モノクロトウキョー
サカナクション Lyrics

The lyrics of サカナクション's song Monochrome Tokyo depict the singer's observations of Tokyo, particularly at 5 am, when the city is still waking up. The first stanza begins with the singer clicking his tongue and calling out to a stray cat, who scurries away and disappears into the shadows. The city is described as oddly foul-smelling and starting to get cloudy. The words "Tokyo," "monochrome," "yearning," and "full-color" are repeated throughout the song, emphasizing the singer's sense of longing and desire for something more vivid and lively.

The second stanza is about the singer passing by a person who's lying down and clicking his tongue, and a car with a left-hand drive. The city is explicitly described as "sinful," and the high-rise buildings appear to be damp and clinging to each other. Finally, the singer expresses their heart as dry and waiting for rain. The repeated references to looking up at the interwoven electric wires and the towering billboards emphasize the overwhelming sensory experience of the city.

Overall, the song portrays Tokyo as a city of contrasts, both beautiful and harsh, colorful yet monochrome, full of yearning yet always waiting for something more.