Wow, I have to admit that I cannot believe it's been close to a year since I wrote my last post. How I missed being able to escape into the world of J-pop and kept looking forward to the time when I return to update as I got launched into a mad world of crazy work sometime in the middle of last September, LOL.
Coming out of the long weekend last week where Hongkongers celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival by consuming unquantifiable quantities of mooncake, I seem to have piled up quite a number of things that I hope to get through in the course of this segment. First off, let me wish my Australian cousin, and coincidentally Ai-chin as well, a VERY HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY!! (^___^") WOOHOO~! (Yes, I am over a week late, but this post was started a long while ago...)
Also, I should point out that my interpretations of Hikki's テイク 5 (take 5) have been updated as comments from Liz have pointed me towards further comments about the song by Hikki herself. The new interpretation may seem a little sombre, but I do feel that sadness is not one of the major themes that the song is trying to investigate. Nonetheless, I owe Liz a massive THANK YOU for pointing me in the right direction -- I do need to be set on the right path at times as many of my thoughts are personal interpretations informed by varying degrees of research, LOL. (^___^)
Continuing on in the world of J-pop, while YUI has announced that she's going on a short hiatus until 2009, Hikki and BoA now seem poised to strike the American market. Hikki's second assault is almost as good as confirmed while BoA's highly publicised first strike has left me wondering about those comments she made last year... Perhaps she's changed her mind... LOL (@__@) Finally, to further strengthen the offensive, it was also announced that Crystal Kay has clinched a deal to sing the main theme for the 2009 Hollywood film, Dolan's Cadillac. All this will certainly make for some interesting news in the coming months...
Before closing up this segment, I'd also like to bring up EvaDreaming's YouTube site as this post is to be published to the ayaka Vox group, LOL. Why? Well, because you could find a subbed version of ayaka's おかえり (okaeri) PV there. The site's main focus is subbed Jay Chou PVs though, so if you're a fan of Jay as well, then there is much to rejoice about as her site will certainly fill your hunger for the Taiwanese superstar, LOL! \(^ o ^)/
And finally, in saving the very most important bit for last, I am dedicating this translation to my one and only Buttercup -- because she really is always there for me. Together, we have certainly had our direful downs as well as unparalleled ups, and through it all -- even if the distance that separates us is longer than that of a jellyfish to a shooting star -- we have come through it all with our hands held and a love even stronger than the last.
Because of this then, allow me to dedicate this song to you -- a song that expresses the intense joy of love, regardless of the circumstances that may bind it.
Song information:
Track 13 from ayaka's album, Sing to the Sky (Released 2008/06/25).
PV availability:
Unfortunately, there is no PV for this song... but boy does it deserve one! LOL
Theme song:
This song is not the theme to anything.
Alternative versions:
There are no alternative versions for this piece at the moment.
Comments:
WARNING!!! THIS SONG IS AN ABSOLUTE JOY NUKE!!! If you have no intention of getting obliterated by joy or do not wish to suffer its radiating effects, immediately shut down your computer and hide in a bunker for six months before coming back out again, LOL. (^___^) Otherwise, please feel free to stand in an open area and get ready to be knocked off your socks by ayaka's joy bomb! \(^ o ^)/
LOL, seriously though, this song screams of the joy of being in love even though it makes a point to highlight the pain that may be associated with it. Whoever said, "No one's worth crying for and those who are will never make you cry," likely didn't listen to ayaka, who notes in her comments on this song:
This is a song that is fitting of the blue sky and, in that way, it is a song that I always have an image of within me. I really want to share this with any girl in love: that pain and the fear of losing something important can develop even in love... Still, it could be said that these are simply parts of "falling in love". I really hope to perform this song live soon.
Without a doubt, I can't wait to hear her perform this song live as well since I've grown so very addicted to it! Hurry up and release a live DVD of your previous concert already!! (Yes, I'm getting most impatient! (^___^")) Nonetheless, there is one particular part of the song that I can't help but nod enthusiastically in agreement with: the part where she argues that wanting to protect another person is the most important aspect of love. Indeed, she goes on to say that although she does not completely understand it, she certainly feels it and in saying that she highlights the emotional side of love: the side that shuns the application of logic unto it.
It's quite a pity that, in a world that increasingly adheres to logical reasoning, the emotional aspects of love are often suppressed; and yet, love is ultimately an emotion, which is why new love tends to drive those that have fallen into it almost mad for each other. Because of this, it is important that we need to not only understand love but also acknowledge it as an emotional entity that can only become increasingly burdened when tested by the demands of reason. In many ways then, to know love is to know that knowing is not the answer to knowing love. (^___^")
So, in letting our hearts do the talking then, let us invite ayaka's vocals and music to drown out our faculties and inform our hearts with the emotional rush that is so inherent of pure love with this wonderfully wonderful wonder of 君がいるから, LOL.
Lyrics:
Japanese lyrics retrieved from www.uta-net.com, a site that is always by my side.
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日本語:
君がいるから
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歌手: 絢香
作詞: 絢香
作曲: 西尾芳彦・絢香
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目覚めて すぐ側に君の声
“おはよう”って寝起きの顔で はじまる
どれだけ伝わってるんだろう?
君がいる。それが幸せって
愛することで傷ついて
強くなる 意味を知る
「君を守りたい」
一番大切なものは
考えて わかるもんじゃない
感じるものが全て
強がり。あたしの悪い癖
なぜだろう 君の前では隠せない
どれだけ涙 流しただろう?
その度に そっと抱きしめてくれるの
失うことを怖れては
愛せない 進まない
「君と居たいよ」
会えない時の寂しさは
愛を強く 感じさせる
そのための瞬間
幸せの種 広がる大地へなげてみよう
時間をかけて いつか大空へ高く
あたしを呼ぶ君の声が
届いたら 強くなる
愛のメロディ
この声も体も全部
歌になって 伝えるわ
どうぞって迎えてね
愛することで傷ついて
強くなる 意味を知る
「君を守りたい」
一番大切なものは
考えて わかるもんじゃない
感じるものが全て
君に会いに行こう
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romaji:
kimi ga iru kara
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kashyu: ayaka
sakushi: ayaka
sakkyoku: nishio yoshihiko・ayaka
romaji: crystalise
-------------------------------------------------------
mezamete sugu soba ni kimi no koe
“ohayou” tte neoki no kao de hajimaru
doredake tsutawatterun darou?
kimi ga iru. sore ga shiawase tte
aisuru koto de kizutsuite
tsuyoku naru imi wo shiru
“kimi wo mamoritai”
ichiban taisetsu na mono wa
kangaete wakaru mon janai
kanjiru mono ga subete
tsuyogari. atashi no warui kuse
naze darou kimi no mae de wa kakusenai
doredake namida nagashita darou?
sono tabi ni sotto dakishimete kureru no
ushinau koto wo osorete wa
aisenai susumanai
“kimi to itai yo”
aenai toki no samishisa wa
ai wo tsuyoku kanji saseru
sono tame no shunkan
shiawase no tane hirogaru daichi e nagete miyou
jikan wo kakete itsuka oozora e takaku
atashi wo yobu kimi no koe ga
todoitara tsuyoku naru
ai no merodi
kono koe mo karada mo zenbu
uta ni natte tsutaeru wa
douzo tte mukaete ne
ai suru koto de kizutsuite
tsuyoku naru imi wo shiru
“kimi wo mamoritai”
ichiban taisetsu na mono wa
kangaete wakaru mon janai
kanjiru mono ga subete
kimi ni ai ni yukou
-------------------------------------------------------
English:
Because You are Here
-------------------------------------------------------
Performed by: ayaka
Lyricist: ayaka
Composer: Yoshihiko Nishio & ayaka
Translated by: crystalise
-------------------------------------------------------
Waking up: I hear your voice right by my side
“Mornin',” you say with that sleepy face of yours.
I wonder how much I’ve been able to convey these feelings I have for you,*
But you’re here with me – and that, to me, is what happiness is.
When love hurts
It makes us stronger, that much I know.
“I will take care of you,”**
I consider that to be the most important thing,
And though I may not understand it,
It is the feeling that overwhelms me completely.
Pretending to be strong: that’s a bad habit of mine,
But for some reason, I am unable to hide my weaknesses in front of you.
I wonder how many tears you've seen me cry,
Yet each time, how softly you would come to embrace me.
Being afraid of losing the most important things,
I was neither able to love nor advance.
“I just want to be with you,”
The loneliness that I feel when we do not see each other
Only strengthens my love for you,
And it is for this that I cherish these moments.
The seeds of happiness: let us cast them to the farthest reaches of the earth,
And together, let us nurture them so that they will someday grow to the heavens.***
Your voice calls out to me and,
In reaching me, gives me strength...
