associations. 'Human life' by Naomi Tamura and 'Treat or Goblins' by Megumi Hayashibara

I don't know why but sometimes I have this feeling that two songs have similar aura, even though they may be completely different objectively

associations. I finally understood

 I finally understood. Similar songs in my mind are those that have the same colour. Seems like for years, I was unconsciously stopping myself from saying it because I knew only that few people would understand. It's a matter of my synesthesia. But here they are - white songs with tender pink wind blowing through them.

'Redline day' from 'Redline'

'Strangers' from 'Wolf's Rain'

My torture playlist / список композиций, которыми меня можно пытать

Autumn leaves

They long to be

 

Nine million bicycles

Champs Elysees

I don't want to miss a thing. As well as almost all Aerosmith

Ночные Снайперы - Ты дарила мне розы

 to be continued

lyrics translation. 'Raging waves' by Megumi Hayashibara

I totally forgot to publish all the translations I've done. And I've done many. No greater pleasure than to translate something you love.

Japanese

花がゆき交い風が吹き
色が舞い散り灯がともる
季節が何度めぐっても
この瞬間は二度とない

たとえ100回願っても
動き出さなきゃつかめないから
後先考えず痛い目も
時には見るけれど大丈夫

考えすぎて動けなくて
チャンス逃すより向いてるの
狙い定めたなら
今行くだけ行こう

誰かに誉められる人生
目指している訳じゃないの
私が喜ぶ生き方
ぶつかりながら見つけてく
いきなり強いわけじゃない
いきなりできるわけじゃない
繰り返して行く日々から
つくりあげてくの　自分を

たとえうまく行かなくっても
道は決して閉ざされはしない
そこからまた何かがはじまる
探して悩んで求めてれば

やめるのとあきらめるのとでは
次の道が変わってくる
おもい残さないで
今やるだけやろう

誰かに認められるより
まず自分を認めなくちゃ
ダメなとこもいいところも
ひっくるめて抱きしめよう
楽に歩ける道よりも
つらくっても楽しみたい
忙しい退屈な日々
変えたいなら歩き出そう

誰かに誉められる人生
目指している訳じゃないの
私が喜ぶ生き方
ぶつかりながら見つけてく
いきなり強いわけじゃない
いきなりできるわけじゃない
繰り返して行く日々から
つくりあげてくの自分を

誰かに認められるより
まず自分を認めなくちゃ
ダメなとこもいいところも
ひっくるめて抱きしめよう
楽に歩ける道よりも
つらくっても楽しみたい
忙しい退屈な日々
変えたいから歩いていくの 

Translation

Flowers swing, wind blows
Colours dance down, lights burn
Seasons may change many times
But this moment won't come again

Even if you make a wish one hundred times
You won’t obtain what you want if you don’t start doing something
If you act without thinking of the consequences
You may sometimes go through painful experiences, but that’s okay

It fits your purpose better
Than being unable to act because you think too much
If you’ve taken a steady aim
Go for it as far as you can go now

Living my life so that somebody would praise me
Is not something I aim for
Living a life I can enjoy
That’s what I search for, sometimes colliding with obstacles
You don’t become strong in one day
You don’t become skilful in one day
Only from every day repetition
You gradually build yourself

Even if you’re not successful at first
It doesn’t mean the road is completely closed to you
Something new will start from there
If you don’t stop searching, worrying, wanting

You can stop or you can give up,
But these are two different roads
Don’t make yourself regret
Do as much as you can do now

Rather than waiting for someone to accept you
You have to start with accepting yourself
Bad sides and good sides –
Let’s embrace them all
Rather than choosing an easy road
I prefer a road that’s fun, even if it’s hard
This busy but boring life –
If you want to change it, let’s start going

Living my life so that somebody would praise me
Is not something I aim for
Living a life I can enjoy
That’s what I search for, sometimes colliding with obstacles
You don’t become strong in one day
You don’t become skilful in one day
Only from every day repetition
You gradually build yourself

