Released on 2013 Jun. 19th, coupled with MEGITSUNE (included in the limited edition).
Lyric: Chaos NAKATA, RYU-METAL, FUJI-METAL / Music: TEAM-K / Arr.: tatsuo, KxBxMETAL
This song is sung by BLACK BABYMETAL (MOAMETAL & YUIMETAL).
Onedari DaiSakusen (Beg-Dad-for-it Operation)
Tactic 1:
I flatter more than usual.
I give Dad a shoulder massage, and immediately...
"I love you, Dad."
Tactic 2:
Thank you for your hard work. You are my god.
Of course my favorite type is...
"I love you, Dad."
Lies are alright. [No need to restrain!]
Keep on praising! [Flattery, flattery!]
I want that one. [A little more bolder!]
I want this one too.
[With angel's face, devil's whisper.]
[Rather than preaching, give me the money!]
[With angel's face, devil's whisper.]
"I will become your bride, Dad."
Let's go! Let's go!
Beg-Dad-for-it operation.
Make a cute sulky face and keep on claiming!
The strongest [oh], the greatest [oh].
Dad is about to be cheated by my angelic smile. : P
Let's go! Let's go!
Beg-Dad-for-it operation.
I will get it in secret from Mom.
The strongest [oh], the greatest [oh].
I beg. I beg.
Beg-Dad-for-it operation.
I entreat. [This is the last.] I entreat. [Always]
If I marry, I will marry after all... [You, Dad.]
I entreat. [This is the last.] I entreat. [Always]
I play the spoiled kid. [BLACK BABYMETAL]
I entreat. [This is the last.] I entreat. [Always]
Once in my lifetime. [The first and the last.]
I entreat. [This is the last.] I entreat. [Always]
I play the perfect little devil. [BLACK BABYMETAL]
Because I am a girl,
I love sparkling things.
I love cute things.
I love delicious things.
One for the money!
Two for the money!
Three for the money!
Money! Money! Money! Money!
One for the money!
Two for the money!
Three for the money!
Money! Money! Money! Money!
One for the money!
Two for the money!
Three for the money!
Money! Money! Money! Money!
One for the money!
Two for the money!
Three for the money!
Money! Money!
Buy it! Buy it! Buy it! Buy it!
Buy it! Buy it! Buy it! Buy it!
I beg! I beg! I beg! I beg!
I beg! I beg! I beg! I beg!
Buy it! Buy it! Buy it! Buy it!
Buy it! Buy it! Buy it! Buy it!
I beg! I beg! I beg! I beg!
I beg! I beg! I beg!
Let's go! Let's go!
Beg-Dad-for-it operation.
Make a cute sulky face and keep on claiming!
The strongest [oh], the greatest [oh].
Dad is about to be cheated by my angelic smile. : P
Let's go! Let's go!
Beg-Dad-for-it operation.
I will get it in secret from Mom.
The strongest [oh], the greatest [oh].
I beg. I beg.
Beg-Dad-for-it operation.
I entreat. [This is the last.] I entreat. [Always]
If I marry, I will marry after all... [You, Dad.]
I entreat. [This is the last.] I entreat. [Always]
I play the spoiled kid. [BLACK BABYMETAL]
I entreat. [This is the last.] I entreat. [Always]
Once in my lifetime. [The first and the last.]
I entreat. [This is the last.] I entreat. [Always]
I play the perfect little devil. [BLACK BABYMETAL]
ROMAJI LYRIC AND NOTES ARE BELOW.
[i] About BLACK BABYMETAL
BLACK BABYMETAL is the unit of MOAMETAL and YUIMETAL. It is so named probably based on the picture stories playbacked before this song. In the stories, YUIMETAL & MOAMETAL are trapped and changed into wicked (= black) characters singing rap music.
In live performances, most of the main part is sung by MOAMETAL & YUIMETAL together, some lines are sung by MOAMETAL alone (marked with "M" below), and some by YUIMETAL alone (marked with "Y"). Most enclosed phrases [---] are sung by SU-METAL (marked with "(s)"), but her part is the playbacked track and she takes a rest in backstage. Other enclosed phrases [---] and "Papa daisuki!" seem to be the playbacked tracks, too. They are sung by YUIMETAL or MOAMETAL or both, but I'm not sure who sing which phrase. On the studio take, the part assignment between MOAMETAL & YUIMETAL seems to be somewhat different from that of live performances, but I'm not sure.
In the SU-METAL birthday celebration concert on 2014 Dec. 20th, SU-METAL appeared on the stage and sang her part and more with MOAMETAL & YUIMETAL.
[ii] A Young Girl is the Beast that Cries for Love at the Heart of the World
(一番下に和訳) If you have no bad impression of Japanese girls, you need not read this long note. However, since I feel something strange about the lyrics, I have to write a bit for Japanese girls' honor.
Generally speaking, if a child begs for an expensive present, Japanese parents ask in turn her/him for some achievement (or future effort). An interview told that a big company's owner promised his daughter to present a BMW if she could enter her top choice college (if not, a Wagen Golf). Daughter's expensive dresses such as "furisode" are bought not on daughter's demand but to show family's power. There is a Japanese dictum: "If you have three daughters, you go into bankruptcy".
Since there is a negotiation, as said above, of what she has to do to get the present, more praising or lies are useless. The only one situation I can imagine is that a daughter pretends to like what her father likes: If he is a secret BM fan, he gets a good excuse to attend BM's concert openly and she'll get new clothes suitable for a rock concert.
