Lyrics: the GazettE - HYENA
10/3/2018: I have not accessed this journal in a long time (or the e-mail address associated with it, tbh). Like, the new baby in my FAQ is 9 years old long. I recently started a new GazettE-centric translations blog on Wordpress - if you're looking for newer songs or updated stuff, that's the place to go:
Defective Tragedy
I will probably not access this journal again, fair warning. If you've tried to contact me on LJ sometime in the past 9 years since I stopped posting, I'm really sorry. :(
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Romaji and translation of the lyrics for HYENA from the album STACKED RUBBISH by the GazettE.
Words originally written/sung in English are in italics in the translation. In this song, some words that are sung by not printed in the booklet and words that I felt were implied are in [ ]s.
HYENA
1
[All right...]
Ugly acting and song
odori ga heta na Handsome
Your copulation is dirtier than money.
Unprincipled strategist
ranyou middle aged spread
buraun kan no sumi de tengu kibun sa
Please disappear because it is an eyesore
3
You were born from the mouth?
fushiana ni uru kobi shikanai
Your copulation is dirtier than money.
Unprincipled strategist
ranyou middle aged spread
hankyouran na gaki wa bisho nure sa
Please disappear because it is an eyesore
It fails together if going straight.
Curtain of wine red [of wine red] shikibetsu dekinu [dekinu wa]
nagasareru mama odoru yume
sayuu ni narau ibitsu Masquerade
kazareba nabiku ai ni
oboreru ima no kimi ni
muragaru no wa isshun no kyoumei
onshitsu kuzure no Prince
koutoubu ni shanderia
sutareta sono hi kyoumei wa Hyena
[You were born from the mouth?
fushiana ni uru kobi shikanai
Your copulation is dirtier than money.
Unprincipled strategist
ranyou middle aged spread
hankyouran na gaki wa bisho nure sa
Please disappear because it is an eyesore
It fails together if going straight.]
kimi no kao ni [kao ni] saita koe wa [koe wa]
risou kasane kaigorosu yo
ani na "towa" wa tsukai mawashi no yume
nani iro no namida de
nani iro no kotoba de
nuri tsubuseba sono kao de irareru?
mie sugita kizuato7
atae sugita uso ni
unuboreta mama kuchiteku yo hora
kazareba nabiku ai ni
oboreru ima no kimi ni
muragaru no wa isshun no kyoumei
onshitsu kuzure no Prince
koutoubu ni shanderia
sutareta sono hi kyoumei wa Hyena
8
HYENA
1
[All right...]
Ugly acting and song
That's some awful dancing, Handsome
Your copulation is dirtier than money.
Unprincipled strategist
Over-used middle aged spread
The CRT2 in the corner seems proud of it, though
Please disappear because it is an eyesore
3
You were born from the mouth?
You have no choice but to sell flirtation through a peep-hole
Your copulation is dirtier than money.
Unprincipled strategist
Over-used middle aged spread
[making the] half-frenzied kids4 sopping wet
Please disappear because it is an eyesore
If fails together if going straight.
Curtain of wine red [of wine red] keeps them from finding out who you are [it won't happen]
as your dancing dream is broadcast
Your imitation of control is distorted, a Masquerade
If you yield to adorning yourself with their affection
If you allow yourself to indulge in that now
You'll be surrounded by sympathizers in an instant
You're Prince of a ruined glass house5
[with] a chandelier behind your head
whose day has long since passed Those sympathizers are really Hyenas6
[You were born from the mouth?
You have no choice but to sell flirtation through a peep-hole
Your copulation is dirtier than money.
Unprincipled strategist
Over-used middle aged spread
[making the] half-frenzied kids sopping wet
Please disappear because it is an eyesore
It fails together if going straight]
The voice which blossomed from your face
was so ideal that they piled on [promises of] keeping you around forever
Such an easy "permanence" is the recurring theme of [many people's] dreams
If your multicolored tears
blotted out your multicolored words,
would you still be able to show your face?
Marred7 by your excessive vanity,
you seem to think you're the best thing to ever happen to this world, but it's not true
While you're busy being so conceited, you're really rotting Open your eyes!
