At first I thought the song was about keeping secrets between two or more people, and the destructive consequences secrets between friends/lovers have. After a wee bit of research I've changed my mind.
Cherry tree is a metaphor for love, affection, spring (which again symbolizes life and a new beginning), good fortune, and the fleeting nature of life according to the Japanese. Also, cherry blossoms were painted by the Japanese on their planes and used to stoke militarism and nationalism in the people.
When a pilot was shot down, the cherry blossom would fall and he would be reborn in the blossoms.
"Loose lips sink ships" (quoted from http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/237250.html): "This phrase was coined as a slogan during WWII as part of the US Office of War Information's attempt to limit the possibility of people inadvertently giving useful information to enemy spies. The slogan was actually 'Loose Lips Might Sink Ships. This was one of several similar slogans which all came under the campaigns basic message - 'Careless Talk Costs Lives'."
Maybe the song is about paranoia and hard times in the military during WW2, or maybe it's an old reminder for a modern war, or maybe the metaphors are translated to a completely different setting.
Still, the song is hauntingly beautiful.
At first I thought the song was about keeping secrets between two or more people, and the destructive consequences secrets between friends/lovers have. After a wee bit of research I've changed my mind.
Cherry tree is a metaphor for love, affection, spring (which again symbolizes life and a new beginning), good fortune, and the fleeting nature of life according to the Japanese. Also, cherry blossoms were painted by the Japanese on their planes and used to stoke militarism and nationalism in the people. When a pilot was shot down, the cherry blossom would fall and he would be reborn in the blossoms.
"Loose lips sink ships" (quoted from http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/237250.html): "This phrase was coined as a slogan during WWII as part of the US Office of War Information's attempt to limit the possibility of people inadvertently giving useful information to enemy spies. The slogan was actually 'Loose Lips Might Sink Ships. This was one of several similar slogans which all came under the campaigns basic message - 'Careless Talk Costs Lives'."
Maybe the song is about paranoia and hard times in the military during WW2, or maybe it's an old reminder for a modern war, or maybe the metaphors are translated to a completely different setting. Still, the song is hauntingly beautiful.