Archive for the ‘soutaiseiriron’ tag

Japan’s Stereo (using English)

Avoiding buying cialis online harmful chemicals or wearing protective gear when exposure is inevitable tizanidine online stores may lower the risk. Anesthesia can make a person feel triamterene sale sleepy and groggy for the rest of the day, so nexium sale it is advisable to avoid scheduling any tasks or activities ventolin in bangkok and to rest instead. Scarification is the cutting, burning, or buy cheap lasix branding of the skin to create scars in a set buy cheap t-ject 60 online pattern or design. If a person believes they may be order discount cafergot side effects effects experiencing the symptoms of CLI or ALI, they should immediately estrace vaginal cream seek medical attention. Histamine increases blood flow and white blood cheapest xalatan online cell count around the affected area, which causes inflammation or purchase lipitor online swelling. Most people who have plantar fasciitis surgery experience decreased order viagra no prescription required pain and improved foot mobility. Working with a neuropsychologist or cognitive.

"You can’t even understand what they’re saying!", parents complain of the almighty racket coming from their teenage offspring’s bedroom speakers.

The implied meaning is that music without comprehensible lyrics is as pointless as an inflatable dartboard. But where does that leave your average Japanese artist, or indeed any musician whose native language is less universal than English? If the listener is foreign, do a band’s songs become worthless? If a Japanese tree falls in an American forest, does it make a sound?

Perhaps the wish for a wider global appeal is what prompts many Japanese artists to sing in English. These days it’s rare to find a pop song that doesn’t at least stick some in the chorus.A Actual linguistic ability doesn’t seem to be especially important, leading to such original, insightful song titles as this:
YouTube Preview Image

["Baby Cruisin’ Love", by Perfume]

Often, English vocals from a Japanese artist are a pretty good sign that the singer in question doesn’t really have anything interesting to say. The country’s better lyricists use their own language, utilising their knowledge of its unique sounds and rhythms.

A good example is (Soutaiseiriron), who appear to create harmless, unhurried pop numbers with a cutesy feel. A closer examination of the lyrics, however, reveals a wide range of unusual topics, from time travelling lovers to philosophising ghosts. One song describes a schoolgirl’s unnervingly strong crush on her teacher - a plotline that gives Soutaiseiriron a sinister edge that is completely hidden from non-Japanese-speaking listeners.

YouTube Preview Image

Thankfully, cases like this are the exception rather than the norm, and removing the meaning from a song’s lyrics often does has little effect on a listener’s enjoyment. It’s not that Japan’s devoid of lyric-writing talent. It’s just that, as any racket-appreciating teenager knows, music is sound, not poetry. The instruments say as much as any vocalist, they just communicate in a language that doesn’t use words.

email

Post to Twitter Post to Facebook

Posted: December 10th, 2010
at 7:05am by mnp

Tagged with , , , , , , , , ,


Categories: youtube,music

Comments: No comments