Here’s a couple tunes from Pizzicato Five’s “Great White Wonder ~ Rare Masters 1990-1996”, my favorite cd by them. I remember I bought this cd in October ‘96 at a shop in Omotesando. I don’t know the name of the store, but I remember that they sold pianos and sheet music as well. It was about 7pm, and I took the Ginza Line from my work, towards Shibuya. I got off the train early, and took a walk around Ometesando, bought this cd, and just outside the store, sat down on a wall by the street and popped it in my cd player. It’s weird, but I can remember that just like it was yesterday.
This cd is so great. I recommend picking it up if you can. I remember listening to K*I*S*S on the Toyoko line going back home. The Tokyo FM jingles are pretty cool too. My two favorite songs are キャット・ウォーク (Catwalk) (St. Etienne Remix) and Friend & Lover. (click on the title to take a listen) In October of 96 I traveled a few times from Tokyo to Osaka to see Mariko. I would always take a late shinkansen from Tokyo station to Osaka station and Umeda. Catwalk was always the perfect soundtrack for speeding out of Tokyo on the shinkansen and cruising through the night, the lights outside a blur. Lyrics and translations to both follow…
“キャット・ウォーク (St. Etienne Remix)”
koko kara no hajimari wa
ki ni suru yo na koto
hoseki to
koori no chokoku
totemo kowareyasui sakuhin
dashi te wo
furete wa ikenai
yubi wo kuwaete
mitenasai
kyo wa
baby doll de
tada bonyari shiteru no
bed no naka de
gogo wa
shitate no suit de
boutique demo hiyakasu
hima-tsubushi
yoru wa
kuro no soiree de
shokuji ni sasowareru no
madame to yonde
tarot card no uranai ni yoreba
utsukushii musume wa
namida ni kurete
oroka-mono wa kane wo
harai-tsuzukeru
marude kowareta suido no yo ni
asa wa
ke-gawa no coat de
anata no jiman no kuruma de
hotel ni kaeru
itsuka
shiroi dress de
kekkon-shiki wo ageru no
anata mo kite ne
-----------------------------------
Translators: Taichi Azuma, Akabane Masao, Andrei Cunha, Remi Gerard-Marchant, Frederic Pinchon
i’ll begin by talking
about something that puzzles me
things like jewellery
and ice statues
fragile works of art
you cannot
touch them
gaze at them longingly
from a distance
today i’m just
wearing a baby doll
doing nothing
vegetating in my bed
in the afternoon
wearing my brand-new suit
i’ll go window-shopping
to kill some time
at night
wearing a black gown
i’m invited to dinner
please call me madame
according to the tarot cards
the beautiful girl
lives in a sea of tears
and the fool won’t stop
giving away money
just like a broken tap
in the morning
wearing my fur coat
i’ll get back to the hotel
in the car you’re so proud of
someday
wearing a white dress
i’ll have my wedding ceremony
you too please come
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
okashina hanashi
yube watashi
hajimete wakatta
ooh so yo
koi shiteru no
totsuzen
ki ga tsuita no
neboke manako
kagami no naka no
jibun ni iu no
ooh so yo
kyo wa kitto
ooh baby
umaku iku no
so yo
koi no kimochi
anata ni uchiakeru no
itsudemo naka ga ii
suki de
marude futari
tomodachi ka kyodai ka
osana najimi mitai ne
kino datte isshoni
ita noni
itsumo no yo ni
omoikiri fuzaketeta
marude kodomo
mitai ni ne
honto ni totsuzen
mayonaka sugi ni
itsumo no yo ni
ha wo
migaiteta
soshite kyu ni
subete wakatta
anata no koto
suki na koto
okashi na hanashi
yube watashi
koi ni ochita no
ooh so yo
kyo wa kitto
nanimo kamo ga
tsuiteru
jikan wo kakete
o-mekashi shite
yuki wo dashite
ooh so yo
kyo wa kitto
ooh baby
umaku ieru
so yo
koi no kimochi
anata ni
uchiakeru no
omoikiri
majime na
kao de
uchiaketara
okashikute
fukidasu yo
marude
shinjirarenai yo ne
honto wa
zutto
anata no ho mo
honto wa
kangaeta koto aru
desho
honto wa konna fu ni
naru koto
mae kara ki ga
tsuiteta
anna ni
kitto naka ga
yosugite
sonna ni kyu ni
umaku ikanai
honto wa chotto
terekusai kara
sukoshi wa hora
follow
shinakya hey
fushigi na kimochi
kyo no watashi
hajimete wakatta
ooh so yo
koi shiteru no
totsuzen
ki ga tsuita no
maho kakete
kyo mo watashi
tsui kibo ataete
ooh so yo
kyo wa kimi to
ooh baby
umaku ieru
so yo
koi no kimochi
anata ni kitto
todoku
-------------------------------------
Translators: Akabane Masao and Andrei Cunha
it’s strange but
last night for the first time
i understood
ooh yeah babe
i love you
all of a sudden
i realised
i told myself
(swollen eyes when i woke up
staring from the looking glass)
ooh yeah baby
everything is going
to be perfect today
ooh baby
yeah baby
i’m going to confess
my love for you today
we’ve always been
the best of friends
the two of us act as if we were
friends or siblings
childhood friends as it were
take yesterday for instance
we were together
and as usual
we fooled around like mad
just like
kids
as i was
brushing me teeth
as i always do
after midnight
it suddenly came to me
i suddenly
understood it all
that i
love you
it’s strange but
last night
i fell in love
ooh yeah baby
today
is my
lucky day
i’ll take my time
get all dressed up
gather all my strength and
ooh yeah baby
i’m sure that today
ooh baby
i’ll say it right
yeah baby
i’ll tell you
about
my love
i’ll be thorough
i’ll be serious
i’ll pull the right face
but i’m sure
that i’ll feel embarrassed
and burst out laughing
because it’s so
unbelievable
you must
have felt
and thought
the same
about us
haven’t you?
tell me the truth --
you’ve known for a long time
we were bound
to be together
we’ve been
such good friends that
being lovers
won’t be
easy
let me be frank
i feel embarrassed
suppose we’ll have to
make a bit of an effort
hey hey
it feels strange
today for the first time
i understood
ooh yeah baby
i love you
all of a sudden
i realised
i’ll cast a spell
and in the end
have my wish come true
ooh yeah baby
when we get together
ooh baby
i’ll speak my mind
yeah baby
i’ll find a way
to say what i have to say
my love for you
~Lyrics and translations found at Lyred.com~