Lyrics Translation: take 5 (テイク 5) ~ Utada Hikaru (宇多田ヒカル)
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:
Listen to a sample of テイク 5 (~1:30 mins)
Audio disc presence:
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)
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)
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Comments
"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."
The Above = <3
About the Olympics, I haven't seen it much lately. I've been trying to but BF isn't the least bit interested, plus he hates that I pay more attention when someone attractive is up lol.
Anyway, you have certainly made my day with this:)
(Yes it only takes something as small as lyric translations to change my mood)
As always, GJ
LOL, I'm really glad that part of my comment made sense to you since I was hoping what I was saying wasn't getting too convoluted (^___^") - which was actually what prompted me to carry on talking as I was originally going to end there...
Anyhow, the Olympics are filled with attractive people aren't they? It's hard to not pay more attention to those who are particularly attractive... especially when the sport features scanty uniforms, no? LOL (^___^) I never realised how built gymnasts were until I finally watched a few events - by goodness, they are all so darn buff regardless of whether they are male or female!!! LOL (@___@)
Nonetheless, I hope you have many more good days ahead as the summer wears on! LOL (^ o ^) Take care and see you around!
Utada said in an interview that Take 5 was about death. The abrupt ending signifies that you can die at any time.
Nonetheless, your comment did send me on a search for that interview on the worldwide web and I believe I finally hunted it down at Listen Japan. I can understand how the song now fits with the theme of death especially since it is inspired by Kenji Miyazawa's Milky Way Railroad.
I had previously only read her interview with Oricon and in that interview, the song was directly linked to her life because she answered that the last line of the song about simply wishing to live is her current way of living her life. It was from that understanding that I came to understand Take 5 as a song that deals with Hikki's psyche and the concept of taking a break (since she certainly didn't seem like she wanted to die, LOL).
To that end though, I was unable to find an interview where she specifically says the abrupt end is itself death although I can see how that seems like a natural assumption. With that then, I am going to contend that the cut off is not death itself but rather a rude awakening, much like my earlier interpretation and also in consistency with the end of Milky Way Railroad's story for the main protagonist. Do you think that's a fair statement to make?
Thanks for pointing that out - I stand corrected and re-interpreted, LOL. I'll put up an edit note on the post to correct my analysis on the song as well - again, thanks for that! I now see the song on so many strange levels... most mind-boggling indeed! LOL (^___^")
I've been in lala land lately (so much for coming out of the shadows) and still am, but anyway both interpretations are a good read:)
Hope you are doing well and do drop by when you have time! \(^ o ^)/ See you around!
Hello;
I think you have a sweet voice.
Thank you for sharing joy and songs!
LOVE and Peace
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