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Written by Jun Inoue, the song, "Protect all Life - The Signs of
the Times", is based on the theme of the pope's Japan visit and
was partly composed using an artificial intelligence
(AI)-powered programme Inoue created that can write a piece of
music in a few seconds.
Inoue, a producer and composer who has written for top bands
such as Arashi, and is Catholic, said he agonised over using the
AI programme but finally decided to include it because the
history of music and technology were intertwined.
"I thought I should give everything I had to the song, so I
decided to put in all the cutting-edge technology I had," he
told Reuters. He shares composing credit with "Amadeus Code AI".
The song, which was written at the behest of the Catholic
Bishops' Conference of Japan, will be played at masses in the
city of Nagasaki as well as Tokyo and comes in several versions,
including instrumental and karaoke.
There are also dance steps and stylised hand gestures that are
the Japanese sign language version of the lyrics, with a
teaching video posted on the official website for the pope's
visit. Inoue hopes worshippers at the public masses, to be held
at stadiums, will sing and dance along with the song.
While the footwork is simple, consisting of side-to-side steps
in time to the music, the sign language may take a bit more time
to master.
"There are a lot of people who live in a world without sound,
and I would like them too to understand the meaning of the
lyrics and the message," Inoue said.
Theme songs for papal visits have been composed before. One has
been unveiled for Thailand, where Francis will visit before
Japan.
His visit from Nov. 23-26, which will also include Hiroshima, is
only the second papal visit to Japan and the first since John
Paul II 38 years ago.
(This story corrects typographical error in headline)
(Writing by Elaine Lies; Editing by Paul Tait)
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