This is the sound of love’s melody.****
My voice and body too, all of it
Becomes song and rushes to say*****
Take me and be a part of my life always.
Even when love hurts
It serves only to make us stronger, that I can appreciate.
“I will take care of you,”
That is what I believe to be the most important thing,
And though I do not fully comprehend it,
That is the feeling that takes me completely...
And so, I set off to see you.
Notes:
*Note 1: In its simplicity, this is such a wonderfully sweet line. (^___^) I certainly wonder the same thing a lot too...
**Note 2: Literally, “I want to protect you.”
***Note 3: Literally, “Spending time together, someday, it will grow tall towards the big sky.” Alternatively, this entire stanza can also be read as “The seeds of happiness: I will cast them to the farthest reaches of the earth and in spending time at it, see that they will someday grow to the heavens.” Why does that matter? Because if this entire stanza is read in this alternative manner, it allows for a broader interpretation of who ayaka's lover is -- specifically, the song could be seen as a song for the sky if we view the stanza under the latter interpretation. (^___^)
****Note 4: Literally, “Love’s melody.”
*****Note 5: Literally, “Becomes a song and conveys.”
Links:
ayaka Official Website (maintained by Warner Music Japan)
Purchase Sing to the Sky online (via YesAsia Global)
LOL, this is some relatively random CG I decided to throw together with some rejected design proposals (i.e. the three penguins). Not really wanting them to disappear into the myriad of files on my computer, I decided that I might as well do something simple and send them off onto this blog... (^___^")
They were axed as a result of theme inconsistencies with my core design, which was mainly traditional Chinese calligraphy in its style. The problem was not so much how they looked but more that they were simply penguins. Chinese tradition doesn't really have any references to these fine birds that occupy the outer reaches of the Earth and so it didn't click well with the conceptual framework of the design. (^___^")
Nonetheless, there were reasons for their creation and the idea that I was originally hoping to impart through this image was that of solidarity and the family (the project is being undertaken for an institute that supports troubled families). As for the writing to the left, that came about while I was trying to think of what to do with the empty space to the left -- that was when my iPod took matters into its own hands and played ayaka's 手をつなごう to provide me with a suitable solution, LOL (^___^) (Yes, thank you まぁちゃん (and yes, my iPod has a name), I am ever indebted to your attentiveness to my every need, LOL)
Well, it's time to send my flightlessly-winged birds off to their new home in cyberspace: "Good luck and godspeed, my not-quite-feathered friends!" (What do penguins have? It's not feathers... is it?)
My schedule has been quite tight this week as the new school term is beginning to rev up, but it still feels great to be able to bring in another fresh face to the blog! Allow me to introduce Miho Fukuhara, the young Hokkaido-born singer-songwriter who was first featured singing on a local television channel at the age of 15 and eventually found herself leading up to bigger things as she graduated from secondary school.
I am going to save my applause for Miho here and lazily direct anyone interested to the Reverend Dr Frederick O Murph, who delivered a highly spirited encomium for her one-day role as church chorister in Los Angeles earlier this year (click here to see the video, pardon the mispronunciation of her name, LOL). Despite the praise she's been getting and that outstanding voice of hers, the sale of her singles could be only described at best as "fair".
This state of affairs certainly seems a little regrettable for a song so beautifully written and dedicated but since Miho is relatively new artist in relation to her major debut, this wasn't altogether unexpected. Still, this doesn't make her any less of a musician than as the piece is so beautiful regardless that, even as I publish the translation, I cannot bring myself to be completely satisfied with the results of my work. Nonetheless, I know things will be alright... because you are here with me and I can take comfort in writing thus, LOL (^___^")
Song information:
Track 1 from Miho's single, ひまわり (Released 2008/07/16).
PV availability:
If you haven't yet watched the PV for this track, you really need to watch it now before reading any further. Go do it, now! (YouTube is your friend) LOL (^__^") Of course, if you already have seen the PV, please do continue!
Theme song:
This song does not feature as a theme to anything.
Alternative versions:
There are no alternative versions to this song.
Comments:
So, did the PV cause you to sniffle a little? I ended up crying about as much as the little girl in the PV itself but that's a story for another day, LOL (^___^") There was a point in directing the focus onto the PV first though, and that was that it provides a clear context under which the song could be understood.
Before we begin, I should probably note that although the PV involves a sibling relationship; in life, Miho wrote this ballad for her childhood sweetheart. The penned lyrics echo the feelings that she had wished to impart before learning that she had run out of time and so, although the lyrics themselves are readily understandable, there are also some overarching themes that really stand out throughout the song.
The first such notable theme is the imagery of flowers and their invigorating growth to fullness of bloom, which seemed to be her way of subtly hinting her regret that he was unable to reach that stage of his life. Like a flower plucked before its prime, he was never given the opportunity to display his beauty in all its glory to the world and it is because of this that she seems so very sensitivity to the blossoming of things as they bring back thougts of what could have been.
Another prominent theme comes in the concept of reciprocating sustenance. In the first part of the song, Miho sings of how important he was to her emotionally as a child growing up while in the later part of the song, the roles are reversed as Miho reciprocates by sustaining his spirit and memory. In this way, although he may not be around any longer, he will always continue to live in her, with her, and through her.
To that end, although the events that brought this song to fruition are fundamentally sad, the song itself does not focus on that emotion and attempts to bring out the feelings of remembrance, gratefulness and, perhaps most importantly, promise. It is in being able to tread this fine balance that Miho proves herself a cantratice worthy of the recognition she's been heaped. (^___^)
Anyhow, I really should stop, this post has been waiting in the sidelines for a much longer time than I had originally planned (this was scheduled for release on the past Monday and it's already Friday today!)... With that then, let us move on to the marvel that is himawari.
Lyrics:
Japanese lyrics retrieved from uta-net.com, a site filled to the brim with singing sunflowers! (^___^)
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日本語:
ひまわり
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歌手: 福原美穂
作詞: 福原美穂
作曲: 福原美穂・山口寛雄
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ひまわりの種 植えた時は 私は幼くて
走る背中を 追いかけて 夢中で名前を呼んだ
小さい花びら むぎわら帽子
たくさん詰めて 私にくれた
風が笑った 君が笑った
ずっと ずっと 君に逢いたい
大好きな星のかけら 探したね
ずっと ずっと 愛しく想う
遠くなる 手を伸ばす はかない夢
あれから夏が 何度か来て 花は咲いて枯れて
小さな恋を 何度かして 涙がたくさん出たよ
祭りの後で 見上げた花火
今年の夏も 空に咲いてるよ
ずっと ずっと 君に逢いたい
泣き虫な私の影 そのままだよ
ずっと ずっと 君を探してる
遠くなる 手を伸ばす はかない夢
誰かが忘れた 君の名前も
私はここで 呼び続けてる
君がいなくても 地球は回る
私にはある 「明日」がある
ずっと ずっと 君に逢いたい
私が見た 光 全部 見せたいな
君より大人の 私を笑うかな?
遠くなる 手を伸ばす はかない夢
遠くなる 手を伸ばす はかない夢
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romaji:
himawari
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kashyu: fukuhara miho
sakushi: fukuhara miho
sakkyoku: fukuhara miho・yamaguchi hiroo
romaji: crystalise
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himawari no tane ueta toki wa watashi wa osanakute
hashiru senaka wo oikakete muchuu de namae wo yonda
chiisai hanabira mugiwara boushi
takusan tsumete watashi ni kureta
kaze ga waratta kimi ga waratta
zutto zutto kimi ni aitai
daisuki na hoshi no kakera sagashita ne
zutto zutto itoshiku omou
tooku naru te wo nobasu hakanai yume
are kara natsu ga nandoka kite hana wa saite karete
chiisana koi wo nandoka shite namida ga takusan deta yo
matsuri no ato de miageta hanabi
kotoshi no natsu mo sora ni saiteru yo
zutto zutto kimi ni aitai
nakimushi na watashi no kage sono mama da yo
zutto zutto kimi wo sagashiteru
tooku naru te wo nobasu hakanai yume
dareka ga wasureta kimi no namae mo
watashi wa koko de yobi tsudzuketeru
kimi ga inakute mo chikyuu wa mawaru
watashi ni wa aru “ashita” ga aru
zutto zutto kimi ni aitai
watashi ga mita hikari zenbu misetai na
kimi yori otona no watashi wo warau kana?
tooku naru te wo nobasu hakanai yume
tooku naru te wo nobasu hakanai yume
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English:
Sunflowers
----------------------------------------
Performed by: Miho Fukuhara
Lyricist: Miho Fukuhara
Composer: Miho Fukuhara & Hiroo Yamaguchi
Translated by: crystalise
----------------------------------------
At the time we planted those sunflower seeds, I was still so very young...
