P-Model - "Waste Cabaret" Lyrics

[phonon_belt]

"Waste Cabaret" is a song from 1999 (I think), but it feels incredibly relevant to the current state of the world: political movements, harsh military action, terrorism, unemployment, wasted lives, and terrible entertainment. Or at least that's what I think of with this song. XD

I sort of feel like this song would not have been out of place on the later Kaku_P Vistoron album.

This song is hard to translate because a lot of lines feel incomplete (verbs are missing entirely, etc.). To make the sentences work, though, I sometimes had to put in verb that isn't in the original. Also, the "ha!" that the singer interjects in every verse breaks up the lines in a weird way and almost seems to be a form of censorship or at least a sign that whatever's happening is unspeakable. I did my best to incorporate the feeling, but suggestions are always welcome, of course.

P-Model - "Waste Cabaret"


nh nh　道端じゃ無名の喧騒が巨大なha　戦車で　ha
nh nh　街中はヒッピーの類型が標準のha　歩行で　ha

さあさあ倫理の警報で始まる　悲劇よ

nh nh　オフィスから規範の編隊が小銃でha　乱射を　ha
nh nh　屋上では瀕死の変体が固体でha 今にも　ha

さあさあ真理の方法で始めよう　ショーをショーを
隣人よ　さあ舞台へ　緊急の　ショーをショーを
手品のように　取り出す本名で

nh nh　舞台では新種の国宝やジュエリが　ha 　のきなみ　ha
nh nh　トラッシュ缶から輝く履歴や本名が　ha　現れ　ha

さあさあ真摯に重厚に進めよう　ショーをショーを
隣人よ　さあ舞台へ　緊急のショーをショーを
手品のように　取り出す本名で

P-Model - "Waste Cabaret"

nh nh Michibata ja mumei no kensou ga kyodai na ha sensha de ha
nh nh Machijuu wa hippii no ruikei ga hyoujun no ha hokou de ha

Saa saa rinri no keihou de hajimaru higeki yo

nh nh Ofisu kara kihan no hentai ga shoujuu de ha ransha ha
nh nh Okujou de wa hinshi no hentai ga kotai de ha ima ni mo ha

Saa saa shinri no houhou de hajimeyou shoo o shoo o

Rinjin yo saa butai e kinkyuu no shoo o shoo o
Tejina no you ni toridasu honmyou de

nh nh Butai de wa shinshu no kokuhou ya jueri ga ha nokinami ha
nh nh Torashukan kara kagayaku rireki ya honmyou ga ha araware ha

Saa saa shinshi ni juukou nihajimeyou shoo o shoo o

Rinjin yo saa butai e kinkyuu no shoo o shoo o
Tejina no you ni toridasu honmyou de


P-Model - "Waste Cabaret"

Nnn, nnn,* The anonymous tumult on the side of the road is--ha--by a gigantic army tank--ha
Nnn, nnn, Throughout the town, stereotypical hippies are--ha--while walking normally--ha

Well then, it begins with a moral warning, this tragedy

Nnn, nnn, From an office a model formation with rifles--ha--shoots indiscriminately--ha
Nnn, nnn, But on the rooftop, there's a dying abnormality in a solid state--ha--any minute now--ha

Well then, let's get it started with the methods of truth, this show, this show
Neighbors! To the stage! Time for an emergency show, a show!
Like magic,** they are picked out by their real names

Nnn, nnn, New varieties of national treasures and jewelry and the like are on the stage-- ha--all lined up--ha
Nnn, nnn, Real names and personal records*** that sparkled inside a garbage can--ha--appear--ha

Well then, let's proceed earnestly and solemnly with this show, this show
Neighbors! To the stage! Time for an emergency show, a show!
Like magic, they are picked out by their real names

Translation notes:
* I put the sound effects "nh/nnn" and "ha" in italics so it's clear that they're not words. I put in the dashes to help break up the words the way the Roman alphabet letters break up the Japanese characters in the original lyrics.

** Magic as in a sleight of hand and other trickery--nothing mystical here.

*** Personal records as in your personal history and/or your curriculum vitae. Think of resumes from a trash can suddenly being revealed on stage. Or something.

Comments

Wonderful

[(Anonymous)]

Hey, I just love this work of yours. Japanese is very difficult (though sometimes it seems so simple), and your effort in translating such a complex artist like Mr Hirasawa are really appreciated.

I like Mr Hirasawa's work a lot and this site is giving me a new perspective on his art. Thanks!