Southern All Stars (サザンオールスターズ), also known as SAS and Sazan, is a Japanese… Read Full Bio ↴Southern All Stars (サザンオールスターズ), also known as SAS and Sazan, is a Japanese pop/rock band led by Kuwata Keisuke. The band is considered one of the most influential groups in Japan, being the 4th best-selling artist and having sold more than 47,083,000 copies in Japan.

The band's roots trace back to 1975, when Kuwata Keisuke was part of a popular group Better Days. The group saw many changes to its name and members. It was when keyboardist Hara Yuko and bassist Sekiguchi Kazuyuki joined the group that it had a permanent name.

After more and more changes of members, the group finally saw light as they released their debut single 'Katte ni Sinbad' in 1978.

January of 2000 saw the release of TSUNAMI, which was #1 on the Oricon charts for 5 weeks, selling almost 3 million copies. The single was marked the 3rd best-selling one in Japan.

In 2003, HMV Japan announced Southern All Stars to be the No.1 Japanese pop artist in its survey of “Top 100 Japanese pops Artists” all-time.

Members:
Kuwata Keisuke (桑田佳祐) (Lead vocals, acoustic & electric guitars)
Sekiguchi Kazuyuki (関口和之) (Bass)
Hara Yuko (原由子) (Vocals & keyboards)
Matsuda Hiroshi (松田弘) (Drums)
Nozawa Hideyuki (野沢秀行) (Percussion)

Former Members:
Omori Takashi (大森隆志) (Guitar) (Left August 2001)

亀が泳ぐ街
サザンオールスターズ Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

亀が泳ぐ街未来の神保町
女郎屋の棟々紅のジャズ
泌みるよ蝉しぐれ

バスが残す風マダムのお店に
花瓶が揺れてる犬が鳴いてる
聞いてよお母様

逃げ水の向こうに雲をはべらせて
樹齢も知らない木立が騒ぐ
女にシュミーズを

夜空にクルクルと廻る自転車に乗り
君がいる方角へ翔んでゆこう

飾りたてた服いじり倒す顔
不幸になれない浮き世の輩
窓辺のスキャンダル

ネオンを浴びてるピンクの谷間は
酔いどれ月夜の濡れた慕情よ
妬けるぜ映画館

砂を掴む手にリズムをつけたら
小指の端から転がり落ちた
運命が波を呼ぶ

隣でシュラシュラと踊る木馬座のように
客を待つ美しい女のうた

キャビアを食べたい筋だけ残して
そぞろ雨のバンジョー屋根を噛む音
美味しい鳩サブレー

高過ぎる土地に愛を植えようよ

予算が許せば池も掘ろうよ
孤独な空の下

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to サザンオールスターズ's song "亀が泳ぐ街" (Kame ga oyogu machi) paint a vivid and poetic picture of a city infused with various elements of life. The opening lines mention the future location of Kanda, a district in Tokyo known for its historical bookstores and jazz clubs. The mention of a brothel (女郎屋) and red jazz alludes to the lively and spirited atmosphere of the city. The imagery of a whispering cicada adds to the sense of sound and movement in the scene described.

As the lyrics progress, the mention of a bus leaving a breeze and flowers swaying suggests a street lined with shops and everyday occurrences. The line "聞いてよお母様" (Listen, mother) adds a personal and intimate touch, as if the singer is sharing their experiences and observations with someone dear.

The following verses continue to describe the cityscape, including a mention of a rotating bicycle in the night sky, symbolizing a desire to fly towards the direction where "you" are. The lyrics also touch on themes of appearances, with lines about clothing being disarranged and the inability to become unfortunate in the transient world. The neon-lit pink crevices and the allure of a cinema evoke a sense of excitement and envy.

The lyrics take a poetic turn, mentioning the hand that grasps sand and the rhythm that accompanies it, which symbolize the unpredictability and wave-like nature of fate. The song also sings of a beautiful woman waiting for customers like a dancing wooden horse in the constellation of Pegasus.

Line by Line Meaning

亀が泳ぐ街未来の神保町
In a town where turtles swim, the future of Jimbocho

女郎屋の棟々紅のジャズ
In the buildings of brothels, there is vibrant jazz music

泌みるよ蝉しぐれ
The sound of cicadas fills the air

バスが残す風マダムのお店に
The wind left by the bus blows towards the madam's shop

花瓶が揺れてる犬が鳴いてる
The vase trembles, the dog barks

聞いてよお母様
Listen, mother

逃げ水の向こうに雲をはべらせて
Beyond the escape water, clouds hang

樹齢も知らない木立が騒ぐ
The young trees make a commotion, unaware of their age

女にシュミーズを
Wear a shimmy for the women

夜空にクルクルと廻る自転車に乗り
Riding a bicycle that spins round and round in the night sky

君がいる方角へ翔んでゆこう
Let's fly towards the direction where you are