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 just 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

Teo torriatte konomama iko
Aisuruhito yo
Shizukana yoi ni
Hikario tomoshi
Itoshiki oshieo 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

Teo torriatte konomama iko
Aisuruhito yo
Shizukana yoi ni
Hikario tomoshi
Itoshiki oshieo idaki

When I'm gone
They'll say we're 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



Lyrics submitted by Weave30

Track duration: 05:56

"Teo Torriatte (Let Us Cling Together)" as written by Brian Harold May

Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


Teo Torriatte (Let Us Cling Together) song meanings
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22 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:This might be my favorite song by Queen. ('39 and Hammer to Fall are close ties) I'm a native Japanese speaker, and the first time I heard it, I was like "WOAH! JAPANESE?"
    As to Sazaika, yeah, they were really popular in Japan. My mom grew up in Japan, and she went to tons of their concerts.
    I agree. I want this played at my funeral.
    Flag AimitisMacTrathnonaon November 14, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I honestly didn't know that Bri was any good at this sort of romantic-ballad or whatever you'd call it until I heard this song. I think it's basically a song that says - "I'll be there for you, my love, don't worry about distance"

    Pity that those terrible boybands have taken this style in. It really had a great place with Queen and the like.
    Flag Unstoppableon January 23, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I blatetntly want this played at my funeral. Its so hauntingly beautiful.
    Flag princess*delilahon October 25, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:My current interpretation of the song (and I've had a few) is that it's a love song to their Japanese fans. For a while they weren't exactly popular in the U.S., U.K., Australia, etc., but when they went to Japan they were surprised to find they were the next big thing, and that they were REALLY popular. I mean, hordes of teenage girls followed them around everywhere they went and waved pictures of them. Queen were really embraced by the country, and a few of them expressed a deep fondness for it (Freddie even started collecting Japanese antiques!). After the A Night at the Opera album, and becoming popular everywhere else, they decided to give a little “thank you” in song form to the Japanese fans who had loved them so much. Proof of this theory would be that it was released as a single in Japan.

    The “when I’m gone” lines aren’t about death, but about leaving Japan, and the “let us cling together” verse is about maintaining the good relationship between the band and their fans. The “Hear my song” verse is about recalling good memories and holding them close to their hearts, and the “they’ll say we’re all fools” verse is a request for their fans not to be swayed by negative criticism.

    The thank you to the fan interpretation may not seem to be as potent and meaningful as the death and love interpretation, but I think it’s a beautiful and meaningful song, and the best “thank you” a band has ever given to its fans.
    Flag Sazaikaon August 19, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:"Absolutly beautiful. I don't quite think its about death. When Brian says 'Let us cling together as the years go by' I don't see it as the person is dieing but rather he is going away for a long time."

    ^^Regardless, it is absolutely haunting to hear Freddie singing this song. Amazing how songs written years later when they knew he was dying, like "The Show Must Go On", can have the same effect as a song like this written about fifteen years earlier. When sung, this song is almost like a letter to the fans. Especially the "Hear my song, still think of me the way you've come to think of me" part. (yes i know Brian was the author, not Freddie) Also the way he sings "When I'm gone, they'll say we're all fools" so powerfully... chills.
    Flag lastoftherockstarson May 17, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Wow! S**t! llewlyn. F**k! Sorry!
    Flag Xinyaon November 22, 2006   Link
  • -1
    General Comment:Sorry, I meant llewelyn. So sorry!
    Flag Xinyaon November 22, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I was wondering, llewellyn... said that Teo torriate part meant;

    'Let us hold on to each other as life goes by
    my love,
    the night is falling
    but light the fire that burns inside us
    and treasure the knowledge that we have gained.'

    and I was just wondering. This sounds awfully like this;

    '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.'

    See my point?
    Flag Xinyaon November 22, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I just love this song. It's so pretty. I cannot agree with Immigrant. I don't think this is like a boy-band song. This is a lot prettier then their songs. 'Vandaðra'. - Uuuu... put more work into it.

    Also, it was great to know what Teo torriate part meant. :)

    Like people were saying, I think it's just like, you know, someone who's leaving for a long, long time and is saying goodbye to the one he loves. Just like mweber1488 said, I don't think he's dying. Just going away.
    Flag Xinyaon November 22, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Ah, my apologies. Brian May, author. More than a year later, this is still my favorite Queen song. Thanks, Kondor, for the word-by-word gloss-- i'll keep that one too, if you don't mind! And i love the idea of karma, Persian Eyes-- this song more and more seems to me something between two people who never expect to see each other again-- in this life.
    Flag llewlynon September 29, 2006   Link

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