Rather than waiting for someone to accept you
You have to start with accepting yourself
Bad sides and good sides –
Let’s embrace them all
Rather than choosing an easy road
I prefer a road that’s fun, even if it’s hard
This busy but boring life –
If you want to change it, let’s start going

lyrics translation. 'Midnight blue' by Megumi Hayashibara

Japanese

傷つき心が怖さを覚えてく
切なき心が何かにもたれてく
強さは全てを包み込んだ砦
優しさ　涙を知らずに語れない

TONIGHT TONIGHT
揺れる炎へとかざしたMIDNIGHT BLUE

闇よ、雨よ、今教えて
月よ、風よ、今答えて
遠く、遠く、遥か遠く
旅の果てに何があるの

つらぬく夢(おもい)が見え隠れしている
それでも夢(おもい)は決して消えはしない
強さは全てを見つめてきた証
優しさ時には邪魔になる愚かさ

TONIGHT TONIGHT
燃える炎へとかざしたMIDNIGHT BLUE

鳥よ、雲よ、今教えて
波よ、影よ、今答えて
遠く、遠く、遥か遠く
旅の果てに何があるの

闇よ、雨よ、今教えて
月よ、風よ、今答えて
鳥よ、雲よ、今教えて
波よ、影よ、今答えて

遠く、遠く、遥か遠く
旅の果てに何があるの
遠く、遠く、遥か遠く
旅の果てに何があるの

Translation

When hurt, the heart knows fear
When in pain, the heart wants to lean on something
Strength is a fortress that surrounds everything
Kindness is something you can’t speak about if you never shed tears

Tonight, tonight
I hold this midnight blue to a flickering flame

O darkness, o rain, tell me now
O moon, o wind, answer me now
Far, far, so far away
What is there at the end of my journey?

The dream that I stick to is slipping in and out of view
But this dream won’t disappear, no
Strength is the proof that I’ve looked closely on everything
Kindness sometimes becomes foolishness that stands in the way

Tonight, tonight
I hold this midnight blue to a flickering flame

O birds, o clouds, tell me now
O waves, o shadows, answer me now
Far, far, so far away
What is there at the end of my journey?

O darkness, o rain, tell me now
O moon, o wind, answer me now
O birds, o clouds, tell me now
O waves, o shadows, answer me now

Far, far, so far away
What is there at the end of my journey?
Far, far, so far away
What is there at the end of my journey?

_____

It's true that I usually argue that when a songwriter replaces a kanji in lyrics, it's better to translate the word you hear in the song rather than the kanji you see in the written lyrics. However in this case, the word written as 夢, or 'dream', was sung as 思い, which can be translated as 'feelings', 'thoughts', 'beliefs', 'hopes' and many more. In fact, it makes perfect sense as 'dream'. So this subtle nuance may be lost in translation, but I tried to pull these words together as close as possible so that the sentence becomes clear.

lyrics translation. 'Give a reason' by Megumi Hayashibara

Put a gun to my forehead and ask me what I'd like to hear in my last minutes - this will be it.

 

Japanese

目まぐるしい時間の群れが
走り抜ける都市(まち)はサバンナ
かわるがわるシュールなニュース
明日になれば誰も忘れてる
生きている　今、生きている
そんな中で何かを求め
もがくように、抜け出すように
この力を試してみたくて

きっとどこかに「答」ある
生まれてきた答が
人は皆それを求め
やるせない、のがせない
夢に向かうの

傷つく事は恐くない
だけどけして強くない
ただ何もしないままで
悔やんだりはしたくない
Here we go! go!　走り続ける
誰にも止められはしない
未来の自分へと
Give a reason for life　届けたい

計り知れない大きな闇が
音を立てて向かって来ても
朝が来れば、誰かが居れば
心にある絶望は消せる

もっと強くイメージして
微笑んでる自分を
信じてる思い、それが
何よりも誰よりも
夢に近づく

ゴールにもたれたりしない
たとえ辿り着いたって
新しい夢がきっと
私の背中押すから
Here we go! go!　走り続ける
誰にも止められはしない
未来の自分へと
Give a reason for life　届けたい

きっとどこかに「答」ある
生まれてきた答が
人は皆それを求め
やるせない、のがせない
夢に向かうの

傷つく事は恐くない
だけどけして強くない
ただ何もしないままで
悔やんだりはしたくない
Here we go! go!　走り続ける
誰にも止められはしない
未来の自分へと
Give a reason for life　届けたい


