“Matenrou Opera” means “Skyscraper Opera” and “Tenjou he no kakehashi wo” means ”The Bridge to Heavens..”
(OBS: please notice the particle "を" at the end of "天上への架け橋を". This indicates that there is a transitive verb at the end of the title, which means there should be a verb in the title. Like... see, hear, take, walk, or what have you. Unfortunately, only Sono, the vocalist, knows what verb he is omitting from the title>_<* I just want you to notice because the title isn't only "The Bridge to Heavens" but... more... - which is why I added the "..."... - eh, yes...(>__<●)
色が消えてく 光が負ける
消えたこの世界で私は どうしてまだ生きてる
消えたこの世界で私は どうしてまだ生きてる
The colors are vanishing and the light is yielding (1)
In this disappearing world, why am I still living? (2)
冷たい夜明け 朝がまた来る
産まれてから 私の記憶はあなたといつも一緒で
産まれてから 私の記憶はあなたといつも一緒で
With the cold-hearted daybreak, the morning comes again (3)
In all of my memories, we were always together, ever since we were born (4)
ああ 泣き出して気付くの あなたにもう会えないこと
ああ 本当は私を 私だけを見てくれてたこと
ああ 本当は私を 私だけを見てくれてたこと
Ah… Breaking down in tears, I realize that I will never be able to see you again (5)
Ah… The truth is that you saw me… the real me… (6)
一人の足音が歩道に響く
点けた煙草の煙は冬の匂いと消えた
点けた煙草の煙は冬の匂いと消えた
The sound of my lonely footsteps resounds on the pavement (7)
The smoke of the lit cigarette is disappearing along with the scent of winter
ああ どうして私だけ １人でここにいるんだろう
ああ どうしてあなたはいなくなってしまったの
ああ どうしてあなたはいなくなってしまったの
Ah… Please tell me why I am left to live alone (here in this place)…
Ah… Please tell me why you’re gone…
もう少し もう少し 私が大人だったら
守られてばかりの自分に気付けたのに
永遠だと思っていた日々は あっけなく終わってしまったよ
守られてばかりの自分に気付けたのに
永遠だと思っていた日々は あっけなく終わってしまったよ
A little more, a little more, if I had only been more grown up
I could have realized that all I did was being protected by you
The days I thought would last until eternity ended too soon
ああ 泣き出して気付くの あなたにもう会えないこと
ああ 本当は私を 私だけを見てくれてたこと
ああ 本当は私を 私だけを見てくれてたこと
Ah… Breaking down in tears, I realize that I will never be able to see you again
Ah… The truth is that you saw me… the real me…
きっとあなたも眠れずに 寂しい思いをしているのでしょう
どうか私がいくまで もう少し待っていて下さい
どうか私がいくまで もう少し待っていて下さい
I believe, surely, you are sleepless and thinking about loneliness too
Please wait, just a little while, until I can come to you
どうか私がいくまで もう少し待っていて下さい
Please wait, just a little while, until I can come to you
(1) I used “yielding” because it gives the feeling that the light is docile – weak – (almost humanized in some way, poetically). I thought “surrendering” or “being defeated” were a little too hard for the feeling of this song… Maybe^^;
(2) I could have written; “Why am I still living in this disappearing world?”, but, from the way it’s written in Japanese too, I think he’s emphasizing why HE (and not the person he’s talking to) is still living (- hence why the other person isn’t there anymore with him), and not why he’s living “in a disappearing world” (where emphasis is on “the world” and the sad fact that it’s “disappearing”). Same sentence, different focus.I hope that makes sense to you?^^;
(3) Again I gave something innate human abilities. Like this, it’s almost as if he’s blaming the daybreak for coming again and thus providing a new morning, whereas, if I used “cold daybreak”, he might as well be stating the weather or temperature of the morning. I also added “with” to make the sentence smoother^^;
(4) I added “in all of” to “my memories” because it seems to make the most sense in English - unless I translate it to “I remember we were always together” which I think loses a bit of the image he’s creating by mentioning”私の記憶” - “my memories” - rather than using the verb (“覚える”) for remembering.
Also, I made the subject of the first part of the sentence, “産まれてから”, both of them, him and the other person, rather than just him, since… well, I suppose they’re same age - and it’s more romantic to say it that way. That they’ve been together always, every second, every step of the way. They were even born together. It's very romantic.
... Or maybe that’s just me? (>__<●
... Or maybe that’s just me? (>__<●
(5) I might have over-dramatized “泣き出して”, but I think it suits the feeling of the song…?^^;
(6) This sentences is a bit annoying, I think(>__<● As I understand the sentence, it doesn’t just mean that the person was looking at him but more like… the person really saw him. Saw who he was – in truth. Deep down, seeing past all the pretenses, this person saw him for who he really was. This person loved him, and that’s what he realizes.
... But maybe I am over-analyzing^^;;
Yuksa san ♥ told me, it can be (and probably should be) something like; ”(I realized that) the truth is you saw me, you saw only me (with your kindness.)”, but she agrees that my version is more poetic and right too^^;
(7) I take “一人” to mean only his footsteps instead of “one person’s footsteps”, which means the other person’s footsteps aren’t there with him anymore to resound on the pavement too. So… he’s alone… lonely…^^;
Note: I read somewhere that Sono (the vocalist of Matenrou Opera) says on “Like an Edison's Privilege” interview DVD that the story behind (of) this song is about a girl and a boy who have known each other ever since childhood, and, while he has always loved her, she doesn't realize how much she loves him in return until after he’s dead. This is a song about how she realizes all these things only after he's gone, seen from her point of view. Very sadね^^;
Pssst---Interested in hearing the song? It's uploaded here but of course you have to follow all rules and delete it after 24 hours and buy the CDs from the artist and all that yada yada yada(>__<●
All lyrics translations uploaded here are of course owned by me (though the lyrics in themselves are owned by the respectful artists). If you want to use or re-post my translations, please ask permission beforehand. Credit is, of course, always given to me. (*゜▽゜)ノ゛☆ ♥ ♥
A special thank you to the amazing Yuka san for all her help ♥ ♥