If you yield to adorning yourself with their affection
If you allow yourself to indulge in that now
Sympathizers will flock to you in an instant
You're Prince of a ruined glass house
[with] a chandelier behind your head
whose day has long since passed Those sympathizers are really Hyenas
8
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Translator's Note:
1 Something is sung/said here that is not included in the lyrics.
2 The kanji ブラウン管 (buraun kan) as a phrase means "cathode-ray tube, CRT, Braun tube". I'm taking this to be a reference to a monitor - either one of the big boxy computer monitors that weigh a ton, or else some kind of TV monitor on which the subject of the song is being displayed. If the katakana word is separated from the kanji, you could also get a literal translation of "brown tube/pipe" or "Braun tube" (Braun referring to the inventor of cathode-ray tubes used in those types of monitors). Anyway, more about CRT and CRT monitors here and here respectively.
3 Another section that's not in the lyrics.
4 The term 餓鬼 (gaki) has a negative connotation, like how you would refer to bullies, delinquents, "those damn kids", etc. - not well-behaved, innocent children. I get the mental image of horny teenagers from this line.
5 Glass house as in a “hothouse” or “greenhouse”. (And special thanks to pooobaihr for helping me figure out a kanji/translation error!! :D)
6 Hyenas are hunters, but they're also scavengers and dietary opportunists. They're perfectly content to feast on the leftovers of larger predators - including rotting meat. Most cultures view the hyena in a negative light, associating it with such unsavory characteristics as uncleanliness, greed, gluttony, opportunism, and even deviant sexual behavior or prostitution (as the females of some species have external sexual organs which gives them complete control over which males they allow to mate with them, and early researchers compared them with hares and rabbits in their, um, love of mating). They also have a cackling, laughter-like call that many associate with cruelty, mocking, or even insanity. In this respect, I believe what he's trying to say in the song is that the "sympathizers" are fake, using a moment of weakness or insecurity to get close to the subject of the song so they can "feed" or take advantage. More info on hyenas here.
7 痕跡 (konseki - trace(s), vestige(s)) is written, while 傷跡 (kizuato - scar, cicatrix, blemish or mark) is sung; I translated it as "marred" since it seems to encompass the meaning of both words.
8 And yet another part that isn't included in the lyrics.
So basically, my thoughts on this song are that it seems to be sung about someone who makes their living off voyeurism/"entertainment" (I’m guessing male, mostly because of the “That’s some awful dancing, Handsome” line, though usually you see more women in that sort of profession). The line about the curtain hiding his true identity, and references to selling flirtation through a “peep-hole” bring to mind those booths where you can pay money to see a strip-tease or similar act from behind glass, while the line about the CRT/monitor could mean he’s doing something that’s being shown on the Internet or something where people can watch him from their homes (Internet web-cam porn! LOL). So while he seems to think he’s God’s gift to the earth, it seems to be that the singer is trying to point out to him that physical looks are impermanent, and will fade over time (rot away), and that he’s not as skilled and “in control” as he seems to think. The references to “over-used middle aged spread” could be referring to how he’s being used up, and doesn’t seem to realize that one day he’ll get older and it will all catch up with him (or that he has gotten older and it already has caught up with him - I would probaby call an overweight, middle-aged guy trying to be all sexy an eyesore too!). The singer also seems to be trying to warn him that the “friends” he makes (the “sympathizers”) are only after one thing - his looks - and not actually interested in him as a person or his troubles, and that their promises of always keeping him around are solely based on his remaining “useful”. (Also, it was pointed out by devilxjoker in my post on gazette_lyrics that the Japanese Wikipedia article on Ruki mentions that HYENA criticizes "idols" / the boy-band "entertainers" produced by such entities as Johnny's Entertainment - cranked out, cookie-cutter Jpop packaged simply to sell without much substance. I've also read that corporations like Johnny's pretty much use and throw away their talent when they're not marketable anymore - and the talent doesn't really see much of the profits even if they are an incredible success, so it's a double-edged sword for most of the people that sign with them - and a good reason to provide a warning to them that while they're hot stuff now, they won't be forever, especially once they get "too old". Thanks for the link!!)
