【Lyrics Translation】 Girls Dead Monster, Angel Beats! -1st beat- bonus song
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Million Star
Vocals: marina
Lyrics / Composition: Maeda Jun
Arrangement: Hikarisyuyo
There’s no way my dreams will come true, there are so many things I don’t want to do,
With so many depressing days, I’m getting sick of this
I thought I had talent for something only I could do
There are more skilled people out there than I’d expected, it really gets me
Now then, for tomorrow’s sake, what will I do?
Lia, Angel Beats! -1st beat- OP
And here we are, five years later. While it’s hard to top 『My Soul,Your Beats!』 (this song even draws upon its lyrics), 『Heartily Song』 certainly has some energy of its own.
It’s really nice that we’ll be able to explore more of this world. The one-cour limit of the TV anime really held it back from delivering its full potential, so hopefully the new project can do it justice.
For me, personally, this was an interesting song to translate. It’s been a long while since I’ve worked with Jun Maeda’s lyrics, and the bulk of what I did do in the past was from the Angel Beats! TV anime. Looking back, I honestly feel like I attempted those songs before I was really ready for material of that scale and complexity, and that led to a number of mistakes and imperfections that I have yet to completely resolve. If there’s any of my past work that I’d like to revisit with the experience that I have now (and there is definitely a ton of it), it’s the Angel Beats! project. That said, I did learn a lot from that project and the continuous reflection that has followed it – most importantly, I started to get a feel for navigating through Maeda’s style. So, I choose to continue the project with these two songs – so that it will eventually be complete.
Heartily Song
Vocals: Lia
Lyrics / Composition: Maeda Jun
Arrangement: ANANT-GARDE EYES
What kind of dream were you in?
I hope it was a happy one,
But I’m just a little worried.
Are you still around somewhere?
On the day when I’ll disappear,
I’ll be brave and take the step forward.
Little birds crying out –
That’s how the morning goes.
There’s still some lingering drowsiness.
Changing clothes in a hurry;
I need to put on my tie,
So that I can walk with my head held high.
Suzuyu, Angel Beats! -1st beat- ED
I had a slightly more difficult time connecting to this song than I did with the OP; part of the reason might be the fact that I haven’t played through the game yet (no one has). As such, I’d advise against reading too deeply into the translation at this point – there are ambiguities in the lyrics that I don’t fully grasp yet, and because of the nature of the song (ending theme of an unreleased game, with lyrics by Jun Maeda at that), it’s hard for me to tie things together.
(For the interested, the main points I’m struggling with are:
-how to interpret the structure of the final lines of the first and last stanzas ([…] 悲しみと), and
-whether the first line of stanza 3 (歩くのは出来る […]) constitutes a POV shift.
Everything else is pretty much just issues with elegant wording, which may or may not be significant to meaning.)
The Beginning of the End of Everything
Vocals: Suzuyu
Lyrics: Maeda Jun
Composition: Takeshita Tomohiro
Arrangement: ANANT-GARDE EYES
Who was I with? I can’t see anymore.
I know, it was something that I needed to remember.
What was I doing, again, here in this world?
The beginning of the end of everything is already complete.
Let’s not hang our heads, so that we can move on forward with no regrets.
Continue reading →
Girls Dead Monster STARRING marina, Last Song
I should say now that I’m not very confident in my translation here. I’m still not sure if I’m hearing the right message from the song. I don’t think I made any critical errors, so I decided to go ahead and post now; but even so, I will need some more time to think over the lyrics before I can understand the meaning (of the song, not just the words).
God Bless You
Vocals: marina
Lyrics / Composition: Maeda Jun
Arrangement: Hikarisyuyo
With laughter being out of my character, I was listening carefully,
With my chin in my hands, to the noise of the afternoon.
As they slowly approach and then disappear,
I’ve just been watching the people that are like so many ripples.
If it would be conveyed even a little, I could write the meaning for why we’re here.
With rain outside, I wrote my song inside the classroom.
Girls Dead Monster STARRING LiSA, Ichiban no Takaramono ~Yui final ver.~
Day Game
Vocals: LiSA
Lyrics / Composition: Maeda Jun
Arrangement: Asai Yasuo
Isn’t it fine to be on the edge?
Even if there isn’t room to spare,
If I give it all I have,
It’ll feel great for now, right?
Isn’t it fine to play in the mud?
As long as I have the eagerness
From when I was chasing after my dreams,
I’ll take out all the enemies around me.
Girls Dead Monster STARRING marina, Last Song
Alternate title: Hot Meal (Another “Thousand Enemies”)
This is a version of “Thousand Enemies” as it might have been if Iwasawa was the lyricist rather than Yui. I personally like Yui’s version better, but this is nice too. It’s interesting to note the difference in the words – to me, “Thousand Enemies” seems to be a song of two people close to each other, while “Hot Meal” is a song of the self and of the world.
Hot Meal
Vocals: marina
Lyrics / Composition: Maeda Jun
Arrangement: Hikarisyuyo
Dizzy and reeling, I follow the road home
And tumble into my cold room.
I’ll just fall asleep on that edge over there.
Girls Dead Monster STARRING marina, Last Song
Last Song
Vocals: marina
Lyrics / Composition: Maeda Jun
Arrangement: Hikarisyuyo
Ah, could you wait for me for a little while?
Ah, there’s a voice calling somewhere.
“Being a huge star someday,
A popular and successful musician –
Rather than staring at dreams like that,
It’s better if I don’t look at them.
Someone, please, chase after them in my place.
I’m embracing helplessness alone.”
Girls Dead Monster STARRING LiSA, Ichiban no Takaramono ~Yui final ver.~
Storm Song
Vocals: LiSA
Lyrics / Composition: Maeda Jun
Arrangement: Hikarisyuyo
The morning sunlight hurts my eyes.
My motivation hasn’t woken up yet.
Even so, I have to get ready.
Everyone is caught in that kind of whirlpool.
karuta, Angel Beats! ED (final), Angel Beats! ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK
Also known as “Ichiban no Takaramono (karuta ver.).
Again… ;_;
My Most Precious Treasure (Original Version)
Vocals: karuta
Lyrics / Composition: Jun Maeda
Arrangement: ANANT-GARDE EYES
If the cuffs of my pants get wet,
I can just wait until they dry.
Making sounds in the water, I jumped in.
You taught me this. I’m not afraid anymore.
I have to let go of this hand that was holding on to mine.
Girls Dead Monster, Keep the Beats!
Morning Dreamer
Lyrics / Composition: Jun Maeda
Arrangement: Hikarisyuyo
Vocals: Yui (LiSA)
The alarm clock is ringing loudly in my ears.
Please, let me sleep for a little more.
At the drinking party after yesterday’s gig,
I couldn’t drink alcohol, of course, but I had juice. Still…
I’m living seriously through busy days.
So somehow, let this kind of me sleep…
When I actually get up, I’ll let you hear the new song.
Of course, when I sing and play, the harmony is all yours.
I’ll teach you as attentively as I can, so don’t you worry.
Ah, right, I broke a string. Go out and buy some, please!
...VOICE