Translation

Hectic clusters of time
Run through the streets, making them look like savanna
Surreal news come one by one
But everyone will have forgotten it by tomorrow
I’m alive, I’m living this moment
In this world I seek for something
Struggling, trying to break free
I want to test my powers

I know somewhere exists an ‘answer’
To why we have been born
People search for it
And pursue a dream which is hopeless
But they just can’t let it go

I’m not afraid of getting hurt
But that doesn’t mean I’m strong at all
It’s just that I don’t want
To regret doing nothing
Here we go! Go! I keep running
And nobody will stop me
To the future me I want to convey –
Give a reason for life

Unfathomable great darkness
May come your way, making sound,
But if morning comes, if someone is by your side
You can erase the despair in your heart

Imagine more strongly
Yourself smiling
If you believe, then
It will better than anything, better than anyone
Take you closer to your dream

I won’t be stopped by my goal
When I reach it
Because I know a new dream
Will push me in the back
Here we go! Go! I keep running
And nobody will stop me
To the future me I want to convey –
Give a reason for life

I know somewhere exists an ‘answer’
To why we have been born
People search for it
And pursue a dream which is hopeless
But they just can’t let it go

I’m not afraid of getting hurt
But that doesn’t mean I’m strong at all
It’s just that I don’t want
To regret doing nothing
Here we go! Go! I keep running
And nobody will stop me
To the future me I want to convey –
Give a reason for life

lyrics translation. 'kagirinai yokubou no naka ni' by Megumi Hayashibara

Japanese

なぜ争うの
なぜ傷つくの
この腕に託されている
夢が時に重くなるのよ
幸せって誰もが
欲しがるecstasy
むさぼって手にして
それでも求める

限りない欲望の中に
言えぬ犠牲もあるけど
情熱と勇気あるなら
歩き続けるしかない

なぜ笑えるの
なぜはしゃげるの
悲しみを乗り越えるため
人はそれをよじ登ってく
辛い事　薄れて
行くからTo be continued
この胸の傷さえ
プラスに変えるわ

限りない欲望があれば
立ち直る事も出来る
幸せを知りたいのなら
歩き続けるしかない
限りない欲望の中に
言えぬ犠牲もあるけど
情熱と勇気あるなら
歩き続けるしかない

Translation

Why do we fight?
Why do we get hurt?
The dream that has been entrusted to my heart
Sometimes just feels too heavy
Happiness is the ecstasy
Everyone wants,
Everyone craves for, right? But even when we reach it
We want more and more

In our unlimited desires
There are sacrifices we can’t mention
But as long as there are passion and courage
We have no choice but to walk on

Why can we laugh?
Why can we frolic?
To overcome sorrow
People clamber up these emotions
Bitter experiences fade with time
So everything is ‘to be continued’
Even the scars on my heart
Will turn into an asset

As long as we have unlimited desires
Surely, we will be able to recover
If we want to find happiness
We have no choice but to walk on
In our unlimited desires
There are sacrifices we can’t mention
But as long as there are passion and courage
We have no choice but to walk on

lyrics translation. 'Going History' by Megumi Hayashibara

 If there is a song I can sell my soul for, this is one of those few that I can name

Japanese

誰かを傷つけて奪った恋なのに

半年もたたないうちに愛の破片も消えた 

落ち込んだ束の間また恋をしたけど 

愛じゃない、寂しさをうめる 恋人というロザリオ

人はどうしてキスをしたがるの、人はどうして二人で眠るの
We can, we can any time 本気(まじ)か分からない　心、何も言わない

苦しいほど、切ないほど好きなヒトに会いたい
街が生まれ変わるくらい愛しいヒトに会いたい
そして何時か振り返れば懐かしい想い出を
熱く語る自分になるため歩くよHistory

電話さえ鳴らない休日の部屋には
やり過ごした夢がただ横に寄り添っている
孤独を感じてる心を打ち消して
ベッドに潜(すべ)り込んでは朝が来るのを待った

夢はどうして遠くへ逃げるの、夢はどうして他人のものなの
We can We can any time 本気(まじ)に泣けてくる　明日(あす)も何も見えない

眩しいほど、貫くほど夢中な夢見つけたい
時が早く過ぎるくらい楽しい夢見つけたい
そして何時か振り返れば懐かしい想い出を
熱く語る自分になるため歩くよHistory

