“Get Through Today” by Nobuyasu Okabayashi (今日をこえて–岡林信康)

Stop your fretting, that’s enough
Today’s passing yesterday by
Stop listening to yesterday, that’s enough
Today has passed, you have tomorrow

You’ve got to say something
Try to be a good, obedient kid
And you’ll never understand
Get through today
Start living for tomorrow

Stop clinging to the past, that’s enough
Today’s already yesterday
Stop acting so proper, that’s enough
Tomorrow’s already yesterday

You’ve got to say something
Try to be a good, obedient kid
And you’ll never understand
Get through today
Start living for tomorrow

Original lyrics:

くよくよするのはもうやめさ
今日はきのうを越えている
きのうに聞くのももうやめさ
今日を越えた明日がある

何とでも云うがいいさ
よい子でいたいお利口さん
あんたにゃわかるまい
今日をのりこえて
明日に生きることなんか

しがみつくのはもうやめさ
今日もきのうになっちまう
利□ぶるのももうやめさ
明日もきのうになっちまう

何とでも云うがいいさ
よい子でいたいお利口さん
あんたにゃわかるまい
今日をのりこえて
明日に生きることなんか

The Long Journey to Freedom by Nobuyasu Okabayashi (自由への長い旅–岡林 信康)

Suddenly it’s like I’m not myself anymore
Like a leaf fluttering in the wind, like a boat set adrift
To get back to myself again
I’m bidding farewell to the world I know and taking a trip
I want to believe, so I’ll keep going uncertainly
Alone on the long journey to freedom
Another day on the long journey to freedom

I don’t know where this road leads
I only know that I’ll finally get somewhere
What kind of place will it be?
What will I find there?
Without knowing, all alone, I’m bidding farewell and taking a trip
I want to believe, so I’ll keep going uncertainly
Alone on the long journey to freedom
Another day on the long journey to freedom

Original lyrics:

いつのまにか私が 私でないような
枯葉が風に舞うように 小舟がただようように
私がもう一度 私になる為に
育ててくれた 世界に別れを告げて旅立つ
信じたいために うたがいつづける
自由への長い旅を一人
自由への長い旅を今日も

この道がどこを とおるのか知らない
知っているのは たどりつくところが
あることだけ
そこがどこになるのか
そこでなにがあるのか
わからないまま一人で別れを告げて 旅立つ
信じたいために うたがいつづける
自由への長い旅を一人
自由への長い旅を今日も

Nobuyasu Okabayashi is a Japanese folk singer whose career dates back to the late 1960s. His style and social and political messaging quickly drew comparisons to Bob Dylan, an artist he covered early on in his career. This song is taken from his 1970 album 見るまえに跳べ (Leap Before You Look), which featured the newly-formed Happy End, who became one of Japan’s most famous folk-rock groups, as his backing band. The entire album can be heard on YouTube (highly recommended).