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phonon_beltThis song is off the Switched-On Lotus album that Mr. Hirasawa dedicated to several transexual/transgender Thai friends who passed away. Lotuses have long served as symbols of purity, beauty, strength, and spiritual growth. But what about the "Switched-On" part? Interestingly, the title of the song and the album seem to allude to >Switched-On Bach, a revolutionary 1968 album of classical music performed on electronic synthesizers that Mr. Hirasawa himself stated inspired him greatly as a young man. The artist behind Switched-On Bach is Wendy Carlos, possibly best known for the soundtrack to the film A Clockwork Orange. In 1968, Ms. Carlos, who was born with a male body, began living as a woman and later underwent sex reassignment surgery. With all these influences in mind, it becomes clear just how much thought and personal emotion Mr. Hirasawa put into the song and the album dedicated to his deceased friends.
Personally, I love this song, as it sounds like it's full of joy and hope. I can see it as a description of the struggles of people who are born in the wrong body and then eventually reach their goal of living in the body that matches the gender they have been in their mind all along. But the song can also be interpreted as a more spiritual song about the joy of leaving life behind for heaven or about achieving enlightenment. Perhaps it's a mix of all those things and more.
The other thing that's cool about "Switched-On Lotus" is how this is one of (at least) three songs Mr. Hirasawa wrote that use lotus flowers as a motif. So I kind of think of this song as part of a set with the songs "Lotus" and "Rotation."
平沢進 - "Switched-On Lotus"
また降る雨が秘密裏にあの日の花を道に咲かす
知られずに生まれてキミは来た
胸をはり今日は行けよと 遠くアユタヤの水辺に咲いて呼ぶ声に
目覚めてここに来た
遥か 誰も行かぬ道 月の秘技だけがキミを知る
眠らずに幾夜も超えた日々
歌えよなお麗しく望まぬ牢を今去る時
夢に見た 水辺の門が開く
昇れよ あの 天空の 夢に見た 庭へと
円陣の花 喝采を咲け 昇れよ SWITCHED-ON LOTUS
帰れよ 今時は来て 夢に見た 園へと
絢爛の夜 一切を解け 帰れよ SWITCHED-ON LOTUS
また降る雨が秘密裏に あの日の花を道に咲かす
知られずに生まれてキミは来た
遥か 誰も行かぬ道 月の秘技だけがキミを知る
眠らずに幾夜も超えた日々
昇れよ あの 天空の 夢に見た 庭へと
円陣の花 喝采を咲け 昇れよ SWITCHED-ON LOTUS
帰れよ 今時は来て 夢に見た 園へと
絢爛の夜 一切を解け 帰れよ SWITCHED-ON LOTUS
Hirasawa Susumu - "Switched-On Lotus"
Mata furu ame ga himitsuri ni ano hi no hana o michi ni sakasu
Shirarezu ni umarete kimi wa kita
Mune o hari kyou wa yuke to tooku ayutaya no mizube ni saite yobu koe ni
Mezamete koko ni kita
Haruka dare mo yukanu michi tsuki no higi dake ga kimi o shiru
Nemurazu ni ikuya o koeta hibi
Utae yo nao uruwashiku nozomanu rou o ima saru toki
Yume ni mita mizube no mon ga aku
Nobore yo ano tenkuu no yume ni mita niwa e to
Enjin no hana kassai o sake nobore yo SWITCHED-ON LOTUS
Kaere yo ima toki wa kite yume ni mita sono e to
Kenran no yoru issai o toke kaere yo SWITCHED-ON LOTUS
Mata furu ame ga himitsuri ni ano hi no hana o michi ni sakasu
Shirarezu ni umarete kimi wa kita
Haruka dare mo yukanu michi tsuki no higi dake ga kimi o shiru
Nemurazu ni ikuya o koeta hibi
Nobore yo ano tenkuu no yume ni mita niwa e to
Enjin no hana kassai o sake nobore yo SWITCHED-ON LOTUS
Kaere yo ima toki wa kite yume ni mita sono e to
Kenran no yoru issai o toke kaere yo SWITCHED-ON LOTUS
Hirasawa Susumu - "Switched-On Lotus"
The rain falls again and secretly makes the flowers from that day bloom in the streets
Unknown to others, you were born and came here
"Hold your head up high and go today!" calls a voice that bloomed on the distant waterfront of Ayutthaya
Awakened by that voice, you came here
Far away A path no one travels Only the secret techniques of the moon know you
Those days when you passed countless nights without sleep
Sing! Sing even more beautifully! Time to depart this hateful prison
The waterfront gate you saw in your dreams opens up
Ascend to that heavenly garden you saw in your dreams!
