coolest/best Shiina lyrics -- translated

[natsume]

Originally Posted by justriiingo

Looking at the lack of replies to this thread, I guess I'm among the majority of fans (or so it seems like) on this forum who don't really care for her lyrics.

I don't think you can infer that from this thread being small. I think one could logically infer that it is because the majority here don't speak Japanese, and don't know the lyrics.

An obvious point, I know. I would love to know the lyrical content of many of her songs, freckelgirl has given us an idea, but that is one interpretation of what these songs might mean. I've compared translations of literature from Spanish, French, and Japanese, and the differences between two translations of the same text can be enormous, and so clearly reveal the attitude and assumptions of the translator.

Though I can't help but think that some of what I like about her stuff might be diminished if I really did know what she was saying. I'm a big fan of David Sylvian, huge, but the guy often makes some pretty unfortunate decisions in his lyrics. It's almost deliberately awkward and jarring, and I sometimes wish I did not understand the English he was speaking/singing. But even good lyrics are so suggestive of meaning, with Shiina maybe I almost prefer being lost in the dark, and can really focus on enjoying melody and performance.

[madpawn]

the lyrics to shuukyou ("religion") just blow me away. so desperate and cyclical, like being stuck on a giant spinning mandala and not knowing where to go. there are three seperate kinds of lyrics, all in a cycle—the first is musings at the absurdity at the modern world (I put them in plain text), and the degrading relationship between the places in which we live and who we are and what we need. the second is the series of harsh, meaningless orders, no rhyme or reason to them, which is the experience many have with religion nowadays... the seemingly endless shouts of "keep going, there's a goal in life!" that people are starting to believe less and less as the world goes on. the last, in italics, is the very poetic, traditional Japanese-style words, contemplating the ephemerality of nature and how the cycle keeps going. (And it does! Back to plain text musings!)

here is brian stewart and takako sakuma's translation of it:

Shuukyou (Religion)

Someone please give me a tasty sweet.
What I really desire is poison...
You know I’m only kidding.
If possible I’d prefer the sweets,
because I think about drinking tea.
I don’t mind the cavities.

“Stand!”
“Shoot!”
“Even torn to pieces, worship to the end!”
“Don’t let the sickness in!”
“Don’t hate!”
“Throw it up!”
“Spit it out!"
“Even if you’re dragging, walk on!”
“Don’t look back!”

Colors

No matter where I go, I can’t find just the right cup.
How is that possible when day by day there are more roads and buildings?
Take a gander at the absurdity of a bottle you just can’t seem to get to the bottom of.

The seasons seem to go by so quickly
the flowers bloom and call the bees to them.
and it goes on like this repeatedly
always bearing fruit and wilting soon afterwards

“Stay!”
“Lay down!”
“Even if you don’t understand, worship until the end!”
“Don’t let the sickness in!”
“Don’t hate!”
“Take a look!”
“Take a whiff!”
“Even if it’s unpleasant, have a taste!”
“Prepare yourself!”

Mellow

No matter how long we search, we’re no closer to winning the suit for longevity.
Why, when we all know that dignity is beautiful,
do we satirize the reasoning of an animal who admits their loss in tears.

Ah, a passing shower, the dismayed Bodhisattva.
The clouds go and it’s sunny again
My mark is placed, when you expect, you notice
that everything is a model, everything is an imitation,
and on it goes, this daily work.

[Tokyo Jihad]

three weeks later and someone (madpawn) delivers what I was asking. =P

[moonmoon]

I love the lyrics to Stem/Kuki (Casshern vers.) because of the awkward beauty of the English. And the fact that this song inspires me to live my life in a certain way.

