正しい街 － 椎名林檎 (The Right City － Shiina Ringo)

We re-instate this blog with one of power-pop queen Shiina Ringo's less well-known (but no less brilliant) songs. Shiina spent 6 years growing up in my current home of Fukuoka, eventually moving to Tokyo to pursue her burgeoning musical career. This song was written about leaving the city behind; those of you familiar with Fukuoka should listen out for references to some famous Fukuoka landmarks.


Special thanks to YouTube user aneesognir for the video!

Song: 正しい街 (The Right City)
Artist: 椎名林檎 (Shiina Ringo)

PREVERSE
あの日飛び出した 此の街と君が正しかったのにね
Ano hi tobidashita kono machi to kimi ga tadashikatta no ni ne
I ran away that day, even though you and this city were both right for me

VERSE 1
不愉快な笑みを向け 長い沈黙の後 態度を更に悪くしたら
Furinkai na emi wo muke nagai chinmoku no ato taido wo sara ni waruku shitara
After a long period of smiling uncomfortably in silence, your attitude worsened

冷たいアスファルトに額を擦らせて 期待はずれのあたしを攻めた
Tsumetai asufaruto ni hitai wo kosurasete kitai hazure no atashi wo semeta
and you made me grind my forehead into the cold asphalt, attacking me for betraying your expectations

君が周りを無くした あたしはそれを無視した
Kimi ga mawari wo naku shita atashi wa sore wo mushishita
You gave up those around you; I ignored it

CHORUS 1
さよならを告げた あの日の唇が一年後
Sayonara wo tsugeta ano hi no kuchibiru ga ichinengo
どういう気持ちで いまあたしにキスをしてくれたのかな
Dou iu kimochi de ima atashi ni kisu wo shitekureta no ka na
What do you mean by kissing me now
with those lips that told me goodbye one year ago?

VERSE 2
短い嘘を繋げ 赤いものに替えて 疎外されゆく本音を伏せた
Mijikai uso wo tsunage akai mono ni kaete sogai sareyuku honne wo fuseta
Connecting many small lies, I created a big one, hiding the true feelings that I had completely divorced myself from

足らない言葉よりも近い距離を好み 理解出来ていた様に思うが
taranai kotoba yori mo chikai kyori wo konomi rikai dekiteita you ni omou ga
You preferred short distances to inadequate words
I think I understood what you meant

君に涙を教えた あたしはそれも無視した
Kimi ni namida wo oshieta atashi wa sore mo mushi shita
I taught you to cry
But I ignored that, too.

CHORUS 2
可愛いひとなら捨てる程いるなんて云うくせに
Kawaii hito nara suteru hodo iru nante iu kuse ni
You say you have so many cute girls that you have to dump some of them

どうして未だに 君の横には誰一人居ないのかな
Doushite imadani kimi no yoko ni wa dare hitori inai no ka na
Why, then, has there not been a single person by your side this whole time?

BRIDGE
何て大それたことを夢見てしまったんだろう
Nante daisoreta koto wo yume miteshimattan darou
I allowed myself to dream outrageous things

あんな傲慢な類の愛を押し付けたり
Anna gouman na tagui no ai wo oshitsuketari
Forcing my arrogant love on you

都会では冬の匂いも正しくもない
Tokai de wa fuyu no nioi mo tadashiku mo nai
In the city, winter smells wrong

百道浜も君も室見川もない
Momochihama mo kimi mo muromi gawa mo nai
No Momochi Beach, no you, and no Muromi River

CHORUS 3
もう我が儘など 云えないことは分かっているから
Mou wagamama nado ienai koto wa wakatteiru kara
I know now that I can no longer say those selfish things to you

明日の空港に 最後でも来てなんてとても云えない
Ashita no kuukou ni saigo demo kite nante totemo ienai
No way on earth I could ask you to see me off at the airport, even though it's my last day

忠告は全て いま罰として現実になった
Chuukoku wa subete ima batsu toshite genjitsu ni natta
Punished by all those warnings which came true

あの日飛び出した 此の街と君が正しかったのにね
Ano hi tobidashita kono machi to kimi ga tadashikatta no ni ne
I ran away that day, even though you and this city were both right for me