Sunday, March 17, 2013

ミュージック - サカナクション

Mmm, this song seems straightforward at first, but I'm not really sure I got it. It's definitely not an overly direct translation, so there is that at least (well, maybe in some spots it's a little too faithful...). But yeah, there are definitely some parts I am not sure on. See what you think



Music - Sakanaction

Passing by, passing by
Do birds get nostalgic for far off rocks?
They flew high across the sky

No one knows
Looking down over a village no one knows, what do birds think?
Lonely like me, I wonder?

Separated
Does a bird miss its friends from the flock?
It called in a high-pitched voice

A secret town
listened quietly to that.
Weak like me, I wonder?

Pain and hurt and lies, we're used to them, and our words
bob down the river's tired surface
in the town where you live

It's gone
It's gone
(The river flows)

It's gone
(I haven't been able to see it yet, I haven't been able to see it yet)

It's gone
It's gone
(The river flows)

It's gone
(I can't see it yet, I can't see it yet)

I want to sleep with wet hair
The clothes we stripped off and tossed
still as they were yesterday

A secret room
where the wall, you were leaning against it
as if watching me in my weakness

Pain and hurt and lies, I'm used to them, and I talk to myself
Tired nights and winds that blow
To your cheeks

Felt it
Felt it
(The night flows)

Felt it
(I'm not crying, I'm not crying)

Felt it
Felt it
(The night flows)

You
(Were crying, were crying, so)

The season we reflected on begins
Hating not being able to remember
Even the birds passing by
I bet they were crying in town
I bet they were crying

Waiting for a season that has already passed
Hating not being able to remember
Being separated and taking off
I bet the birds were crying too
I bet they were crying

We'll wait, no matter how long
Even tired pain and hurt
Even nights left as they are
continue singing
continue

We'll wait, no matter how long
We can't see it yet but we're just waiting
Even I, frail and weak
continue to sing
continue

Sunday, February 3, 2013

太陽はどこ - OKAMOTO'S

This is my favorite song off the new self-titled album by my current favorite extant Japanese band :D Really good harmonies. Give it a listen if you get a chance!



Where's the Sun? - Okamoto's

No, I don't have a reason [1]
I was walking down the street
No, I don't have a reason
Towards your house

Look, you can see it now—that nostalgic scenery
the crescent moon suspended in the night [2]

Where's the sun, where's the sun
that we used to be able to see back then
Where's the sun, where's the sun
that set for good over there [3]

"Whatever's fine"
Even though I want to think that
No matter what I do
Nothing ever works out for me and

I'll never ever get used
to being cold in the dark, to you not being there

Where's the sun, where's the sun?
that was smiling down on us back then
Where's the sun, where's the sun?
If you were here now I could probably show you the kindness you deserve [4]


Where's the sun, where's the sun?
that we used to be able to see back then
Where's the sun, where's the sun?
that set for good over there


Where's the sun, where's the sun?
that was smiling down on us back then
Has the world stopped turning?
Where's the sun?

 Notes:

[1] I angsted about how to best express the なんて here. Alternatives included "No particular reason" (which felt too glib) and "There's no point" (which felt too different).

[2] I didn't really get the image here. In English the moon would not "sway" I don't think. I considered going with "floating" cuz that seems poetically natural, but I dunno, I like suspended. "in the night" I added because it needed somewhere to be suspended.

[3] This "over there" is pretty wishy-washy, but it's what they said and I kept it mainly because it parallels the "back then." Some vague "other" time and place. I think that seems valid. My alt would have been "on that horizon."

[4] This line I basically rewrote based on how I read it. The literal translation is something like, "If it were now, [subject omitted] should be able to do it kindly [or "make it kind/nice/friendly"]. So yeah, I read this as him feeling guilty for their break-up, and that if it were the him of today (who is more mature), he could have done it right [by being nicer to her].

Thursday, January 31, 2013

アーモンドのチョコレート ー ゆらゆら帝国

Is this the first request post I have done? I guess I might have done this song eventually, since it's so good. It was harder than it seemed like it would be at first. Japanese lyrics here, notes at the end.



Chocolate-Covered Almonds - Yura Yura Teikoku

I got by munching nothing but chocolate-covered almonds
I got by munching nothing but chocolate-covered almonds

One when I can't sleep, one when I can't move
One when I can't get up the courage, one when I'm bored

She's not coming back today either, I'm ok if I have a few friends
She's not coming back today either, If I have my friends, that's fine

I got by munching nothing but chocolate-covered almonds
I got by munching nothing but chocolate-covered almonds

Alright guys, let's go—hop in the back of my car.
Alright guys, let's go—hop in the back of my car.

One to kick, two to go
Three is the axel crashing into the frame
Four is the curve, five is you crashing
six, seven, eight, nine is four of us crashing

She's never coming back again. I'm ok if I have a few friends.
She's never coming back again. If I have my friends, that's fine.
Alright guys, let's go
Alright guys, let's go

Notes:

First, I am translating アーモンドのチョコレート as a generic reference to candy like this, which is really popular in Japan, to the point of beating out Pocky in a recent poll. I get that he's not saying アーモンドチョコ but he's not saying アーモンド入りチョコレート either, so I feel justified. Also the [x] 一つ [y] 一つ makes me think of him popping them in his mouth, and you don't really pop candy bars.

The bridge (?) was the hardest part, for sure. I feel like there are a lot of ways to interpret the katakana words. Did a bunch of research on what Japanese people thought of the lines. バーン could most quickly turn into "bang," but you can't apply that to people in English without turning this drive into an orgy. Then I saw some comments that seemed to imply that people read it as the car crashing. This led me to select that verb and specify that the axel is crashing "into the frame." That is info that does not appear in the original song, but from what I read that that is what is going on when the axel is making a banging noise, so it's natural and sort of even has a nice rhythm in English.

So if we are interpreting everything right (seems like Japanese people don't always really get it either, or think it is kind of goofy), the song gets really dark then, right? Like you can read it that he commits suicide with his friends and as long as they die with him he's ok. BTW, バーン is also (like English "bang") is used as a gun sound, too.

fhsfhfdah, hope this helps you understand the song!

Saturday, January 26, 2013

News: I'm a translator :)

I don't know how many people actually read this blog like a blog, especially given how erratically it is updated, but for anyone who is interested in what I am up to In Life, I can say that I'm actually following my dreams like I meant to when I quit my job over a year ago. Tuesday is my last day at Waseda University's intensive Japanese program and on Thursday I'm starting a part-time gig translating in the children's books department at Kodansha. I don't think it has even sunk all the way in what a crazy opportunity this is, to be in-house at one of the biggest Japanese publishers working with a partner to create the best English text we can; I'm so excited.

I'm definitely going to keep practicing here with song lyrics (I know I'm behind on Kyary), and yes, keep in mind that it really is practice. I have a long way to go still, but I'm actually on my way, which is an awesome and inspiring feeling. Lately I've been getting pretty intimidated, but (and I tweeted this yesterday) in 10 years, I'll have 10 years experience! That's how this works. Also, I think it's ok to feel intimidated. If you're intimidated it means you will try your best and that you think what you are doing is actually worthwhile.