I still remember how I would chase you around as I hysterically called after you.*
From the tiniest of flower petals to big fat straw hats,**
You assembled them together and presented them as gifts to me.
How I recall that as the wind laughed, so too did you laugh.
In every second of every minute, I want to see you,***
And so I’ve searched for every fragment of my cherished star...
In every minute of every hour, loving thoughts still come to me,
So the further you go, the further I’ll reach out for that passing dream.
Since that time, countless summers have come to pass with the blossoming and withering sunflowers,****
And as much as I’ve been touched by a hint of love countless times, I’ve also cried countless tears.*****
At the end of the summer festival, I looked up at the flowering fireworks,******
This year as well, they reach their full bloom high in the sky.
In every second of every minute, I still long to see you,
And though I may have grown up, the shades of the cry-baby you knew still remains.*******
In every minute of every hour, I continue to look for you,
And so the farther you go, the farther I will stretch towards that transient dream.
And if anyone were to ever forget your name,
I will stay here, ever shouting it out.
So although you are no longer here and the world continues to turn,
So long as I am here, you will always live to see tomorrow.********
In every second of every minute, I keep on wishing to see you,
I have seen the light in fullest flare and I want you to see it all with me.*********
Watching as I’ve grown beyond your years, you’re probably giggling at me now, aren’t you?
Know that the further you go, the further my hand extends towards that momentary dream.
...The further you go, the further my hand extends towards that fleeting dream that was ours...
Notes:
*Note 1: Literally, “After your running back I would chase as I deliriously called your name.”
**Note 2: Literally, “Tiny flower petals, straw hats”
***Note 3: Literally, “Always, always, I want to meet you.”
****Note 4: Literally, “Since then, summers have come many times and the flowers are blossoming and withering.” Although she sings “flowers”, it’s really isn’t that much of a stretch to see that she meant the sunflowers in the beginning of the song.
*****Note 5: Literally, “I have experienced a little love many times and I’ve cried many tears.”
******Note 6: Literally, “At the end of the festival, I looked up at the fireworks.” I added the verb “flowering” in order to draw attention to the fact that the Japanese word for “fireworks” is composed of the words “flower” (花; hana) and “fire” (火; bi). There is a strong theme of flowers blooming throughout the song and this addition was meant to keep in line with that theme.
*******Note 7: Literally, “The shadow of my cry-baby self still remains!” This line took me forever to fully grasp and it was only with the help of Deedee that I finally came to a definite conclusion in the context of the song. I am, as always, indebted to her contribution.
********Note 8: Literally, “As I am here, there will be a ‘tomorrow’.” This verse will rightly spark some discussion on what Miho is trying to say, but in looking at the words surrounding this line, I feel that this interpretation is the likeliest. The only thing that is clear is that the literal understanding of this line is too self-evident and inconsistent with the rest of the lyrics and her move to place “ashita” (tomorrow) in quotes also hints at a deeper meaning than what was simply said.
*********Note 9: Literally, “I have seen the light and I want to show it all to you.”
Links:
Miho Fukuhara official website (maintained by Sony Music)
Purchase ひまわり online (via YesAsia Global)
I've been pretty quiet in regards to the "life" side of things on my blog recently since there hasn't been much to update on it, LOL. Despite the passing of these seemingly uneventful days however, there has been something that's been getting to me about the sleepless city of Hong Kong. That "thing" is its population's overcharged sensitivity to smell.
Hong Kong's English name is derived from the Cantonese pronunciation of its Chinese name, 香港 (pronounced "xiang gang" in Mandarin but "heung gong" in Cantonese), which literally means "fragrant harbour". Of course, anyone who has recently visited Hong Kong knows that the "fragrant" part of its name has a very unique meaning since neglect has led to the city's waters becoming so polluted and pungent that the film crew of The Dark Knight cancelled the whole "jump into the harbour" scene for health and safety reasons.
But it's not of an actual smell that I've grown weary off, I have gotten so used to that that I could almost call it the smell of home; no, the smell that I've started to find nauseating is the smell of social suspicion -- that is, the smell of distrust and motive that is borne from an exaggerated self-interest. In some ways, it is difficult to fault the population for its air of cynicism since it is arguably imposed on almost every aspect of the city's social interactions.
Indeed, the imposition of cynicism and suspicion can be viewed in the light of a rather common colloquial Hong Kong reaction to victims of fraud: 抵俾人呃 (dai bei yan ngak), which roughly translates to "deservingly cheated by others".[1] The interesting thing about the expression is neither its complete negation of sympathy towards the victim nor its applicability to almost any scenario though, the interesting bit is that the expression helps to justify the actions of perpetrators and facilitates the nullification of any wrongdoing on their part.
Understanding this twisted form of justice in Hong Kong, one can begin to unravel the reasons behind the spite that is shown to victims for something that may not actually be their fault. There is no shortage of bizarre cases in which clear victims have had their names dragged through the mud as perpetrators in the public discourse.
Take the case of ruined pop stars Gillian Chung (鍾欣桐, affectionately referred to as 阿嬌) and Edison Chen (陳冠希), for example. In that scandal, data thieves managed to steal and distribute private pictures of the two young stars engaging in, well, rigorous bedroom activities. This sparked intense public criticism of the young celebrities and also rallied public support for the thieves when they were finally apprehended. Many were convinced that the perpetrators were only doing the public a service by "exposing the truth about these individuals".
A more recent topic of chatter relating to suspicion is the paralogical proposal that Chinese champion hurdler, Liu Xiang (刘翔), faked his own injury during the Olympics to avoid competing with the world's best. Yet, the argument seems paralogical because it's based on several faulty assumptions, among which are that Liu is on a performance decline, Liu is afraid of being exposed as a loser, and people generally don't "suddenly" injure themselves on the track like that. Serious as these allegations may be, the problem remains that Liu has consistently proven himself on the field through the years leading to the Olympics.
In an environment where a victim could be "justifiably wronged" then, it seems only normal that an atmosphere of trust becomes an unconvincing proposition since it is safer to suspect ulterior motives in others. In suspecting others, one can find comfort in knowing that their superior intelligence and analytical talents will ensure that they are never the puppet and always the puppeteer. Inevitably though, every puppeteer needs a puppet -- and so perpetuates the city-wide game of charades as everyone tries to make out the underlying meaning behind everything that everyone does, including themselves.
That is to say, as much as everyone is second-guessing those around them, they are also extremely conscious of how others are second-guessing them, which leads them to be very careful with the way they are seen to do things. It's basically "impression management" put on overdrive. Some samples of this reasoning that I've been lucky enough to encounter include one of my friends having a suspicion that their colleagues are trying to sabotage their beautiful figure by asking them out to lunch everyday. Yet another incident features two colleagues who've become friends through work. When one of them wanted to introduce their sweetheart to the other, the response amounted to a perplexed: "Sorry, but what is the purpose behind that?"
Usually, in the course of human interaction, events such as colleagues asking each other out to lunch or introducing the people we love to our friends are believed to be normal forms of behaviour. Sadly, Hong Kong's extremely sharp sense of smell has no place for such innocent motives because everything always smells funny here: from the harbour to the people.
I have not escaped unscathed either, I hate myself for it but I am a lot more cynical about everything now than I was before. I still try to keep my head about me to spot the more outlandish claims, but it certainly isn't easy as I struggle to maintain hope that not everyone is out to get everyone else... But I know that not everyone is like that, and so long as I know that, I will always have hope. So, although I struggle to maintain my sense of the world's innocence, I know that I do not struggle in vain.
In the background, I hear the words of okaeri, 「自分のことばかりを考える大人はズルイんだと思っていたんです、でも必死で変えることを叫んでる人もいるんだとやっと知ったんです。」 So ayaka sings, and so I know.
Right, enough sulking, invoking the words of ayaka gives me an awesome opportunity to return to my LaLaLand of J-pop, LOL. Next up on the translation schedule, in case you haven't figured it out from the last translation post, is Miho Fukuhara's himawari. \(^ o ^)/
Well, time to make my way over to welcome the new students to their new educational home. I would have loved the event more if I didn't have to dress up for it, but I have no complaints, the students are my lifeblood and I am always excited to talk with them (mind you, when they see me next time, they'd probably fail to recognise me since my normal dress code falls in the category of "embarrassingly sloppy", LOL -- so much for impression management (^___^")). Right, gotta go, ciao!
