pizzicato five - The Great Invitations
A depressing song today. Well actually, not all that depressing at all if you just listen to the song, it's downright bouncy. It's one of my favourite (and totally underappreciated) tracks on the International Playboy & Playgirl Album, by Pizzicato Five. The Great Invitations is one of their signature happy Shibuya-kei type songs, with backup vocals by a fellow by the name of Arichika Masumi. It's all well and good, unless you actually pay attention to the lyrics, and when you combine it with those, the song is downright... devastating. I'd totally forgotten the real depth of the sadness in this song until I retranslated it today, and it's gotten me a bit down since. I'll retranslate A Message Song sometime to balance things out.

I translated the lyrics from scratch here, but if you want a second opinion on translation, you can find it here: http://tedmills.com/pizzlyrics/playboy.html#greatinvitations

Song link, as always, here: http://rapidshare.com/files/15238304/Pizzicato_Five_-_12_-_Great_Invitations_-_Arichika_Masumi.mp3.html


華麗なる招待

もしもゆうべ観た夢が本当になるのならぼくは
たぶんもうすぐ死ぬのかもね
悲しくなんてないよ
ひとりきりできょうはなつかしい遊園地のゴンドラを眺めている
そして長距離電話できみと話せたらぼくは
きっとそれだけで泣き出すかもね
悲しいわけじゃないよ
きみと出会ったぼくはあのひからずっときょうまで幸せだったから

人は生まれてそしてきっと誰かを愛してそしていつか死んでいく
とてもあっけない
飛行機の中で観た短い映画みたいに

もしもゆうべ観た夢の続きがあるのなら
君の悲しむ顔は見たくないな
あの日からずっと持っていた写真に写ってるなつかしいきみの
笑顔が忘れられないから

人は生まれてそしてきっと誰かを愛してそしていつか死んでいく
すべてはくりかえす
飛行機の中で観た短い映画みたいに
もしもゆうべ観た夢が本当になるのなら
そしてゆうべ観た夢の続きがあるのなら
人は生まれてそしてきっと誰かを愛してそしていつか死んでいく
そんなに悪くない
飛行機の中で観た短い映画みたいに


The Great Invitations

If the dream I had last night comes true, I
May probably die soon
There's nothing to be sad about
Today I'm going by myself to that nostalgic amusement park to watch the gondolas

Then if you called me long distance
That might definitely make me cry
It's not because I'm sad
Because since the day that we met till today, I have been very happy

People are born, then surely fall in love with someone, then one day they die
It's totally pointless
Like a short movie you see on an airplane

If the dream I had last night has a sequel
I don't want to see you sad
Because I will never forget your smiling face
In the photo I've always carried since that day

People are born, then surely fall in love with someone, then one day they die
Nothing changes
Like a short movie you see on an airplane

If the dream I had last night comes true
Then if the dream I had last night has a sequel

People are born, then surely fall in love with someone, then one day they die
It's not bad
Like a short movie you see on an airplane