There's a door here, but it will not break
There's a stone there, but it won't remain
Up there a heaven now, but it will not wait
And the lies there, the scent of it, just too much

So should you,
Sow it once and make it grow, the sweet clematis
Let it flower, and paint it all of the colors bold
Instantly things fall and fade, return to silence
Why oh why, why does it all feel so sorrowful?
Dreams of what is real

There's a breath here, but it will not break
There's a face there, but it won't remain
Up there a heaven now, but it knows no name
And the stain is the color of red through red

And thus,
You cannot cry, confuse the lies, try to remember
When you rise, you take your steps with a strong desire
Time goes by, a breath it comes, like something given
Why oh why, why have these nightmares not long expired?
The real is but a dream

From now on,
Should it grow and open full, the sweet clematis
Flower bold, but there's no need for rejoicing more
Precious life, this life, just once, it comes just one time
Keep it close, keep it from ever just leaving you

Crying tears confusing fears they are no longer
When I stand I know I'll never be down again
Nothing that I need now, once it comes just one time
Somehow, somehow, someone, ah
Entry Number One

[Lena-chan]

jihad
if you want that so look at Souretsu lyrics too
and don't forget Honnou *¬*

From Frecklegirl's site:

http://freckle.tenkeimedia.com/nl/ringo/souretsu.html
http://freckle.tenkeimedia.com/nl/ringo/honnou.html

sounan, tsumi to batsu, izonshou, jusui negai, yattsuke shigoto,tsuki ni makeinu, gamble and even himitsu are awesome too
but shuukyou, souretsu and honnou will always be my favorites musically and lyrically too

[frecklegirl]

Originally Posted by natsume

An obvious point, I know. I would love to know the lyrical content of many of her songs, freckelgirl has given us an idea, but that is one interpretation of what these songs might mean. I've compared translations of literature from Spanish, French, and Japanese, and the differences between two translations of the same text can be enormous, and so clearly reveal the attitude and assumptions of the translator.

That's true. But in every translation I do, I try to research as much as possible and spend time ruminating over the lyrics in order to really get a feel for the song. Sometimes I feel like other translators don't do as much of the research part as they should, and the translation suffers as a result.

So I'm not saying mine are perfect, just that I do my damndest so they can reach perfection as much as possible.

It's so true that there's just some poetic beauty/idioms that can never be expressed outside of the original language though, which I constantly lament. Ahhh, the ever-imperfect art of translation!

[Kancer]

I'd have to say that frecklegirl's translations was one of the main reasons I got in to SR. They helped in showing how poetic the lyrics are, and that they are not the usual boy/girl love love thing most artists sing.

[natsume]

Originally Posted by frecklegirl

So I'm not saying mine are perfect, just that I do my damndest so they can reach perfection as much as possible.

I appreciate your work!

The most striking example of what I was talking about that comes to my mind are two translations of a French novel I looked at. One was done by an American novelist and poet, and one was done by a British person that I knew nothing about. Since the original French includes a lot of slang, and a lot of spoken dialogue, the British version read in a very British way, using very British English. And it was dated, since it was essentially updating French slang from the 40s into British slang of the 60s. The American translation was from the 80s, and could very well be New Yorker English of the 80s, if you did not know it was a translation.

My point, any translation is going to necessarily be tied to the time, place, and even nationality of the translator. So it may be as close to "perfect" as you can get, but it will also forever have the sensibilities of your historical time, place, even age and gender.

[kuro_neko]

a lot of my friends are surprised when I tell them I like Ringo. One friend said "interesting" and I asked why and he said because her "lyrics are so complicated and difficult to understand."

Even to a lot of Japanese, Ringo's music is riddled with meaning and open to many interpretations. I feel like she is a very gifted songwriter, which is why I am sad when people just dismiss the lyrics because they don't have a strong interest in the Japanese. IMO lyrical content is worth about 50 percent of the song, so it plays a big part for me.

My favorite examples are the lyrics in Tsumi to Batsu. Once you understand what that song means, when you sing it, it takes on this kind of tone, this attitude, that is so addictive. That is by far and away my favorite song to sing at Karaoke.

I also looooove the line in Honnou that goes something like "motto naka made haitte, atashi no shoudou wo tsukiugokashite" which means something like "enter even more deep, provoke my impulses" but because of the way it reads, it also carries the connotation of someone penetrating her sexually, provoking her orgasm

[Lena-chan]

I know what you mean,
I always sing Honnou and Tsumi to Batsu when I'm alone XD
It's fun just because the emotion that you must to use to sing!