Key (legend) to the notation

Basically, the notation records what I actually hear on the CD:

• For long vowels: if a long vowel is written as a long vowel, it means I hear a long vowel on the CD; if it is written as its constituent vowels (i.e., ei or ou), then it is sung not as a long vowel but as its constituent vowels
• For diphthongs: if a diphthong is underlined, it is pronounced in the time of a single vowel, so take care to pronounce it really quickly
• Vowels striked out and superscripted: don’t bother to pronounce the vowel, because the artist did not pronounce it on the CD. See also the next rule for “n’”
• “n’” (n apostrophe) means a contracted form that starts with n and actually written as just an “n” in the original kana. If the kana actually has na, ni, nu, ne, or no instead of just n, see the above for cross-out-and-superscripted vowels.
• Consonants with an overdot: pronounced devoiced (e.g., g becomes k)—this is used in, for example, the transcription for There is…, where the “g” in “sagashite” is heard as a “k” because of assimilation with the preceding “s”, after the “a” is elided
• Ancient kana: if you see “wo” in strange places, or if you see “ye” etc., it means this is what I hear the artist sing
• Other improbable spellings: if you see “si” instead of “shi” this is what the artist sings (e.g., Hitomi Shimatani’s old songs); any acute accent over a consonant has the usual Eastern European meaning
• Brackets in original text: Square brackets surrounding original (Japanese) lyrics means that the line is not printed on the lyrics sheet, but the line is sung on the CD