ラストノート – Bilingual Lyrics Japanese/English

• By: Omoinotake
• Album: Pieces

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the emotive world of Japanese music with 'Last Note' by Omoinotake. The song's universal theme of searching for one's true self, wrapped in the beautiful metaphor of a perfume's lingering scent, offers a powerful entry point into the Japanese language. Through its poignant lyrics, you can learn to express complex emotions about authenticity and the feelings that lie beneath the surface, making it a truly special song for any language learner.

[English]

"Living as you are" — that's all we need to do

We can't do that, so we want to cry but end up laughing

To drown out the scent of urgency

Again, I sprayed the scent of citrus

Reflected in the show window, a translucent form

That image is probably more truthful than the mirror

The moon where no one knows the hidden face

Only looking at the surface, calling it 'beautiful'

Judging everything as pretty—if we see it from the opposite view, the true ugly voice quietly hides

It quietly holds its breath

"Living as you are" — that’s all we need to do

We can't do that, so we want to cry but end up laughing

Someone anesthetize this heart that’s already been torn apart

Deceiving ourselves to live, spreading lies

Eventually forgetting even who we really are

If all the lies evaporate

The only thing left will be each other's scent

Even the smell of the last train, I've grown used to it

Frowning faces from some distant memory

Everything gets stained, remaining as white as ever

I'm not strong enough to live like that

To prevent anyone from taking it away

This chest built inside me

Shouting only clichés, like a loudspeaker, with a distorted voice

That voice crosses the skin, oppresses

On the path of someone’s predefined happiness

We struggle to walk that fine line

This heart, already scarred, where are we headed?

Covered in dust, turning away

Surely chasing after a prayer from long ago

If only I could arrive on those stumbling feet

The only thing that can come true in the end is someone’s wish

...

The reason for sadness isn’t envy or jealousy

It’s tears that don’t fall when you’re truly sorrowful

Trading ease of living for forgetting emotions

"Living as you are" — that’s all we need to do

We can't do that, so we want to cry but end up laughing

This torn heart, can it ever become whole again?

Everyone has their own sadness

Wrapped in a beautiful scent to hide it

After all, everything will someday evaporate

Please don’t let my wishes disappear last

...

[Japanese]

「ありのまま生きる」 たったそれだけが

できない僕らは 泣きたいのに 笑う

疾しさの臭いを 掻き消すように

また吹き付けた シトラスの匂い

ショーウィンドウに映る 半透明な

姿は きっと 鏡より 正しい

誰も裏の顔を 知らない月

表面ばかり見て 「綺麗」だねと

決めつけきってる 逆から見たなら 本当の醜い声が

そっと 息を潜めてる

「ありのまま生きる」 たったそれだけが

できない僕らは 泣きたいのに 笑う

とうに 引き裂かれた この心に 誰か 麻酔をかけて

欺いて生きて 嘘を振りまいて

いつか正体さえ 忘れてしまいそう

すべての嘘が 揮発したなら

最後に残るのは 誰の香り

終電の臭いも 慣れてしまった

顔しかめてた いつかの記憶

何もかも 汚れる 真っ白のまま

生きれるほどに 僕は強くない

誰にも奪われたり しないように

内側につくられた この胸を

綺麗事ばかり 叫んだ 拡声器のように 歪んだ声が

肌を越えて 虐げる

誰かの定めた 幸せの上を

上手に僕らは 歩けないでいる

とうに 傷だらけの この心で どこへ 向かってるの

埃を被せて 目を背けていた

いつかの祈りを きっと追いかけてる

躓く足で 辿り着けたら

最後に叶うのは 誰の願い

哀しみの内訳は 妬み嫉みじゃないんだ

本当に 哀しい時に 零れてくれない涙

生き易さと 引き換えにして 感情を 忘れること

「ありのまま生きる」 たったそれだけが

できない僕らは 泣きたいのに 笑う

とうに 引き裂かれた この心は ひとつに 戻れるの

誰もがそれぞれ 違う哀しみを

綺麗な香りで 包み隠してる

すべてがいつか 揮発したあと

最後に消えないで 僕の願い

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
生きる(ikiru) /ikiru/ A1	verb - to live, to exist
泣く(naku) /naku/ A1	verb - to cry
笑う(warau) /warau/ A1	verb - to laugh, to smile
匂い(nioi) /niːoi/ A2	noun - smell, scent
心(kokoro) /kokoro/ A2	noun - heart, mind
嘘(uso) /ɯso/ A2	noun - lie, falsehood
顔(kao) /ka̠o̞/ A1	noun - face
記憶(kioku) /kʲiꜜo̞kɯ̟ᵝ/ B1	noun - memory, recollection
香(kaori) /ka̠o̞ɾʲi/ B1	noun - fragrance, scent
姿(sugata) /sɯga̠ta̠/ B1	noun - figure, shape, appearance
歪む(yugamu) /jɯgamu/ B2	verb - to warp, to distort
感情(kanjo) /kaꜜɲdʑoː/ B2	noun - emotion, feeling
祈り(inori) /iꜜnoɾi/ B2	noun - prayer, wish
哀しみ(kanashimi) /ka̠na̠ɕimʲi/ B1	noun - sadness, sorrow
醜い(minikui) /mʲiɲikɯi/ B2	adjective - ugly

Key Grammar Structures

• たったそれだけが

  ➔ The particle "だけ" indicates "only" or "just," emphasizing the exclusive aspect.

  ➔ The particle "だけ" restricts the noun or phrase to mean "only" this or that.

• ありのまま生きる

  ➔ Using "ありのまま" (as it is) emphasizes living authentically or genuinely.

  ➔ The phrase "ありのまま" describes accepting and living truthfully without pretense.

• 泣きたいのに 笑う

  ➔ The conjunction "のに" is used to express contrast or unexpected result, similar to "although" or "even though."

  ➔ The particle "のに" connects two clauses, highlighting a contradiction or unexpected outcome.

• 最後に残るのは

  ➔ The phrase "最後に残るのは" uses "に" as a particle indicating the point in time "at the end" or "finally."

  ➔ The particle "に" marks the point in time or place where the action occurs, in this case "at the end."

• すべてがいつか 揮発したあと

  ➔ The verb "揮発した" (volatilized, evaporated) is in the past tense "た" form, combined with "あと" meaning "after."

  ➔ The "た" form indicates completed action in the past, and "あと" means "after" or "following."

• 最後に消えないで 僕の願い

  ➔ The negative command "消えないで" uses "ない" form plus "で" to mean "do not disappear."

  ➔ The "ない" form creates a negative command, and "で" connects it to the verb to express "do not".