I was planning to do pictures first, but I already spent 3 hours looking for song translations and lyrics.
…Songs it is.
Introduction (I guess?): Hopefully I didn’t interpret the songs too differently 😛 All of the Japanese songs (I don’t know Japanese, but I will…one day) except for one (#5) are sung by VOCALOIDs. VOCALOID is a singing voice synthesizer; basically it’s a computer program where you can use the voice bank installed in it to create the vocals for your song. Meaning, it’s sung by a synthesized voice, not a (real) person. Since I am a terrible explainer, Wikipedia if it’s needed-> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vocaloid Be forewarned, not everyone likes Vocaloid because of the metallic-like vocals; some find it to be even unbearably annoying. It technically depends on the Vocaloid since they all sound different (some are more realistic, some are more “metallic”), but it ultimately depends on the listener.
English Songs:
1) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mC1_MnEHjU “The Golden Age” -Woodkid It’s about children growing up from their “golden age” to become adults and how we have to take responsibility of everything now instead of being able to be naïve and ignorant of the world around us. It’s the stage of life we’re going through I guess.
2) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWcyIpul8OE “Holocene”- Bon Iver I am not too sure what the song means, but I think it’s about realizing how insignificant we are as compared to the whole universe. Just have to accept that fact.
3) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qF_qbaWt3Q “Waiting for the End” – Linkin Park “The hardest part of ending is starting again.” Everything ends and begins in life and it’s hard to move on. I agree with the song.
Japanese Songs:
4) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZOPlZTAPDs “しんでしまうとはなさけない！” – Jesus-P (Wonderful☆Opportunity) ft. 鏡音リン ・レン (“Death Should Not Have Taken Thee!” – Jesus-P ft. Kagamine Rin & Len) I know, weirdest song title ever. But it’s the most awesome and funniest vocaloid jrpg-themed song. Ever. JRPGs ftw 🙂
5) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aa0zvkyQoPQ “empty” – kz (livetune) ft. やなぎな ぎ (yanaginagi) Sort of the same meaning as “Waiting for the End.” Stop dreaming and living in sorrow of your past mistakes to greet the new dawn. I agree, again.
6) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ccx8ZqTWCoY “clock lock works” – ハチ (Hachi) ft. 初音ミク (Hatsune Miku) People grow up to work blindly to make money, ignoring what they truly want to do in life by locking it away(?) I can relate to that :/
7) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G85GUfuJTg4 “積乱雲グラフィティ (Sekiranun Graffiti)” – ryo (supercell) ft. 初音ミク (Hatsune Miku) Reminiscing the happy times and little things in life as you grow much older and always having the feelings stay in your heart. I would like to grow older like that. lyrics: http://www.animelyrics.com/doujin/vocaloid/sekiranun.htm
8) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-g4hO8WjvlE “parades” – whoo ft. 初音ミク Append DARK (Hatsune Miku Append DARK) The song is vague and open to interpretation, but I think it can be about getting through a hard problem in life after losing your path and how looking back it wasn’t that much of a big deal after all. It happens with all those tests we take 😛
9) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4avTLP3zXVA “Sky of Beginning” – じん (Jin) ft. 初音ミク (Hatsune Miku) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZUjqVbU1uQ “LIVEDRIVE” – じん (Jin) ft. IA I couldn’t decide so I used two as one~ They basically mean the same thing–go after your ambitions and dreams, no matter how crazy and what others think. “Sky of Beginning” has a more childish/innocent/cute tone while “LIVEDRIVE” has a more bold/hard-beat/serious tone. Lyrics for “LIVEDRIVE”: http://mojim.com/usy111619x3x2.htm
10) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aT2wVgoBH28 “現実的論理主義者 (A Realistic Logical Ideologist)” – ゴボウメン (Goboumen) ft. IA I think it’s criticizing in the point of view of a realist of how we have to conform to society and especially how optimists and pessimists view life. I know I’m definitely not a realist, but I should be so I can make more obtainable goals.
finito! that was really long OTL