苦しいほど、切ないほど好きなヒトに会いたい
街が生まれ 変わるくらい愛しいヒトに会いたい
眩しいほど 、貫くほど夢中な夢見つけたい
時が早く過ぎるくらい楽しい夢見つけたい
そして何時か振り返れば懐かしい想い出を
熱く語る自分になるため歩くよ History

Translation

I stole him from some another girl, hurting her
But my love waned in less than half a year, not leaving a trace
I felt down just for a moment before I fell in love again,
But it's not real love, it's only scattering more loneliness – it's a rosary made of lovers

Why do people want to kiss? Why do people sleep together?
We can, we can anytime – though I don't know if this is serious, and my heart doesn't say anything

I want to meet someone I'll love so much that it would be painful, heartrending
I want to meet someone I'll love so much that the streets would look different to me
I want someday to become a person who looks back on their life and passionately shares their dear memories
And to achieve that I'm going through history

In my room where even phone doesn't ring on weekend
My dreams that I let slip by are just leaning on my side
Trying to deny my heart full of such loneliness
I crawled under my blanket and just waited for the morning to come

Why do dreams always run far away? Why do dreams always turn out to be something others have?
We can, we can anytime - I'm really about to cry, because I can't see tomorrow or anything at all

I want to have a dream that would be dazzling, that would pierce me
I want to have a dream so fun that time would pass quicker
I want someday to become a person who looks back on their life and passionately shares their dear memories
And to achieve that I'm going through history

I want to meet someone I'll love so much that it would be painful, heartrending
I want to meet someone I'll love so much that the streets would look different to me
I want to have a dream that would be dazzling, that would pierce me
I want to have a dream so fun that time would pass quicker
I want someday to become a person who looks back on their life and passionately shares their dear memories
And to achieve that I'm going through history 

_____

There's a big temptation to link phrases ending with 'hodo' and 'kurai' ('so ... that'), to verbs ending in -tai ('want to'), because this makes perfect sense: 'I want to ... so much that...'. But in fact they're linked to the nearest words, which is obvious if we compare similar lines: 'love so much that...' and 'dream so ... that...'.

associations. Masami Okui's powerful songs

I finally realised what was that similar song I recalled each time I heard one of these two:

two mixes of one 'field'

'Poly' by Thylacine

And 'Detoxify mad' by DJ Whitesmith

lyrics translation. 'Leeca' by Gackt

As far as I could understand, I was not the only one who thought that 'leeca' would probably stand for the Leica photo camera. Therefore, it might be useful to think that a photo is an important element of this song.

lyrics

木漏れ日の中で君は微笑ってた
膝の上で眠る子犬もやすらかな顔をして…
小さな本を手の平に広げて
綺麗な指でそっと言葉をなぞる

その笑顔で何もかも救われると思ってた

限られた空の下で消えた
あの頃の君を思い出には…
造られた夢の中で見てた
あの空は、もう…

透き通る風の中、儚くて抱きよせた
振り返る姿は今もまだ
離れなくて

限られた空の下でそっと
ささやいた言葉を繰り返して
閉ざされた胸の中で今も
あの頃と同じように微笑っている…

夕暮れに響くこどもたちの声は
笑顔を連れて消えていく…

translation

Under the sunlight coming down through tree branches you were sitting with a smile on your face
And a puppy was sleeping so calmly in your lap
You opened a small book and were holding it with your hand
Gently tracing the words with your beautiful fingers

I thought your smile would mend everything

And then, you disappeared under that fragment of sky
But I can’t think of you only as a memory
That dream was artificial
And the sky I saw in it no longer exists

I held you close in the transparent wind, since you were so fragile
The image of you looking back over your shoulder
Doesn’t leave my mind even now

The words I whispered to you softly under that fragment of sky
I repeat them again
And in my heart, which remains closed since then
Even now we are smiling, just like then

The voices of children resonating in the twilight
Gradually die down, taking smiles with them