[1] The pattern "抵俾人..." (deservingly ... by others) is used frequently in speech and the verb at the end is always interchangeable with a verb that would better fit the situation. For example, 抵俾人打 would translate to "deservingly assaulted by others". All of them similarly impact the victim by denying them sympathy for their plight and further chastising them based on hearsay or personal reasoning.
It's about time I get my seasons right and produce a translation of a summer song for the summer! (^___^") The heat has really been getting to me lately, so it was with great joy that I welcomed Typhoon Nuri to give Hong Kong a much needed shower to cool it off! (^___^")
Really, the summer heat has been hijacking my head since I've cranked my crankiness level to over boiling point for a good chunk of the season (sorta like heat-induced PMS, I guess... LOL). Still, I don't feel quite as alone since events across the globe seem to indicate that a handful of people have also "lost it" in the heat - really, it's hard not to exclaim, "What the heck were they thinking?!" at some of the events that have been shaping the world of late.
In seeking to make sense of the world, it was with an odd sense of pleasure that I found a video game that offered a fascinating tidbit of wisdom... So, my video game quote of the day comes from a character named Yoshimitsu, who, upon defeating the spirit that plays a major role in bringing chaos into the world, stated:
If you are playing the game with the Playstation 3's (PS3) system language set to English, then the line appears as:
The translation work that was done on the game, Soul Calibur IV, is so very impressive that I've been prompted to play in Japanese and English as a fun way to learn a thing or two about professional translation, LOL. Yup, I've been switching my system language on the PS3 to play with different subtitles although I will only play the game with Japanese voice acting since the English voice work is a little too much to stomach sometimes.
Anyhow, the phrase above struck me because it does attempt to explain why people do silly things. Indeed, when we are unclear of where our path lies then it is only normal for us to stray and wander... And with those simple lines, I became dedicated to learning the ins and outs of Yoshimitsu's fighting style, LOL. Make no mistake though, my primary character of choice still remains the timidly ferocious Filipina, Talim, since I've been "mastering" her style since the last Soul Calibur, LOL (^___^")
Right, enough with video games and their jargon, it's time to get back to the focus of this particular post: a summer song from our favourite guitarist that doesn't neglect the mention of sunflowers as she conveys that whole summery feel, LOL. (^___^")
Song information:
Track 1 from YUI's single, SUMMER SONG (Released 2008/07/02).
PV availability:
There is a PV for this song and, as mentioned earlier, it is linked with the PV from her spring song, Laugh away. This time around the PV takes the girl's perspective of this blossoming relationship. Of course, YUI does feature in the PV, which is packed with so much colour and life that it's hard to mistake it for anything else but a PV for a summer song. The PV does keep with conveying the messages in the song quite well although that is generally not too difficult with YUI since she does usually keep her songs quite literal as well, LOL. (^___^")
Theme song:
This song is not a theme to anything.
Alternative versions:
There are no alternative versions of this piece for the time being.
Comments:
Once again, YUI continues in the literality of her lyrical writing with SUMMER SONG and, as I get increasingly familiar with translating her work, I am really beginning to enjoy myself at it. I will say that I do take a little more artistic license in translating her songs than I do others since her writing is especially susceptible to confusion if translated too literally into English.
Nonetheless, she does formulate some really interesting scenes in her lyrics and, most importantly, the messages found in her lyrics are generally quite accessible as they normally dwell on emotions and sentiments at a surface level that tends towards the uncontroversial.
SUMMER SONG, then, has the general theme of living in the present and reminds me of a quote that the stitch lover highlighted in an earlier blog post of hers: "Yesterday is history, tomorrow is mystery, and today is a gift (that's why its called the present)." Indeed, in singing the song, YUI lets bygones be bygones and leaves tomorrow for the pendulous planet to figure out as she lives for the moment that spans the summer months.
There is certainly no shortage of smiles throughout the song as YUI's guitar strums out an unmistakably lively and happy melody that brings the summer to life. On that note then, it is with much happiness that we are ushered into the main event: the lyrics (^___^").
Lyrics:
Japanese lyrics retrieved from uta-net.com, a site that effortlessly sings the song of summer! (^___^)
--------------------------------------
日本語:
SUMMER SONG
--------------------------------------
歌手: YUI
作詞: YUI
作曲: YUI
--------------------------------------
太陽が味方する 日に焼けた君が 手をふるから
期待してんだ 約束の季節に 飛び込む 人魚みたいに
校舎のすみに ひまわりが咲く 照れてばかりじゃカッコ悪いね
青空にいま 叫びたいほど 君を想ってる
夏が来るから 海へ行こうよ
ちょっとだけ 立ち止まって 迷う日もあるけど
ヘコむ毎日 取り戻す日々 君に会って 笑いあって
はじまるよ 夏休み lan la lan la～♪
走り出した 背中には 嘘のないキモチが 映るから
Tシャツの向こう側 キラキラ輝く 魔法みたいだ
花火の音に かき消されてる 君のコトバが 夜風と変わる
肝心なとこ 聞こえないけど わかりあえそうさ
Ah long long long time 待ちこがれてた
青春って ほんのちょっと 意地悪だよね
ヘコむ毎日 取り戻す日々 君に会って 笑いあって
はじまるよ 夏休み lan la lan la～♪
砂浜に 座り込んで ふたりで 時計 気にしていた
波の音 聞きながら 約束なんて出来ないまま
懐かしくなる いつか必ず
砂に書いた 未来なんて あてにデキナイ
ヘコむ毎日 取り戻す日々 君に会って 笑いあって
“真っ赤なブルーだ”
夏が来るから 海へ来たんだ
虹になった あの空を 忘れたくない
ヘコむ毎日 取り戻す日々 君に会って 笑いあって
はじまるよ 夏休み lan la lan la～♪
-------------------------------------------------------
romaji:
SUMMER SONG
-------------------------------------------------------
kashyu: YUI
sakushi: YUI
sakkyoku: YUI
romaji: crystalise
-------------------------------------------------------
taiyou ga mikata suru hi ni yaketa kimi ga te wo furu kara
kitai shiten da yakusoku no kisetsu ni tobi komu ningyo mitai ni
kousha no sumi ni himawari ga saku terete bakari ja kakko warui ne
aozora ni ima sakebitai hodo kimi wo omotteru
natsu ga kuru kara umi e yukou yo
chotto dake tachi tomatte mayou hi mo aru kedo
hekomu mainichi tori modosu hibi kimi ni atte warai atte
hajimaru yo natsu yasumi lan la lan la~♪
hashiri dashita senaka ni wa uso no nai kimochi ga utsuru kara
T shatsu no mukou gawa kirakira kagayaku mahou mitai da
hanabi no oto ni kaki kesareteru kimi no kotoba ga yokaze to kawaru
kanjin na toko kikoenai kedo wakari ae sou sa
Ah long long long time machi kogareteta
seishun tte hon no chotto iji waru da yo ne
hekomu mainichi tori modosu hibi kimi ni atte warai atte
hajimaru yo natsu yasumi lan la lan la~♪
sunahama ni suwari konde futari de tokei ki ni shite ita
nami no oto kiki nagara yakusoku nante dekinai mama
natsukashiku naru itsuka kanarazu
suna ni kaita mirai nante ate ni dekinai
hekomu mainichi tori modosu hibi kimi ni atte warai atte
“makka na buruu da”
natsu ga kuru kara umi e kitan da
niji ni natta ano sora wo wasuretaku nai
hekomu mainichi tori modosu hibi kimi ni atte warai atte
hajimaru yo natsu yasumi lan la lan la~♪
----------------------------------------
English:
SUMMER SONG
----------------------------------------
Performed by: YUI
Lyricist: YUI
Composer: YUI
Translated by: crystalise
----------------------------------------
As you stand there kissed by the sun and waving at me,*
Like a mermaid, I spring into this promised season in anticipation.**
Sunflowers bloom in the corner of the school, as if they were embarrassed of not looking their best,
There, against the blue sky, I think of you so much that I just want to yell it out!
As the summer has come, we really should head off to the sea!
Certainly, although many days have been lost to depression, let us pause here for just a little while.
Indeed, those days I’ve lost to sadness have been reclaimed by meeting you and sharing my joy with you***
Without a doubt, the summer holidays have begun! La la la~♪
As you run ahead of me, I see the honesty of your feelings projecting from your back
And as I watch, a twinkling sparkle emerges from behind your T-shirt to ignite the night sky into magic.****
Drowned out by the sound of fireworks, your words were rendered as inaudible as the night wind.*****
Still, though I did not hear those words, I understood what you were saying.
Ah, how long I’ve waited for this moment,
Yet it also makes youth seem all the more cruel at times, doesn’t it?
