Teo Torriatte (Let Us Cling Together)

My current interpretation of the song (and I've had a few) is that it's a love song to their Japanese fans. For a while they weren't exactly popular in the U.S., U.K., Australia, etc., but when they went to Japan they were surprised to find they were the next big thing, and that they were REALLY popular. I mean, hordes of teenage girls followed them around everywhere they went and waved pictures of them. Queen were really embraced by the country, and a few of them expressed a deep fondness for it (Freddie even started collecting Japanese antiques!). After the A Night at the Opera album, and becoming popular everywhere else, they decided to give a little “thank you” in song form to the Japanese fans who had loved them so much. Proof of this theory would be that it was released as a single in Japan.

The “when I’m gone” lines aren’t about death, but about leaving Japan, and the “let us cling together” verse is about maintaining the good relationship between the band and their fans. The “Hear my song” verse is about recalling good memories and holding them close to their hearts, and the “they’ll say we’re all fools” verse is a request for their fans not to be swayed by negative criticism.

The thank you to the fan interpretation may not seem to be as potent and meaningful as the death and love interpretation, but I think it’s a beautiful and meaningful song, and the best “thank you” a band has ever given to its fans.

This song never fails to bring a tear to my eye. As to its meaning, it's pretty clear to me. This is a letter from a dying person to a loved one (partner, parent, child, etc.) telling them to be strong and to always remember that not even death could make their mutual love disappear. I also think there are some hints pointing at an afterlife or some sort of reincarnation/rebirth. For example when he says "Let us never lose the lessons we have learned" I think he's referring to karma He's saying that if they never forget the lessons they learn throughout each of their lives they will continue to grow spiritually and will certainly reunite with each other in a future incarnation. It makes perfect sense to me. What do you think?

"so it doesn't rhyme- i'm not a genius like Freddie. :)"

This song was actually written by Brian May. :) Beautiful song. Don't know how I managed to overlook it for so long.

This is sheer brilliance, I think the meaning is pretty self explanatory but still, amazing.

Teo torriatte konomama iko Aisuruhito yo Shizukana yoi ni Hikario tomoshi Itoshiki oshieo idaki

Translation anyone, please?

The Japanese is the same as the English, although the Japanese is a little more poetic. "tomoshi" is like the fire that burns from within; not just passion but love and maybe even the light of awakening.

SO: Let us hold on to each other as life goes by my love, the night is falling but light the fire that burns inside us and treasure the knowledge that we have gained.

so it doesn't rhyme- i'm not a genius like Freddie. :)

Every time I would go out on my search for Queen songs, I'd see this one and think, "Wow, that sounds really cool." Sadly, I always looked at more popular titles, like those from Queen II. But once I found this one, I fell in love with it, and actually sent the Japanese verse to my aunt in Japan, who translated it for me. Beautiful song, really, and yes, Brian May did write it.

The verses are my favorite part of this song-- the simple piano accompaniment (played by Brian), the slightly menacing guitars in the third verse, and Freddie's placid vocal. The last thing I expected after these was a great sing-along chorus. It fits perfectly. I'm wondering, is there an entire of song related to Japan similar to the verses? There's an old old song called "Japanese Sandman" that starts out in a very similar way before becoming more pop-sounding... maybe this and that came from the same influence.

Although it more than an year since, thanks for the translation llewlyn! :)

But even more interesting, I also received another translation to my e-mail back then which varies somewhat from yours.

I'll copy it here:

Brandi Schaefer
to me 3/19/05 The translation for Teo torriatte konomama iko is

Teo Torriatte konomama iko Let us cling together as the years go by

Teo: hand/hands [doesn't distinguish between number] Torriatte: hold konomama: as it is iko: go

Aisuruhito yo Oh my love, my love

Aisuruhito: to a loved one yo: dear

Shizukana yoi ni In the quiet of the night

Shizukana: silent yoi: night/dusk ni: in/at

Hikario tomoshi Let our candle always burn

Hikario: light/lamp tomoshi: turn on; conected with fire [very poetic expresion]

Itoshiki oshieo idaki Let us never lose the lessons we have learned

Itoshiki: lovely oshieo: a word from God/instructions/something given by a respected or highly educated person or persons [a very religion word] idaki: keep/have

Anyhow, I'm going to save both versions for myself. :)

Absolutly beautiful. I don't quite think its about death. When Brian says 'Let us cling together as the years go by' I don't see it as the person is dieing but rather he is going away for a long time. For example, he could be leaving for war. The first verse I think backs me up by saying that the same moon shines and the same winds blows which to me means that even though they are apart its only the distance that separates them.

To me this is the perfect song when your going to leave someone and all you can tell them is to be strong.