_____

Oh, the things I read in different translations of this song... First, the 'limited' sky is a very nice literal translation of 'kagirareta sora', but then, if you can give me an example of a limited sky... Considering the title, it's possible that He remembers only a certain part of the sky they were sitting under, probably the one that was captured on a photo, supposing there were at least a few of them. Also, the 'memories' did not disappear, only She did, which is pretty obvious from 'omoide ni wa', as opposed to 'omoide wa'. It should be also pretty obvious that 'omoide ni wa' is a typical unfinished phrase so common in Japanese, which needs to be properly finished by the reader themselves, and it's most probable this phrase would end in 'dekinai'. The same goes for the 'sky' He saw in the artificial dream, which is not simply 'already', but already gone. Though leaving the unfinished as unfinished is also a way to translate, I went for a full sentence.

Translating literally 'I thought everything would be saved by your smile' is also okay, but then, it feels like He hoped not that the world would find its salvation, but rather that everything will be well and  in order again.

It's highly confusing who was actually smiling in His heart when He whispered the words, and it would really make sense if He remembered Her smile because it was so elaborately explained in the first verse, but still, I do believe that in the second He is smiling as well, because if it were only Her smile, it would need an explicit mentioning of Her - this time, yes, I think it would.

The last line, however, changes the smiling from 'warau' to 'egao'. It is again unclear as to whose smile it is, but it might be possible that when the image of Her smile dissolved, He stops smiling, too, which is why 'smiles' is the words.

lyrics translation. 'kono yoru ga owaru mae ni' by Gackt

Despite the fact that this song is not my favourite, when I heard in again after so many years, it wouldn't leave my head. I had to put aside my Japanese language practicing because I felt I had to translate this song. Despite the fact that it's simple and unsophisticated, it is very dear to me. The first song by Gackt I ever heard.

降りそそぐ雪を浴びながら静かに寄り添う二人
絡み合う指先が愛を確かめ合っていたよね

凍える寒さでこの想いが冷めないように
白い吐息にのせて君に届けたい　この夜が終わる前に

胸に残る温もりも奪った唇も忘れはしないから
遠く離れても、もうなくさない　この愛だけは

果てしない夢を追いながら二人で歩いてきたね
ふとふざけて口にした　「一人で逃げ出してしまおうかな...」

うつむいた君のその瞳にこぼれる涙
冗談だから涙拭いて笑ってよ、あきらめはしないから

君がくれた優しさも壊れそうな切なさも忘れはしないから
遠く離れても、もうなくさない　この愛だけは

想いが雪に変わるなら今すぐ君の場所まで届けることできるのに
会えなくなっても愛し続けたい　君だけを
胸に残る温もりも奪った唇も忘れはしないから
遠く離れても、もうなくさない　この愛だけは


Translation

The two of us were silently clinging to each other, covered in snow falling down heavily
Our fingers were interlocked, as if trying to ascertain our love

I don’t want these feelings to grow cool in this freezing coldness
So let them reach you, carried by the white steam of my breath, before this night ends

I won’t ever forget the warmth you left in my heart, nor the kiss that I stole from your lips
Even if you are far away from me, I won’t lose it, not this love

We’ve come this far, chasing our dreams together
I casually drop ‘shall I just run away from here, alone?’

You cast your head down and there are tears in your eyes
It’s a joke, so wipe your tears and smile, as I won’t ever give you up

I won’t ever forget the tenderness you gave me and the heart-breaking sadness I felt
Even if you are far away from me, I won’t lose it, not this love

If my feelings turned into snow, I could deliver them to where you are, right now
Even if we can’t meet anymore, I want to keep this love, this love for you only
I won’t ever forget the warmth you left in my heart, nor the kiss that I stole from your lips
Even if you are far away from me, I won’t lose it, not this love

Lyrics translation. 'Emu' by Gackt

Thanks to the new interface of Blogger, my first post was entirely erased and I have to rewrite it. So be it! But, since I have no more inspiration like last time, I have to be brief. Positive songs about how we should brace ourselves and move on to achieve our dreams are all nice, but where would we be if we had no dark, possessive, desperate songs like 'Emu' - 'dreamscape'.