I have no daughter & no sister, but I worked as a part-time teacher at a juku school when I was a college student. There were some pampered preteen or early teen girls who always complained "I can't understand it" with their sweet voices. They wanted, however, care or affection rather than easy shortcuts. They were ready to stay late to finish their work by themselves if I sit side by side watching every their step.
I want to say: Dad's affection is daughter's very target, not a mere means to get something else. "Rather than money, I wanted Dad's preaching" is the same old line in Japanese family dramas.
Of course, a daughter wants dad's presents. But, though many people love someone because he/she gives them some kinds of comfortableness, few people consider whether they themselves really love him himself (her herself) or they just want what he/she gives. I feel something strange about such lyrics as "flatter", "lies", "cheated", etc. (in Japanese) used between daughter & dad. Why is a young girl such a cynical philosopher?
Japanese girls notice that, if they act like a helpless child, men will help them and give them what they want. A girl who does it intentionally is called "kawaiko-burikko" (shortly "burikko"; literally "cute-girl pretender"). I don't think, however, the above-mentioned pampered girls pretended because sometimes other girls imitated them but looked quite different. Most of burikko are not so good actresses, but some men like such burikko.
I don't know whether the lyric writers (or 'he') just made a bad joke or really thought some burikko really flatter their fathers. Anyway, I believe there are few such pitiable daughters & fathers whose behavior is like that of a hostess girl & her customer, and I believe most of the girls doing beg-dad-for-it operations really love their dads and they are forever 6 y.o. when there are just daughter & dad. This is why I persist in "beg-dad-for-it".
And I guess many girls would think this song to be a picaresque fantasy. They somewhat know family's financial power & other circumstances (and they don't want to cheat their dads), so they restrain themselves from begging for more. And they would imagine how fantastic it would be if they need not restrain. The little devil character is attractive to wannabe actresses.
Thank you for reading such a long note. Added on 2014 Dec. 28th.
Onedari DaiSakusen (Beg-Dad-for-it Operation *1)
| Romaji Lyric | English Translation | Notes |
| Sakusen wan: | Tactic 1: | |
| Itsumo ijoo ni kigen-tori. | I flatter more than usual. | |
| Kata-momi sukasazu | I give Dad a shoulder massage, and immediately... | |
| "Papa daisuki." | "I love you, Dad." | 2 |
| Sakusen tsuu: | Tactic 2: | |
| Otsukare sama. Kami sama. | Thank you for your hard work. You are my god. | |
| Sukina taipu wa mochiron | Of course my favorite type is... | |
| "Papa daisuki." | "I love you, Dad." | |
| Uso demo ii [Enryo wa muyoo.] | Lies are alright. [No need to restrain!] | (s) |
| home-makure! [Gomasuri gomasuri.] | Keep on praising! [Flattery, flattery!] | (s) |
| Are mo hoshii. [Mo sukoshi kamase!] | I want that one. [A little more bolder!] | 3,(s) |
| Kore mo hosii. | I want this one too. | |
| [Tenshi no kao shita akuma no sasayaki.] | [With angel's face, devil's whisper.] | 4,(s) |
| [Sekkyoo suru nara kane o kure.] | [Rather than preaching, give me the money!] | 5,(s) |
| [Tenshi no kao shita akuma no sasayaki.] | [With angel's face, devil's whisper.] | (s) |
| "Atashi papa no oyome-san ni narunda." | "I will become your bride, Dad." | 6 |
| LET'S GO! LET'S GO! | Let's go! Let's go! | |
| Onedari sakusen. | Beg-Dad-for-it operation. | |
| Kawaiku "pun pun" dada konero! | Make a cute sulky face and keep on claiming! | 7,8 |
| Saikyoo no [oo] saikoo no [oo]. | The strongest [oh], the greatest [oh]. | |
| Tenshi no egao ni damasare-sooda. ww | Dad is about to be cheated by my angelic smile. : P | 9 |
| LET'S GO! LET'S GO! | Let's go! Let's go! | |
| Onedari sakusen. | Beg-Dad-for-it operation. | |
| Mama ni naisho de getto shichao. | I will get it in secret from Mom. | |
| Saikyoo no [oo] saikoo no [oo]. | The strongest [oh], the greatest [oh]. | |
| Choodai. Choodai. | I beg. I beg. | 10 |
| Onedari sakusen. | Beg-Dad-for-it operation. | |
| Onegai. [Saigo no] Onegai. [Itsumo no] | I entreat. [This is the last.] I entreat. [Always] | 11,(s) |
| Kekkon-suru nara yappari [Papa.] | If I marry, I will marry after all... [You, Dad.] | |
| Onegai. [Saigo no] Onegai. [Itsumo no] | I entreat. [This is the last.] I entreat. [Always] | (s) |
| Dadakko kamasu. [BLACK BABYMETAL] | I play the spoiled kid. [BLACK BABYMETAL] | 3,(s) |
