Himawari-gumi - "Mori e ikou"

And lastly, the song that ranked 3rd in the poll: Himawari-gumi's beautiful "Mori e ikou".
Sorry for the wait! I have been out of town for a few days, and this is not a song to review in a hurry. I have so many things to say about it...

I'll do a single next, and then some more random songs from those shortlisted in the poll.


"Mori e ikou" (Let's go to the forest)
(from Himawari-gumi 2nd stage "Yume wo shinaseru wake ni ikanai")
Himawari-gumi

words: Akimoto Yasushi
music: Shusui, Stefan Aberg
point of view: third person
theme: allegory/story
original lyrics


listen to Mori e ikou on youtube

The adults always used to say
"You must not play in the forest"
Without even being told the reason,
The children were scared of the forest

It was a distant world
Enclosed among the thick trees
Where you can't even see the path

Someone shouted
"Even in that place there surely is some light..."
Just like there is hope in every sadness
The sun in the sky won't forsake it

But the adults frowned
They whispered to each other
"If we go to the forest we won't be able to come back"
And turned their back on the forest

What kind of magical creatures live there?

Someone pointed their finger
"If there's shadow there absolutely must be light..."
Just like tomorrow comes even for the deepest despair
The wind lets the sun filter through the trees to show us

"The light is overflowing in this world"
Even if the long Winter nights are pitch black
If you look up at the sky
You will see the stars

Let's softly close our eyes and remember
There is a divine light that reaches our hearts
Let's go to the forest

Someone shouted
"Even in that place there surely is some light..."
Just like there is hope in every sadness
The sun in the sky won't forsake it
"The light is overflowing in this world"
Even if the long Winter nights are pitch black
If you look up at the sky
You will see the stars

Comment
"Mori e ikou" is one of the best conceived AKB48 songs. The atmosphere is created by the perfect joining of lyrics, music, stage setting, even outfits.
Just like a fairytale, this tale is an allegory. Adults keep the children away from the wood, a mysterious and unknown place, because they are scared of the darkness that is inside of it. However, someone suddenly shouts the obvious truth: if there is darkness, there must be light. The sun must filter through the thick trees. There is no need to be afraid of the wood. But the adults frown and walk away, leaving the children with their doubts ("What kind of magical creatures live there?"). Yet, the children decide to start their journey through the wood
What this allegoric tales refers to is clear, but it does not mean it is weak. The wood represents one's fears and pain, the dark side. The "adults" do not want to face them for fear of suffering, and they especially want to shelter their children from pain, fear and despair they might encounter when facing the wood.
Nonetheless, the "children", those who mantain an innocent, naive and sometimes even reckless attitude to life, are curious and are somehow attracted to the wood. They see it for what it is, as shown in "someone"'s words: a dark place, yes, but a place that must be crossed in order to see the real light. Without making one's way through the wood, that is to say through pain and the facing of one's fears, one cannot grow up.

Many people have speculated how "Beginner" touched upon this theme (children who are too sheltered from pain), especially in the second verse. It might be true but while "Beginner" revolved around a different central theme ("finding the meaning of living through pain"), "Mori e ikou" focuses primarily on it, and is a deep, painful metaphor of growing up.

Team B - "Itoshiki Natasha"

Here's the song that got the silver medal in the poll: Team B unit song "Itoshiki Natasha".


"Itoshiki Natasha" (My dear Natasha)
(from Team B 4th stage "Idol no yoake")
Team B (Sashihara Rino [centre], Katayama Haruka, Tanabe Miku)

words: Akimoto Yasushi
music: Yoshino Takao
point of view: non specified in the verse, male first person and language in the chorus
theme: love song
original lyrics


listen to Itoshiki Natasha on youtube

Aiming for the distant Siberia
There was a man who smuggled himself on a freight ship

On the soil of the tundra even dreams freeze
He can't even see any future in this sky

The meaning of keeping walking over iced snow
looking for his most beloved woman

Natasha, how many times
Do I have to call out your name for it to reach you?
You should be there, beyond the wall of despair
Ah- love is my only reason to live

How much time has passed?
The never changing scenery is closing in the colour of his loneliness

He wanted to know the tears
That lie inside a speechless kindness

Has he forgotten how to put an end to something
Because of his footsteps and of the words brought by the wind?
His love lies at the furthest end

Natasha, my memories
See an illusion of you
This eternal Winter deludes my heart
Ah- love will be tomorrow's miracle

Even if I, dead tired, should collapse on the road
And lose my life I wouldn't have any regrets

Natasha, how many times
Do I have to call out your name for it to reach you?
You should be there, beyond the wall of despair
Ah- love is my only reason to live

Comment
"Itoshiki Natasha", music-wise, is a classic rock, powerful song. The lyrics tell the story of a man, presumably Japanese, who crosses over to Siberia to look for his lost Russian love, Natasha. It has the feel of a novel set in the XVIII or XIX century: the main character smuggles on a freight and gets to Siberia as a clandestine, and he keeps walking from town to town, in freezing weather, under snow storms, looking for the slightest hints (the "words brought by the wind"), without ever giving up his quest for his dear Natasha. The verses in the second part of the song seem to hint that he will never find her - but it's only the memory of Natasha, his illusion of her, that gives him the strenght to go on living.