This song is sheer perfection.

Japanese

突然の出会いへの心からの喜びと
「いつしか終わるかもしれない」　そんな感覚(きょうふ)に怯えて
そして瞳を見つめてた
何もわからずに

どれだけの思い出も夢のような幻で
いつまでも変わることのない閉じ込められた君がいる
現在(いま)も瞳を見つめてた
何も変わらずに

手を伸ばせば届いてた微笑みは儚くて
目を閉じれば腕の中で消えていく君を
もう一度抱きたくて　あの時、あの場所で出会ったことを
忘れないから

風の中で踊る
君の姿は光に包まれていた

君だけを見つめてた
僕は瞳を見つめてた
今も君だけを見つめてる
何も変わらずに

手を伸ばせば届いてた微笑みは刹那(せつな)くて
目を閉じれば夢の中へ消えていく君を
もう一度抱きたくて
あの時、あの場所で出会ったことを
忘れないから
忘れないから


Translation

The heartfelt joy of having met you by chance
And the thought that ‘it may come to an end before I know it’ – they made me tremble with fear
Just like that, I was looking into your eyes
Not able to understand anything

All those memories, uncountable, are just illusions, like dreams
You stay unchanged, as ever, locked up
Even then, you were looking into my eyes
And nothing has changed

Your smile that I can reach if I just stretch my hand, is so fragile
And if I close my eyes, you start disappearing from my arms
So I want to embrace you once more. Because the day we met at that place –
I could never forget it

You were dancing in the wind
And you silhouette was enveloped in light

I was looking at you only
I was looking into your eyes
Even now I am looking at you only
And nothing has changed

Your smile that I can reach if I just stretch my hand, is so painful
And if I close my eyes, you start disappearing into the world of dreams
So I wanted to embrace you once more. Because the day we met at that place –
I could never forget it
I could never forget it

_____

There were many things I wanted to say, but, again, the post was erased and I'll try to rewrite it. There is a trick when a Japanese author uses a certain kanji character or combination and attributes a completely different reading to it, as if combining two meanings. Simply writing two words instead of one in the translation is not my favourite way to convey such messages, so I use 'fear', because what we hear in the songs is 'kyoufu'. However, since the kanji says 'feeling', I suppose it can mean that the dreadful thought of parting is not the only thing that leads to fear, but it's so frightful because there is the joy of meeting.

The word 'hakanai' would be 'ephemeral', but even though Japanese-English dictionaries never give such a translation, it does exist in context, as well as in Japanese-Russian dictionaries, too - 'fragile' or 'frail'. I feel it's the only fitting word here.

Actually, the smile in the second refrain would also be 'ephemeral', because it's written with kanji for 'moment' - 'setsuna'. But what we hear in the song is the adjective 'setsunai', written with different kanji, which means 'painful'.

I may be less poetic than some other translators, but I hope I conveyed the feelings well.

associations. some rap

I mean what else can come to mind when I hear this rhythm? ^_^

hey!

IMHO. ZAQ ~ I'm just wondering if I actually might earn more than I do now being the same mediocre singer as many

I mean, she doesn't actually do anything at all. It's technically singing, yes, but this singing sounds to me like something that of a vocaloid - just a voice hitting the necessary notes... Unfortunately, I don't have the same strong voice, but I guess it would also be possible to get along without it. I wonder when, if ever, will the Japanese composers get tired of writing the same song with the same generic melody again and again...

associations. similar mood

If you must know, they're all bright and yellow.

Now we are free and

Hayom kadosh and

Hamsafar

associations. Schroeder-Headz and The Cinematic Orchestra

'Nocturne' by Schroeder-Headz and 'To build a home' by The Cinematic Orchestra.
I mean, the intro, the intro!

lyrics translation. 'Lover' by Eiko Shimamiya

upd. 17.12.17
some changes in the translation - huge mistakes corrected and minor improvements done

