Teo Torriatte (Let Us Cling Together)

Teo Torriatte (Let Us Cling Together)

Vinyl single - USA - 1st edition.

Artist	Queen
Published	1976-12-10
Composer	Brian May
Genre	Rock, Rock ballad
Themes	Romance
Rating

Teo Torriatte (Let Us Cling Together) is a romantic rock song written by Brian May and performed by Queen and first published as track B5 on A Day at the Races on 1976-12-10. "Teo Torriatte" (in Japanese: 手をとりあって) translates to "holding hands." A shorter version was released in Japan both a single and promo in 1977 with Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy as the B-side. In 2005, Brian May created a "high definition" remix which was also released in Japan.

On the album recording, Freddie Mercury sings vocals; Brian May plays electric guitar, harmonium, acoustic piano, Vox electronic piano, and sings backing vocals; Roger Taylor – plays drums, tambourine, percussion, and sings backing vocals; and John Deacon – plays bass guitar. The chorus, which is sung both in English and Japanese, was translated by Chika Kujiraoka. The album version has an instrumental fade out which is also heard at the beginning of the first track of the album to frame the whole thing.

In the song's lyrics, the singer tells their lover to rest assured knowing they will constantly be thinking of them while they're apart, and to not pay attention to those who doubt their return, for they will eventually be together forever. Although the song can have a straightforward interpretation, listeners have suggested it could also be about Brian's love for Japan and the band's Japanese fans as they were particularly receptive to Queen.

The song's subtitle was used in the 2010 video game Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together.

Personal

Because the song wasn't included on any American greatest hits albums, and rarely saw any airplay in the 1990s, I didn't hear this song until I finally bought a copy of A Day at the Races in the late 1990s. I probably liked the song initially, but, over time, it has become my second favorite on the album.

I like the song's soft piano opening, and Freddie has nice soft vocals. Brian has some nice guitar during the second verse, and the buildup before the second Japanese chorus is quite nice which crescendos into the bridge which is particularly moving. I also like the choir used in the final chorus.

Lyrics

When I'm gone,
No need to wonder if I ever think of you.
The same moon shines,
The same wind blows,
For both of us, and time is but a paper moon.
Be not gone.

Though I'm gone,
It's as though I hold the flower that touches you.
A new life grows,
The blossom knows, 
There's no one else could warm my heart as much as you.
Be not gone.

Let us cling together as the years go by.
Oh, my love, my love.
In the quiet of the night,
Let our candle always burn.
Let us never lose the lessons we have learned.

Te o toriatte konomama ikou,
Aisuru hito yo.
Shizukana yoi ni, 
Hikari o tomoshi,
Itoshiki oshie o idaki.

Hear my song.
Still think of me the way you've come to think of me.
The nights grow long,
But dreams live on.
Just close your pretty eyes and you can be with me.
Dream on.

Te o toriatte konomama ikou,
Aisuru hito yo.
Shizukana yoi ni, 
Hikari o tomoshi,
Itoshiki oshie o idaki.

When I'm gone,
They'll say we were all fools,
And we don't understand.
Oh, be strong.
Don't turn your heart,
We're all, you're all, for all, for always.

Let us cling together as the years go by.
Oh, my love, my love.
In the quiet of the night,
Let our candle always burn.
Let us never lose the lessons we have learned.

While the Japanese chorus conveys a similar meaning as the English, there are interesting cultural differences.

Japanese	Romaji	Translation	English
手を取り合ってこのまま行こう愛する人よ静かな宵に光を灯し愛しき教えを抱き	Te o toriatte konomama ikou Aisuru hito yo Shizukana yoi ni Hikari o tomoshi Itoshiki oshie o idaki	Let's go hand in hand my beloved In a quiet evening Light the light Embracing loving teachings	Let us cling together as the years go by Oh my love my love In the quiet of the night Let our candle always burn Let us never lose the lessons we have learned