The Rose

Heard this 20min ago on FM96.3, sung by a Jap guy. Did a google with "the soul afraid of dying that never learns to live" and found the lyrics by Amanda McBroom:

Some say love it is a river,
That drowns the tender reed.
Some say love it is a razor,
That leaves your heart to bleed.
Some say love it is a hunger,
An endless aching need.
I say love it is a flower,
And you its only seed

It's the heart afraid of breaking,
That never learns to dance.
It's the dream afraid of waking,
That never takes the chance.
It's the one who won't be taken,
Who can not seem to give.
And the soul afraid of dying,
That never learns to live.

When the night has been too lonely,
And the road has been too long.
And you think that love is only
For the lucky and the strong,
Just remember in the winter,
Far beneath the bitter snows,
Lies the seed that with the sun's love
In the spring becomes the rose.

I've not heard the version by Bette Midler but I love this guy's voice - I don't like Jap male vocalists very much usually, cos they sound different.. Can't find the guy's name - didn't catch his name just now. But I found the Japanese equivalent, used as a ending theme song to a show in 1991:

愛は花、君はその種子 (The Rose)
「おもひでぽろぽろ」エンディング・テーマ

やさしさを　押し流す
愛　それは川
魂を　切り裂く
愛　それはナイフ
とめどない　渇きが
愛だと　いうけれど
愛は花　生命の花
きみは　その種子〈たね〉

挫けるのを　恐れて
躍らない　きみのこころ
醒めるのを　恐れて
チャンス逃す　きみの夢
奪われるのが　嫌さに
与えない　こころ
死ぬのを　恐れて
生きることが　出来ない

長い夜　ただひとり
遠い道　ただひとり
愛なんて　来やしない
そう　おもうときには
思いだしてごらん・冬
雪に　埋もれていても
種子は春　おひさまの
愛で　花ひらく

日本語訳詞：高畑　勲