| Onegai. [Saigo no] Onegai. [Itsumo no] | I entreat. [This is the last.] I entreat. [Always] | (s) |
| Isshoo ichido no [Saisho de saigo no] | Once in my lifetime. [The first and the last.] | |
| Onegai. [Saigo no] Onegai. [Itsumo no] | I entreat. [This is the last.] I entreat. [Always] | (s) |
| Koakuma kimeru. [BLACK BABYMETAL] | I play the perfect little devil. [BLACK BABYMETAL] | 12,(s) |
| Datte onnanoko-damon | Because I am a girl, | Y |
| kirakira-shiteru no daaisuki. | I love sparkling things. | M |
| Kawaii no daaisuki. | I love cute things. | Y |
| Oishii mono daaisuki. | I love delicious things. | M |
| ONE FOR THE MONEY! | One for the money! | |
| TWO FOR THE MONEY! | Two for the money! | |
| THREE FOR THE MONEY! | Three for the money! | |
| MONEY! MONEY! MONEY! MONEY! | Money! Money! Money! Money! | |
| ONE FOR THE MONEY! | One for the money! | |
| TWO FOR THE MONEY! | Two for the money! | |
| THREE FOR THE MONEY! | Three for the money! | |
| MONEY! MONEY! MONEY! MONEY! | Money! Money! Money! Money! | |
| ONE FOR THE MONEY! | One for the money! | |
| TWO FOR THE MONEY! | Two for the money! | |
| THREE FOR THE MONEY! | Three for the money! | |
| MONEY! MONEY! MONEY! MONEY! | Money! Money! Money! Money! | |
| ONE FOR THE MONEY! | One for the money! | |
| TWO FOR THE MONEY! | Two for the money! | |
| THREE FOR THE MONEY! | Three for the money! | |
| MONEY! MONEY! | Money! Money! | |
| Katte! Katte! Katte! Katte! | Buy it! Buy it! Buy it! Buy it! | 13,M |
| Katte! Katte! Katte! Katte! | Buy it! Buy it! Buy it! Buy it! | Y |
| Choodai. Choodai. Choodai. Choodai. | I beg! I beg! I beg! I beg! | 10,M |
| Choodai. Choodai. Choodai. Choodai. | I beg! I beg! I beg! I beg! | Y |
| Katte! Katte! Katte! Katte! | Buy it! Buy it! Buy it! Buy it! | M |
| Katte! Katte! Katte! Katte! | Buy it! Buy it! Buy it! Buy it! | Y |
| Choodai. Choodai. Choodai. Choodai. | I beg! I beg! I beg! I beg! | M |
| Choodai. Choodai. Choodai. | I beg! I beg! I beg! | Y |
| LET'S GO! LET'S GO! | Let's go! Let's go! | |
| Onedari sakusen. | Beg-Dad-for-it operation. | |
| Kawaiku "pun pun" dada konero! | Make a cute sulky face and keep on claiming! | |
| Saikyoo no [oo] saikoo no [oo]. | The strongest [oh], the greatest [oh]. | |
| Tenshi no egao ni damasare-sooda. ww | Dad is about to be cheated by my angelic smile. : P | |
| LET'S GO! LET'S GO! | Let's go! Let's go! | |
| Onedari sakusen. | Beg-Dad-for-it operation. | |
| Mama ni naisho de getto shichao. | I will get it in secret from Mom. | |
| Saikyoo no [oo] saikoo no [oo]. | The strongest [oh], the greatest [oh]. | |
| Choodai. Choodai. | I beg. I beg. | |
| Onedari sakusen. | Beg-Dad-for-it operation. | |
| Onegai. [Saigo no] Onegai. [Itsumo no] | I entreat. [This is the last.] I entreat. [Always] | (s) |
| Kekkon-suru nara yappari [Papa.] | If I marry, I will marry after all... [You, Dad.] | |
| Onegai. [Saigo no] Onegai. [Itsumo no] | I entreat. [This is the last.] I entreat. [Always] | (s) |
| Dadakko kamasu. [BLACK BABYMETAL] | I play the spoiled kid. [BLACK BABYMETAL] | (s) |
| Onegai. [Saigo no] Onegai. [Itsumo no] | I entreat. [This is the last.] I entreat. [Always] | (s) |
| Isshoo ichido no [Saisho de saigo no] | Once in my lifetime. [The first and the last.] | |
| Onegai. [Saigo no] Onegai. [Itsumo no] | I entreat. [This is the last.] I entreat. [Always] | (s) |
| Koakuma kimeru. [BLACK BABYMETAL] | I play the perfect little devil. [BLACK BABYMETAL] | (s) |
Notes
- "Onedari" is a polite noun form of "nedaru" (= to beg). It is only used between kids and their parents, grandparents, or such intimate relations, so I translate it to "beg-Dad-for-it". But "begging" is alright if it reminds you of a girl and her father rather than a beggar on a street. Please see note [ii] for details.
"Dai" of "Dai-Dakusen" means "great" or "big", but I drop it. - I choose "Dad" just because my English dictionaries tell me "Dad" is more popular than "Papa". In Japan, using "Papa" and "Mama" is childish. Some parents forbid them and train their children to use "Too-san" and "Kaa-san". "Too-chan" and "Kaa-chan" are also childish.
- "Kamase!" (= kamasu) is a verb and it means to do something that shocks the receiver (e.g. to take a punch, to make a bluff).
- This is literally "devil's whisper which has angel's face".
- This is literally "If you preach to me, give me the money!" but it is not demanding the fee for preaching. It means "If you want to train me, rather than preaching (= stick), give me the money (= carrot)." (of stick-and-carrot approach). Inserting "kurai" (= sekkyoo suru kurai nara) makes it "rather than" form.