Defective Tragedy
I will probably not access this journal again, fair warning. If you've tried to contact me on LJ sometime in the past 9 years since I stopped posting, I'm really sorry. :(
--------------------------
Romaji and translation of the lyrics for HYENA from the album STACKED RUBBISH by the GazettE.
Words originally written/sung in English are in italics in the translation. In this song, some words that are sung by not printed in the booklet and words that I felt were implied are in [ ]s.
HYENA
1
[All right...]
Ugly acting and song
odori ga heta na Handsome
Your copulation is dirtier than money.
Unprincipled strategist
ranyou middle aged spread
buraun kan no sumi de tengu kibun sa
Please disappear because it is an eyesore
3
You were born from the mouth?
fushiana ni uru kobi shikanai
Your copulation is dirtier than money.
Unprincipled strategist
ranyou middle aged spread
hankyouran na gaki wa bisho nure sa
Please disappear because it is an eyesore
It fails together if going straight.
Curtain of wine red [of wine red] shikibetsu dekinu [dekinu wa]
nagasareru mama odoru yume
sayuu ni narau ibitsu Masquerade
kazareba nabiku ai ni
oboreru ima no kimi ni
muragaru no wa isshun no kyoumei
onshitsu kuzure no Prince
koutoubu ni shanderia
sutareta sono hi kyoumei wa Hyena
[You were born from the mouth?
fushiana ni uru kobi shikanai
Your copulation is dirtier than money.
Unprincipled strategist
ranyou middle aged spread
hankyouran na gaki wa bisho nure sa
Please disappear because it is an eyesore
It fails together if going straight.]
kimi no kao ni [kao ni] saita koe wa [koe wa]
risou kasane kaigorosu yo
ani na "towa" wa tsukai mawashi no yume
nani iro no namida de
nani iro no kotoba de
nuri tsubuseba sono kao de irareru?
mie sugita kizuato7
atae sugita uso ni
unuboreta mama kuchiteku yo hora
kazareba nabiku ai ni
oboreru ima no kimi ni
muragaru no wa isshun no kyoumei
onshitsu kuzure no Prince
koutoubu ni shanderia
sutareta sono hi kyoumei wa Hyena
8
HYENA
1
[All right...]
Ugly acting and song
That's some awful dancing, Handsome
Your copulation is dirtier than money.
Unprincipled strategist
Over-used middle aged spread
The CRT2 in the corner seems proud of it, though
Please disappear because it is an eyesore
3
You were born from the mouth?
You have no choice but to sell flirtation through a peep-hole
Your copulation is dirtier than money.
Unprincipled strategist
Over-used middle aged spread
[making the] half-frenzied kids4 sopping wet
Please disappear because it is an eyesore
If fails together if going straight.
Curtain of wine red [of wine red] keeps them from finding out who you are [it won't happen]
as your dancing dream is broadcast
Your imitation of control is distorted, a Masquerade
If you yield to adorning yourself with their affection
If you allow yourself to indulge in that now
You'll be surrounded by sympathizers in an instant
You're Prince of a ruined glass house5
[with] a chandelier behind your head
whose day has long since passed Those sympathizers are really Hyenas6
[You were born from the mouth?
You have no choice but to sell flirtation through a peep-hole
Your copulation is dirtier than money.
Unprincipled strategist
Over-used middle aged spread
[making the] half-frenzied kids sopping wet
Please disappear because it is an eyesore
It fails together if going straight]
The voice which blossomed from your face
was so ideal that they piled on [promises of] keeping you around forever
Such an easy "permanence" is the recurring theme of [many people's] dreams
If your multicolored tears
blotted out your multicolored words,
would you still be able to show your face?
Marred7 by your excessive vanity,
you seem to think you're the best thing to ever happen to this world, but it's not true
While you're busy being so conceited, you're really rotting Open your eyes!