The characteristic of these lyrics is that while the verses tell the story of the man in third person, the chorus switches to first person and have the man call out Natasha's name.
I also really like the Winter imagery with their strong relation to the unescapable loneliness of the man.

Not lyrics-wise, I think this is my favourite song from any Team B stage, ever (although none of the three members of this unit is in Team B anymore). One funny tidbit is that when Sashihara Rino, Katayama Haruka and Tanabe Miku took on "stage names" for this song: Dorian Sashihara, Divas Senorita Katayama and Glorious Tanabe, forming "Team Karyuudo" (Team Hunters). XD I think it started as a joke but then it stuck; if you watch the performance, you can hear the audience calling "Dorian", "Divas" and "Guro-chan" instead of the idols' real names.

Team K - "Mushi no ballad"

I apologize for being so late but I am finally able my translation + commentary of "Mushi no ballad", the song that ranked first in the poll!
If you have never watched Sayaka perform this song, do yourself a favour: read the lyrics and then click on that youtube link and get ready to be blown away. This song is just beyond the idol world.


"Mushi no ballad" (A bug's ballad)
(from Team K 5th stage "Saka agari")
Team K (Akimoto Sayaka)

words: Akimoto Yasushi
music: Tago Kunio
point of view: male first person and language
theme: fighting song
original lyrics


listen to Mushi no ballad on youtube

Alone under the pouring rain
I wanted it to hit me and get me soaking wet
I was trying to wash away
My dirty body and my ugly heart

What am I supposed to believe in
To live through this age?
I ask myself,
But there's no answer

I am not afraid of being hurt
No matter how hard my road is
I am insignificant
Falling down on my knees
I'll just turn into a bug

The wind makes me fall down
But I have to get out of the mud
I recklessly groveled
Beautiful things
Are things that have been washed
By sweat and tears

What is true?
What is fake?
Even if I think about it
If I take a shortcut I won't find the answer

I don't lament the fact I'm going to die
No matter how long eternity is
I am clumsy but I won't look back
I'll just turn into an earnest bug

As long as I live
I don't care if I'm unsightly
On this ground I'm screaming out my soul
I will cling onto the fact I'm alive

I am not afraid of being hurt
No matter how hard my road is
I am insignificant
Falling down on my knees
I'll just turn into a bug

Comment
I think I haven't done much justice to this song with my translation. I am not very confident in the correctness of my English grammar here so any correction will be welcome.
"Mushi no ballad" is a solo song, sung by Akimoto Sayaka. At that time, the only other solo song ever existed was Oshima Yuko's "Naki nagara hohoende" and even now solo songs are not that common, so the fact that she got to do it despite not being a hugely popular member like Yuko really says something about Sayaka's potential and talent.
The lyrics use the male pronoun "ore", which is rather unusual for songs sung by girls (they rather use "boku" when it comes to songs sung in a male point of view). It's grammatically very strong and assertive, matching the theme of the song.
For once, the theme is not "let's do our best to reach our dreams". The main character of this song is portrayed as he struggles to be alive at all.　He appears to be having a very hard time, "groveling in the mud", but he still he doesn't give up on life, whatever it takes. He will "cling onto life" even if it means to suffer, even if it means to become an unsightly bug. It's a powerful song, full of emotion. It might not have a difficult dance routine, but it takes a lot of skill to sing it, to convey the lyrics into a convincing performance. Simply, Sayaka has that.
The song has been performed by other members as well, with various results, during shuffle concerts and when Sayaka was absent from theatre performances, but this is Sayaka's song all the way. Even a great singer like Masuda Yuka (who technically outshines Sayaka) couldn't put as much emotion into her performance as Sayaka does.

Poll results!

Thanks to everyone who voted for the poll!
I left it open for three days (and spammed it quite a lot everywhere... sorry XD) and I must say the results are quite interesting. Not all four polls received the same number of votes, for example.

But anyway, voilà the outcome!