There was a TV drama titled "Ie Naki Ko" (= A Homeless Kid) in 1994, and its heroine's very famous line is "Doojoo suru nara kane o kure!". It means "If you feel pity, give me the money (rather than pity)!". - Little girls (3-6 y.o.) really say like this (called "Electra complex"). Most dads soon lose their privileged positions, but a good-looking & affectionate dad shall stay long as daughter's ideal husband. She may say like this in her teenage, but, if saying so, probably she intends to confirm her charm by dad's upset, not to flatter dad. Please see note [ii] for details.
- "Pun pun" represents the state of a (cute) sulky face.
- "Dada" represents an act of insisting on something that can't be accepted. For a very junior kid, her/his parents just can't understand what she/he is insisting on, so it can't be accepted. For a senior kid, her/his parents think she/he should not insist on it. "Konero!" (= koneru) means to knead (wheat flour, etc). It is also used to express the long duration of insisting.
- : P is a face mark (= emoticon) called "tongue sticking out" (please see it with your head tilting to left). This is American(?) style. Japanese style needs no tilting, e.g. (^_~) winking.
Actually "ww" are appended in the official lyric instead of " : P ". "W" is a Japanese internet abbreviation of "(笑)" (warau; laugh) which is used in the interviews of Japanese magazines to express that the speaker said it with laughing. On internet, "w" is often attached to express a light ridicule. - "Choodai" is like "kudasai". If alone, it is a polite imperative "Please give me/us.", and if attached to another verb (e.g. Katte kudasai / Katte choodai), it forms another polite imperative (= Please buy). Nowadays "choodai" is rather a intimate form, like "s'il te plait" of French, than a polite form.
This alone "choodai" sounds somewhat strange because what she wants is not owned by Dad now, so I think it doesn't mean "Please give me." but the main verb (= buy) is omitted. - These "Onegai" are abbreviations of "Onegai-shimasu.". Probably "I entreat." fits to "Onegai-shimasu.", and "Onegai." is a little lighter. If replacing "I entreat." with "Please." makes sense, it is alright.
- "Kimeru" usually means to decide, but in this context, it means to complete something cool (e.g. to make a beautiful goal (of ball game), to be all dressed up in a stylish suit).
- This "katte" is an abbreviation of "katte choodai" or "katte kudasai" (= please buy). Such abbreviated imperatives are very often used, and ranked between polite forms and normal forms.
注[ii] 幼い少女は、世界の中心で愛を求めて叫ぶケモノである
もしあなたが、日本の少女達に何も悪い印象を持っていないならば、あなたはこの長い文章を読む必要は無い。 しかし私は、この歌詞について違和感を覚えるので、日本の少女達の名誉のために少し書かなければいけない。
一般的に言って、もし子供が高価な贈り物をねだるならば、日本の親は、逆に子供に何か成果（またはこれからの努力）を要求する。 あるインタビューは、ある大企業のオーナーが彼の娘に、もし第一志望の大学に入学できたらＢＭＷ（ダメだったらワーゲンゴルフ）を買ってあげると約束した、という話を伝えた。 振袖のような娘の高価な服は、娘の要求によってではなく、家の力を示すために購入される。 「娘三人持てば身代潰す」という日本のことわざがある。
上述のように、贈り物をもらうために何をしなければいけないかの交渉があるので、それ以上ほめても嘘ついても効果が無い。 私が唯一想像できるのは、娘が父の好きなものを好きなフリをするという状況である。 もし彼が隠れベビメタファンならば、彼には公然とベビメタコンサートに行くのに良い言い訳が出来て、彼女はロックコンサートにふさわしい新しい服を得るだろう。
私には娘も姉妹もいない。しかし私は、大学生だったときに塾でアルバイト教師をしていた。 そこには、いつも甘ったるい声で「わかんなーい」と文句を言う、甘やかされた十代前半の少女が何人かいた。 しかし彼女達は、楽な近道よりも、世話または愛情を欲しがった。 彼女達は、もし私が隣に座ってずっと見守るならば、自分の力で課題を終わらせるために居残ることを嫌がらなかった。
私は言いたい。 パパの愛情は、まさに娘が求める対象であって、何か他のものを得るための単なる手段ではない。 「お金よりも、パパのお説教が欲しかった」というのは、日本のホームドラマでおなじみのセリフである。
もちろん、娘はパパのプレゼントを欲しがる。 しかし、多くの人々が、ある人が自分に何らかの快適さをくれるからその人を愛するにもかかわらず、はたして自分は本当にその人自身を愛しているのか、それともその人がくれるものを欲しいだけなのか、と考え込む人は少ない。 私は、娘と父の間に使われる「機嫌取り」「ウソ」「だまされ」などの歌詞に、違和感を覚える。どうして、幼い少女がそんな皮肉屋の哲学者なのか？
日本の少女達は、無力な子供のように振る舞えば、男達が彼女達を助け彼女達の欲しいものをくれる、ということに気付く。 意図的にそう行動する少女は「かわい子ぶりっ子」（略して「ぶりっ子」）と呼ばれる。 しかし私は、上述の甘えん坊の少女達がフリをしていたとは思わない。なぜならば、時々他の少女達が彼女達を真似たけれど、全然違って見えたからだ。 大部分のぶりっ子は、それほど上手い女優ではない。しかし、そういうぶりっ子が好きな男達がいる。
作詞家（または‘彼’）が、悪い冗談を作っただけなのか、それとも、何人かのぶりっ子が本当に自分の父親にこびると、本当に考えたのか、私は知らない。 どちらにしても、ホステスとなじみ客みたいにふるまうような、哀しくなる娘と父は少ない、と私は信じる。 そして、おねだり作戦をする少女の大部分は、本当にパパが大好きで、パパと二人きりだと永遠に６歳なんだ、と私は信じる。 これが "beg-dad-for-it" という訳にこだわる理由である。
そして私は、多くの少女がこの歌を悪のファンタジーだと考えるだろうと思う。 彼女達は、家の財力やその他の状況を何となく知っているので（そしてパパをだましたくないので）、それ以上のおねだりを我慢する。 そして、もし我慢しなくていいならばどんなに素敵だろうと想像するだろう。 小悪魔の役は、女優志望の少女達にとって魅力的である。
こんな長い文章を読んでくれてありがとう。2014年12月28日追記。
注6 「わたしパパのお嫁さんになるんだ」
小さな少女達（３～６歳）は、本当にこういうことを言う（エレクトラ・コンプレックスと呼ばれる）。 大部分のパパは、すぐに特権的地位を失う。しかしカッコよくて優しいパパは、ずっと娘の理想の夫であり続けるだろう。 彼女は十代になってもこういうことを言うかもしれない。 しかし、もし言うならば、それはたぶん、パパの動揺を見て自分の魅力を確認するためであり、パパにゴマするためではない。
Thank you very much for this translation and explanation!!
