In a caricature of wildlife
Is a line of wandering spirits
Tomorrow knows only the roll of the dice,
In a set-up of not knowing, being unaware ¹
Tokyo: the very picture of Hell—
Where a bizarre line of monsters
Bewitch one another in the emptiness
In a caricature of wildlife
Is a line of the wandering faceless
Tomorrow knows only the roll of the dice,
In a set-up of not knowing, being unaware ¹
Even mechanized, hearts will change with time
Fireworks are concealed behind clouds and disappear,
Without even knowing the taste of tears
Tokyo: the very picture of Hell—
Where a bizarre line of monsters
Bewitch one another in the emptiness
Tokyo: the very picture of Hell—
Where a bizarre line of monsters
Bewitch one another in the emptiness
Even for an instant of rain
Your umbrella remains lowered
A shadow on the verge of tears
Imitated you
Let me hear how you truly feel
Fireworks are concealed behind clouds,
Without even knowing the taste of tears
You were the one that taught me
That the things I’ve come to embrace
Aren’t a mistake
.
NOTES / INTERPRETATION:
oo1. This was a tough line, but while the word ‘furi’ used here most often means putting on a pretense, it can also sometimes refer to the set-up of a joke or question (preceding the punchline or answer); I went with the second meaning. If you think of it that way, what the two lines mean is, “you preface everything with uncertainty, but the future is always a roll of the dice”. That is, uncertainty is not a valid reason to restrain from doing something, because there will always be an element of uncertainty where ‘tomorrow’ is concerned. I may well have overthought this (when do I not?), so take both translation and interpretation with a grain of salt!
Thoughts. I see this song as pure imagery counterbalanced by an appeal to someone who’s depressed. For instance, fireworks (feelings—or passion, in general) being hidden by clouds (numbness or emptiness) without knowing the taste of tears (a disconnection from feelings – the clouds just stay full forever, they never let out any rain, and don’t let bright light down below). The refrain, which feels mesmerizing (much like the mantra in ASYLUM), with a heavy marching rhythm and singing to match, has lyrics that burst with imagery. Just in general, this song paints an incredibly strange picture, all the while making a very earnest appeal to the listener, and I love the way that it balances that. If you listen to the song itself, the whole of it is filled with switching rhythms, as well as spikes of energy, especially where the bass line is concerned. The music and quirky lyrics work together to try to shake the listener out of their numb headspace.
.
アリス九號. ★ GIGA → PLANET NINE (将・2018)
ALICE NINE. – GIGA | From PLANET NINE (Show – 2018)
Original text translated from Japanese.
Listen on itunes/Spotify.