Friday, November 14, 2008

Jesus lyrics and controversy answer



These lyrics come from youtube user keesiaox - translations in kana, Romaji and English



傷ついた抜け殻をただ抱きしめていた
降り注ぐ雨は静かな 君の涙

Wake me up
Wake me up
Wake me up
この夢から
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
教えてくれMaria!!!

「殺して」と微笑みながら頬に触れた
見えない目に涙を溜めて消えて行く
Take me Out
Take me Out
Take me Out
この夢から
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
答えてくれ JESUS!!!

God said when you die,
Your life will pass before your own eyes.
If you want to feel it right now,
Just do it, do it, do it!

Wake me up
Wake me up
Wake me up
この夢から
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
教えてくれ

Take me Out
Take me Out
Take me Out
この夢から
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
答えてくれ JESUS!!!


==================================


kizutsuita nukegara wo tada dakishimeteita
furisosogu ame wa shizuka na kimi no namida
Wake me up
Wake me up
Wake me up
kono yume kara
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
Oshietekure Maria!!!!


「koroshite...」 to hohoemi nagara hoho ni fureta
mienai me ni namida wo tamete kieteyuku
Take me Out
Take me Out
Take me Out
kono yume kara
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
Kotaetekure JESUS!!!

God said when you die,
Your life will pass before your own eyes.
If you want to feel it right now,
Just do it, do it, do it!

Wake me up
Wake me up
Wake me up
kono yume kara
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
Oshietekure

Take me Out
Take me Out
Take me Out
kono yume kara
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
Kotaetekure JESUS!!!



===========================

Please note my Japanese is poor and this is MY interpretation of the song. It may be right, it may be wrong. Depends on how you want to read into the lyrics I guess ;_;


Tightly embracing only the empty broken shell
The pouring rain is your silent tears
Wake me up
Wake me up
Wake me up
from this dream
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
Please tell me, Maria!!!!


Smiling, I touched your cheeks and said 'kill me...'
Tears gathered in my blinded eyes, and then disappeared
Take me Out
Take me Out
Take me Out
from this dream
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
Answer me, JESUS!!!

God said when you die,
Your life will pass before your own eyes.
If you want to feel it right now,
Just do it, do it, do it!

Wake me up
Wake me up
Wake me up
from this dream
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
Please tell me

Take me Out
Take me Out
Take me Out
from this dream
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
Answer me, JESUS!!!

-------------

A lot of people on Youtube are having issues with Gackt's new song. They take offense to the use of Jesus in the song, saying he's trying to mock Christianity or challenge the idea of Jesus in some way.

Wow, over thinking it much? Let me tell you, I am a church going, God fearing Catholic. As a Catholic I can tell you there is NOTHING offensive about this song.

In the video there is a man contemplating suicide. He keeps putting the gun to his head and taking it away. he's crying and obviously tormented. Gackt is playing the part of the guy's thoughts, he is singing about what is going on in his mind.

The guy is not damning Jesus, he's not bashing Christianity, he's asking in his tormented mind... "is this real or a dream?" if it's a dream, blessed virgin Mary (Maria) please wake me up. If it's real and this pain exists, Jesus take me."

that's all it really is. Gackt is giving a voice to what is going on in this guy's head.

To say Gackt is condoning suicide or challenging Christianity is just a stupid, closeminded an uneducated thing to believe. Even Freud admitted sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.

I also think this is less about religion and more about the ties to Requiem et reminiscence. the guy in the vid is wearing a soldier's uniform like the one Gackt wore during his 'Requiem' era. And as we all know, Gackt is revisiting Requiem at the end of this year through early 2009 with the Requiem et Reminiscence tour II. I think this ties in more to that than it does religion.

So lighten up people!




17 comments:

Anonymous said...

You're right. :)

Anonymous said...

WOW, I was impressed by the video, but i didn't relate it with religion, but with anger and sorrow in general. it is a deep anxiety what you can feel while watching it. i do not think he wants to use christiany as a tool for marketink, but he usii HISTORY itself, the history of a man and his mother, who suffered his death, but understood it as the salvation for the whole humanity. i am not a religious person, but i have felt that energy , that strong bonds between mother and son in the song "ave maria" sung by KOKIA (i strongly recommend it to you). that sorrow of the mother is there, and i do feel it, while i do not believe in religion as such.

then, i think gackt is using these concepts that have accompanied humanity for generations, those bonds, that suffering has always been there. and any person, not regarding his religion, can feel that kind of sorrow or anguish.

on the other hand, people relies on religion in hard times, in the last days of their lives, and in the video, this man is looking for the definete answer that might give him a reason for living.

but i d not think it's smth that is against christianity. in fact, the man in the video relies on religion as a way of escape.

thank you for the translation of the lyric, is a tough video and tough lyrics, but everything isn't peaches and cream, isn't it?

