There is more than one artist or group with this name.

1. Japan's fi… Read Full Bio ↴There is more than one artist or group with this name.

1. Japan's first African-American enka singer
2. A South Korean singer

(1) JERO (born Jerome Charles White, Jr., on September 4, 1981) is an enka singer, as well as Japan's first African-American enka singer, signed to Victor Entertainment.
JERO was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His mother was half-Japanese, and his Japanese grandmother got him interested in enka music from a young age. He first went to Japan at age 15 to participate in a Japanese language speech contest. In high school he was captain on the dance team. He enrolled in the University of Pittsburgh, majoring in information science, and graduated in 2003. During this time, he went on a three month exchange to a university in Kansai, and during his stay was when he decided he would become an enka singer.
After graduating, he returned to Japan and worked as a teacher at an eikaiwa school in Wakayama-ken, as well as being a computer engineer in Osaka. In his spare time he appeared on NHK singing programs, and entered many karaoke competitions and winning an array of awards. In particular, he entered a karaoke competition sponsored by Sakamoto Fuyumi and won first place, which is what caught the eye of Victor and got him scouted. He practiced for two years, and finally in February 2008 debuted with the single Umiyuki.
In contrast to his music JERO usually maintains the outward appearance of a hip-hop artist.
In May 2018, he announced a hiatus to his music career in order return to computer engineering.

(2) Jero (제로), stylized JERO and formerly known as J-Yo (제이요), is a Korean singer currently active in South Korea. He debuted within the group TOUCH in 2010 and was a member of the hip-hop group Lucky J. He is pursuing a solo career since 2016, with the release of his first solo single "Airplane".
Before entering the music scene, Jun-yong attended Anyang Arts High School as a student in the acting department. He made his debut in 2010, known as Junyong in the boy group Touch under YYJ Entertainment, but left in April 2012 to complete his two-year mandatory military service. On July 9, 2014, Jun-yong was announced as a member of YMC Entertainment's new co-ed hip hop group Lucky J, along with Jessi and J'Kyun, under the stage name J-Yo. He left the group in August 2016, to focus on his solo career with the new stage name, Jero. Jero signed to Echo Global Group, where he debuted as a soloist on August 11, 2016, with the single "Airplane". On March 23, 2017 he came out with two more singles, "Delusional" and "Birthday Blu" with their own respected music videos as well. He then came out with his fifth single, "Traffic Light" on June 21, 2017. In 2018 he releases his sixth single, "Flower Bomb." He also released his seventh single, "Save Me" featuring Park Jimin (15&).

流浪の街
ジェロ Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

流れ流れていた
暮らしも心根も荒れ果てて
酔いつぶれ塞ぎ込んだ
駅裏の暗い路地
やるせなく時だけが過ぎ往く
幸せを探したいけど
所詮負け犬はぐれ犬
眠りついてるよどんだ街じゃ

拾いそこなったあの夢の
小さな破片(カケラ)さえ
見えなくて

とうにほどけていた
心と心を繁ぐ糸
いらだちで背中向けた
なぐさめの言葉にも
強がりで遠ざけたぬくもり
情熱を探したいけど
所詮やせ犬おびえ犬
動き出したい動き出せない
涙飲み込んで空を見た
もう一度歩き出す勇気が欲しい

幸せを探したいけど
所詮負け犬はぐれ犬
眠りついてるよどんだ街じゃ
拾いそこなったあの夢の

小さな破片(カケラ)さえ
見えなくて

Overall Meaning

These lyrics convey a sense of despair and longing for happiness in a desolate and neglected city. The singer describes how everything in their life, both externally and internally, has become worn-out and neglected. They have fallen into a state of drunkenness and isolation, hiding in the dark alley behind the train station.

Feeling helpless and lost, the singer reveals their self-perception as a loser, a stray dog. In this stagnant and suffocating city, they cannot even see the small fragments of a dream they missed out on. This line reflects their inability to grasp any hope or glimpse of happiness in their current circumstances.

The second paragraph continues to express the singer's detachment and frustration in their relationships. Their heart has long been disconnected from others, and they have turned their back on comforting words, even rejecting the warmth and affection offered to them. They yearn for passion and authenticity, but their fear and insecurity prevent them from taking action or making any real progress.

The singer reflects on the need for courage and the desire to start walking again, even after feeling defeated and swallowed by their own tears. They want to find the strength to face life's challenges once more. This line illustrates their yearning for a fresh start and a renewed sense of purpose and determination.

In the final repetition of the chorus, the singer reiterates their longing for happiness but acknowledges their self-perception as a loser and stray dog. They feel trapped and asleep in this stagnant city, unable to even catch a glimpse of the small fragments of their dreams. This ending emphasizes the ongoing struggle for happiness and the difficult journey to find it in a desolate and neglected environment.

Line by Line Meaning

流れ流れていた
Continuously flowing, drifting

暮らしも心根も荒れ果てて
Both the way of life and the core of the heart are in ruins

酔いつぶれ塞ぎ込んだ
Drowning in drunkenness and shutting oneself off

駅裏の暗い路地
A dark alley behind the station

やるせなく時だけが過ぎ往く
Helplessly, only time passes by

幸せを探したいけど
I want to search for happiness, but

所詮負け犬はぐれ犬
After all, a loser, a stray dog

眠りついてるよどんだ街じゃ
In this stagnant, asleep town

拾いそこなったあの夢の小さな破片(カケラ)さえ見えなくて
Unable to see even the small fragments of that dream I missed

とうにほどけていた
Long-dissolved

心と心を繁ぐ糸
Threads connecting heart to heart