1. (K) Mushi no ballad...11
2. (B) Itoshiki Natasha...9
3. (H) Mori e ikou...7

4. (A) Mokugekisha...6
5. (A) Bird...5
5. (B) Kagami no naka no Jeanne d'Arc...5
7. (A) Namida uri no shoujo...4
7. (K) Yume no kane...4
7. (B) Inseki no kakuritsu...4
7. (B) Zannen shoujo...4
7. (H) Himawari...4
12.(A) I'm crying....3
12.(K) Dakishimeraretara...3
12.(K) Kiseki wa ma ni awanai...3
12.(H) Confession...3
16.(A) Ren'ai kinshi jourei...2
16.(A) Utsukushiki mono...2
16.(K) Melos no michi...2
16.(H) Itoshisa no defense...2
16.(H) Lay down...2
21.(A) Koike...1
21.(A) Tsukimisou...1
21.(K) Blue rose...1
21.(K) Kimi wa Pegasus...1
21.(K) Sentakumonotachi...1
21.(B) Junjou shugi...1
21.(B) Yokaze no shiwaza...1
28.(A) Nagai hikari...0
28.(A) Tsuki no katachi...0
28.(K) Kinjirareta futari...0
28.(K) Sasae...0
28.(B) Tanpopo no kesshin...0
28.(B) Yokosuka curve...0
28.(B) Shiokaze no shoutaijou...0

Captain Sayaka (Sayaka is captain forever okay?) grabs the first position, after a tight fight with Dorian Sashihara and her dear Natasha, the tundra tsundere (if you say it in katakana it's much funnier~ ツンドラのツンデレ!). And then I am personally so glad to see "Mori e ikou" in the third position, as I believe it's one of the best songs of the whole 48 franchise, in lyrics, concept, music and performance.
On the other hand, I'm a little shocked at the total lack of votes for Kinjifuta and Sasae...

Well, then, I'm going to start by translating the top 3 in order. I think Mushi might be up already tomorrow.

Thank you again! ^_^b

A little poll

Since I have too many interesting songs I'd like to translate and talk about, and too many choices puzzle me, I thought I'd set up some polls to see what you would like to read.
I basically listed the stage songs I have something to say about and divided them by team. (I didn't include singles because I already know which of them I'll be doing next.) So please do vote for your favourite songs? You can partecipate in all of them or even just one ^_^





Thank you *bows

Team B - "Kuchi utsushi no chocolate"

I don't know why of all songs I chose "Kuchi utsushi~" as my first unit song post, seeing that there are girls I like much more in teams I like much more. But after all, this blog is about songs and lyrics, not girls... And I love this song to bits.


"Kuchi utsushi no chocolate" (Mouth-to-mouth chocolate)
(from Team B 4th stage "Idol no yoake")
Team B (Kashiwagi Yuki [centre], Ota Aika, Hirajima Natsumi)

words: Akimoto Yasushi
music: Funta
point of view: female first person, female language
theme: sexy song
original lyrics


listen to Kuchi utsushi no chocolate on youtube

Pass chocolate from your mouth to mine
The usual kiss is boring
Twist it in forcefully...
Melt the chocolate with your tongue
I want to lick your love
Sticking our lips out...
We make a disgusting noise

We're free not to care about people looking, right?
If someone watches us I just become more daring
I climb on your lap in the middle of the open café
I'm a cute girl just like "Betty Blue"

Loving each other under the blue sky
Feels better than being naked

Pass chocolate from your mouth to mine
Embrace me from the side
As to kiss me deeply...
Chocolate, your bittersweet poison
Tastes so good
It'd be a shame to close my eyes
I want to trouble you as much as I can

I just want to be honest with my feelings
All human beings in the end can become animals
Even if I spill my cocoa cup
And it makes a stain on my uniform
I don't care about it
What's important is only the present

I can't even hear the sound of the helicopters
Flying above us
That's what love is

Pass chocolate from your mouth to mine
The usual kiss is boring
Twist it in forcefully...
Melt the chocolate with your tongue
I want to lick your love
Sticking our lips out...
We make a disgusting noise

From your mouth to mine
Embrace me from the side
As to kiss me deeply...
Chocolate, your bittersweet poison
Tastes so good
It'd be a shame to close my eyes
Your troubled face looks lovely, too

Comment
AKB48 has a few "naughty" songs, but I feel this is the naughtiest of them all because of both the literal meaning and the double meanings scattered through it. Add that the first person in this song is a high schooler (as the mention of the school uniform makes clear) and here's how "Kuchi utsushi~" is even more suggestive than songs with more risqué words and content.
Nonetheless, these lyrics are flawless in challenging a theme as delicate as the boldness of teenage and the first sexual fantasies. Teenage girls have as many of them as anyone else, and the chances of it being a daring high school girl's fantasy is very high. Looking at the literal meaning of these lyrics, the image of the girl boldly sitting on her embarassed boyfriend's lap and kissing him deeply just appears clearly in front of our eyes. Even details such as "Sticking our lips out / We make a disgusting noise" aren't avoided, giving the complete picture of the scene.

