In life, we encounter many kinds of farewells: breaking up with a lover, parting ways with beloved friends and mentors when moving on to further studies or a new job, and even losing precious family members.
Some farewells are sad, while others are hopeful—but saying “goodbye” is always tinged with loneliness.
In this article, we’ll introduce songs that capture the feeling of “goodbye” and gently accompany your heart.
From songs that heal the wounds of heartbreak to songs that cheer you on at a new beginning, we’ve picked out tracks that sing about all kinds of farewells.
Find the one that perfectly fits your situation!
[Farewell Songs] Tracks that sing various "goodbyes" (1–10)
MapleSpitz
Spitz / Kaede
Spitz has fans across generations.
Their song “Kaede” is the band’s 19th single, released in 1998.
It’s a track that remains popular regardless of era, and the fact that it’s still so loved after all this time is proof it’s a classic.
The lyrics resonate not only with those in love but with anyone who’s experienced a farewell, and they make you think not just about the sadness of parting, but about what lies ahead.
It encourages you not to let that farewell be in vain—engrave it in your heart and move forward.
Sakanaction is a five-piece rock band whose name reflects their desire to move forward without fearing change.
Their 9th single, “Goodbye is Emotion,” released as a double A-side with “Lotus Flower,” was featured as the theme song for the TV commercial for TOSHIN’s 2013 National Unified High School Test and National Unified Junior High School Test.
The lyrics, which look back on memories while conveying the resolve to take a new step, resonate with listeners’ own feelings beyond just a breakup with a lover.
It’s a dramatic pop tune whose rapidly unfolding ensemble stirs the heart.
Singer-songwriter SG, who has been active mainly on social media after a video titled “A Korean tried singing in Japanese” went viral.
His song Bokura Mata is a number about springtime meetings and farewells.
Hailed as “a graduation song representative of the Reiwa era,” the title fits perfectly: it sings of positive partings and the feeling of taking a new step forward.
The lyrics also weave in fond memories from the past, which really tugs at the heartstrings.
The optimism of believing we’ll meet again somewhere, someday—and when we do…—is sure to strike a chord.
God Does Not Play Dice “Yoru-Naga Uta” [Official Lyric Video]
This is a song about the lingering feeling of never being able to forget that someone precious was by your side.
It’s a track by the Fukuoka-born rock band Kami wa Saikoro wo Furanai, included on their 2019 mini-album “A View on Lambda.” It’s a rock ballad with a strikingly mixed sound arrangement, and vocalist Shusaku Yanagida’s wistful voice really hits home.
If you’re seeing someone right now, it might help you reaffirm how important their presence is.
This is a song by Cö shu Nie that portrays intense feelings of regret at the moment of parting, and how reflecting on happy memories intensifies the pain.
The airy, quiet sound that incorporates piano tones also seems to emphasize emotional instability and suffering.
In the lyrics, there is a sorrowful desire to savor the happiness of the present, even as the farewell draws near.
Throughout the piece, it expresses how the more one looks back on happy memories, the stronger the pain of parting becomes.
