For your Sunday…one my all time favorite J-Pop songs, "Kurumi." Sakurai Kazutoshi's deeply heartfelt words coupled with an amazing musical arrangement make for a truly wonderful musical experience! ^-^ This is truly a beautiful song and Sakurai's phrasing, particularly in the choruses are exceptional…try following along with the romaji and you'll see what I'm referring to. Liver versions lend themselves to different interpretations of a song and note the two very different approaches to "Kurumi" that Mr.Children takes on in these performances and both are very different from their recorded version on their single/album. And there's also another variation of "Kurumi" which was released as a 'film' version and included on their great single "Shirushi" which really shows how endeared this composition is to Sakurai and the nuances of these performances by the band alike show this importance as well. Haha it took me forever to write this out…I hope there aren't any typos! The title "Kurumi" means "Walnut" and this is the woman's name whom he's singing this song too….'Walnut', very cute! I've included two performances above from different tours, please enjoy!
Kurumi
Nee Kurumi
kono machi no keshiki wa kimi no me ni
dou utsuru no?
ima no boku wa dou mieru no?
Tell me, Kurumi
what do you see looking at this city?
how do I look to you now?
Nee kurumi
dareka no yasashisa mo hiniku ni kikoeteshimaunda
sonna toki dou shitara ii?
Tell me Kurumi
when I start to hear the sarcasm in someone's kindness
what am I to do?
Yokatta koto dake omoidashite
yake ni toshioita kimochi ni naru
to wa ie kurashi no nakade
ima ugokidasou to shiteiru
haguruma no hitotsu ni naranakute wa naa
kibou no kazu dake shitsubou wa fueru
soredemo asu ni mune wa fureru
donna koto ga okorun darou?
souzou shite mirundayo
Remembering only the good times
though it makes me feel like I've aged a lot
but you have to be one of the gears trying to get turning
you can have only as much despair as you have hope
but still, my heart trembles at the thought of the future
what's going to happen?
I try to imagine
Nee Kurumi
jjikan ga nanimokamo araitsuresattekureba
ikiru koto wa jitsu ni tayasui
Tell me Kurumi
if time will eventually wash every thing away
then life must be a simple affair
Nee Kurumi
are kara wa ichido mo namida wa nagashitenaiyo
demo honkide warau koto mo sukunai
Tell me Kurumi
since then I haven't cried once
but, neither have I had many good laughs
Dokokade kakechigaetekite
ki ga tsukeba hitotsu amatta botan
onaji you ni shite dareka ga
mote amashita botanhoru ni
deau kotode ima ga dekita nara ii
deai no kazu dake wakare wa fueru
soredemo kibou ni mune wa fueru
jyuujiro ni dekuwasu tabi
mayoi mo suru darou kedo
Somewhere I did up the buttons wrong
by the time I notice there's one button left over
and also one button hole in need of a button
if you find meaning in finding someone that's fine
you can only have as many partings as you do encounters
still my heart trembles at the thought of hope every time I encounter a crossroad
I'll struggle over which way to go but…
Ima ijyou wo itsumo hoshigaru kuse ni
kawaranai ai wo motome utau
sou shite haguruma wa mawaru
kono hitsuyou ijyou no futan ni
gishigishi nibui oto wo tatenagara
kibou no kazu dake shitsubou wa fueru
soredemo asu ni mune wa fureru
donna koto ga okorun darou?
souzou shite miyou
deai no kazu dake wakare wa fueru
soredemo kibou ni mune wa fureru
hikikaeshicha ikenai yo ne
susumou kimi no inai michi no ue e
Even though I want more than I have now
I sing for an unchanging love
that's what makes the gears turn with the burden of more than I need
making a dull grinding sound
you can only have as much despair as you do hope
and still my heart trembles at the thought of th future
what's going to happen?
let's imagine
you can only have as many partings as you do encounters
and still my heart trembles at the thought of hope
I guess there's no turning back
so I'll go on to a road without you
Mr.Children's "Shifuku no oto" and "Dome Tour 2005 I ♥ You" DVDs can be ordered here and here respectfully and both 2-DVD sets come housed in slip cases and include photo booklets with great tour photos. ^-^
モーニングBerryz48...the morning after..... "Always wear protection before reading…(^q^)." 