ReplyDeleteI first got worried 'caus I didin't understand how it's meant.
But it seems to be more a kind of exposing of childish behaviour, isn't it?
I'm sorry but I can't understand well what you referred to with "it".
DeleteDid you refer to the whole story?
Girls are not so childish even if their actions are childish.
They often act more childish than usual if they know such an act will be accepted.
That's how I meant it. :)
ReplyDeleteI got worried by lines like "Kata-momi sukasazu" and "Kekkon-suru nara yappari Papa"
- sung by a 13-year old!
But your explanation makes perfect sense. In my view the song bares that some (spoiled) girls of this age are calculating their words just to get what they want ("kirakira-shiteru", "Kawaii", "Oishii mono") by manipulatting emotions.
I'm not sure about this but I believe the brief scream right after the last "Money! Money! Money!" line (around 2:04) is actually Fred Durst from the song My Generation (around minute 2:49). Can you confirm this?
ReplyDeleteThank you.
Probably so. Many said so, especially the video director of the live music clips included in the limited edition of "MEGITSUNE" in which this song is included. Though he said undecidedly, I don't think a kind of insider twittered unconfirmed information. He said like "I was amused with the coupling tune unexpectedly featuring Fred Durst(!?)".
Deletehttps://twitter.com/machi_inni/status/347252641182674944
私はこの歌が大好き！歌詞がとてもかわいいね。This song is just one example of how well BABYMETAL can use both brutal and adorable things in their music at the same time.
ReplyDeleteYes. "Katte Katte" (Buy it! Buy it!) part is brutally cute.
DeleteDear Du Enki san,
ReplyDelete"This song is sung by BLACK BABYMETAL (needless to say why it is black)."
I must not be very smart, because I totally don't understand why they're called Black Babymetal. I would appreciate any explanation you can give us.
In return, some notes on English usage:
"Beg" doesn't just refer to what beggars do: it can also mean "plead" or "urgently request." So it works fine here. The best words for this situation would be "cajole" or "wheedle," but they're rarely used, and also more complicated to make sentences out of (you don't just cajole or wheedle, you need to cajole or wheedle something out of someone). Also, they'd probably sound a little unusual sung by young girls. I teach, and I recently used the word "wheedle" in a lecture -- none of the teenagers in the group knew what it meant.
"Dad" probably is more common than "papa," but everyone knows what "papa" means, and that word is such a highlight of the performance that it works fine. If you're talking about a young person's father, you might say "your dad," but you'd be unlikely to say "your papa" -- it would work, but it would sound unusual. But a young person talking to her father might call him "dad," or "papa," or "daddy." So if she talked about "my papa," everyone would know it was her own family name for him. (The same for "mom," "momma" or "mama," or "mommy." "Grandmother" is commonly abbreviated "grandma," but I've heard people talk about "my nana," assuming I'd understand, and it took me a minute to figure out that was their family name for their grandmother.)
I suspect in comment 8 that you meant to say "insisting on something that can't be granted" or "can't be given," not "can't be accepted."
I also suspect there's a typo in comment 11, when you write "Onkegai-shimasu" -- should this be "Onegai-shimasu"?
In comment 11, replacing "I entreat" with "I beg" would work, as far as the literal meaning of the statement. However, no-one would actually just say "I beg" in English -- you need to beg someone, for something. You might say "I'm begging you" (meaning, "I'm making a stronger appeal, for what I just asked you for"), or "I beg you to" do something. But these don't really fit the situation in the song -- that is, she's not down on her knees, hoping her father will have mercy on her. So just "Please" is probably the most realistic translation (and most likely for a young girl to say, with the word stretched out: "PLEEEease?") "I entreat" is old-fashioned language, and very unlikely to be used by a young girl.
