"Kiseki" by Greeeen

Happy Easter, everyone!
And...speaking of miracles...

"Kiseki" - wonder, miracle, marvel
This Japanese music video isn't flashy and polished like many its counterparts that come out of the US, but I find this video both fun and endearing. It really shows a good cross section of typical lives and relationships of a lot of the people here.
I also think the way they do the lyrics - in English and in Japanese is great!

Greeeen - Kiseki

Ai Uta by Greeeen

GReeeeN - Ai Uta
by Jmusic60

Here's another J-pop group for you. I heard this song all the time last year, but just figured out who did it. It's kinda "poppy" but fun.
If anyone knows the real meaning behind the video, please share :)

Here is the chorus and last verse translation I found online:

Only standing by my side spending days laughing and crying,
That has become the meaning of my life
I dedicate this love song for you

I can't express how much I am thankful for you
Cries, laughs, sadness, and happiness are all shared as we continue to live
No matter how many nights have passed
I would like to sing my love with you

*** and the romaji ***

tada naite waratte sugosu hibi ni
tonari ni tatte ireru kotode
boku ga ikiru imi ni natte
kimi ni sasagu kono ai no uta

tada arigatou ja tsutae kirenai
naki warai to kanashimi yorokobi wo tomoni waka chi ai ikite ikou
ikutsumono yoru wo koete
boku wa kimi to ai wo utaou


***If you want to check out the rest of the lyrics, or if you want to see other Japanese music videos, check out http://www.jpopasia.com/

Mayday! what the heck is a Bump of Chicken?

A couple of posts ago I featured "Mayday" by Bump of Chicken. While trying to nail down an explanation for the unusual band name, I came across two:
1 - The term for "goosebumps" is "torihada" - but instead of "goose" they use "tori=chicken." Maybe the band's music is so amazing, listeners get "torihada"...
OR (and this one is from my resident "Bump of Chicken" student expert in ichikumi)
2 - In Japan the chicken is seen as a weak creature***. However, when the chicken is "bumped" or attacked, it "counter-attacks" (hangeki suru is what my student used). My student said that Bump of Chicken's message was about "fighting back" when you're knocked down - don't just take it. Stand up for yourself.

So - Bump of Chicken mystery solved.

***I got HOWLS of laughter as I explained the whole "You're a chicken" insult to my students. Of course I hammed it up with a proper "brock brock brock" (I have NO idea how to type chicken clucking) and doing a little chicken dance...

And, for those of you in a karaoke mood - here's "a" translation of the chorus and romaji lyrics to a song that'll put you in a good mood:

Mayday (excerpt)

Are you holding your breath
down to the bottom of your heart?
You are sinking (drowning/hiding?)
So I won't stop diving till I find you
The closer I get to you
The more harder it gets
When I have to take another breath
I'll take it with you

Iki wa motsu darou ka
Fukai kokoro no soko made
Kimi ga shizumeta kimi wo
Mitsukeru made moguru tsumori sa
Kurushisa to hireishite
Bokura wa chikazukeru
Futatabi kokyuu wo suru toki wa
Kimi to isshou ni

2007 #1

Well, I didn't really know what this song was about - but I really enjoyed watching all the shadow puppets in the video...makes me want to go tent camping. It's called "Tsubomi" ("bud") by Kobukuro, and it was the number one song in Japan last year. Here are the lyrics (up to the chorus) in romaji - so now you can sing along! :) (For any of you that KNOW Japanese - I just found these on the internet - forgive any mistakes!)

***
Namida koboshitemo, ase ni mamireta egao no naka ja.

Daremo kizuite wa kurenai
dakara anata no namida wo boku wa shiranai.

Tayasu koto naku, boku no kokoro ni, toosareteita
yasashii akari wa anata ga kureta riyuna ki ai no akashi.

Yawarakana hi damari ga tsutsumu senaka ni potsuri hanashikakenagara.

Itsuka konna hi ga kuru koto mo
kitto kitto kitto wakatteta hazu na noni.

Kiesouni, sakisou na, tsubomi ga kotoshi mo boku wo matteru.
tenohira ja, tsukamenai kaze ni tooru hanabira.
tachitomaru ni kata ni hirari
jouzu ni nosete waratte miseta anta wo omoide su hitori.

***

Exile & Koda - "Won't Be Long"

EXILE & Koda Kumi - WON'T BE LONG
Uploaded by dcbape

...it seems the the US influence here extends beyond the proliferation of McDonald's restaurants...but I can tell you the peeps around here don't look any thing like this. Might want to cover the kids' eyes - Koda seems to be allergic to clothes.
The reason I looked this up is because kids at the International Day danced this song for us last week. But because I, once again, didn't quite understand what we were supposed to be doing, I started dancing with the kids (which they liked), but it was really hard to keep up. I glanced at my friend who wasn't dancing and she said, "I think maybe we only have to watch, yo" ANYWAY...the kids were really cute.
So - douzo. K-sensei, I thought maybe the Ely peeps could use this as a diversion from FCAT...
For the record, Bump of Chicken's still got my vote.