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Often times the best study tactic is the one you enjoy most. Music is an incredible way to study a language without feeling like you’re “studying”, and songs have the tendency to get stuck in people’s heads (and repetition is key to learning things). Not to mention it certainly doesn’t feel like flashcards or a drill. It’s also a great way observe and absorb culture which is always essential, but can be particularly important for some languages like Japanese. It’s not surprising some people who become proficient in a second language like English for example, sometimes say they owe a lot to either music or television, two things people as a whole are generally interested in and can offer great ways of learning. If you want more tips on how to make studying more efficient and fun, check out this post: Study Smart, Not Hard
This series of posts covers Japanese songs, along with their lyrics, and translations so you can make sure you learn every word.
When translating Japanese, and especially for things like subtitles which are timed, there are times when the English translation sounds more natural when the line order is switched or combined, based on how the lines are broken apart in the lyrics in Japanese and the word order, since for instance what is sometimes said at the end of the sentence would be the beginning of what’s said in the English sentence. There are also times where something doesn’t match nuance, and so what’s said is actually somewhat changed. However when going the interpretation route versus direct translation route, the translation won’t always follow the flow, and also roughly match the English translation line by line. Since this is a song, and the musical emotion is timed with the Japanese lyrics, I’ve kept it as close to the Japanese flow as possible as far as what line corresponds to the English translation. Needless to say this might sound unnatural in English or a bit like Yoda in places, but butcher the song’s flow I want not!
For this one, let’s do: 今宵に月ように (エレフャントカシマシ) — “Like Tonight’s Moon” by Elephant Kashimashi.
Japanese Lyrics:
くだらねえとつぶやいて
醒めたつらして歩く
いつの日か輝くだろう
あふれる暑い熱い涙
いつまでも続くのか
吐き捨てて寝転んだ
俺もまた輝くだろう
今宵の月のように Ah… Ah…
夕暮れ過ぎてきらめく町の灯りは
悲しい色に染まって揺れた
君がいつかくれた思い出のかけら集めて
真夏の夜空ひとり見上げた
新しい季節の始まりは
夏の風町に吹くのさ
今日もまたどこへ行く
愛を探しに行こう
いつの日が輝くだろう
あふれる熱い涙 Ah… Ah…Oh yeah…
ポケットに手をつっこんで歩く
いつのか電車に乗って いつかの町まで
君のおもかげきらりと光る 夜空に
涙も出ない 声も聞こえない
もう二度と戻らない日々を
俺たちは走り続ける
明日もまたどこへ行く
愛を探しに行こう
いつの日か輝くだろう
あふれる熱い涙
明日もまたどこへ行く
愛を探しに行こう
見慣れてる町の空に
輝く月一つ
いつの日か輝くだろう
今宵の月のように Ah… Ah…
English Translation:
Muttering good-for-nothing
Putting on a face and walk
When will it shine again?
Hot tears that overflow
Will this go on forever?
Spitting it out, rolled over in bed
Will I shine again?
Like tonight’s moon
Passing into the evening, the lights of the glowing town
are swaying and painted in a sad color
Gather the fragments of memories you’ve given
Midsummer night’s sky, look up alone
The beginning of a new season
is blowing a summer breeze into the town
Where are we going today?
Going to search for love
When will it shine?
Hot tears that overflow
Walking with hands deep in pockets
Getting on that train until that town
Your face, shining brightly, in the night sky
Tears don’t shed, the voice cannot be heard
The day that will never return again,
we’ll continue running
Where are we going tomorrow?
Going to search for love
In the sky of the town that we’re used to seeing
there’s one moon that is shining
When will it shine
Like tonight’s moon
