Kouda Kumi: 1000 no Kotoba

03.06.11
Artist: Kouda Kumi
Title: 1000 no Kotoba (1000 Words)
Words: Nojima K
Music: Eguchi Takaki, Matsueda K

I would say your words are the kindness of dreams,
covering up all the lies.
You're a crafty one.

I turned a cold shoulder to you as you left on your journey
and asked, "Will you fight it alone?"
I'm crafty too.

"I'll be back." you said as you passed me by
I stuck to my pride, and acted strong.
Should I have turned back time and cried out
Or teared up, and said "Don't go!"?
Now I could do that, and so much more.

I'll send these 1000 words I couldn't say
to your back, so far away
and make them into wings.
These 1000 words will draw close
to your wounded back and hold you.

My dream goes on, as I think of you
pretending to forget what happened that day
I'm so dishonest.*1

You avoided my glance saying "I'll write to you"
I stuck to my pride, and acted strong
Should I have turned back time and gotten angry?
Or slumped my shoulders and said "I won't wait"
Now I could do that, and so much more.

Can you hear?
I'll send these 1000 words I couldn't say
to your back out of my sight,
and make them into wings.

Do you hear?
These 1000 words will pull close
to your tired back and hold you.
The 1000 words I couldn't say
La la la la...
I'll send to your back, and make them into wings
Can you hear me? These 1000 words
La la la la....
pulling close to you
La la la la...

Translated By: Brian Stewart & Takako Sakuma

Translator's Notes: Again there are bound to be countless translations of this on the net, but I stand by ours. On to the *!

*1 - the word zurui, used as they use it here, is not simply "it's not fair" or "cheater". It's translation depends on the context. In the first use, the singer seems to be saying "how crafty 'you' are for using your kind words to cover the lie" It's not really a negative meaning though. As you'll see later. In the second instance the singer is being cruel by acting unaffected when her 'hero' is off to battle. In the third instance we went with "dishonest" to emphasize how the singer is trying to fool herself again. It's crafty yes, but the word seems to Snidley Whiplash to use in this case. Especially where we are trying to bring the song and the singer's feelings out into the open. The image of the song seems to be, "Guy promises many things to girl before going off to war/battle/journey, but they both know it's dangerous and they might not meet again, so they try to avoid facing the reality of their situation." The girl is trying to get honest with herself. Thus I believe a case can be made for the word "dishonest". Am I rambling?

Romaji

kimi no kotoba ha yume no yasashisa ka na
uso wo zenbu ooikakushiteru
zurui yo ne

tabidatsu kimi ni sameta senaka misete
kiiteita yo hitori tatakau no?
zurui yo ne

'kaettekuru kara' oikoshiteiku kimi no koe
ijihatte tsuyoi furi
toki wo modoshite sakebeba yokatta?
ikanai de to namida wo koboshitara?
ima ha dekiru donna koto mo
ienakatta sen no kotoba wo
haruka na kimi no senaka ni okuru yo hane ni kaete
ienakatta sen no kotoba ha
kizutsuita kimi no senaka ni yorisoi dakishimeru

yume no tsuzuki ha kimi wo omoinagara
ano hi no koto wasureta furi shite
zuiri yo ne

'tegami wo kaku kara' shisen sorashita kimi no koe
ijihatte tsuyoi furi
toki wo modoshite okoreba yokatta?
matenai yo to kata wo otoshitara?
ima ha dekiru donna koto mo

kikoeteru? 1000 no kotoba wo
mienai kimi no senaka ni okuru yo tsubasa ni kaete
kikoeteru? 1000 no kotoba ha
tsukareta kimi no senaka ni yorisoi dakishimeru

ienakatta 1000 no kotoba wo
La la la la la...
kimi no senaka ni okuru yo
tsubasa ni kaete
kikoeteru? 1000 no kotoba ha
La la la la la...
kimi no senaka ni yorisoi.

Romaji By: Brian Stewart