The Back Horn: Hikari no Kesshou

03.12.25
Artist: The Back Horn
Title: Hikari no Kesshou (Light Crystals)
Words: The Back Horn
Music: The Back Horn

After the rain lets up
kick up a splash of evening color
racing a bicycle through the shopping street

You don't feel hope with just words
so you whistle with deep breaths

It doesn't matter if you're no good,
only that you try to breakfree of the unbearable days

I feel now, we could even fly into the sky,
into that glimmer of diffused reflection *1

Looking up at the thunderhead with a tired face
How long do you intend to stand there with your umbrella out?

Unable to make a peep,
surely the only thing that's holding together
is the promise.

Go to see the ocean, touching your back
reassuring yourself of a fading warmth

You pedalled fiercely
pretending not to notice
your tears are taken by the wind

into that glimmer of diffused relfection
and then start from here.

we reach out to the light crystals
over and over again, even as we stumble.

Translated By: Brian Stewart & Takako Sakuma

Translator's Notes: It's hard to tell who the subject of this song is, at first we translated it as 'we' but it became 'you' after re-examining. It seems to be a device to relate our shared human experience. The singer is making an example of one man/woman.

* 1 - Diffused reflection refers to when light hits an uneven surface and the light is reflected in several different directions, kind of like a disco ball.

Romaji

ameagari yuuhiiro no himatsu age
jitensha de shoutengai wo hashiru

kibou nante kotoba dake jya kanjinai
dakara shinkokyuu de utaidasu kuchibue

heta datte kawamanai tada
yarikirenu hibi furihodoku you ni

ranhansha suru kirameki no naka he
sora datte ima toberu ki ga suru

nyuudoukumo tsukaregao de miageteru
omae itsumademo kasa sashidashita manma de

koe ni sae naranakute kitto
yakusoku dake ga tsunagitomeru

umi wo mi ni iku senaka ni fureteiru
kiesou na netsu tashikamenagara

kizukanai furi shite
tsuyoku pedaru wo koida
omae no namida kaze ga saratte

ranhansha suru kirameki no naka he
soshite koko kara hajimatteyuke

tsumazukinagara hikari no kesshou ni
nando demo te wo nobasu oretachi.

Romaji By: Brian Stewart