the pillows - "Boku de irareru you ni" lyrics translation
It's 20 years old now, but still a great pillows song. It's been so long and still no translations out there, so here's my attempt. I couldn't for the life of me figure out a good way to translate the title, so I went with one I saw on a youtube clip. As usual, any corrections are welcomed.
「僕でいられるように」
(Boku de irareru you ni)
"As I can be"
Artist: the pillows
Lyrics/composition: Yamanaka Sawao
Single: Girlfriend
Release date: 1995/3/24
KANJI:
大きな声を出せば どこまでも届くと
そう思うには少し大人びてしまった
なのにどうして
涙はこんなに溢れるのか
わからないよ いつもね 今もね
並んでやさしく奏でる
ギターが僕の頬を濡らすよ
遠い日まで 連れ戻すように
今の姿じゃ 明日は来るのかわからない
何もかも失う時だってあったけど
それでもいいさ
出口の見えないトンネルだとしても
止まらないよ 約束通りね
強くあたたかく響く
リズムが丸めた背を叩くよ
隠れそうな僕を呼ぶように
たったひとつ譲れない
小さな勇気が震えながら残ってた
僕でいられるように
どんな時も 失くさないで ここにいるよ
ROMAJI:
ooki na koe wo daseba doko made todoku to
sou omou ni wa sukoshi otona biteshimatta
na no ni doushite
namida wa konna ni afureru no ka
wakaranai yo itsumo ne ima mo ne
narande yasashiku kanaderu
GITAA ga boku no hoho wo nurasu yo
tooi hi made tsuremodosu you ni
ima no sugata ja ashita wa kuru no ka wakaranai
nanimo ka mo ushinau toki datte atta kedo
sore demo ii sa
deguchi no mienai TONNERU da to shite mo
tomaranai yo yakusoku toori ne
tsuyoku atatakaku hibiku
RIZUMU ga marumeta se wo tataku yo
kakuresou na boku wo yobu you ni
tatta hitotsu yuzurenai
chiisana yuuki ga furuenagara nokotteta
boku de irareru you ni
donna toki mo nakusanai de koko ni iru yo
TRANSLATION:
If I let out a loud voice, it’ll reach anywhere
I grew up thinking like that
And yet, howcome
Tears are falling like this?
I just don’t know, as always, even now
Gently playing alongside me
The guitar soaks my cheeks
As if to bring back those distant days
With this current form, I don’t know whether tomorrow will come
There was a time I lost just about everything, but
Still it’s okay
Even if the exit of the tunnel can’t be seen,
I just won’t stop, as I promised
It resounds strongly and warmly
The rhythm taps on my curled up back
As if to call me, who seemed to be hiding
There’s just one thing I won’t hand over
The tiny courage that remained as I trembled
As I can be
No matter when, I won’t lose it, it’s right here
kanji source
「僕でいられるように」
(Boku de irareru you ni)
"As I can be"
Artist: the pillows
Lyrics/composition: Yamanaka Sawao
Single: Girlfriend
Release date: 1995/3/24
KANJI:
大きな声を出せば どこまでも届くと
そう思うには少し大人びてしまった
なのにどうして
涙はこんなに溢れるのか
わからないよ いつもね 今もね
並んでやさしく奏でる
ギターが僕の頬を濡らすよ
遠い日まで 連れ戻すように
今の姿じゃ 明日は来るのかわからない
何もかも失う時だってあったけど
それでもいいさ
出口の見えないトンネルだとしても
止まらないよ 約束通りね
強くあたたかく響く
リズムが丸めた背を叩くよ
隠れそうな僕を呼ぶように
たったひとつ譲れない
小さな勇気が震えながら残ってた
僕でいられるように
どんな時も 失くさないで ここにいるよ
ROMAJI:
ooki na koe wo daseba doko made todoku to
sou omou ni wa sukoshi otona biteshimatta
na no ni doushite
namida wa konna ni afureru no ka
wakaranai yo itsumo ne ima mo ne
narande yasashiku kanaderu
GITAA ga boku no hoho wo nurasu yo
tooi hi made tsuremodosu you ni
ima no sugata ja ashita wa kuru no ka wakaranai
nanimo ka mo ushinau toki datte atta kedo
sore demo ii sa
deguchi no mienai TONNERU da to shite mo
tomaranai yo yakusoku toori ne
tsuyoku atatakaku hibiku
RIZUMU ga marumeta se wo tataku yo
kakuresou na boku wo yobu you ni
tatta hitotsu yuzurenai
chiisana yuuki ga furuenagara nokotteta
boku de irareru you ni
donna toki mo nakusanai de koko ni iru yo
TRANSLATION:
If I let out a loud voice, it’ll reach anywhere
I grew up thinking like that
And yet, howcome
Tears are falling like this?
I just don’t know, as always, even now
Gently playing alongside me
The guitar soaks my cheeks
As if to bring back those distant days
With this current form, I don’t know whether tomorrow will come
There was a time I lost just about everything, but
Still it’s okay
Even if the exit of the tunnel can’t be seen,
I just won’t stop, as I promised
It resounds strongly and warmly
The rhythm taps on my curled up back
As if to call me, who seemed to be hiding
There’s just one thing I won’t hand over
The tiny courage that remained as I trembled
As I can be
No matter when, I won’t lose it, it’s right here
kanji source