I had the pleasure of meeting the bassist for this band when I was in Japan last year. I didn’t get to play with this band but this album is sick. If you live outside of Japan, you can buy it physically from Strange Tales, or digitally on Bandcamp. Check it out! I’ll probably do a few more songs from this album.
Thanks to kafka for telling me what the heck -ちまいたい was. Still plenty to learn.
Title: Loser’s Blues
Band: TIED KNOTS
Album: the end of the rainbow
Key: Original Lyrics; Romaji; Translation
NOTES: 似て非なる迷言と正論 = 迷言 (a pun on 名言) is a “meaningless or stupid turn of phrase that somewhat sounds like a wise saying.” This line seems to be expressing how you can come up with all the supporting reasoning you want, but if the base argument is flawed you’ll still be incorrect.
針千本 = Porcupinefish are different from pufferfish
飲み込む義理も無い = I decided to translate this line liberally, but 義理 is more akin to your “civic duty.” So the singer doesn’t really understand their duties and social obligations.
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似て非なる迷言と正論
ニセの未来にケリつけ
今を抱き帰ろう
見切りつける日の訳を述べよう
恨み買いながら針千本
飲み込む義理も無い
nite hi naru meigen to seiron
nise no mirai ni keritsuke
ima wo idaki kaerou
mikiritsukeru hi no wake wo nobeyou
urami kainagara harisenpon
nomikomu giri mo nai
Flawed wisdom with sound reasoning
The future I envisioned brought to its end
Let’s hold on to the present and go home
That day I came to a conclusion; I thought I understood everything
Holding a grudge while buying porcupinefish
I don’t know what I should be doing with my life
夢抱く野望捨てるフリ
か弱いプライドが背の重荷
仕様も無い自虐は中止
一人立つ往来
歪む池袋 プラット・ホーム
次の列車をパスしよう
自問自答 問題は棚上げ
窓に揺れる影
yume idaku yabou suteru furi
ka yowai puraido ga se no omoni
shiyoumonai jigyaku ha chuushi
hitori tatsu ourai
yugamu ikebukuro purattohoomu
tsugi no ressha wo pasu shiyou
jimonjitou mondai ha tana age
mado ni yureru kage
Holding onto my ambitions and throwing away old pretenses
With feeble pride a heavy weight on my back
Interrupted by my self-deprecation
I stand alone on a city street
The slanted Ikebukuro platform
Let the next train pass me by
Trying to answer my own questions but shelving them for later
My reflection swaying in the window
追えばいい 叶うように
在りし日に サヨナラの証を
oeba ii kanou you ni
arishi hi ni sayonara no akashi wo
Is it okay to pursue my dreams? So that they come true
I’ll leave a farewell mark on the old days
似て非なる迷言と正論
ニセの未来にケリつけ
今を抱き帰ろう
見切りつける日の訳を述べよう
恨み買いながら針千本
飲み込む義理もない
nite hi naru meigen to seiron
nise no mirai ni keritsuke
ima wo idaki kaerou
mikiritsukeru hi no wake wo nobeyou
urami kainagara harisenpon
nomikomu giri mo nai
Flawed wisdom with sound reasoning
The future I envisioned brought to its end
Let’s hold on to the present and go home
That day I came to a conclusion; I thought I understood everything
Holding a grudge while buying porcupinefish
I don’t know what I should be doing with my life
追えばいい 叶うように
在りし日に サヨナラの証を
oeba ii kanou you ni
arishi hi ni sayonara no akashi wo
Is it okay to pursue my dreams? So that they come true
I’ll leave a farewell mark on the old days
捨てちまいたい
逃げちまいたい
I waste my time
sutechimaitai
nigechimaitai
I waste my time
I want to throw it all away…
I want to run the fuck away!
And I end up wasting my time.
似て非なる迷言と正論
ニセの未来にケリつけ
今を乞う
nite hi naru meigen to seiron
nise no mirai ni keritsuke
ima wo kou
Flawed wisdom with sound reasoning
The future I envisioned brought to its end
And I’m begging for the present to begin