Night rider – Bilingual Lyrics Japanese/English

• By: Taiga Kyomoto
• Album: Stargaze

Lyrics & Translation

Explore the vibrant soundscape of Taiga Kyomoto's "Night Rider," a dynamic J-Pop track that blends cinematic energy with a compelling narrative. Dive into the song's gritty lyrics and discover how it captures the essence of navigating a complex world, offering a unique opportunity to learn about Japanese contemporary music and culture.

[English]

Hey Dududu… Hit it hard

Take a ride in a city with no justice, we survive

Speeding up, a crazy life (Like whoa)

Ignored sins (Whoa)

Dreams are trampled on, I lose my mind, I go “Oh oh oh…”

Let’s break out of this madness

We can make it, they say I’m dangerous

But still, don’t give up

Just stay free

Always, don’t lose yourself

Hit it hard, hit it hard, hit it hard hey

I can’t stop this feeling, right now Oh

Hit it hard, hit it hard, hit it hard hey

Nowhere to go, driving all night long again

Those eyes realize a meaning that can’t be reached

Just like the Taxi Driver

Hit it hard, hit it hard, hit it hard hey

Using up the future, just like a Taxi Driver

Living in this crazy world

With these hands, say my name now

If you can hear this wish

Now come and set me free

Oh yeah, yeah, yeah

Hit it hard, hit it hard, hit it hard hey

I can’t stop this feeling, right now Oh

Hit it hard, hit it hard, hit it hard hey

Nowhere to go, driving all night long again

Those eyes realize a meaning that can’t be reached

Just like the Taxi Driver

Hit it hard, hit it hard, hit it hard hey

Using up the future, just like a Taxi Driver

Oh hit it now

Hit it hard, hit it hard, hit it hard hey

[Japanese]

Hey Dududu… Smack it up

Take a ride 正義なんてない街で We survive

加速してく Crazy life (Like whoa)

見過ごされる Sins (Whoa)

踏み荒らされていく Dreams Lose my mind, I go “Oh oh oh…”

Let’s break out from this madness

We can make it out They say I’m dangerous

それでも Don’t give in

Just stay free

いつだって Don’t lose yourself

Smack it up, smack it up, smack it up hey

止められない この Feeling 今すぐ Oh

Smack it up, smack it up, smack it up hey

行き場もない また Driving all night long

届かない意味に気付くその目は

Just like the Taxi Driver

Smack it up, smack it up, smack it up hey

未来を使い果たして Just like a Taxi Driver

Living in this crazy world

その手で Say me now

この願いが聞こえるなら

Now come and set me free

Oh yeah, yeah, yeah

Smack it up, smack it up, smack it up hey

止められない この Feeling 今すぐ Oh

Smack it up, smack it up, smack it up hey

行き場もない また Driving all night long

届かない意味に気付くその目は

Just like the Taxi Driver

Smack it up, smack it up, smack it up hey

未来を使い果たして Just like a Taxi Driver

Oh smack now

Smack it up, smack it up, smack it up hey

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
ride /raɪd/ A2	noun - an act of traveling in a vehicle verb - to sit on and control the movement of (a horse, bicycle, etc.)
life /laɪf/ A1	noun - the condition that distinguishes organisms from inorganic matter
dreams /driːmz/ A2	noun - a series of thoughts, images, and sensations occurring in a person's mind during sleep noun - a cherished aspiration, ambition, or ideal
mind /maɪnd/ A2	noun - the element of a person that enables them to be aware of the world and their experience
free /friː/ A2	adjective - not under the control or power of another
feeling /ˈfiːlɪŋ/ B1	noun - an emotional state or reaction
driving /ˈdraɪvɪŋ/ A2	verb - operate a vehicle
eyes /aɪz/ A1	noun - the organs of sight
future /ˈfjuːtʃər/ B1	noun - the time yet to come
world /wɜːld/ A1	noun - the earth and all life on it
break /breɪk/ A2	verb - to separate or divide into pieces
dangerous /ˈdeɪndʒərəs/ B1	adjective - able or likely to cause harm or injury
crazy /ˈkreɪzi/ B1	adjective - mentally deranged, extremely enthusiastic
meaning /ˈmiːnɪŋ/ B2	noun - what is intended to be, or actually is, expressed or indicated
set /set/ A2	verb - put, lay, or stand (something) in a specified place or position
smack /smæk/ A2	verb - strike forcefully with the open hand

Key Grammar Structures

• Take a ride 正義なんてない街で We survive

  ➔ Present Simple for general truth/habitual action

  ➔ The phrase 'We survive' in the present simple indicates a continuous state of being or a general truth in that city.

• 加速してく Crazy life (Like whoa)

  ➔ Verb + ていく (te-iku) to express continuing action/change

  ➔ '加速してく' (kasoku shiteku) uses the ていく form to show the 'crazy life' is continuously accelerating.

• 見過ごされる Sins (Whoa)

  ➔ Passive voice: Verb (stem) + れる/られる (reru/rareru) for being acted upon

  ➔ '見過ごされる' (misugosareru) is the passive form of '見過ごす' (misugosu), meaning the sins are being overlooked.

• 踏み荒らされていく Dreams Lose my mind, I go “Oh oh oh…”

  ➔ V + ていく (te-iku) with negative/unpleasant nuance

  ➔ '踏み荒らされていく' (fumiarasarete iku) uses the ていく form to emphasize the continuous destruction and worsening state of dreams.

• Let’s break out from this madness

  ➔ Let's + Verb (base form) for suggestion/invitation

  ➔ This structure is used to propose a joint action or to invite someone to do something together.

• They say I’m dangerous

  ➔ Reported speech: 'They say' + clause

  ➔ This is a common way to report what other people believe or say, often implying a generalization.

• Nevertheless, Don’t give in

  ➔ Imperative: Don't + Verb (base form) for negative command

  ➔ Used to tell someone not to do something, in this case, not to surrender or yield.

• いつだって Don’t lose yourself

  ➔ Possessive pronoun + Noun ('yourself') for reflexivity

  ➔ 'Yourself' refers back to the subject 'you', emphasizing the importance of maintaining one's identity.

• 届かない意味に気付くその目は

  ➔ Relative clause (implied): [Noun] + を + Verb

  ➔ This implies 'the eyes that realize the meaning that does not reach' where the relative pronoun is omitted in Japanese.

• 未来を使い果たして Just like a Taxi Driver

  ➔ Verb + てしまう (te-shimau) for completion/regret

  ➔ '使い果たして' (tsukai hatashite) implies the future has been completely used up, possibly with a sense of regret or finality.