Japanese
どんなに遠く離れても
あなたの事は忘れない
捨て切れないでいた夢を
あなたは叶えてくれたから

言わずもがなのその背中に
言いたい言葉は溢れてる
でも唇から零れたとたん泣き声に変りそうなの
固く結んだリボンを解くみたいに
手と手が離れてゆく　最後に

Lover　抱きしめて　爪跡が
魂に残るほど　狂おしいほど
Lover　またいつか生まれ変わる
その時は必ずあなたのもとへ

重い旅行かばんの中に
あなたのシャツ内緒で入れた
私がその胸で泣いて
涙が染み付いたシャツを

あなたは黙って立ち止まり
「ここから先は君ひとりで」
出発ゲートにひとりまた一人と吸い込まれるたびに
この迷子の背中を押すあなたが
憎くて恋しい　どうして

Lover　この恋と道連れに
ゴルゴダの丘を登れたらいいのに
Lover　またいつか生まれ変わる
その時は必ずあなたのもとへ

Lover　抱きしめて　爪跡が
魂に残るほど　狂おしいほど


Translation
No matter how far away we are
I won’t forget you
The dream that I couldn’t give up –
You’ve made it come true for me

I look at your back and even though I know I shouldn’t
There is so much I want to say to you,
But when words start to spill out, my voice is about to break
Like untying a ribbon that was bound tight
We disconnect our hands, and for the last time

My love, please hold me so tight
That your fingernails will leave marks in my soul, that it will be maddening
My love, sometime in the future when I am reborn
I will go there where you are

In my heavy travelling bag
I put your shirt, secretly
The shirt that is dyed with my tears
Because I cried on your chest

You become silent and come to a halt
You say ‘from here you will go on alone’
One by one those who were lost are swallowed by the departure gate
You gently push them in the back
I hate you for that, and still I love you, why is that?

My love, with my love to you
I am prepared to ascend Golgotha
My love, sometime in the future when I am reborn
I will go there where you are

My love, please hold me so tight
That your fingernails will leave marks in my soul, that it will be maddening
＿＿＿＿＿

Probably the song I like best among the whole Shimamiya's discography. I tried to convey and preserve as much meaning as I could, which at times meant that I had to make long sentences. And, it just felt strange to leave 'lover' as it is.

Lyrics translation. 'kokoro no hadaka' by Ueda Yuuji

Original

風が吹き拔ける街でお前は
失くした何かを捜すけれど
ディアヤモンドよりも大事なものは
心の裸だけさ

単純な問題で惱むなんて　No!
困難は全部乗り越えりゃいい
指をくわえて待ってちゃダメ
設計図だけじゃ家は建たねえ
動かなけりゃはじまらねえじゃん
あれもこれもしたいって思うことさ
気分次第　こんな時代
スッキリしたいなら　Naked Heart

ため息ついてどこを見てる
真夜中の空を見上げるけど
濁った目には月も星も
わずかな明日さえ映らない
ひ弱な惱みに用はない
今が無駄になるさ
しょうもない感情に甘えてないで
目を覚ませ

鏡に映った寝起きの顔が
ホントの自分さ　ありのままに
胸に飾るのは勲章じゃなくて
心の裸だけさ
風が吹き抜ける街でお前は
失くした何かを捜すけれど
ディアヤモンドよりも大事なものは
心の裸だけさ

優しさと弱さは別問だぜ
考えりゃすぐにわかることさ
レ一ルはみ出したっていいじゃん
電車じゃねえんだから
結果見えてるなんてドキドキしねえ
最後知ってる映画はつまらねえ
気分次第　こんな時代
スッキリしたいなら　Naked Heart

簡単なことさ　雨の日に
濡れたくなければ傘をさせよ
叶わない夢を嘆くより
叶えない自分を嘆きなよ
格好つけたってしょうがない
どんな服を着ても
不自然な冗談さ　はしゃいでないで
目を覚ませ

キレイな明日を欲しくなるほど
今日に絶望はしちゃいないさ
キレイごとよりもザラついている
言葉を信じている
鏡に映った寝起きの顔が
ホントの自分さ　ありのままに
胸に飾るのは勲章じゃなくて
心の裸だけさ

風が吹き抜ける街でお前は
失くした何かを捜すけれど
ディアヤモンドよりも大事なものは
心の裸だけさ

Translation

In a town where wind blows through
I search for something lost, but
There is only one thing more important than diamonds –
It’s a naked heart

