Mr Children: So Let’s Get Truth

So Let’s Get Truth

      03.06.04
      Artist: Mr Children
      Title: So Let’s Get Truth
      Words: Sakurai Kazutoshi
      Music: Sakurai Kazutoshi

      The old lady sleeping inside
      a cardboard box like trash
      the remains of a rusted dream
      I’ll reflect on it tomorrow
      but I go right on by, right on by, right on by

      The Social Expert discusses
      Japan’s poor situation
      TV Blues, complaining of
      a prime minister with a short life span
      Everyone’s laughing bitterly, laughing bitterly

      we are the imbeciles without a thought of our own
      the young weeds of the world.
      The pride and joy of the baby boomers *1
      out there today walking in the street

      the children play without getting hurt
      taught to copy what their neighbors do,
      they always look to another’s face *2
      pretend to be smart , pretend to be smart ,and pretend
      but at last they find contradicton, distress and go through trial and
      error,

      So Let’s Get Truth…

      Translated By: Brian Stewart & Takako Sakuma

      Translator’s Notes: This song is highly critical of the post-bubble era of
      Japan it was written during, and in many ways is still relevant today
      (2003). As usual Sakurai is not only critical but guilty of the same
      crimes. The title sounds like he’s saying, “Who are we kidding… let’s be
      honest.” On to the *’s.

      *1- The word here is ai no keshou which is the Japanese equivalent of the
      English term Pride and Joy as in “She’s our Pride and Joy”. Baby boomers
      refers to the generation after WWII in which there was a boom in
      preganancies to replace the young men and women lost in the war, and
      rebuild society.

      *2 – This last bit is critical of the Japanese education method of rote
      memorization and of the tendency of Japanese to copy their neighbors
      throughout history. This line in particular is a reference to looking at
      someone’s face to see how they are reacting to what you do. It is a sign
      of a lack of selfconfidence in one’s individuality.

      Romaji

      gomi no you na danbo-ru
      soko de neru rouba
      sabita yume no zangai
      ashita ha wagami
      dakedo sudoori suru sudoori suru, sudoori shitari suru

      dame na nihon no jyousei wo
      shakaiha ha tou
      tanmei sugita shushou
      nageku TV BLUES
      minna kushou shiteru, kushou shiteru, kushou shitari shiteru

      ware ha shisou wo motanu gurentai desu
      wakaki kono yo no zassou desu
      dankon no sedai ga unda ai no keshou ha
      kyou mo walking in the street

      kodomora ha tankobu tsukurazu asobi
      tonari ni narae no kyouyou wo
      uetsukerarete kaoiro wo mite
      rikou na furi rikou na furi rikou na furi suru ga
      yagate mujyun wo shiri, kunou shitari shikousakugo suru
      So Let’s Get Truth….

      Romaji By: Brian Stewart