Toki no Nagare ni Mi o Makase

"Toki no Nagare ni Mi o Makase" (Japanese: 時の流れに身をまかせ; meaning "Give Yourself to the Flow of Time") is a song recorded by Taiwanese singer Teresa Teng.^[1] The original version was released as a CD single in Japan on February 21, 1986, for her Japanese studio album of the same name. The album Toki no Nagare ni Mi o Makase was released through Taurus Records on July 31, 1986.

"Toki no Nagare ni Mi o Makase"
Japanese single cover
Single by Teresa Teng
from the album Toki no Nagare ni Mi o Makase
Language	Japanese Mandarin
Released	February 21, 1986
Genre	Pop R&B
Length	4:49
Label	Taurus
Composer(s)	Takashi Miki
Lyricist(s)	Toyohisa Araki
Teresa Teng singles chronology
"Aijin" (1985) "Toki no Nagare ni Mi o Makase" (1986) "Scandal" (1986)

A Mandarin Chinese version of the song, titled "I Only Care About You" (Chinese: 我只在乎你), was recorded for her Chinese studio album of the same name, which was released through Polygram Records in April 1987. The song is regarded as one of Teng's most popular hits in Japan and was voted one the top 20 greatest Japanese songs of all time in a 1997 NHK survey.

Background

The original Japanese version "Toki no Nagare ni Mi o Makase" served as the lead single for Teng's Japanese studio album of the same name, released on July 31, 1986. "Toki no Nagare ni Mi o Makase" was one of the most popular songs in Japan in 1986, with its parent album selling over 2 million copies in the country.^[2] The song was composed by Takashi Miki, with lyrics penned by Toyohisa Araki.

A Mandarin version of the song was recorded with the title of "I Only Care About You" (我只在乎你; Wǒ zhǐ zàihū nǐ).^[3] It was included in her Mandarin album of the same name in March 1987. "I Only Care About You" subsequently achieved widespread popularity in mainland China.^[4][5]

Live performances

Teng performed the song live at the 37th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen in 1986, and at the 42nd NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen in 1991. It has been covered by many artists since its release.

Impact and legacy

The song is well known in Asia and has been recorded by musicians into the 21st century in Taipei and Kuala Lumpur.^[6][7] In a national survey by the Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK) in 1997, the song was voted 16th among the 100 greatest Japanese songs of all time.^[8] In a 2010 survey conducted by the Teresa Teng Foundation to determine Teng's most popular hits, "I Only Care About You" received the second-most votes.^[9]

Accolades

"Toki no Nagare ni Mi o Makase" won the Grand Prix (the most prestigious award in Japanese music) at the 19th Japan Cable Awards and the 19th All Japan Cable Broadcasting Awards (yearly), making Teng the only artist to have won the Grand Prix for three consecutive years at both events.

Awards for "Toki no Nagare ni Mi o Makase"

Award	Year	Category	Result	Ref.
All Japan Cable Broadcasting Awards	1986	Grand Prix (Yearly)	Won	[10]
		Excellent Star Award (Yearly)	Won
Japan Cable Awards		Grand Prix	Won
		Best Hit Song Award	Won
		Wired Music Award	Won
Japan Record Awards	1986	Grand Prix	Nominated
		Gold Award	Won

Track listing

Japanese CD single

1. "Toki no Nagare ni Mi o Makase" (時の流れに身をまかせ) – 4:14^[11]
2. "Tasogare" (黄昏) – 2:41

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1986) Peak position Japan Singles (Oricon)[12] 6 Chart (2024) Peak position South Korea BGM (Circle)[13] 155

Year-end charts Chart (1986) Position Japan Singles (Oricon)[14] 62 Chart (1987) Position Japan Singles (Oricon)[15] 42

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Japan (RIAJ)[16] Digital download	Platinum	250,000*
* Sales figures based on certification alone.

References

1. Jie Jin Chinese Music - 2011 p126 "The songs of Teresa Teng, including Story of Little Town (Xiao Cheng Gu Shi), Sweetness (Tian Mi Mi) and I only Care about You (Wo Zhi Zai Hu Ni), were widely spread on the mainland. These pop songs from Hong Kong and Taiwan gave a ..."
2. "Chinese Pop Music History 20 Years Special - Teresa Teng (Part II)". english.cri.cn. April 5, 2007. Retrieved June 5, 2012.
3. Lim Chia Ying (September 27, 2010). "Soprano Tan belts out Teresa Teng's numbers". thestar.com.my. Archived from the original on February 19, 2013. Retrieved June 22, 2012.
4. Ma Yujia. "Chinese pop music since the 1980s". china.org.cn. December 8, 2008. Retrieved June 22, 2012.
5. Jie Jin (2011). Chinese Music. Cambridge University Press. p. 126.
6. David Chen. "Jazz for the musicians … but for the masses, too". taipeitimes.com. June 5, 2009. Retrieved June 22, 2012.
7. "Fans of Teresa Teng take nostalgia trip". thestar.com.my. September 6, 2010. Retrieved June 22, 2012.
8. "日本の歌・邦楽の名曲ランキング（20世紀の日本人を感動させた歌）～大畑亮介". u-canclub.jp. Retrieved September 4, 2021.
9. "Teresa Teng fans vote for favorite songs". taipeitimes.com. April 10, 2010. Retrieved June 22, 2012.
10. "Teresa Teng's Awards in Japan". Asahi Net (in Japanese). Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved December 14, 2007.
11. "Wo Zhi Zai Ku Ni - Teresa Teng". allmusic.com. Retrieved June 22, 2012.
12. スージー鈴木 (February 2017). 1984年の歌謡曲. イースト新書 (in Japanese). イースト・プレス. p. 35. ISBN 978-4-7816-5080-7. 44.2万枚
13. "BGM Chart – Week 16 of 2024". Circle Chart (in Korean). Retrieved April 25, 2024.
14. "1986年間シングルヒット曲" (in Japanese). Archived from the original on March 14, 2023. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
15. "1987年間シングルヒット曲" (in Japanese). Archived from the original on March 14, 2023. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
16. "Japanese digital certifications – Teresa Teng – Toki no Nagare ni Mi o Makase" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Select 2019年6月 on the drop-down menu