Worrying about trivial things? No!
I just have to overcome all obstacles
It's not OK to envy others who do something while you don't
A house is not built only with a plan
If you don’t make a move, nothing will start
If you want to do this and that
It’s up to your whim, in this time
If you want to feel refreshed – naked heart

Where am I staring at with a sigh?
I raise my eyes to the night sky but
My clouded eyes reflect neither moon nor stars
Nor even a glimpse of tomorrow
I don’t have time to waste on troubles caused by weakness
My present is too precious
Don’t pity yourself with your useless sentiments
Open your eyes

Your sleepy face in the mirror
Is your true face, the way you are
What is worthy of putting on your chest is not a medal
It’s a naked heart
In a town where wind blows through
I search for something lost, but
There is only one thing more important than diamonds –
It’s a naked heart

Tenderness and weakness are not the same
You will understand if you think a bit
It’s ok if the rail juts out,
Since I'm not a train, right
When I know the result I’m not excited
When I know the end of a movie, it’s boring
It’s up to your whim, in this time
If you want to feel refreshed – naked heart

It’s simple, if it’s raining
And you don’t want to get wet, open an umbrella
Rather than grieving that your dream wouldn’t come true,
Grieve that you weren’t able to make it come true
Nothing will change if you just show off,
You can wear whatever you wish
It’s an artificial joke, stop frolicking
Open your eyes

I’m not disappointed in today so much
That I would wish for a beautiful tomorrow to come quickly
Rather than whitewashing I believe in
Words that strike in the eye
Your sleepy face in the mirror
Is your true face, the way you are
What is worthy of putting on your chest is not a medal
It’s a naked heart

Lyrics translation. 'suki to ka ja nakute' by Fujitani Miki

Original

太陽が眩しくて
瞬きしてただけなのにばかね
ウインクされたようで
ドキドキが消えない　この胸から

「元気かよ」と背中めがけ
君の声が聞こえた時思わず

「見ればわかるじゃないのよ」なんてね
こんな時に言っちゃうのよ　どうして
チャンス今日も見逃してゆく　夢の中でもないのに
別に好きとかじゃなくて　あなたのことが
なぜか気になって仕方ないのよ

ラブレターくれた人は
君じゃないってこと知っているわ
残酷なほど クール に
「付き合えないわよ」と断ったの

「かわいそうじゃん、付き合いなよ」
君の声が聞こえた時 思ず

涙あふれてきたのよ　不思議ね
強いはずの私だと思って
君がおろおろして見ていた　影がのびてく歩道で
別に好きとかじゃなくて　あなたのことが
なぜか気になって仕方ないのよ

涙あふれてきたのよ　不思議ね
強いはずの私だと思って
君がおろおろして見ていた　影がのびてく歩道で
別に好きとかじゃなくて　あなたのことが
なぜか気になって仕方ないのよ

Translation

Since the sun was so bright
You just blinked, I know
But for a moment I felt like it was a wink
And my heartbeat won’t calm down

You call me from behind – ‘how are you?’
And when I hear your voice, unintentionally

‘As you can see, I’m okay’
Why do I say it in a moment like this?
I lose my chance today again, though I’m not inside a dream
It’s not that I love you, but
For some reason I can’t stop thinking about you

The person who sent me a love letter –

I know it’s not you, I do
So coolly that it’s almost cruel
‘I can’t date you’, I refused

‘I feel sorry for him, why don’t you give him a chance?’
When I heard your words, suddenly

Tears flowed down my face, I wonder why
You probably believed I was strong
So you became became worried, in a sidewalk where shadows grow taller
It’s not that I love you, but
For some reason I can’t stop thinking about you

Tears flowed down my face, I wonder why
You probably thought I was strong
And became worried, in a sidewalk where shadows grow taller
It’s not that I love you, but
For some reason I can’t stop thinking about you
_____

The reason why I love this song must be obvious - Kaoru is one of my favourite heroines among all anime heroines I've seen. However, I've heard many songs of good heroines that weren't anything special. In this case, the song itself is very attractive too. The lyrics create a very precise description of a situation, and I love how, though it is usual for Japanese songs, allegories make us imagine the story as seen by the author, for example in 'where shadows grow'.