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The theme song いのちの名前 (Inochi no Namae) is the lyricized version of あの日の川へ (Ano Hi no Kawa e), but it was never sung during the film, and therefore it is only included in Kimura Yumi's first single and later in the Spirited Away Memorial Box.

Does it have any meaningful connection to the story of Spirited Away?

いのちの名前

作詞：覚 和歌子／作曲・編曲：久石 譲
歌：木村　弓

青空に線を引く
ひこうき雲の白さは
ずっとどこまでも　ずっと続いてく
明日を知ってたみたい

胸で浅く息をしてた
熱い頬　さました風も　おぼえてる

未来の前にすくむ手足は
静かな声にほどかれて
叫びたいほど　なつかしいのは
ひとつのいのち
真夏の光
あなたの肩に　揺れてた木漏れ日

つぶれた白いボール
風が散らした花びら
ふたつを浮かべて　見えない川は
歌いながら流れてく

秘密も嘘も喜びも
宇宙を生んだ神さまの　子供たち

※未来の前にすくむ心が
　いつか名前を思い出す
　叫びたいほど　いとおしいのは
　ひとつのいのち
　帰りつく場所
　わたしの指に　消えない夏の日

※ref. 　 woo…

The Name of Life

Lyrics: Kaku Wakako / Music: Hisaishi Joe
Vocals: Kimura Yumi

The whiteness of the clouds left behind by a plane
Draw a line across the blue sky
Always, no matter to where, always continuing
As if it knew tomorrow

In my chest I breathed in a shallow breath
I remember the breeze that blew on my hot cheek

The hands and feet which are bound before the future
Are freed by a quiet voice
So nostalgic that I want to scream out, is
One life, the midsummer light
At your shoulder, swaying, the sunbeams streaming through the leaves

The white ball at rest
The petals which have been scattered by the wind
The invisible river which carries both
Singing while flowing on

Secrets and lies and joy
Are the children of the gods who created this universe

* The heart which is bound before the future
Someday, will remember its name
So loved that I want to scream out, is
One life, the place to return to
At my fingertips, the summer day which doesn't disappear

* Repeat

Translated by satoru-13

Aki Tanaka
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Magistel2
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    @Magistel2 I believe some people feel that the lyrics have little relation to the movie's plot (perhaps if it was worded to ask if it had any relational meaning to the plot of the movie, it would be better scoped). But if you feel that you disagree, please visit our [meta](http://meta.anime.stackexchange.com/) post a question to we may better discuss this topic. – кяαzєя May 05 '14 at 19:38
  • I grabbed the official Japanese lyrics off the booklet included in the Spirited Away Memorial Box. Another vocalized (but not lyricized) version of あの日の川へ can be found in the [Spirited Away Image Album](http://vgmdb.net/album/24455). For an explanation of the Japanese lyrics, you can consult [this question](http://detail.chiebukuro.yahoo.co.jp/qa/question_detail/q14136156564). – Gao Mar 26 '15 at 07:07

1 Answers1

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When the song speaks of a river, it could be relating to the motif of a river in Spirited Away such as how Chihiro dropped her shoe in a river and she helped to bathe a polluted river spirit. Also, most importantly, Haku is a river spirit. Spirited Away is centered around rivers it seems. Other than that, there doesn't seem to be any other connection between the song and the movie. It could just be a coincidence that both involved a river.

Saccstry
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