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*Edited April 15* Ok, so I combined those last 2 posts - the romanization and the translation of Prayer - into one, so it would kinda mesh better with the rest of the posts here. Seems like a more sense-making format. Oh, also, I'm kinda working on a spiffy new template for this thing, finally. But I'm holding back on uploading it because it was designed for 1024x768 resolution, and it just gets all fudged up when viewed with anything else. If I can't figure out a solution to that, either I'll just stick with this tacky look for a while longer, or all you non-1024x768 folks are gonna have to change your settings just to read this site. Hopefully I'll find a way to fix it without making you do that though. But give my poor HTML/CSS-illiterate brain a little time. If I can find a way, I promise it'll be worth it. Anyway. Ready for more BLOOD? Cause I am. ^_^ I'll be romanizing and translating Sakura today. Don't ask me why. Early yesterday I kept saying Byakuya would be next, then I was leaning toward Oboro... but I'm really into Sakura today for some reason. It's so pretty... so much so that it just doesn't sound like all the other BLOOD stuff I've heard (which isn't much, but still)... so I'm really curious as to what they're actually singing. So it comes today, and the others will come later. So, as with the last BLOOD song I did, I'll romanize first, and then translate. And just in case y'all didn't know, "sakura" means cherry blossoms. They're an extremely meaningful thing in Japan, symbolizing many things all at once, including but not limited to new beginnings (as they bloom in spring), quiet beauty, and impermanence. If you've seen much anime at all, you've probably seen them... they're the pale pink flower petals that rain down everywhere in important scenes. So, that said, here we go... BLOOD - SAKURA Kagirinaku hirogaru sekai Chigireta kumo kara sashikomu hikari Aoku sunda kaze o abinagara Daichi no nukumori kanjiru *Iki toshi ikeru mono subete sasageyou Kono hakanai inochi no nukumori o [1] Kimi to ima o ikireru koto Sotto kimi no te o hikiyoseru Kono omoi wa uso ja nai kara Sakura mai chiru haru no oka de... *Repeat Arifureteta kotoba nante nai Tada kimi no soba ni iru kara [2] Kimi to ima o ikireru koto Sotto kimi no te o hikiyoseru Kono omoi wa uso ja nai kara Sakura mai chiru haru no anata to futari Itsuka mita oka e... [3] Ack! Someone hates me! >_< Ok... this was just a bit harder to transcribe because a few of the lines above do not appear in the lyrics booklet at all. These three are the biggest differences... [1] The lyrics booklet just says "~hakanai nukumori o" here, but he sings "~hakanai inochi no nukumori o." Basically it changes the verse from "fleeting warmth" to "warmth of [this] fleeting life," which makes more sense, so I'm glad they did that. Also strange is the fact that in the lyrics booklet, the "nukumori" in the first verse is written in hiragana, while for the "nukumori" in the second verse, the kanji is used. No idea why they did that. [2] This entire two-line verse is absent from the lyrics booklet, so I had to transcribe it by sound only. I think I got it right. Machigattara, doumo sumimasen. >_<; [3] The "anata to futari itsuka mita oka e" part of this line was absent from the lyrics booklet, so I had to go by sound only again. I'm fairly sure I got this part right, though. Faaaairly sure. 9_9; Ok, time to attempt a translation... wish me luck, I really will need it this time ><... In the endless expanse of this world Light shines through the scattered clouds As I bask in the breeze that cleared the skies to blue, I feel the warmth of the earth [1] All living things shall offer up The warmth of this fleeting life [2] To be able to live this moment with you Softly, I'll take your hand close to me Because this feeling is not a lie At the hill where sakura whirl about in spring... There's no need for mundane words - I'll just stay by your side [3] To be able to live this moment with you Softly, I'll take your hand close to me Because this feeling is not a lie Someday we'll go together To the hill where we saw sakura whirling about in spring... Ok, you know what? This is one of those songs that does NOT translate well, no matter how you slice it. My advice to you: ignore my translation, and instead, go learn all the Japanese necessary to understand the words, nuances, and structures in this song, and then listen to it and interpret it for yourself. >_<; Seriously, this is the first translation I've ever done that I really, really dislike. I couldn't do the song justice at all. These lyrics are so much easier to just listen to and feel than they are to understand in the capacity of language and words. Come to think of it... Prayer was kinda like that too, though less so. And now, I get the feeling all of BLOOD's music follows this same pattern - the words are the least important part. What's important is the imagery and feelings conveyed in the song, and all you can do to understand that is to listen to it. But don't get me wrong - even though songs like this make my translating hobby next to impossible, I wouldn't have it any other way. To me, this is how all music should be written. And now I love this band even more. BLOOD-san, daisuki~! Anyway... ok, footnotes now... [1] This entire verse illustrates everything I just said about imagery and feeling. You just have to hear and feel it... a clear day, blue skies, sun streaming through clouds, a light breeze riffling past you, sort of taking all your cares along with it and scattering them among all the reaches of the world that it touches, leaving just a calm warmth in its wake... or that's how I see it, anyway. Words can't express that kinda thing, so interpret it yourself. [2] "Sasageyou" is one of those words better expressed by action than by definition. Most simply, it means "offer up," but that concept can entail anything from simple, fond devotion to something or someone, to... like... sacrificing a life for something or someone. And everything in between. Based on the feel of this song, I guessed that in this case it leans more toward the former - no human sacrificing here (despite appearances, perhaps? f^^). And no, I don't know how one goes about raising up the warmth of this fleeting life in offering, or what it's being offered to. I may have gotten that totally wrong. Blah. I did my best. -_- [3] This line just kinda sums up my thoughts on this song. Words are worthless. :P Anyway, think of this verse like "I'm by your side, that's all that matters - and any words I could say would just be mundane and unnecessary." And note all the feelings and emotions entailed in that thought. I give up now. Time to rest my brain. See what I go through for all you non-Japanese-speaking people? XP (disclaimer: this song belongs to BLOOD, not me. I only take credit for the romanization and the translation. I'm just a fangirl trying to make J-music a little more accessible to Americans. No copyright infringement is intended. Please don't sue me, I'm a poor college student. T_T) posted by Becky at 8:07 PM
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about me__++
name// Becky Cottrill birthdate// 6.23.1982 location// Ohio, USA interests// J-music, J-drama, Japanese language, visual kei, fluffy things... upcoming// refer to Taiji Project! | |
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I'm always finding Japanese songs that I adore, but can't find English translations for. So I've made a hobby of translating such songs, and this is where I put them. Can't find the song you want? Send me the lyrics (kanji if possible, but romaji will do) and I'll see what I can do. But no promises, as I'm not exactly the most fluent Japanese speaker around. Also, PLEASE don't display any of these lyrics elsewhere unless you credit me. Just my name and a link back here would be great. Thanks!
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