能動的三分間 – Bilingual Lyrics Japanese/English

• By: 東京事変

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the energetic world of Tokyo Jihen with "Nōdōteki Sanpunkan," a song that's exactly three minutes long and packed with vibrant Japanese. Its clever lyrics play with common Japanese phrases and even incorporate the unique Kansai dialect, offering a fun challenge for learners. The song's theme of making every moment count, especially within a short timeframe, resonates universally and is reflected in its catchy, dynamic musical style.

[English]

You're all alone

You're fixing ramen

You pour hot water in

Where are your thoughts wandering as you

Wait there?

Come back to life and be high

...

Turning the helpless situation into a sigh

Even if you lament, time is equal for men and women

The night before mental collapse

精神崩壊前夜

Wait for me, Sunday driver

If you're crying, then listen

You, whose talent has blossomed

A skilled veteran paper driver at hitchhiking

In three minutes, goodbye, nice to meet you

See, yes I really am movin' on

Aim for the skeleton, synthesizer

Hit!

The ranking's life is short

Come back to life and be high

...

Using up the aimless existence

Turning it into a sigh

Even if you scream, time is equal for enemies and friends

The night before the archipelago collapses

Wait for me, dynamiter

When the timer goes off, feel it

You, whose love and hate have shattered

In a natural high time that rivals rock icons

In three minutes, goodbye, nice to meet you

See, yes U really are movin' on

Soak your brain with the equalizer

Rock!

The effect of music is long

I'm your record, I keep spinning round

But now my groove is running down

Don't look back brother, get it on

That first bite is but a moment away

When I'm gone, take your generator

Shock!

Raise the dead on your turntable

Up, up and away!

...

[Japanese]

You're all alone

You're fixing ramen

You pour hot water in

Where are your thoughts wandering as you

Wait there?

Come back to life and be high

遣る瀬ない沙汰止みを

溜息にして無常

嘆いても時は男女平等

精神崩壊前夜

待ってよサンデードライバー

泣いてんだったら聴きな

才能開花した君は

ヒッチハイクの巧いベテランペーパードライバー

三分間でさようならはじめまして

See, yes I really am movin' on

骸骨を狙えシンセサイザー

Hit!

格付(ランキング)のイノチは短い

Come back to life and be high

寄る辺ない現し身を

使い古して無常

喚いても時は怨親平等

列島崩壊前夜

待ってよダイナマイター

タイマー切ったら効きな

愛憎大破した君は

ロックアイコン顔負けのナチュラルハイタイム

三分間でさようならはじめまして

See, yes U really are movin' on

脳天を浸せイコライザー

Rock!

音楽(ミュージック)のキキメは長い

I'm your record, I keep spinning round

But now my groove is running down

Don't look back brother get it on

That first bite is but a moment away

When I'm gone, take your generator

Shock!

Raise the dead on your turntable

Up, up and away!

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
alone /əˈloʊn/ B1	adjective - without anyone else
thoughts /θɔts/ B1	noun - ideas or opinions produced by thinking
life /laɪf/ A1	noun - the condition that distinguishes animals and plants from inorganic matter
high /haɪ/ A2	adjective - of great vertical extent
thought /θɔt/ B1	noun - an idea or opinion produced by thinking
talent /ˈtæl.ənt/ B2	noun - natural aptitude or skill
music /ˈmjuː.zɪk/ A1	noun - vocal or instrumental sounds combined to produce harmony
come back /kʌm bæk/ B2	verb - to return to a place
scream /skriːm/ B2	verb - to make a loud, high-pitched sound
break /breɪk/ A2	verb - to separate into pieces
time /taɪm/ A1	noun - the indefinite continued progress of existence
drive /draɪv/ B1	verb - to operate a vehicle
wait /weɪt/ A1	verb - to stay in one place until something happens
shock /ʃɑk/ B2	verb - to cause someone to feel surprised or upset
generator /ˈdʒɛn.ə.reɪ.tər/ B2	noun - a machine that converts mechanical energy into electrical energy

Key Grammar Structures

• You're all alone

  ➔ contraction of **you are**

  ➔ Uses the contraction **you're** to combine **you** and **are** in informal speech.

• Where are your thoughts wandering as you

  ➔ present continuous tense for ongoing action

  ➔ The phrase **are wandering** reflects an ongoing action, emphasizing the current state of thoughts.

• Come back to life and be high

  ➔ imperative form of **come** + infinitive **to be**

  ➔ Uses the imperative **Come back** to give a command or encourage someone to revive or energize.

• The **talent** has bloomed

  ➔ Present perfect tense with **has bloomed**

  ➔ Expresses that the **talent** has already developed or emerged over a period up to now.

• when I'm gone, take your generator

  ➔ subordinating conjunction **when** + clause, imperative **take**

  ➔ Uses **when** to introduce a time clause, and **take** as an imperative command.

• Raise the dead on your turntable

  ➔ imperative form of **Raise** + noun phrase

  ➔ Uses **Raise** in the imperative to command or encourage elevating or revitalizing something, here metaphorically referring to music.

• the **ranking** of life is short

  ➔ noun **ranking** as a subject, **is** as a linking verb, and **short** as complement

  ➔ Uses **ranking** as a noun to describe the position or status in a hierarchy, with **is short** indicating brevity or insubstantiality.