It's interesting, in comment 13, that you say "katte" is an "abbreviated imperative... ranked between polite forms and normal forms." It sounds so abrupt and demanding! (Especially as sung in the song, with the singers jumping up and down -- it feels like they're yelling "Do it! Do it!")
Your notes and comments are so educational and entertaining -- they make me want to learn Japanese! Though I suspect that I could never have the knowledge of colloquial Japanese necessary to understand Babymetal's lyrics. So thank you again!
Thank you for your detailed comment. It's difficult for non-native speaker to understand the nuance of the words.
DeleteI took "black" as "evil hearted", and think it's evil of a girl to cheat her Dad to get what she wants (see another comment for detail). But BLACK BABYMETAL's new song is not evil at all, so "needless to say" is inappropriate and I've been thinking of suitable explanation.
I'm sorry I missed "on" after "insist". "Dada" includes insisting like: "I can't walk anymore." (typical), "I play the piano better than she. All your ears must be ill." (rare)
"This broken toy car must be perfectly restored." (This is mine. I didn't want a new one. I just couldn't stand up with this world's fragility), etc.
I fixed the typo.
Such abbreviated imperatives as "katte" show some intimacy, only used in some (alleged) intimate relation.
どうもありがとうございました！理解して.
DeleteI misunderstood the "insisting" -- it sounds like it's not about insisting that her father give her something, it's about stating what she wants or demands, very firmly (insistently).
And I misunderstood about "katte" -- it's not rude unless I were to say it to someone I wasn't close to.
Thank you!
I think in this instance, "daddy" might be even better than "dad". It's considered to be pretty childish, but that's part of the appeal -- if I were a 13-year-old begging my dad for something (and none of my friends were nearby to make fun of me for it), I'd probably call him "daddy" to play up my cuteness and make him think of me as the adorable little girl I used to be. "Daddy pleeeease!"
Delete"Papa" isn't really used much by native speakers of American English. I usually only see it in antiquated stories that take place in other countries or among immigrant families who haven't yet caught on to the local lingo. It might be more common in British English, but I can't personally vouch for that. That being said, though, the average American would understand that "papa" was a word for "father" perfectly well -- it just might not carry the same nuance.
Thank you for your comment.
DeleteAs the word itself, probably "daddy" is better than "dad". However, Miss Moa & Miss Yui are more decent than the girl depicted in this song, and these lyrics sound to me more decent when they sing. I don't know how to do with this nuance.
Two other points that occur to me:
ReplyDeleteIn line 10, I wonder whether "Gomasuri gomarusi" should be "Gomasuri gomasuri"? Since the translation is "Flattery, flattery." (Also, maybe it would make more sense as "Flatter, flatter"? Meaning, "Flatter Dad.")
And in line 16, "I will become your bride, Dad" sounds strange in English -- I assume it doesn't sound strange in Japanese, and that this is a cultural difference in what girls would say if they were trying to flatter their father. It might make more sense to English-speaking listeners if it were worded as something like "You're the only one I want to marry" -- so it's not that she's actually planning to marry him, just that she doesn't want to marry anyone else, since he's her ideal.
Obviously this is no longer a translation -- it's an attempt to create something equivalent in English. But I don't know anything about the actual Japanese lyrics, or about Japanese culture. So it's just an idea for you to consider.
"Goma-suri" (literally "sesame-grinding") is a noun ("flattering" or "flatterer"). It may be a virtually imperative sentence, but I'm not sure. Probably "flattering" is better than "flattery".
DeleteProbably "My ideal husband is just like my father." is the maximum expression allowable in Japan. "I will become your bride, Dad." is a kind of OTAKU fantasy. A typical OTAKU fantasy is like: You, a 17 yr boy, meet again a cute 16 yr girl of your childhood friend, and she comes to live with you as your SISTER IN LAW. She, being naked, breaks into your bath room saying "My brother, let me take a bath with you!" as if an INNOCENT 6 YR GIRL IN YOUR SWEET MEMORY. There's a taste of pseudo incest, a safe thrill(?). I think DADDY'S WANNABE BRIDE is a variation of this kind of fantasy. It was so modified because the producer and many fans of BABYMETAL are near in age to their father.
But if a girl thinks (even just a little bit) her dad as her favorite, her dad notices that without saying and she gets what she wants just with "Katte, katte". And if she says her father is her ideal just to get what she wants while she doesn't think so at all, then her attitude to her father is like that of a cabaret hostess to her customer, and I worry her mental health. I want this lyric to be an OTAKU fantasy.
I guess three girls of BABYMETAL would be cynical but tolerant to this fantasy if they realize it because there are also girls' fantasies like this and probably they have read some of them.
I agree, the idea that "My ideal husband is just like my father" is something that both Japan and Western countries would probably think is (1) a little unusual to say or think, but (2) not a problem. And (3) could be used by a girl to manipulate her father into doing something for her. And (4) is probably more common in otaku-style fantasies than in girl's real lives.
DeleteBut I also agree, I don't like thinking of this song as an otaku fantasy. It makes more sense to me that it's about manipulating (slang, "conning") your father into doing something. I do wonder what Babymetal think about their producer and fans, who seem to be mostly older men. But I've read that some fans of Sakura Gakuin are organized as "older brothers" to the group, so some of this seems like it's not about fantasies, and is more about feeling protective. A very complicated, and sensitive, subject, especially in the United States recently.
