One more time, One more chance - Yamasaki Masayoshi

So I’m beginning a new project next semester where I’ll be translating Japanese music into English. For those who understand Olin speak, I’m doing my AHS capstone. This blog is just a pilot for the real deal starting next February.

If you don’t know already, I really like singing, and since picking up the ukulele two years ago in UOCD it’s only given me more excuses to hear myself sing. I’ve slowly grown a small repertoire of Japanese songs since returning back from Japan. And like all haphazard jamming I often find myself stopping midway through songs because I’m mumbling through too many words I can’t read. So the thought was, why not take something that I like doing anyway and turn it into a learning opportunity.

The song I picked for this time is “One more time, One more chance” by Yamasaki Masayoshi. I came across a cover of this song done by Goose house on Youtube and it just got stuck in my head right before Thanksgiving break when I was suppose to do this test trial. It’s has a really nice melancholy melody that has an undulating feel to it.

I made a few mistakes (forgive me m(,_,)m)

Next semester I’m planning on doing the footage on a nicer camera and mic setup, but for now it’ll just be my phone camera.

Jiaying’s Original Translation (Japanese Lyrics):

If I lose anymore of you, I won’t forgive myself

I would endure any pain if only I could meet you again

One more time, holding the seasons still

One more time, back when we fooled around

In our arguments, I was always the first to break

But your selfishness made me love you all the more

One more chance, my memories are fuzzy

One more chance, where should I look next...

I’m always searching, hoping somewhere I’d find you

At the house across mine, in a window in an alleyway,

Though you probably wouldn’t be there

If my wish was granted, I’d have you by my side

There’s nothing I wouldn’t do to have you in my arms

If only to distract myself from my loneliness, anyone would be fine

But on this starry night, I can’t fool myself

One more time, holding the seasons still

One more time, back when we fooled around

I’m always searching, hoping somewhere I’d find you

At an intersection, in my dreams,

Though you probably wouldn’t be there

If this miracle would occur

I could show you a new dawn

And tell you the “I love you” that I never said

Summer’s nostalgias returns

my heart suddenly stops

I’m always searching, hoping somewhere I’d find you

Early morning on the streets, in the town with the sakura trees,

Though you probably wouldn’t be there

If my wish was granted, I’d have you by my side

There’s nothing I wouldn’t do to have you in my arms

I’m always searching hoping somewhere I’d find your fragments

At a reststop store, in the corner of the newspaper

Though they probably wouldn’t be there

If this miracle would occur

I could show you a new dawn

And tell you the “I love you” that I never said

And I’m still searching hoping somewhere I’d see your smile

At a train stop along the tracks

Though you probably wouldn’t be there

If we believe that life is something that repeats,

I will always choose to be by your side

There is nothing more important to me, than you

Jiaying’s thoughts:

You really get a feel for how Japanese is structured differently from English by translating. A lot of the translated lyrics feel “backwards” like yoda speak, and there are definitely lots of commas which make things translate a little strange.

I don’t know if you get this feeling from the lyrics, but for me it kinda feels like this person’s significant other died…? Maybe not at first, but when it gets to the whole fragments part and the whole reincarnation part I’m definately like “ahhhhhh nooooooo.” This could definitely be an animated film.

Also Japanese songs feel sooo long...

Appendix

*Please let me know if something does not seem correct or if you would like to supplement what’s already here

何かおかしいと思ったら、正しいのを教えて下さい。

Vocabulary

Kanji	Kana	English
移ろう	うつろう	To change; to fade
巫山戯る	ふざける	To mess around; to joke
食い違う	くいちがう	To oppose; to clash
尚更	なおさら	All the more
愛しくさせる	あいしくさせる	To make me love
記憶	きおく	Memories
足を取られる	あしをとられる	To get tripped up
	どっか	Somewhere; anywhere
向かい	むかい	Opposite
	かける	To bet
紛らす	まぎらす	To distract; to divert
偽る	いつわる	To lie
不意に	ふいに	Suddenly
鼓動	こどう	Beat; palpitations
明け方	あけがた	Dawn
欠片	かけら	Fragment
旅先	たびさき	Destination
急行	きゅうこう	High speed
踏切	ふみきり	Railroad crossing

Grammar

「君の他に大切なものなど」

Things that are more important than you

Xのほかに

Other than X

アイスクリームのほかにタコも食べたい。

Other than ice cream I also want to eat tacos.

寝るのほかに何もしないつもりです。

I don’t plan on doing anything other than sleeping.