Still, I’ve reclaimed all the days I’ve lost to sadness from meeting you and laughing with you.
Certainly, the summer holiday has started! La la la~♪
Sitting side-by-side on the beach, we couldn’t help but note the hands of the clock,
And as we listened to the crashing waves, there never felt like a right moment to exchange promises.******
“How we will long, but certainly someday it will all come true,”
We etched those words in the sand to the unpredictable future.
Nonetheless, I’ve reclaimed all those days of sadness because I was able to meet you and laugh with you.
“Ah, what a brilliant tinge of blue this is.”
Signalling that the summer has come, it’s off to the beach we go,
I don’t want to forget this sky that is inscribed by a rainbow.*******
Being able to see you and laugh with you has given me the strength to take back all those days of sadness.
It’s now or never, so let's get the summer holidays started! La la la~♪
Notes:
*Note 1: Literally, “Because you, sun-tanned, are waving at me with the sun on your side”
**Note 2: Literally, “With expectation, I dive into the promised season like a mermaid”. Indeed, she didn’t actually say “spring” but it was hard not to take the opportunity to make a reference to Laugh away.
***Note 3: Literally, “The every days that I was down, I reclaimed them, I’ve met you and laughed with you”.
****Note 4: Literally, “As you sprint forward, I see your feelings that do not lie project from your back. On the other side of your T-shirt is a twinkling sparkle that is like magic.” In case this is unclear, that twinkling sparkle is referring to fireworks but because he is in front of her, it seems as though the fireworks are emerging from just behind his T-shirt. It’s actually all quite romantic if you can picture it, LOL. (^___^”)
*****Note 5: Literally, “As the sound of the fireworks drowns them out, your words are turned into the night wind.”
******Note 6: Literally, “While we listen to the sound of the waves, we were somehow unable to make promises to one another.”
*******Note 7: Literally, “A rainbow appeared, I don’t want to forget that sky.”
Links:
YUI official website (maintained by Sony Music)
Purchase SUMMER SONG online (via YesAsia Global)
For some reason, it seems like it's been so long since I've blogged despite the fact that it's only been a week since my last post... Somehow, I haven't been able to garner the time to do some of the things I've been meaning to do and have been falling behind on my scheduling...
But I have a perfect culprit to blame for my this dearth of time: the Olympics. Yup, ever since that jaw-dropping spectacle Beijing put on to welcome the Games, I've been glued to a television set whenever my eyes passed near one and knowing how sentimental I could get, the Games have already driven me close to tears so many times as I watch the world's athletes pitch their best against one another.
There are few places and occasions in the world that showcase the boundless limits of the physical human the way the Olympics does. Certainly, although athletes come forth representing nations and states (and I will admit that I am rooting for several countries), the Olympics is not about nationalisms and statisms; rather, the Olympics is about bringing out the very best of the human physique and, in that way, displaying the deep pocket of potential that lies within the human spirit.
Anyhow, I probably shouldn't embark on an essay about the spirit of the Olympics, so allow me to reset the tone of this post to a more neutral one instead as we get ourselves in the mood for some Hikki goodness - moving ahead to the next segment though, it should be said that this is not a happy, bouncy summer song... (but don't worry, it's not some sad winter song either... or is it? (^___^"))
Song information:
Track 10 from Hikki's album, HEART STATION (Released 2008/03/19).
PV availability:
There is no PV available for this track.
Theme song:
This song does not serve as a theme to anything.
Alternative versions:
There are no alternative versions at the moment.
Comments:
[UPDATED COMMENTS:] Thanks to Liz, I've been treated to a much more official and authoritative interpretation of the song -- an interpretation by Hikki herself, LOL. I will maintain my original comments below this update as I believe that there is some validity to that interpretation of the song still; that, and the fact that it's not as sombre as this interpretation, LOL (^___^"). Nonetheless, Liz's comment led me into a new interpretation of the song as I read Hikki's Listen Japan interview where she discusses the inspiration to the piece.
As it turns out, Take 5 dwells on the concept of death but it really isn't as simple as just talking about death in general because it takes its cue from Kenji Miyazawa's (宮沢賢治) novel entitled 銀河鉄道の夜 (ginga tetsudou no yoru; trans: "A Night on the Milky Way Railroad"). This is made clear as Hikki comments, "I wanted to make it like Kenji Miyazawa's Milky Way Railroad, something like being separated from the body and being close to death, like dying and becoming as the stars." (Notice how she is not actually saying that it is death, but rather that it is like death.)
Indeed, Miyazawa's is a story that speaks of death's journey as the train to the stars seems to be transporting, among other things, those in their afterlife. It is important to note that the protagonist himself is not actually dead though, he gets on the train through a dream he has as he lies atop a grass-covered mound. Shortly after getting on, the protagonist realises that he is on this fantastical journey with a person that he considers to be his best friend and their relationship becomes the one thing that takes the protagonist on an emotional roller-coaster ride as the train chugs along.
Luckily for me, I've read the novel before and, as with every good work of art, know that there is a lot of room for interpretation in regards to the concepts in Miyazawa's tale. Take 5 then, appears to be Hikki's homage to the novel and, through its lyrics, seems to reflect the story of its protagonist; and like the story, although the song deals with the concept of death, I would argue that the song itself is not about actually dying.
Relating this back to my original analysis below, the sudden end seems not so much to be a sudden death but rather a rude awakening. This is because the entire song takes place in a dream and at its climax, the dream comes to an abrupt end: much like the conclusion of Miyazawa's story. In the words of my original analysis then, it seems that life has snapped Hikki out of her take five under this interpretation, LOL.
But here's the thing, it seems that I also misled myself to believe that Hikki called the song "take five" because of the English phrasal verb meaning "to take a break". From that interview however, it is clear that she opted for a more Japanese understanding of the term as she notes, "With the song's title, I was sort of saying that the fifth album is also my fifth take." This doesn't completely negate the English understanding of "take five" though because the entire song still begins with the protagonist falling into a dream after he climbs up the mound to, well, take a break, LOL.
So there you have it, take five unravelled -- this time with an interpretation from Hikki herself rather than a personal interpretation, LOL. (^___^) Still, as I have mentioned, all good works of art do leave room for interpretation, so if you have the time, do read through the way I understood the song by looking through the original comments. That interpretation came about after reading Hikki's Oricon interview and seeing the song as a reflection of her person, instead of as a tribute to Kenji Miyazawa's work.
I will now end this update with similar words that I ended my original comments with since they seem extremely relevant still -- this piece is mind-blowing!! LOL, and once again, thanks Liz for pointing me in the right direction! m(_ _)m
[ORIGINAL COMMENTS:] I have to admit that I'm actually really happy to be finally writing about take 5 since I've been wanting to do this for some time now. For those who follow Hikki's music, this piece is notable for causing quite a stir among her fans for its abrupt and unexpected conclusion (that's also why my sample above suddenly ends too, LOL).
But perhaps "unexpected" is the wrong word to use, because in listening to the lyrics, one could see that the song's cut off was not only appropriate but a clear sign of how inspired Hikki is as a songwriter. The surprising finish was a triumph for art as it was proof that Hikki was making no concessions in getting her message across.
This entire thing certainly makes the message seem quite grand, so it may sound a little bizarre to understand that the take away from take 5 is simply that everybody needs a break from time to time. The title of the song says it all - the whole piece is about taking a break, nothing more and nothing less. Personally, I would argue that it is about taking a break from life although one can also readily argue that it's about taking a break from her relationship.
Nevertheless, I am going to refrain from talking about the song in regards to her relationship not only because I feel that I've beaten the poor horse to death on that subject, but also because I feel that Hikki only uses her relationship as an example of frustration and ordeal to pave a better understanding towards the theme of taking a break from life.
I'm sure that we've all encountered times when our spirits feel so crushed that we wish we could just disappear amid the pressure and let everything go - just for a little while. It is that "little while" that Hikki is describing as she notes the most amazing feelings of freedom from expectation and commitment. Still, Hikki remains realistic as she understands that people can't simply abandon everything and walk out the door indefinitely as the second verse acknowledges that these breaks could be rushed to an end (ナイフのような風が 私のスピードあげていくの テイク 5).
This brings us to the final chorus then, where Hikki makes a commitment to simply live - it is at this point that she returns to reality as she steps back into her home refreshed after laying on the grass to take a breather. Before she finishes however, she makes one final point: all the circumstances of life, be they ordeals, triumphs or even breaks, have no real beginning and no real end. Events can happen and unhappen but they are all intertwined in that a beginning could be an end just as much as an end could be a beginning.
