 – bird;
• のように – like a;
• 白い – white;
• 翼 – wings;
• つけて – attach, join, add, stick;
• ください – please;

この大空に翼をひろげ 飛んで行きたいよ
Kono oozora ni tsubasa o hiroge tonde ikitai yo

I want to spread my wings and fly in these skies

• この – this;
• 大空 – sky, firmament;
• 翼 – wings;
• ひろげ – spread, extend, increase, unfold;
• 飛んで – fly, jump;
• 行きたいよ – want (verb to go);

悲しみのない自由な空へ 翼はためかせ 行きたい
Kanashimi no nai jiyūna sora e tsubasa hatameka se ikitai

I want my wings to flutter in a free and sorrowless sky

• 悲しみ – sorrow;
• ない – not, without, negative;
• 自由 – freedom, free;
• 空 – sky;
• ため – advantage, benefit, purpose, objective;

子供の時 夢みたこと 今も同じ夢に見ている
Kodomo no toki yumemita koto ima mo onaji yume ni mite iru

What I dreamed of as a child, now I see the same dream

• 子供 – child;
• 時 – time, era;
• 夢 – dream;
• 今 – now;
• 同じ – same;
• 見ている – see, seeing;