Anonymous said...

That's what I thought when I saw the video. I grew up in a Christian home and see no problem with. I think it is a brillant concept. Religious fanatics need to chill.

Anonymous said...

I absolutely agree with you. I am also Catholic, and I find nothing offensive about this song either. People are just ridiculous... :/

Furesiya said...

I think the only reason people are paying this one any mind is because the title is so... Bam, Jesus.
Many of his other songs have religious references, or quite the opposite, reference his immortality which as far as I know doesn't go along with most religions.
If the lyrics had stayed the same but name had been anything else, I doubt anyone would have had a problem with it.
oh wells *head bangs with Gackt*

Anonymous said...

Yes! I agree wholeheartedly. There's nothing offensive about this song. It's full of desperation and sorrow and it's merely about a man seeking answers. I'm a catholic myself and I believe, but those that say this is offensive are religious fanatics that don't know when to draw a clear line.

Anonymous said...

I...

It was a great song.

I didn't think about religion. Lolx.

Anonymous said...

Indeed. Those who think that Gackt's song is a spiteful retort to religion are not only overthinking much, they missed the point of the music video and of Gackt's artistry. I was raised Catholic and in no way am I seeing through either the lyrics or the imagery of the video a mockery of religion or it's pivotal figures, being those Mary and Jesus.

People need to lighten up. Of course, we cannot think much of those who post comments in Youtube, for example. We all know the demographic there isn't precisely the most educated.

I absolutely adore Gackt-sama and his music. He has mi unconditional support.

Anonymous said...

After reading this the first thing that came to mind was evanescence "tourniquet"

Anonymous said...

I pretty much think you hit the nail on the head with your explanation. I saw some people reacting to it and I had to laugh because they just hear " Real or Dream" and "Jesus" without even understanding the context and all of a sudden it is blown out of proportion as this anti christian song.

Anonymous said...

I'm a Christian and I didn't find anything offense about the song. It's actually very beautifully done. You can really feel the emotion that Gackt is expressing through the lyrics, even without the watching the video.

Anonymous said...

I, too, am Catholic, and I hold the same view: Gackt is not mocking Christianity or Catholicism in any way (Catholicism more directly because that's the only one that really devotes to the Blessed Mother). In fact, I feel as if he is looking at Catholicism in a good light, as the person who is supposed to be thinking is asking for God, Jesus, and Mary's help. This is one of the reasons I love Gackt: he can write and sing songs that are absolutely h-a-w-t like Vanilla, and yet bring such raw emotion into a song like this

Anonymous said...

you said it! i totally agree with you!

Ja-panic said...

I also agree. With anyone who's been in that situation, as far as suicide, would understand what this is trying to convey. It's obvious that in the video is in great pain and trying to find answers to it. When someone is in that mental state, they are extremely confused and are simply looking for answers.
Like ehimeintothelight said, "...but everything isn't peaches and cream, isn't it?"

Sanjiin said...

too true. I'm a Christian and I love this song. I never thought he was bashing Christianity. Besides, take a look at Gackt's history. Anyone remember his song Maria? A beautiful, hope-inspiring song in the voice of God. I couldn't see someone doing such a song then turning around a few years later and going in the opposite direction. Excellent explanation. Oh and your translation is very good for not speaking Japanese.

Anonymous said...

While I am not a religious man I can honestly agree there is no negative connotation to Jesus in this song or video.

I have been down the dark path of despair that leads to suicide, I have actually had the gun to my head and within a hair of firing when someone talked me down. So unlike most people I have first hand knowledge in this area.

I enjoy the song because it really does a good job of artistically relaying the sorrow, desperation, and utter despair that can consume the human mind and soul.

To the closed minded fanatics who cry heresy at this artist I don't say lighten up, I say open your eyes. If your going to take offense at least understand what your taking offense about. Then again asking the average person to think and understand is like trying to milk a rock.

Anonymous said...

I think its definately cuz of the name people are reacting this way. i mean im a christian and i saw this song name and i was like "oh no! dont tell me he's mocking Jesus!! does this mean i cant listen to Gackt anymore?" and then i looked up the lyrics and i was like "oh ok! its all good!"i didnt find nothing really offensive or mocking!

i guess its also cuz some of his songs tend to be just a bit on the inappropriate side as far as religion goes and people just automatically think this will be bad as well!