Style
Tempo: 86–92 BPM, recommended 88 BPM Key: D minor or F# minor Time Signature: 4/4 with folk-like rhythmic accents Vocal: Female lead, airy verses, emotional chorus, light traditional ornamentation Backing Vocals: Whispered chant layers, soft “yo-i, yo-i” style folk calls Main Instruments: shamisen, koto, shakuhachi, taiko, cinematic strings, soft synth pads, bass, modern drums Intro: solo shakuhachi + distant taiko Verse: minimal koto and shamisen Chorus: modern J-pop drums, strings, wide vocal harmonies Bridge: stripped-down folk chant, then big final chorus Mood: mystical, tragic, protective, ancient, cinematic
Lyrics
[Intro] Ooh, under the moon Yo-i, yo-i, the foxfire blooms Ooh, through cedar and stone A thousand years, still walking alone [Verse 1] At the foot of the mountain shrine Where the red gates kiss the rain A silver fox with amber eyes Learned every human name She watched the farmers light their lamps She heard the children pray And when the winter stole the fields She chased the wolves away [Pre-Chorus] But spirits live where hearts forget And blessings turn to dust She hid her face in a woman’s veil And gave the village trust [Chorus] Nine tails under the moonlight Burning blue against the night She dances where the shadows fall To guard the ones who fear her call Foxfire, foxfire, carry her name Through the wind and the rain If love is a spell that fades too soon She’ll wait beneath the moon [Verse 2] A boy once found her by the stream With blood upon her paw He wrapped her wounds in maple leaves And never felt afraid at all She walked beside him year by year In skin as pale as snow But time is cruel to mortal hands And humans have to go [Pre-Chorus] He left a bell beneath the shrine And whispered, “Do not cry” She rang it once for every spring That passed beneath the sky [Chorus] Nine tails under the moonlight Burning blue against the night She dances where the shadows fall To guard the ones who fear her call Foxfire, foxfire, carry her name Through the wind and the rain If love is a spell that fades too soon She’ll wait beneath the moon [Bridge] Yo-i, yo-i, the lanterns sway Yo-i, yo-i, don’t lose your way Behind the gate, beyond the pine She keeps the border between worlds alive They called her demon They called her saint They carved her story In smoke and paint But every harvest Every child’s first song Was guarded by the fox Who had loved too long [Final Chorus] Nine tails under the moonlight Rising bright into the sky She weeps in fire, she smiles in rain And turns her sorrow into flame Foxfire, foxfire, carry her name Through the wind and the rain If love is a spell that fades too soon She’ll wait beneath the moon [Outro] Ooh, under the moon Yo-i, yo-i, the foxfire blooms Ooh, through cedar and stone A thousand years, still guarding alone