Listen to or download the song.
Play this on the jukebox and listen to a lot of other versions too.
You can also download all the different musical versions, in the order they went up.
Check Kaya’s Twitter feed for more info.
Guitar: Fumio Yanagisawa
From Janis: Kaya Saito grew up in a provincial city near Tokyo that commands a view of Mt. Fuji. She began showing music promise from a very early age, and eventually attained the #1 spot in a 2019 television program “Music Champ” in Japan. This past spring she moved to Tokyo so she could devote herself whole-heartedly to music, fulfilling her early promise.
She sent this beautiful letter:
“Dear Janis Ian, I am Kaya Saito. Thank you for the wonderful song. What I thought was normal everyday life turned out to be anything but. I realized something so joyful, that the sadness and trouble we face can be overcome when everyone comes together to defeat it. Then, true joy can be found in normal everyday life. I sang ‘Better Times Will Come’ while embracing this feeling. The guitar was played by Fumio Yanagisawa, introduced by an acquaintance. Thank you. Saito Kaya”
I could not have said it better myself; at 19, she shows a poise and devotion I can only admire.
Better Times Will Come
Japanese lyric adaptation: Takahiro Maeda, executive producer, Japan
作詞・作曲 Janis Ian 日本語詞 前田たかひろ
Better times, better times will come
その日は 必ず来る
みんなでまるい地球と言う船漕いで行こう
きっと試されている 愛は幻想だろう？と
だったら今証明しよう 愛は幻想じゃない
Better times, better times will come
その日は 必ず来る
みんなでまるい地球と言う船漕いで行こう
きっと試されている 船出の覚悟を
だったら見せよう証明しよう 嵐も越えよう
Better times, better times will come
今こそ 学ぶとき
みんなでまるい地球と言う船漕いで行こう
Better times, better times will come
その日は 必ず来る
みんなでまるい地球と言う船漕いで行こう
Oh Better times will come
Words & music Janis Ian; © 2020 Janis Ian; Japanese adaptation by Takahiro Maeda. All rights reserved; used by permission.