If you yield to adorning yourself with their affection
If you allow yourself to indulge in that now
Sympathizers will flock to you in an instant
You're Prince of a ruined glass house
[with] a chandelier behind your head
whose day has long since passed Those sympathizers are really Hyenas
8
-----------------------------------------------------------
Translator's Note:
1 Something is sung/said here that is not included in the lyrics.
2 The kanji ブラウン管 (buraun kan) as a phrase means "cathode-ray tube, CRT, Braun tube". I'm taking this to be a reference to a monitor - either one of the big boxy computer monitors that weigh a ton, or else some kind of TV monitor on which the subject of the song is being displayed. If the katakana word is separated from the kanji, you could also get a literal translation of "brown tube/pipe" or "Braun tube" (Braun referring to the inventor of cathode-ray tubes used in those types of monitors). Anyway, more about CRT and CRT monitors here and here respectively.
3 Another section that's not in the lyrics.
4 The term 餓鬼 (gaki) has a negative connotation, like how you would refer to bullies, delinquents, "those damn kids", etc. - not well-behaved, innocent children. I get the mental image of horny teenagers from this line.
5 Glass house as in a “hothouse” or “greenhouse”. (And special thanks to pooobaihr for helping me figure out a kanji/translation error!! :D)
6 Hyenas are hunters, but they're also scavengers and dietary opportunists. They're perfectly content to feast on the leftovers of larger predators - including rotting meat. Most cultures view the hyena in a negative light, associating it with such unsavory characteristics as uncleanliness, greed, gluttony, opportunism, and even deviant sexual behavior or prostitution (as the females of some species have external sexual organs which gives them complete control over which males they allow to mate with them, and early researchers compared them with hares and rabbits in their, um, love of mating). They also have a cackling, laughter-like call that many associate with cruelty, mocking, or even insanity. In this respect, I believe what he's trying to say in the song is that the "sympathizers" are fake, using a moment of weakness or insecurity to get close to the subject of the song so they can "feed" or take advantage. More info on hyenas here.
7 痕跡 (konseki - trace(s), vestige(s)) is written, while 傷跡 (kizuato - scar, cicatrix, blemish or mark) is sung; I translated it as "marred" since it seems to encompass the meaning of both words.
8 And yet another part that isn't included in the lyrics.
So basically, my thoughts on this song are that it seems to be sung about someone who makes their living off voyeurism/"entertainment" (I’m guessing male, mostly because of the “That’s some awful dancing, Handsome” line, though usually you see more women in that sort of profession). The line about the curtain hiding his true identity, and references to selling flirtation through a “peep-hole” bring to mind those booths where you can pay money to see a strip-tease or similar act from behind glass, while the line about the CRT/monitor could mean he’s doing something that’s being shown on the Internet or something where people can watch him from their homes (Internet web-cam porn! LOL). So while he seems to think he’s God’s gift to the earth, it seems to be that the singer is trying to point out to him that physical looks are impermanent, and will fade over time (rot away), and that he’s not as skilled and “in control” as he seems to think. The references to “over-used middle aged spread” could be referring to how he’s being used up, and doesn’t seem to realize that one day he’ll get older and it will all catch up with him (or that he has gotten older and it already has caught up with him - I would probaby call an overweight, middle-aged guy trying to be all sexy an eyesore too!). The singer also seems to be trying to warn him that the “friends” he makes (the “sympathizers”) are only after one thing - his looks - and not actually interested in him as a person or his troubles, and that their promises of always keeping him around are solely based on his remaining “useful”. (Also, it was pointed out by devilxjoker in my post on gazette_lyrics that the Japanese Wikipedia article on Ruki mentions that HYENA criticizes "idols" / the boy-band "entertainers" produced by such entities as Johnny's Entertainment - cranked out, cookie-cutter Jpop packaged simply to sell without much substance. I've also read that corporations like Johnny's pretty much use and throw away their talent when they're not marketable anymore - and the talent doesn't really see much of the profits even if they are an incredible success, so it's a double-edged sword for most of the people that sign with them - and a good reason to provide a warning to them that while they're hot stuff now, they won't be forever, especially once they get "too old". Thanks for the link!!)