Sambomaster (サンボマスター) is a Japanese Rock band, signed to Sony Music Japan. … Read Full Bio ↴Sambomaster (サンボマスター) is a Japanese Rock band, signed to Sony Music Japan. They were formed in February 2000 when Takashi Yamaguchi (山口隆) (Guitar & Vocals) and Yasufumi Kiuchi (木内泰史) (Drums & Back-Up Vocals) who had first met at a music club at university a few years prior, met Youichi Kondo (近藤洋一) (Bass & Back-Up Vocals) and decided to start a band. Thus, Sambomaster were born.

They first made their debut at a live house (known as Showboat) in the Koenji district of Tokyo not too long after first forming the band. This was quickly followed by them self-producing their first mini-album, Kick no Oni, which took almost a year to complete and was eventually released in April 2001, limited to only 300 copies. They then built on this progress by participating in various indie complations and anthologies, coupled with seemingly endless gigging across the country, which helped create a large amount of interest for the band.

However, Sambomaster's big break finally came in Summer 2003, when they appeared at Fuji Rock Festival's Rookie a Go-Go (a show designed to highlight up-and-coming new bands) which lead to them getting signed to Sony Music Japan and releasing their major-label debut album, Atarashiki Nihongo Rock No Michi To Hikari, in December 2003. It eventually peaked at #3 on the music charts, which was a miraculous achievement for the band, as the album had next been given to no advertisting on Sony Music's part, and was being sold on word of mouth and good reviews only.

Since releasing their debut album, Sambomaster have since released another three albums. Sambomaster Wa Kimi Ni Katarikakeru was released in Janurary 2005, Boku To Kimi No Subete Wo Rock 'N' Roll To Yobe was released in April 2006 and Ongaku no Kodomo wa Mina Utau was released in January 2008.

In 2004, they released the singles Seishun Kyousoukyoku, which was used as an opening theme to the anime Naruto, and Utsukushi Ningen No Hibi, which was used as the main theme for the movie Koi no Mon. In a similar move, the 2005 single Sekai Wa Sore Wo Ai To Yobundaze was used as the closing theme for the television show Densha Otoko. It's widely accepted that these are the songs Sambomaster are currently best known for. This particularly rings true in the west, where exposure to the band is small, especially when compared to big-name Japanese Rock groups.

Seishun Kyousoukyoku
サンボマスター Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

ひからびた言葉をつないで
それでも僕等シンプルな
想いを伝えたいだけなの
吹き抜けるくすんだあの日の風は
昨日の廃虚に打ち捨てて
君と笑う今を生きるのだ eh

それでもあの出来事が

君を苦しめるだろ?
だからこそサヨナラなんだ

このまま何も残らずに
あなたと分かち合うだけ
やがて僕等は
それが全てだと気がついて
悲しみは頬を伝って
涙の河になるだけ

揺れる想いは強い渦になって
溶け合うのよ babe

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of サンボマスター's song Seishun Kyousoukyoku are about the struggles of navigating youth and growing up, while still trying to hold onto simple and honest emotions. The opening line describes how the singer wants to connect old and withered words, but even then, they only want to convey their simple feelings. The song speaks to the nostalgic feeling the singer has for an old day when they laughed with someone they care about, and the strength that memory gives them to live in the present.

The song takes an emotional turn in the second verse, and rises in intensity as the singer confronts the idea that even though the memories they have are beautiful, they cannot change the fact that they carry pain as well. They acknowledge this pain, and the inevitability of time separating them from the beautiful memories they have with the person they care about. Despite this, the singer clings to the hope that they will eventually melt together with the people they care about and become a part of something beautiful again. The song ends on this hopeful note, with the idea that though life will take the singer and their loved ones through pain and separation, eventually, if they hold onto their emotions strongly enough, they will become one again.

Line by Line Meaning

ひからびた言葉をつないで
Connecting sun-baked words

それでも僕等シンプルな
Still, we are simple

想いを伝えたいだけなの
We just want to convey our feelings

吹き抜けるくすんだあの日の風は
The hazy wind that blows through that day

昨日の廃虚に打ち捨てて
Abandoned the ruins of yesterday

君と笑う今を生きるのだ
Laugh with you, live in the moment

それでもあの出来事が君を苦しめるだろ?
Still, those events trouble you, don't they?

だからこそサヨナラなんだ
That's why it's goodbye

このまま何も残らずに
Without anything left behind

あなたと分かち合うだけ
Just sharing with you

やがて僕等はそれが全てだと気がついて
Eventually, we realize that's all it is