Why I Choose Watching Over Me by Iced Earth

Point No. One: The FEELING

The story that the song narrates is actually quite different. The song is about a guy who lost his best friend or dunoe what and then he grieves for his friend. But yet I chose this song because the story is filled with emotion like this song is. Furthermore as a Noh play, it is classified as a ninjou mono or a human feeling play. Just as the emotions are felt very strongly in the play, the lyrics of the song "I feel it once again/It's overwhelming me" also emphasis on the strength of emotions felt by the...singer?

And the general tone of the song is a very depressed, dark song, so I think it matches the mood of the story quite well although the stories of the play/story and the song isn't that similar.

Point No. Two: The MEANING

The song is quite positive-ish, about the friend dying and him feeling like the friend is watching over him like an angel. At the very least the darkest part is feeling guilt over his friend's guilt. But I feel that there is some sort of a parallel although in a kind of contrasting way, because in the story there is some semblance of spirits watching, but evil spirits watching over or possessing the pregnant empress.

Point No. Three: The similar feelings
In both, the main figures Shunkan and the survivor of the song are lamenting over their fates ("Why did he have to die?" and '"How can this have happened?" He....wept and lamented..') and they also feel regret (Shunkan at leaving his daughter behind, regretting not seeing his son longer in the story, "We lived reckless, he paid the price.."). They also have a sort of a reflection/repentance over their feelings, as the singer wonders if he is selfish "Am I selfish for feeling this way" and Shunkan finally just succumbing to death and praying until he died.

Point No. Four: The Death thing

Death is looming in the song, and so it looms in all plays, as either Shunkan dies (in the story) or we know he WILL die anyway (the plays). And we know that after he dies, his spirit will still be there in the context of the Japanese beliefs of the dead that the spirit still hangs around possessing people if it's not at peace, so.....yeah, the continued existence of the spirit after death is similar to what the singer feels.

Lyrics to Watching Over Me by Iced Earth

I had a friend many years ago
One tragic night he died
The saddest time of my life
For weeks and weeks I cried

Through the anger and through the tears
I've felt his spirit through the years
I'd swear, He's watching me
Guiding me through hard times

[chorus]I feel it once again
It's overwhelming me
His spirit's like the wind
The angel guarding me
Oh, I know, oh, I know
He's watching over me
Oh, I know, oh, I know
He's watching over me

We shared dreams like all best friends
Blood brothers at the age of ten
We lived reckless, he paid the price
But why? Why did he have to die?

It still hurts me to this day
Am I selfish for feeling this way?
I know he's an angel now
Together we'll be someday

I feel it once again
It's overwhelming me
His spirit's like the wind
The angel guarding me
Oh, I know, oh, I know
He's watching over me
Oh, I know, oh, I know
He's watching over me