DON’T FORGET MY NAME – Bilingual Lyrics Japanese/English

• By: 清水翔太
• Album: Pulsatilla cernua

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the soul-stirring melodies of Shota Shimizu's "DON'T FORGET MY NAME." This track offers a powerful exploration of life's challenges and the universal desire to be remembered. Through its poignant lyrics and heartfelt delivery, you can connect with themes of resilience and introspection, making it a beautiful entry point to understanding the emotional depth of contemporary Japanese R&B.

[English]

This is my karma

I write it down here

The resolve to leave behind what I've written, today's sky

The color of the blue jay's feathers

A January that seems to repeat blessings and downfall

I'm not a fool

I live because I've stepped on it

I can't resist and make mistakes because I'm alive

The past that cannot be rewritten

Not even worthy of lyrics

A life with an expiration date

You, who appear and disappear

What you taught me was how to die

Now, with my eyes closed, I don't want to be killed by myself

If the day comes when the dream I once saw is no longer a dream

From the depths of oblivion, I pick up even a fragment now

Thank you for living

I whisper as I die

Names and missions intertwine

In that way, everyone becomes empty

“I’m home” “Welcome back”

Right now, I seek that

But I’ll just be wrapped in smoke anyway

There is a place to return to

Let’s break free from the past

2024, starting from here

I've always wondered

Why is my life so tough

Continuing to choose a life without regrets

Is very difficult

That too is fate

Don't forget my name

The morning of goodbye

Counting the loneliness of being all alone

Some of the things I've lost

Rather, it's natural that what remains

Is less

I won't close off possibilities for that much

Maybe not now

Still in a daydream

No matter what flashes back, I won't be afraid

In this world without you, in shallow sleep

I can only seek meaning

I want to see you, but there's no future beyond now

f**k

I've always wondered

Why is my life so tough

Continuing to choose a life without regrets

Is very difficult

That too is fate

Don't forget my name

I've always wondered

Why is my life so tough

Continuing to choose a life without regrets

Is very difficult

That too is fate

Don't forget my name

[Japanese]

これが俺のカルマ

ここに書き示す

書いて遺す覚悟　今日の空

ブルージェイの羽の色

祝福と堕落を繰り返すような1月

俺はバカじゃないからな

踏まえてる踏まえたから生きてる

生きてるから抗えず間違える

書き換えることはできない過去

歌詞にすらもならない

期限付きの生き方

浮かんでは消える君が

諭したのは死に方

瞼閉じる今 俺は俺に殺されたくないしな

いつか見てた夢が夢じゃなくなる日が来るなら

忘却の彼方　今欠片でも拾い上げる

生きてくれてありがとうと

囁いて俺は死ぬ

氏名と使命が絡み合う

そうやって皆、空になる

「ただいま」「おかえり」

ただ今、それを求めるが

どうせ煙に巻かれる

還る場所はあるから

抜け出そう過去から

2024 またここから

ずっと不思議に思ってた

Why is my life so tough

後悔のない人生を選び続けるのは

とても難しい

それも運命

Don't forget my name

さよならの朝

たった一人ぼっち数えたのは

なくしたものが幾つか

むしろ残るものの方が

少ないのは仕方ない

そのくらいで可能性を仕舞わない

たぶん今じゃない

未だ白昼夢の中

何がフラッシュバックしても怖がらない

浅い眠り君がいないこの世界に

意味を求めるしかない

会いたいが今以上の未来はない

f**k

ずっと不思議に思ってた

Why is my life so tough

後悔のない人生を選び続けるのは

とても難しい

それも運命

Don't forget my name

ずっと不思議に思ってた

Why is my life so tough

後悔のない人生を選び続けるのは

とても難しい

それも運命

Don't forget my name

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
生きる /ikiru/ B1	verb - to live, to be alive
死ぬ /shinu/ B2	verb - to die
運命 /unmei/ C1	noun - fate, destiny
過去 /kako/ B2	noun - the past
未来 /mirai/ B2	noun - future
夢 /yume/ B2	noun - dream
生 /sei/ A2	noun - life
未来 /mirai/ B2	noun - future
謝る /ayamaru/ B2	verb - to apologize
殺す /korosu/ C1	verb - to kill
傷つく /kizutsuku/ B2	verb - to get hurt, to be wounded
希望 /kibou/ B2	noun - hope
変わる /kawaru/ B1	verb - to change, to vary
忘れる /wasureru/ B2	verb - to forget
望む /nozomu/ B2	verb - to wish, to hope

Key Grammar Structures

• これが俺のカルマ

  ➔ Topic marking with "は/が"

  ➔ "が" marks "カルマ" (karma) as the subject of the sentence. This is often used when introducing a new subject or emphasizing it.

• 書いて遺す覚悟　今日の空

  ➔ Verb in -te form + auxiliary verb to express intention/determination

  ➔ The implied "書いて遺す" shows a strong resolve to "write and leave behind." While not explicitly stated with a common intention verb like "つもり (tsumori)", the context implies a firm decision.

• 踏まえてる踏まえたから生きてる

  ➔ Reason/cause with "から"

  ➔ "踏まえたから生きてる" means "Because I understood/considered it, I am alive."

• 生きてるから抗えず間違える

  ➔ Reason/cause with "から"

  ➔ "生きてるから抗えず間違える" means "Because I am alive, I cannot resist and make mistakes."

• 浮かんでは消える君が

  ➔ Repetitive actions (ては)

  ➔ "浮かんでは消える" describes the repetitive actions of "floating and disappearing."

• いつか見てた夢が夢じゃなくなる日が来るなら

  ➔ Conditional "なら"

  ➔ "来るなら" means "if (the day) comes."

• 生きてくれてありがとうと

  ➔ Giving gratitude for an action: Verb (te-form) + くれる + ありがとう

  ➔ "生きてくれてありがとう" expresses gratitude for someone having lived. It literally means "Thank you for living (for me)."

• 後悔のない人生を選び続けるのは とても難しい

  ➔ Nominalizing a clause with "の" to use as the subject of a sentence.

  ➔ "後悔のない人生を選び続けるのは" nominalizes the clause "to continue choosing a life without regrets", allowing it to function as the subject of the sentence. The sentence means 'To keep choosing a life without regrets is very difficult.'