For example, if you wrote about the otaku fantasies online, for instance in Youtube comments, you would get many harsh negative comments from people who would assume you were talking about your own fantasies, and calling you "pedo" (short for "pedophile"). Some people make those kinds of comments about anyone who likes Babymetal.
I hope that all the members of Babymetal can control their own careers, and make the kind of music they want to make, and feel good about their lyrics and their fans.
I'm sorry for my poor explanation. I used "fantasy" to mean what they imagine is far from the reality. Those who have lost an intimate relation with their daughter, sister or childhood friend, or those who have no daughter, etc. from the beginning, only remember or know an innocent 6 yr girl said "I will become daddy's bride." or "Let me take a bath with you!", and may imagine no intimate relation other than that she would still say like those. Anyway, "daddy's bride" has that taste and can't escape from criticizing.
DeleteBut this lyric is exaggerated. Most dads would notice soon and ask her why, but they can't pay more than they have, so there is actually small room to flatter. But it's not fun, so it is exaggerated like many dramas, comics, etc. YUI & MOA (& SU) may enjoy playing such exaggerated characters.
Most fans are takers rather than givers. The fans of Sakura Gakuin are called "fathers and elder brothers" because it is the only one intimate relation allowable in between girls under 15 and ordinary men over 30. Some fans seem to want only the happy part of being the father (or bro) and not to take the unhappy part
(e.g. some fans complain about what the real father (or bro) should not complains). I think it natural for someone to criticize these fans though "pedo" may be inappropriate.
This makes sense, thank you. Also, I just read your translation of the Prologues to Onedari Daisakusen -- now I realize that there's not just one story about what Black Babymetal is. It seems very complicated, and very very difficult to understand. So I imagine that there are multiple ideas about the lyrics in Onedari Daisakusen, and multiple ideas about what the relationship is between Babymetal and their fans.
DeleteI am still curious whether Babymetal write their lyrics or design their own choreography. Since Uki Uki Midnight is about snack foods that Babymetal eat, I guess they do influence what the songs are about. Do you think that Babymetal wrote the Prologues to Onedari Daisakusen? Probably there's no way to know.
Thank you again Du Enki!
I hear the choreographer always discusses the choreography with SU-METAL, YUIMETAL & MOAMETAL. Some of BABYMETAL's requests are granted, some of BABYMETAL's ideas are adopted, and sometimes the choreography is a little changed after some live performances.
DeleteI think all the prologues are written by the producer because they are ones of few things he can do by himself. But I hear "sore sore" in "MEGITSUNE" is BABYMETAL's idea. "4 no Uta" is composed by Moa & Yui, and they were singing it during the tour to Singapore 2013. Definitely the producer heard it and found it goes well with the metal rhythm.
I hear Suzuka have written many poems in her private notebooks longing to be a singer-songwriter. If a talented musician (her future husband!?) is always by her side to help her, she will be able to write songs. But J-pop lyrics writers only put the words into the notes under the producer's direction at the end of production. I think the possibility is low that she will write lyrics in this style.
The lyrics cards print the line as [WAtashi (not Atashi) papa no oyome-san ni narunda.]
ReplyDeleteWhat is actually sung is not "watashi" but "atashi", and they sound much different to some people including me.
DeleteHi. I am 52 years old Japanese BM fun.
ReplyDeleteI want to do an additional explanation about song title.
"Onedari Daisakusen" is homage to Limp Bizkit in double meaning.
The 1st is "My Generation" ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BE9CXWV1alg ).
"Onedari Daisakusen' 's melody similar to this song.
and 2nd is
"Mission Impossible II - Take a Look Around"
( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8snL5UyZOk )
The TV drama "Mission Impossible" has been aired in the 70s from 60s .
This drama was very popular in Japan and its Japanese title was "SPY Daisakusen".
( On the other hand , the "Mission Impossible" move series was released as original English title in Japan.)
Song title - "Onedari Daisakusen" is homage to "SPY Daisakusen (= Mission Impossible)".
I think 1st homage is well known. but 2nd is known by only high age Japanese fun.
Thank you for your comment.
DeleteBefore "SPY Daisakusen", there were already several movie titles containing "Daisakusen" such as "Baruji Daisakusen (Battle of the Bulge)". "Daisakusen" seems have been a common expression since about 1970 and I can't find in this tune any other reference or something to that TV drama, so I can't conclude that this title is an homage to "Mission Impossible".
Hello, I believe there is a little typo in the romaji transcription, shouldn't "gomarusi" be "gomasuri", just like in the other occurence?
ReplyDeleteI've been a lurker on this page for ages now and I'd like to thank you so much for all your work on the lyrics translations. It is much appreciated.
Thank you for correcting. I've fixed it.
DeleteHello Du Enki-san,
ReplyDeletetwo comments on this post.
First one: "One for the money / two for the money / three for the money / money money money". The first time I heard this song, and every time
I hear it again, I can't help thinking the girls are going to say: "One for the money / Two for the show / Three to get ready / Now go, cat (well... er... kitsune!), go!" Rock'n'roll. Carl Perkins, "Blue Suede Shoes". Covered by Elvis in '54. Could be a small tribute? Maybe not, but the rhythm of the singing is pretty much the same and, after all, BabyMetal is a r'n'r band :)
The second comment, I was wondering about the 'dad' subject of the 'operation". In the intros to the song of the IDZ & Legend 1999/1997 and the Budokan DVD's, according to your translations, there is a story with variations about Yui & Moa being tempted by some male figure related to Idols in Akiba (AKB 48?), once he's called Snake, on one occasion that figure is Budo-man, and so on. And then the person who tells these stories mentions an "Onedari" operation practised by the girls (Black Babymetal) reacting against that figure. Could he (this figure) be the 'dad' of the beg-to-dad operation? That could make sense and justify (in some measure) the evil-doings of the 'black' duo, as a retaliation for what he intended. Just wondering...