It is in realising this that we can finally understand why she suddenly cuts the song's audio - it was a surprisingly abrupt ending just as much as it was a surprisingly abrupt beginning. It was an ending in the sense that the track had come to its conclusion but it was a beginning in the sense that it sparked the listener's mind to ponder. From the perspective of the lyrics itself, if we took the song to be Hikki's take five, then it would have been her life that snaps her out of her take five; conversely, if we took the song to be Hikki's life, then it would have been the take five that snaps her out of her life.
But it doesn't matter which way around it should be because the point is simply that the abrupt "ending" to the song is neither an ending nor a beginning as it is also both an ending and a beginning - in other words, it simply is; and it is in this way that it simultaneously evokes a feeling of nothingness as well as of being - the most wonderful feeling - the feeling of taking a break and of renewal.
Now, this may sound a little too abstract for something as simple as taking a break but if you really think about it, there is no escaping the fact that this is what a break really is. When we take a break, we throw all caution into the wind and enjoy ourselves by cutting away all the things that trouble us even though we are still grounded in reality. In taking a break, we are unafraid of laughing or being laughed at, yet we are still conscious of who we are and the limits of our behaviour. Taking five, we feel the joy of nothing bearing down on us - neither expectations nor commitments - though we remember that our existence means many things to many people. A break is the time and space that is occupied by the feeling of nothingness while still rooted to our very being - it is something that needs no justification for it simply is.
Hopefully, that makes some sense but this song is so packed with imagery and concepts that it really is hard to sum up properly. Regardless, I really enjoyed picking it apart, so much so that I didn't realise how long I've been going for. Well, I guess I should really take a breather myself as we move on to indulge in the lyrics that make up this mind-blowing piece! (^___^)
Lyrics:
Japanese lyrics retrieved from the lovely uta-net.com.
--------------------------------------
日本語:
テイク 5
--------------------------------------
歌手: 宇多田ヒカル
作詞: Utada Hikaru
作曲: Utada Hikaru
--------------------------------------
冷たい草の上に倒れ込み
火照る体を隠したい
真冬の星座たちが私の恋人
ずっと待っていたの
今日の気分は最高です
絶望も希望もない
空のように透き通っていたい
会わないほうが ケンカすることも
幻滅し合うこともない
ナイフのような風が
私のスピードあげていくの
テイク 5
どんな自分が幸せです
成功も失敗もない
空のように透き通っていたい
コートを脱いで中へ入ろう
始まりも終わりも無い
今日という日を素直に生きたい
-------------------------------------------------------
romaji:
teiku 5
-------------------------------------------------------
kashyu: utada hikaru
sakushi: Utada Hikaru
sakkyoku: Utada Hikaru
romaji: crystalise
-------------------------------------------------------
tsumetai kusa no ue ni taore komi
hoteru karada wo kakushitai
mafuyu no seizatachi ga watashi no koibito
zutto matte ita no
kyou no kibun wa saikou desu
zetsubou mo kibou mo nai
sora no you ni suki tootte itai
awanai hou ga kenka suru koto mo
genmetsu shiau koto mo nai
naifu no you na kaze ga
watashi no supiido agete iku no
teiku 5
donna jibun ga shiawase desu
seikou mo shippai mo nai
sora no you ni suki tootte itai
kooto wo nuide naka e hairou
hajimari mo owari mo nai
kyou to yuu hi wo sunao ni ikitai
-------------------------------------------------------
English:
Take 5
-------------------------------------------------------
Performed by: Utada Hikaru
Lyricist: Utada Hikaru
Composer: Utada Hikaru
Translated by: crystalise
-------------------------------------------------------
Falling upon the piercing cold grass,
I desire only to hide my fevered flesh.
Above, the constellations of midwinter accompany me,
Waiting for the eternity that it takes my love to show.
This day brings with it such a wonderful feeling,
A feeling void of all hope and hopelessness,
As I quest to become as lucid as the sky.
When we do not see each other, all our arguments
And disillusionments of one another also cease.
The wind cuts like a knife
As my take five
Continues to hasten.
In every which way, I can honestly say I am happy,
With feelings of neither success nor failure to restrain me,
As I look to become as invisible as the heavens.
Taking off my coat as I step in,
I avow this circumstance that has neither beginning nor end,
As it is for this day that I wish to simply live.
Notes:
There are no notes on this song.
Links:
Utada Hikaru Official Website (maintained by EMI Music Japan)
Purchase HEART STATION online (via YesAsia Global)
Once again, I am writing to introduce yet another J-pop artist - this time, it's the funky techno-pop trio that hails from Hiroshima: Perfume. Composed of three girls, Ayano Omoto (大本彩乃), Yuka Kashino (樫野有香) and Ayaka Nishiwaki (西脇綾香), it would be no exaggeration to say that a large part of their teenage years were spent in futility as their efforts to make inroads into the Japanese music industry were generally met with bundles of disappointment.
Now, with the group's average age nearing 20, they've managed to strike oil as their days of performing live to an enthusiastic audience of one person suddenly exploded to a point where their nicknames, Nocchi (のっち), Kashiyuka (かしゆか) and A~chan (あ~ちゃん) respectively, are the buzz of the streets.
At this point last year, the only Perfume anyone talked about was that of the eau de parfum variety; today however, Perfume have not only equalled the feat of the legendary techno-pop band, Yellow Magic Orchestra, but have also surpassed them by becoming the first techno-pop group to reach the number one spot on the Oricon singles ranking.
As if out-of-nowhere then, all their old records that nobody cared to buy in the day have become prized trophies while their "best of" album that was released two years prior has been given a winged resurrection as it soars up the Oricon charts once more. It certainly took a while but the focus on "cute techno-pop" has paid off as they can now finally administer their dose of merriment into what was once an elusive dream.
Certainly, their success has given me the opportunity to translate something from a different genre and I will admit that I've come across some difficulty in getting the English right... The thing with it is that I am not completely sure what "cute English" sounds like when written out at length... No matter how much I try, I am never really satisfied with the outcome. I guess I've reached my limits as an amateur... LOL (^___^")
Either way, though I would like to introduce them here, I will likely not be following them on a regular basis since their music is a little "hit-and-miss" for me at the moment; so I'll more likely be translating the works that I really, really, really like or works that another Vox user requests (I'm always open to them (^___^")). That said, I will confess that I am not as completely taken by love the world as I am with some of their other songs although I won't deny the fact that it's been stuck in my head for some time now.
Well, I've run out of breath from exuding so much Perfume, so allow me to take five before moving on to the next segment (^____^")
Song information:
Track 1 from Perfume's single, love the world (Released 2008/07/09).
PV availability:
There is a really funky PV to this song and at first, I actually didn't see how the song and PV were connected. After watching their live performances though, suddenly the whole PV made sense and the use of the Rubik's cube throughout the PV really served to enhance the message of how the entire love story they are telling is very much like a puzzle. (^___^)
Theme song:
This song is not tied to anything as a theme.
Alternative versions:
No alternative versions exist at this moment.
Comments:
When I first heard the title, love the world, I somehow expected it to have something to do with the environment - a little like alan's 懐かしい未来 ~longing future~. Alas, when I finally heard the song and read the lyrics, I ended up being a little confused since the green agenda was nowhere to be found, yet simply because it doesn't have an environmental message doesn't mean it has nothing to do with the environment.
In fact, the song really provides us all with a very different take on why we should take care of the planet we live in. To understand how that is possible, we must first dwell on the song's actual subject: puppy love. The song really gives off an "he loves me, he loves me not" feel to it in taking the girl's perspective where she's hoping for him to make his move while at the same time playing hard-to-get... (^___^") The fact that all the major moves are compressed into the span of the chorus actually makes it sound quite confusing at first, but if you read the lyrics so that every two lines constitutes a development in the relationship - it becomes apparent how quickly the relationship blossoms after she makes her wish on a star, LOL.
So, how does this dalliance turn into a message about loving the world? Well, that was achieved by the song's point that all these things are possible only in this world. In that way, all the joy and happiness that we experience in our lives is essentially tied to this world, which is why we must necessarily love the world if we are to appreciate the love that exists within it. (Strangely, that kind of reminds me of the plot of Pixar's cute new film, Wall-E)
Overall, love the world is meant to convey a sense of "stylish and cute" in its music and while I find the "cute" part irrefutable, the "stylish" bit seems to only be available in parts. To that end, although it's not a song I'd go crazy for, I still really like it for all the goodness it oozes...
Speaking of oozing, perhaps it's time to move along now to the most important bit of the post... (^___^")
Lyrics:
Japanese lyrics retrieved from nowhere else but uta-net.com.