A circle of flowers Let acclaim blossom Ascend! Switched-on lotus
Return home! The time has come To the garden you saw in your dreams
A dazzling night Release everything Return home! Switched-on lotus
The rain falls again and secretly makes the flowers from that day bloom in the streets
Unknown to others, you were born and came here
Far away A path no one travels Only the secret techniques of the moon know you
Those days when you passed countless nights without sleep
Ascend to that heavenly garden you saw in your dreams!
A circle of flowers Let acclaim blossom Ascend! Switched-on lotus
Return home! The time has come To the garden you saw in your dreams
A dazzling night Release everything Return home! Switched-on lotus
Personally, I love this song, as it sounds like it's full of joy and hope. I can see it as a description of the struggles of people who are born in the wrong body and then eventually reach their goal of living in the body that matches the gender they have been in their mind all along. But the song can also be interpreted as a more spiritual song about the joy of leaving life behind for heaven or about achieving enlightenment. Perhaps it's a mix of all those things and more.
The other thing that's cool about "Switched-On Lotus" is how this is one of (at least) three songs Mr. Hirasawa wrote that use lotus flowers as a motif. So I kind of think of this song as part of a set with the songs "Lotus" and "Rotation."
平沢進 - "Switched-On Lotus"
また降る雨が秘密裏にあの日の花を道に咲かす
知られずに生まれてキミは来た
胸をはり今日は行けよと 遠くアユタヤの水辺に咲いて呼ぶ声に
目覚めてここに来た
遥か 誰も行かぬ道 月の秘技だけがキミを知る
眠らずに幾夜も超えた日々
歌えよなお麗しく望まぬ牢を今去る時
夢に見た 水辺の門が開く
昇れよ あの 天空の 夢に見た 庭へと
円陣の花 喝采を咲け 昇れよ SWITCHED-ON LOTUS
帰れよ 今時は来て 夢に見た 園へと
絢爛の夜 一切を解け 帰れよ SWITCHED-ON LOTUS
また降る雨が秘密裏に あの日の花を道に咲かす
知られずに生まれてキミは来た
遥か 誰も行かぬ道 月の秘技だけがキミを知る
眠らずに幾夜も超えた日々
昇れよ あの 天空の 夢に見た 庭へと
円陣の花 喝采を咲け 昇れよ SWITCHED-ON LOTUS
帰れよ 今時は来て 夢に見た 園へと
絢爛の夜 一切を解け 帰れよ SWITCHED-ON LOTUS
Hirasawa Susumu - "Switched-On Lotus"
Mata furu ame ga himitsuri ni ano hi no hana o michi ni sakasu
Shirarezu ni umarete kimi wa kita
Mune o hari kyou wa yuke to tooku ayutaya no mizube ni saite yobu koe ni
Mezamete koko ni kita
Haruka dare mo yukanu michi tsuki no higi dake ga kimi o shiru
Nemurazu ni ikuya o koeta hibi
Utae yo nao uruwashiku nozomanu rou o ima saru toki
Yume ni mita mizube no mon ga aku
Nobore yo ano tenkuu no yume ni mita niwa e to
Enjin no hana kassai o sake nobore yo SWITCHED-ON LOTUS
Kaere yo ima toki wa kite yume ni mita sono e to
Kenran no yoru issai o toke kaere yo SWITCHED-ON LOTUS
Mata furu ame ga himitsuri ni ano hi no hana o michi ni sakasu
Shirarezu ni umarete kimi wa kita
Haruka dare mo yukanu michi tsuki no higi dake ga kimi o shiru
Nemurazu ni ikuya o koeta hibi
Nobore yo ano tenkuu no yume ni mita niwa e to
Enjin no hana kassai o sake nobore yo SWITCHED-ON LOTUS
Kaere yo ima toki wa kite yume ni mita sono e to
Kenran no yoru issai o toke kaere yo SWITCHED-ON LOTUS
Hirasawa Susumu - "Switched-On Lotus"
The rain falls again and secretly makes the flowers from that day bloom in the streets
Unknown to others, you were born and came here
"Hold your head up high and go today!" calls a voice that bloomed on the distant waterfront of Ayutthaya
Awakened by that voice, you came here
Far away A path no one travels Only the secret techniques of the moon know you
Those days when you passed countless nights without sleep
Sing! Sing even more beautifully! Time to depart this hateful prison
The waterfront gate you saw in your dreams opens up
Ascend to that heavenly garden you saw in your dreams!
A circle of flowers Let acclaim blossom Ascend! Switched-on lotus
Return home! The time has come To the garden you saw in your dreams
A dazzling night Release everything Return home! Switched-on lotus
The rain falls again and secretly makes the flowers from that day bloom in the streets
Unknown to others, you were born and came here
Far away A path no one travels Only the secret techniques of the moon know you
Those days when you passed countless nights without sleep
Ascend to that heavenly garden you saw in your dreams!
A circle of flowers Let acclaim blossom Ascend! Switched-on lotus
Return home! The time has come To the garden you saw in your dreams
A dazzling night Release everything Return home! Switched-on lotus