とまどうペリカン（作詞・作曲　井上陽水）
<Pelican In Love And Fear>
English lyrics by Hidekazu Morishima
Another masterpiece of Mr. Inoue Yosui, which may well be accepted in a multi-cultural and cross-border manner. I love this song personally in that it has a story-telling effect in its original Japanese lyrics. I tried to convey that character of the music in my atmospheric translation. The song presents a somewhat weird scene, of a communication between a lion and a pelican in the jungle, which may remind you of a human world’s “concrete jungle” in the night, and a woman’s love and fear of a tough guy.
This fine piece of music reminds me of the phrase used for a scene/plot description in the traditional drama, such as Johruri puppet theater, i.e. “Michiyuki” – literally “road trip” , but in particular sense of an “eloping trip”. Michiyuki is a motif popularly used in those tragic puppet dramas created by Chikamatsu Monzaemon. Even in the American movie like “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid”, a michiyuki story appears with Etta and Butch and the Kid. In this song, we notice a scent of a “film noir” here.
My singing, as always, is of a sub-standard quality, I must admit, but hope the lyrics are worth reading and listening to, and somebody out there sing with a much better voice to express the dramatic effect of the song.
I did this piece, still staying home, and playing my keyboard in my usual clumsy way!
Photos for the song by courtesy of Toru Morishima, my son, who used to live in NYC and LA.
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とまどうペリカン(Pelican In Love And Fear)

• 井上陽水　作詞
• 井上陽水　作曲
• English lyrics by Hidekazu Morishima

Somewhere in shades of the night,
Shimmering through fronds,
Saying so faintly are your eyes –
“Where are you going tonight,
Will you tell me? ”
Whispering so away I might not fly…

As I’m in a lonely mood,
Lost from those many wading crowds,
So once in a blue moon,
I can tell you now.

Along with shades of the trees,
If we are to go,
You clear the vines of the jungle for me.
And I will follow your trail,
Wherever you go,
Rubbing out all your footprints after your tail,

Tearing through the summer wind,
Chasing up the dream I’d never win,
Cuddling like a little child,
In the still of the night.

You’re a lion,
With a mane waving in the wind,
You’re a roaring lion,
Hungry for a game to win,
You’re a lion,
And hate the day so drear,
I’m a pelican,,
Torn between love and fear…

(Interlude)

If and when you run alone,
In broad daylight,
While I lag behind and give a cry of groan,
You must not wait for me,
Just give a glance,
As dangers are all around in the open field.

Wherever you may be,
They can spot you right away,
Whenever you may be
Down and drawing your nails!

You’re a lion,
With a mane waving in the wind,
You’re a roaring lion,
Hungry for a game to win,
You’re a lion,
And hate the day so drear,
I’m a pelican,
Torn between love and fear…

You’re a lion,
With a yellow-golden garment,
You’re a roaring lion,
Sitting on the barrens,
You’re a lion,
And since the day you came near,
I’m a pelican,
Torn between love and fear…

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