I am not going into detail about the blatantly clear double meanings associated with the words used especially in the chorus ("I want to lick your love", "Your bittersweet poison / Tastes so good"), which are not as important as the literal meaning but can't possibly be unintended, but there are two lines I would like to point out.

From the first verse: "I'm a cute girl just like "Betty Blue"". If you don't know who Betty Blue is, just by looking at these lyrics you're bound to think it's a cute cartoon character or something of that kind. It's actually a character from a French movie produced in the '80s. Betty is a beautiful, fragile, mentally disturbed young girl, whose insatiable love for the movie's male main character brings her to obsession and nervous breakdown. Not really "a cute girl" as one could expect from such a pretty, cartoonish name. And I trust Akimoto's culture enough to think this was fully intented.

Then, from the second verse: "Even if I spill my cocoa cup / And it makes a stain on my uniform / I don't care about it". The imagery is rather simple, but subtle: the stain on her school uniform means a stain on her "pureness" (let's not forget that high school girls are often idolized as a symbol of pureness).

These are the reasons why I say that having young girls such as Yuki (18 at the time), Nacchan (17) and Aika (only 14!) sing this song makes "Kuchi utsushi~" even naughtier than SDN48's more explicit songs.
I love it nonetheless. If possible, I love it even more for the lack of hypocrisy and the tongue-in-cheek tone of the whole song.

Team B - "Shonichi"

As the last installment of the Team Songs series, let me introduce to you the legendary "Shonichi" by Team B.

"Shonichi" (Opening day)
(from Team B 3rd stage "Pajama drive" - AKB48 12nd single "Namida surprise" - AKB48 2nd album "Kamikyokutachi")
Team B (full team)

words: Akimoto Yasushi
music: Okada Mion
point of view: female first person, female language
theme: team song
original lyrics


listen to Shonichi

I'm standing on the stage I have always aspired to
Amidst the cheers and applauses
During those strict lessons I surpassed my limits
And here's today
When the curtain of chance opens

There were days when I was the only one who couldn't dance well
And I cried on my way home
There were days when I couldn't sing like I wanted
And I lost my confidence
My rivals always looked
So perfect to me

Your dream is a flower
That blooms slowly among your sweat
Your efforts will never betray you
Your dream is always waiting for you
Budding among your sweat
Until the day when, surely, your wish will come true

I didn't know that spotlights were so dazzling
Just like the morning sun breaking after a long night
I absolutely don't want to lose to my senpais
We wanted to build our own show

There have been days when I injured myself
And I cried, feeling frustrated for having to skip lessons
There have been days when I just gave up
Juggling between lessons and school
But I could always hear somewhere
Someone calling out for encores

Your dream is beyond the tears,
The flower of your smile after you've stopped crying
The buds of your efforts will eventually bloom
My dream is beyond the tears,
I believe in it without losing to rain and wind
Until the day when my prayers reach the clear sky

I'll dance
As if my life depended on it!
I'll sing
As if my life depended on it!
Without ever forgetting
My initial resolution
I'll pitch with all my might!

Your dream is a flower
That blooms slowly among your sweat
Your efforts will never betray you
Your dream is always waiting for you
Budding among your sweat
Until the day when, surely, your wish will come true

Comment
And here's Team B's arguably most important team song, "Shonichi".
The word "shonichi" is used for the first day of a show in theatre/music environments, and it all makes sense when we think this was the first song in Team B's first original stage, after performing "Seishun girls" (originally team K's second stage) and "Aitakatta" (team A's second stage). This was the first time the girls in team B could shine with songs tailored upon them.
The lyrics talk about the road to "Pajama drive", and are so perfect for Team B. Unlike Team A (who by then had only got a AKB48 theme song, and no team songs of their own) and Team K's "Korogaru ishi ni nare", Team B's first team song's lyrics adopt a softer, "real life" approach. Listening to them we can picture clearly in our mind the girls at rehearsals, doing their best, "climbing beyond their own walls" (the literal translation of 自分の壁乗り越えて I translated as "surpassing my limits", which is the meaning of this idiom), crying out of frustration for not being able to dance and sing as they wished, but still giving their utmost best thinking of the opening day.
The simple message "efforts will make your dream come true" is backed up by the fact that it parallels the girls' experiences. It has the strenght of an example, and the power to move. "I'll dance as if my life depended on it"... They didn't write it, but looking at them, you can feel how true it is.

This is just a beautiful song. It's no wonder that many A and K members have often said they can relate to it, too, as it describes feelings that they all have experienced during their career as AKB48 members. It's no wonder that it's a fan favourite, as well. In 2009's "Request Hour" (a yearly event in which fans get to vote for their favourite songs and the girls showcase the top 100 in a series of 4 concerts), "Shonichi" took the top spot - such is the power of this song.