One Thousand Cranes
I wrote this song in memory of a Japanese Girl, Sadako Sasaki, who died as a result of the Hiroshima bombing.
The paper crane has become an international symbol of peace in recent years as a result of its connection to the story of a young Japanese girl named Sadako Sasaki born in 1943. Sadako was two years old when the atom bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, Japan on August 6, 1945. As she grew up, Sadako was a strong, courageous and athletic girl. In 1955, at age 11, while practicing for a big race, she became dizzy and fell to the ground. Sadako was diagnosed with Leukemia, “the atom bomb” disease.
Sadako’s best friend told her of an old Japanese belief which said that anyone who folds one thousand paper cranes would be granted a wish. Sadako hoped that the gods would grant her wish to get well so that she could run again. She started to work on the paper cranes and completed over 1000 before dying on October 25, 1955 at the age of twelve. I was born 10 days later.
Inspired by her courage and strength, Sadako’s friends and classmates put together a book of her letters and published it. They began to dream of building a monument to Sadako and all of the children killed by the atom bomb. Young people all over Japan helped collect money for the project. In 1958, a statue of Sadako holding a golden crane was unveiled in Hiroshima Peace Park. The children also made a wish. It is inscribed at the bottom of the statue and reads: “This is our cry, This is our prayer, Peace in the world”. Today, people all over the world fold paper cranes and send them to Sadako’s monument in Hiroshima.
Sadako and the Thousand Cranes
Sadako Sasaki, your name rings on down through the years, though you were just a child when you died. Sadako Sasaki, will you make a thousand cranes for me, let magic bring good fortune once again.
That all the children we have bourne don’t die in vain Lest all the wonders of this world perish in flame That all the children we have bourne don’t die in vain Lest all the wonders of this world perish in flame
We will make a thousand cranes to make you well As you live on in our minds in your star island
And we will sing a thousand songs to make them hear us Why should it take a thousand suns to bring us peace?
Tears can never bring the dead to life again We will never let them end our world
Tears can never bring the dead to life again We will never let them end our world Tears can never bring the dead to life again We will never let them end our world
Sadako Sasaki, your name rings on down through the years, though you were just a child when you died.
You can get the recording on my album, The Firedragon Suite available here: https://themonkdude.bandcamp.com/