--------------------------------------
日本語:
love the world
--------------------------------------
歌手: Perfume
作詞: 中田ヤスタカ
作曲: 中田ヤスタカ
--------------------------------------
こっそり秘密をあげるわ ずっと好きにしていいのよ
きっとキミも気に入るよ 二人だけの特等席
ちょっぴり運命みたいな
キャラにもないようなことも
感じたっていいじゃないの
誰か書いたシナリオ?
まだ この先が見えない
一番星さがす 手が震えても
あきらめないで 大切な
すこしの意地と キミよダーリン
刺激的 ほらステキ
見える世界がきらめくわ
手探りのあたしにも
すこしわかる気がしてるんだ
やわらかな キミのタイミング
ずるいでしょ チュチュチュ
love love the world
やっぱり チャンスをあげるわ やっと見えたキミの隙間
きっと一人で悩んで 教えてくれていいんだよ
ちょっぴり反省みたいな
キャラにもないようなことも
たまにはいいじゃないの
誰か書いたシナリオ?
まだ この先が見えない
一番星さがす 手が震えても
あきらめないで 大切な
すこしの意地と キミよダーリン
刺激的 ほらステキ
見える世界がきらめくわ
手探りのあたしにも
すこしわかる気がしてるんだ
やわらかな キミのタイミング
ずるいでしょ チュチュチュ
love love the world
Have a nice day!
be in a good mood yeh!
in all the world
喜びの中 まだ この先が見えない
一番星さがす 手が震えても
あきらめないで 大切な
すこしの意地と キミよダーリン
刺激的 ほらステキ
見える世界がきらめくわ
手探りのあたしにも
すこしわかる気がしてるんだ
やわらかな キミのタイミング
ずるいでしょ チュチュチュ
love love the world
Have a nice day!
be in a good mood yeh!
in all the world
love the world
-------------------------------------------------------
romaji:
love the world
-------------------------------------------------------
kashyu: Perfume
sakushi: nakata yasutaka
sakkyoku: nakata yasutaka
romaji: crystalise
-------------------------------------------------------
kossori himitsu wo ageru wa zutto suki ni shite ii no yo
kitto kimi mo ki ni iru yo futari dake no tokutou seki
choppiri unmei mitai na
kyara ni mo nai you na koto mo
kanjitatte ii ja nai no
dareka kaita shinario?
mada kono saki ga mienai
ichiban hoshi sagasu te ga furuete mo
akiramenai de taisetsu na
sukoshi no iji to kimi yo daarin
shigeki teki hora suteki
mieru sekai ga kirameku wa
tesaguri no atashi ni mo
sukoshi wakaru ki ga shiterun da
yawaraka na kimi no taimingu
zurui desho chu chu chu
love love the world
yappari chansu wo ageru wa yatto mieta kimi no sukima
kitto hitori de nayande oshiete kurete iin da yo
choppiri hansei mitai na
kyara ni mo nai you na koto mo
tama ni wa ii ja nai no
dareka kaita shinario?
mada kono saki ga mienai
ichiban hoshi sagasu te ga furuete mo
akiramenai de taisetsu na
sukoshi no iji to kimi yo daarin
shigeki teki hora suteki
mieru sekai ga kirameku wa
tesaguri no atashi ni mo
sukoshi wakaru ki ga shiterun da
yawaraka na kimi no taimingu
zurui desho chu chu chu
love love the world
Have a nice day!
be in a good mood yeh!
in all the world
yorokobi no naka mada kono saki ga mienai
ichiban hoshi sagasu te ga furuete mo
akiramenai de taisetsu na
sukoshi no iji to kimi yo daarin
shigeki teki hora suteki
mieru sekai ga kirameku wa
tesaguri no atashi ni mo
sukoshi wakaru ki ga shiterun da
yawaraka na kimi no taimingu
zurui desho chu chu chu
love love the world
Have a nice day!
be in a good mood yeh!
in all the world
love the world
----------------------------------------
English:
love the world
----------------------------------------
Performed by: Perfume
Lyricist: Yasutaka Nakata
Composer: Yasutaka Nakata
Translated by: crystalise
----------------------------------------
Psst, let me tell you a secret secret: it’s really alright to keep doing what you like.*
I’m sure you’d agree, so I’ve reserved this seat for the two of us over here.**
I’ll say it all really sorta seems like fate,
I mean, though it's not quite like me to feel this way,
Having such feelings is alright –
It’s not like this is a scene someone wrote or anything, is it?
Though I still can’t see what comes next,
My hands get all jittery as I scan the evening sky for the first star.***
Don’t ever give up on the
Little yet substantial charisma you’ve got, darling.
It could really be exciting and all – See? It’s already working wonders with
The visible world flashing in brilliance.
Swept off my feet and fumbling around,****
I get a sense that I’ve come to grips with what is going on.*****
Your sense of timing is so delicate
That you almost had me fooled there! muah!~ muah!~ muah!~
How I love this world.
I guess it’s expected that I’d give you a shot and it was then that I managed to catch a glimpse of
The burdens that you are bearing alone... You know, it’s alright to tell me these things.
I’ll say that it all seems like a little soul-searching exercise
And even it seems out of character for me to do so,
It’s alright to be like that every now and then –
It’s not as if someone wrote an entire scenario for us, right?
So, even though I still can’t see what lies beyond this,
I search for the night’s first star with my fidgety hands.
Keep at it with that
Small yet significant spirit of yours, my darling.
This could all be really sensational – Look! Sparks are flying
As everything in the world starts shimmering.
Swept off my feet and scrambling to get up,
I think I’m beginning to see what’s going on.
Your sense of timing is so beautiful
That you almost had me fooled! muah!~ muah!~ muah!~
I’m so in love with this world.
That’s right darling, have yourself a nice day and
Put yourself in a good mood,
Wherever you are in this world~
Though I could say I am happy, I still don’t quite know where this is going,
As my hands get a little restless looking for the first star of the night.
Don’t ever let anyone tell you that the
Tiny but considerable amount of heart you’ve got isn’t enough, darling.
It could be really exhilarating – Hey! Look how wonderful this is
As it makes the whole world light up!
Swept off my feet and clambering around,
I think I’ve come to realise what’s going on.
Your sense of timing is so elegant
That you almost got me there! muah!~ muah!~ muah!~
Oh, how I love this world!
So then, darling, have a nice day and
Put a smile on your face
Wherever you may be in this world...
And remember how worthy of love this world is.
Notes:
*Note 1: Literally, “Secretly, I’ll let you in on a secret, it’s alright to always do what you like to do.” I know “secret secret” changes the meaning a little in English but I can’t help but take the opportunity to give a nod to one of their funkier songs from their recently released album, GAME, calledシークレットシークレット or “secret secret” in English... LOL, forgive me!
**Note 2: Literally, “Certainly, you too would like that! Here’s a special seat just for only two people.”
***Note 3: This is probably a pointless note but just in case... The significance of the first star of the evening is simply that, like a shooting star, it grants those who see it a wish. In this case, because she is uncertain of what the future brings, she looks for the first star so that she could make a wish... LOL.
****Note 4: Literally, “The me that is fumbling...”
*****Note 5: Literally, “As I feel that I am understanding the situation a little...”
Links:
Perfume Official Website (maintained by AMUSE)
Purchase love the world online (via YesAsia Global)
This is not the first time I had to make some compromise by cutting the title short (and knowing the Japanese love for long titles, I doubt this would be the last). The full title of this post should therefore go:
Lyrics Translation: natsukashii mirai ~longing future~ (懐かしい未来 ~longing future~) ~ alan (アラン)
As you could have guessed, the main point of this post is to introduce another artist that I will be following on this blog - that's right, make way for J-pop's first Chinese Tibetan artist, alan! LOL ~~\(^ o ^)/~~
Born Alan Dawa Zhouma (阿兰达瓦卓玛) in the Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous State (甘孜藏族自治州) of the Chinese province of Sichuan (四川), alan could be described as a musician of many talents and many voices. Indeed, her instrument of choice may be the traditional Chinese erhu (二胡) but she also plays the hulusi (葫芦丝) and piano with great proficiency. She also utilises at least two techniques of vocalisation in her singing - one that is more acquainted with mainstream pop and another that heralds the trademarks of Tibetan folk music.
She sets herself apart from other artists by leveraging on these traits as she incorporates both styles of song in her Japanese singles while those who write her music also provide her ample opportunity to display her instrumental abilities, adding that extra spice to the ever-expansive Japanese pop scene.
Furthermore, I posted a sample of alan's Chinese debut single entitled, 心・战 ~RED CLIFF~ ("xin/zhan ~RED CLIFF~"; trans: "Heart/War ~RED CLIFF~"), to the left. The song is tied to the summer blockbuster, Red Cliff (赤壁), which is directed by John Woo (吳宇森) and stars Tony Leung (梁朝偉) alongside Takeshi Kaneshiro (金城武).
