YELLOW – Bilingual Lyrics Japanese/English

• By: 神山羊
• Album: CLOSET

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the evocative world of Yoh Kamiyama's "YELLOW," a song that beautifully blends catchy J-Pop melodies with profound, multi-layered lyrical interpretations. By exploring its rich narrative and symbolic language, particularly the nuanced meanings of 'yellow' and deeply personal struggles, you can gain unique insights into Japanese cultural expression and expand your understanding of the language through its captivating and often debated themes. This song is special for its ability to convey complex emotions and stories, inviting listeners to engage deeply with its meaning.

[English]

In other words, I was trapped by curiosity

If it was something important, I broke it

A hall cake without a light, I was dancing with you made of wood

Today, I waited in the closet

Just huddling together with small bodies

I will sleep, I will change, imagination

Easy and safe

"I'm a foolish child, don't go anywhere"

Wake up those dull eyes of the murky identity

I tidied up the toys during the night

Still innocent

I still wanted to stay

ah

Love is high

Just leaving it behind

Important memories that have peeled away

but regret is low-life

Then, I dare to

Wish for an impossible summer

YELLOW

YELLOW

YELLOW

YELLOW

YELLOW

YELLOW

It seems that guy was killed by curiosity

I tried a cunning trick

Such actions that don't get anywhere

I was singing with a full smile

Today, I waited in the closet

If I'm waiting alone, is this all there is?

I will change, I will end, affirmation

Continuing to seek

Value, value, value, the approaching second hand

Spinning more, deepening

In the end, heaven and earth will turn upside down

Why? Why? Look, it's a blurred transparency

I still remember the scenery I saw from the window

I wish it would just disappear, YELLOW

...

...

YELLOW

YELLOW

YELLOW

YELLOW

YELLOW

YELLOW

YELLOW

YELLOW

To prevent that day from coming, I purposely made a mistake

Collapsed, separation and liberation

It seems there is no salvation, saying it's limited

Still, the heat of my feelings

Love is high, just leaving it behind

Important memories that have peeled away

but regret is low-life, then I dare to

Wish for an impossible summer

...

[Japanese]

つまりは好奇心に囚われてたんだ Tsumari wa kōkishin ni toraware teta nda

大切な物なら壊したんだ Taisetsuna mononara kowashita nda

明かりの灯らないホールケーキ 木製の君と踊ってたんだ Akari no tomoranai hōkēki mokusei no kimi to odotteta nda

クローゼットで待った今日も Kurozetto de matta kyō mo

小さな身体ただ寄せ合って Chīsana karada tada yose atte

眠るのさ、変わるのさ 想像 Nemuru no sa, kawaru no sa sōzō

容易い安全 Tayasui anzen

「私 馬鹿な子なの どこにも行かないで」 Watashi bakana kona no dokoni mo ikanaide

濁った正体の鈍い目を覚ませ Nigotta shōtai no nibui me o samase

夜のうち 片付けた おもちゃ Yoru no uchi katadzuketa omocha

無邪気なままで Mujakina mama de

まだいたかった Mada itakatta

ah

愛情はhigh Aijō wa high

ただ捨て置くばかり Tada suteoku bakari

剥がれ落ちた 大事な記憶 Hagare ochita daijina kioku

but 後悔 low-life But kōkai low-life

ならば敢えて Naraba aete

ありえないことを 願う夏を Arienai koto o negau natsu o

YELLOW

YELLOW

YELLOW

YELLOW

YELLOW

YELLOW

あいつは好奇心に殺されたようだ Aitsu wa kōkishin ni korosa reta yōda

狡猾な術なら試したんだ Kōkatsuna sube nara tameshita nda

うだつの上がらないあんな行為 Udatsu no agaranai an'na kōi

満面の笑みで歌ってたんだ Manmen'noemi de utatteta nda

クローゼットで待った今日は Kurōzetto de matta kyō wa

1人で待つのならこんなもんか 1-Ri de matsu nonara kon'na mon ka

変わるのさ、終わるのさ、肯定 Kawaru no sa, owaru no sa, kōtei

求め続ける Motome tsudzukeru

価値 価値 価値 迫る秒針 Kachi kachi kachi semaru byōshin

もっと巻いて業、深くなって Motto mai te-gyō, fukaku natte

終いには 天地が 逆さまに なる Shimai ni wa tenchi ga sakasama ni naru

なんで？どうして？ ほら霞んだ透明 Nande? Dōshite? Hora kasunda tōmei

窓から見た景色をまだ覚えています」 Mado kara mita keshiki o mada oboete imasu

いっそ消えて無くなるだけのYELLOW Isso kiete nakunaru dake no ierō

YELLOW

YELLOW

YELLOW

YELLOW

YELLOW

YELLOW

YELLOW

YELLOW

その日が来ないよう、わざと間違えて Sonohi ga konai yō, wazato machigaete

崩れ落ちた、乖離と解脱 Kuzureochita, kairi to gedatsu

救いなどないよう、限りあるなんて Sukui nado nai yō, kagiri aru nante

まだ、想う熱 mada, omou netsu

愛情はhigh ただ捨て置くばかり Aijō wa high tada suteoku bakari

剥がれ落ちた 大事な記憶 hagare ochita daijina kioku

but 後悔 low-life ならば敢えて But kōkai low - life naraba aete

ありえないことを願う夏を arienai koto o negau natsu o

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
好奇心 /kōkishin/ B1	noun - curiosity
壊す /kowasu/ B1	verb - to break, to destroy
灯 /hi/ A2	noun - lamp, light
踊る /odoru/ A2	verb - to dance
待つ /matsu/ A2	verb - to wait
変わる /kawaru/ A2	verb - to change
想像 /sōzō/ B2	noun - imagination
安全 /anzen/ A2	noun - safety, security
願う /negau/ B1	verb - to wish, to hope
無邪気 /mujaki/ B2	noun - innocence, naive
愛情 /aijō/ B1	noun - love, affection
後悔 /kōkai/ B2	noun - regret
絶対 /zettai/ B2	adverb - absolutely, definitely
願う /negau/ B1	verb - to wish, to hope

Key Grammar Structures

• つまりは好奇心に囚われてたんだ

  ➔ The phrase 'は' (wa) marks the topic of the sentence, emphasizing what the sentence is about.

  ➔

• 大切な物なら壊したんだ

  ➔ The conditional 'なら' expresses 'if' or 'assuming' when talking about something.

  ➔

• 木製の君と踊ってたんだ

  ➔ The clause 'の' (no) connects nouns and functions as a possessive or descriptive particle.

  ➔

• 眠るのさ、変わるのさ 想像

  ➔ 'のさ' is an informal explanatory ending that emphasizes or affirms the preceding statement.

  ➔

• 愛情はhigh ただ捨て置くばかり

  ➔ 'は' (wa) indicates the topic that the sentence is about.

  ➔

• 剥がれ落ちた 大事な記憶

  ➔ The verb '剥がれる' (hagareru) is in passive form, meaning 'to be peeled off' or 'fallen off'.

  ➔

• 夜のうち 片付けた おもちゃ

  ➔ The phrase '夜のうち' (yoru no uchi) indicates 'during the night' or 'while it's night'.

  ➔