Saludos and thanks as always!
Fernando :)
Thank you for comment.
DeleteIt seems that "one for the money, two for the show..." is found in the 19th century's writings. "Blue Suede Shoes" is the most famous one but there are many other songs (probably inspired by B.S.S) that contain this phrase, so I'm not sure which song actually inspired the lyric writers.
Probably Budo Man is a hero of love and justice because probably it is homage to Anpanman. It seems to me the introductions & the song itself have no story connection. The introductions seems to explain only the reason why they sing the song. There are no tempters in some cases, and even whether they turn to the dark side or not is unclear in Legend "Z".
Just a quick correction, probably not worth mentioning but since this is a great translation site for new fans, I really would like it to be perfect! You wrote "Onedari Daisakusen (Beg-Dat-for-it Operation *1)" If you could just fix up the "Dat" to "Dad" would be awesome, thanks!
ReplyDeleteThank you for correcting. I've fixed it.
DeleteGreat job on these translations, much appreciated.
ReplyDeleteThough, in note 4, isn't the literal translation "devil's whispers beneath an angel's face"? At least I'm pretty sure 'shita' is beneath/under.
This "shita" is a subsidiary verb "suru". In the form of "A B sita C", it means like "C that has A B" (A:adj.etc., B:element, C:thing). Your English phrase is for "tenshi no kao no shita no akuma no sasayaki".
DeleteGot it :) Japanese can be confusing in romaji ;)
DeleteThank you for translation, I got a little worried by another person's site translation of song, but section ii shed light on the average Japanese family dynamics. Thanks for your hard work.
ReplyDeleteThank you for reading such a lengthy note.
DeleteThank you for translation and notes.As I think, this song about spoiled girls.
ReplyDeleteThank you for comment.
DeleteIn my impression, most of spoiled girls beg dad for expensive things so that they make sure of dad's affection, and few of spoiled girls want expensive things more than dad's affection and take advantage of dad's affection. My concern is that this song is unclear about this distinction.
Du Enki-sama (ww), is it usual for Japanese to call someone Kamisama? Sometimes? Never?
ReplyDeleteRoughly speaking, "kami" refers to those who have some supernatural abilities/powers.
DeleteWhen Japanese people are astonished to witness some super excellent skill of some expert of XXX, they sometimes/often say he is the god of XXX (XXX no kami), but, to those who don't share such astonishment, it sounds somewhat exaggerated.
There is another type of usage: When Japanese people are in some severe trouble and you offer some extraordinarily kind/helpful help, they sometimes/often say you are the god of relief/salvation (sukui no kami), but, if the situation is not so severe, it sounds flattery or something.
This song's usage belongs to the latter type.
Thanks for reply, どもありがとうございます。
Deleteto give some effect to the japanese word "dai", i submit for your consideration the following translation for the song title:
ReplyDeleteThe Great Begging-Dad-For-It Operation
Thank you for suggestion.
DeleteAs you say, "great operation" is more literal for "dai-sakusen", but, as the lyric "itsumo no" (= (as) always) shows, it is not really a great operation (to get some very expensive thing).
Japanese people often use "dai-sakusen" (somewhat humorously?) instead of "sakusen" for something other than military operations, and such English movie titles like "Operation XXX" are often translated to "XXX Dai-sakusen". I followed this trend.
but "the great xxx operation" most often isn't really a "great" operation in english either. an actual large operation wouldn't normally use a title like that, in part because it's not a very serious phrasing and an actual large operation would merit a more serious title.
Deletein other words, it sounds like japanese use of "dai-sakusen" is actually pretty similar to english use of "great xxx operation".
DeleteThank you for explanation and very sorry for very late reply.
DeleteI found many instances of "大作戦" (dai-sakusen) but few of "great ... operation" on the internet.
Overuse of emphasizing words has been a Japanese tradition over a thousand years. "いとをかし" (ito wokashi; very impressive) became almost equal to "をかし" (wokashi; impressive), and some ancient court ladies used "いといとをかし" (ito ito wokashi; very very impressive) instead. Similarly, "大作戦" (dai-sakusen) has become almost almost equal to "作戦" (sakusen).
If this feeling can be shared around the world, "great ... operation" should be a better translation, but I'm not sure.
I'n new here but have been a fan for about four years. Thank you for all the work you have done.
ReplyDeleteI had imagined that the reference to the Tokyo Dome in Legend 1999 might have been a prophecy that in 4 years, or sometime in the future, they would be destined to perform there.
You probably know the lore better than anyone, is there any truth to seeing that reference as a prophecy?
Thank you for comment.
DeleteFor Japanese musicians, their first concerts at Budokan & those at Tokyo Dome are very prominent milestones. Most of them, including BABYMETAL, are or had been dreaming to perform there someday. I guess no one around BABYMETAL had then a conviction enough to say it is not a dream but a prophecy.