If you are not living in East Asia though, you'll be getting one heavily-cut movie in January 2009. I'm not at all sure why they chose to do this but I am speculating that some of the film's stakeholders may have felt that the rest of the world may not accept Red Cliff as a Chinese epic that needs more than the span of a movie to cover.
For theatres in East Asia, the film will be screened in two parts - each part running for about two and a half hours. I managed to catch it earlier last week and have to say that I really enjoyed it. Sure, it wasn't quite historically accurate but it sure as hell was an awesome retelling of the saga. If you have the opportunity, I highly recommend checking it out - I can't wait to watch the second half now! LOL
Anyhow, you may have realised that in the span of one post I have gone through Japanese characters, simplified Chinese characters and traditional Chinese characters. As a point of clarification, I will be using simplified Chinese characters when talking about alan in the Chinese context but will retain Japanese labels when I discuss her work in regards to her Japanese career. So please bear with me! LOL
Right, I think it's about time to get into the meat of the post - hopefully, this song will teach us all to love the world and make it a better place! Now, onto some alan goodness! LOL (^___^")
Song information:
Track 1 from alan's single, 懐かしい未来 ~longing future~ (Released 2008/07/02).
PV availability:
There is a very nice PV of this song featuring alan symbolically in rags at an area of reclaimed land on Tokyo Bay. The PV uses paintings to depict the future that we are longing for - showcasing them as images of the imagination at this point in time. Interspersed with these scenes are also shots of alan in a studio and standing in the middle of the road in the countryside. Be sure to look out for the instrumental bridge of the song to catch her playing a glass erhu as well, LOL. Finally, to bring the environmental message home, the PV ends with a plug for the umi-no-mori (sea forest) project that is taking place in Tokyo Bay (to find out more, click here to go to the project's website.)
Theme song:
This song serves as the theme to NHK's series of environmental programming entitled, SAVE THE FUTURE.
Alternative versions:
1. 合唱 [懐かしい未来 ~longing future~] (Released with the same single, 懐かしい未来 ~longing future~ on 2008/07/02)
In romaji, this would be called gasshou [natsukashii mirai ~longing future~], which translates to chorus [yearning for the future ~longing future~]. With a different instrumental arrangement and featuring the children's choir that you could hear backing alan up in the original version of the song, this version is actually quite a treat to listen to. I have to admit that I was pleasantly surprised when I first heard it since I thought it would be a simple remix of the original. Anyhow, it is on the same single, so there really isn't much harm in skipping over to track 3 and listening to it, no? LOL
Comments:
Starting with 懐かしい未来 ~longing future~, each month will bring a new single from alan for the span of five months, with each single representing one of the five Japanese elements of earth, sky, wind, fire, and water. This single is based on the element of earth, although this is actually not altogether apparent from any part of the song, LOL (^___^")
Perhaps the reason it isn't so apparent is because my understanding of the element of "earth" is limited to the objects within the Earth and not the actual planet itself, LOL. Remove that bias in my perspective though and there is no argument that this song is about the beauty of Mother Earth (or "Little Miss Earth" as Ai-chin prefers).
The song itself is quite soothing as alan's bars no holds in busting out her unique acoustic stylings when she reaches for the higher notes following the song's chorus. It was at that moment that I surrendered my heart to her as, through song, she conjured up the wonderful memories of my visit to the Celestial Mountains (天山) in the Western Chinese Uyghur province, Xinjiang (新疆). The lyrics to the piece are themselves also beautiful in their innocent portrayal of the planet, but perhaps the most beautiful part of the lyrics lies in the fact that it continues to hold hope for the future.
Indeed, the rhetoric in regards to the climate today seems so much to bear only the "stick approach" with all the warnings and threats that this song certainly stands out in simply arguing that the simple thought of the future itself is enough of a "carrot" (LOL, as bizarre as that sentence may sound, it really was what I was trying to say...). Overall, I've been very enamoured over this song and would love for nothing more than to be able to share it.
So with that, let us relieve this longing by moving on to the next segment of this post (^___^")
Lyrics:
Japanese lyrics retrieved from the almighty uta-net.com!
--------------------------------------
日本語:
懐かしい未来 ～longing future～
--------------------------------------
歌手: alan
作詞: 大貫妙子
作曲: 菊池一仁
--------------------------------------
吹いて渡る 風のように 自由でいたい
同じ空の 下に生きる 息吹のように
北のオーロラ 森の囁き 夢を見た
川のせせらぎ 昇る太陽 朝が来る
愛しい気持ちを抱きしめよう
旅立つ未来 懐かしい時へ
勇気を希望をありがとう
美しい星の上で
知恵の扉 開けてみよう 光の中で
聞こえてくる 遥か遥か 大地の歌が
どこから来たの どこへ向こうの たずねたい
耳をすまそう 裸の心で 見つけよう
愛しいすべてを抱きしめて
旅立つ時は 懐かしい未来
勇気を希望をありがとう
美しい星の上で
愛しいすべてを抱きしめて
旅立つ時は 懐かしい未来
たくさんの色に溢れてる
美しい星の上で
きっとあなたへと届けたい
翼にのせて しなやかな声を
みんなが共に生きていこう
美しい星の上で
この蒼い星の上で
-------------------------------------------------------
romaji:
natsukashii mirai ~longing future~
-------------------------------------------------------
kashyu: alan
sakushi: oonuki taeko
sakkyoku: kikuchi kazuhito
romaji: crystalise
-------------------------------------------------------
fuite wataru kaze no you ni jiyuu de itai
onaji sora no shita ni ikiru ibuki no you ni
kita no oorora mori no sasayaki yume wo mita
kawa no seseragi noboru taiyou asa ga kuru
itoshii kimochi wo dakishimeyou
tabidatsu mirai natsukashii toki e
yuuki wo kibou wo arigatou
utsukushii hoshi no ue de
chie no tobira akete miyou hikari no naka de
kikoete kuru haruka haruka daichi no uta ga
doko kara kita no doko e mukou no tazunetai
mimi wo sumasou hadaka no kokoro de mitsukeyou
itoshii subete wo dakishimete
tabidatsu toki wa natsukashii mirai
yuuki wo kibou wo arigatou
utsukushii hoshi no ue de
itoshii subete wo dakishimete
tabidatsu toki wa natsukashii mirai
takusan no iro ni afureteru
utsukushii hoshi no ue de
kitto anata e to todoketai
tsubasa ni nosete shinayaka na koe wo
minna ga tomo ni ikite ikou
utsukushii hoshi no ue de
kono aoi hoshi no ue de
----------------------------------------
English:
Yearning for the Future*
----------------------------------------
Performed by: alan
Lyricist: Taeko Onuki
Composer: Kazuhito Kikuchi
Translated by: crystalise
----------------------------------------
I want to be as free as the winds that cross the earth
As they bring the breath of life to all under the same sky.
Of the northern lights and the whispering forests, I have dreamt and
With the song of the stream and the ascent of the sun, I welcome the morning.**
I’ll embrace these feelings of love
As I set off for the future, journeying to a time I yearn to live in,
I am grateful for the hope of courage
That has been given me on this beautiful star.
Opening the door of wisdom, a light shines on me as
I hear the distant song of the earth.
From where it springs and to where it journeys, I strain to ask and
In listening closely and stepping into the nakedness of my heart, I will find the answer.***
Holding on to all the things I love
As I set off on a journey, I head for the future we are longing for.
On this beautiful star,
I have found the gratefulness for the hope of courage.
Holding on to everything that is love to me,
I set out for the wonder that is the future.
In the overflowing myriads of colour,
I have witnessed the beauty that is on this planet.
I can hope for nothing more than that this song would reach you,
Riding on the wings of love and delivered in the range of voices****
Of all the people who are sharing in the living of this life
On this beautiful star:
This blue planet.
Notes:
*Note 1: I cut the title short since the original English sub-title was an attempt to directly translate the Japanese into English. Unfortunately, it was so direct that it was actually incorrect since it implied that the future was longing for something when, in fact, the future itself should be the object of the longing... (forgive me if that makes no sense, but I hope you get the gist of what I am trying to say, LOL).
**Note 2: Literally, “In the sound of the stream and the rising sun, morning has come.”
***Note 3: Literally, “As I listened carefully, with a naked heart, I will find it.”
****Note 4: Literally, “Riding on wings, with a flexible voice.”
Links:
alan Official Website (maintained by avex trax)
Purchase 懐かしい未来 ~longing future~ online (via YesAsia Global)
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