Tomoko Aran (亜蘭知子), born January 14, 1958 in Hirosaki, Japan, is a pop sing… Read Full Bio ↴Tomoko Aran (亜蘭知子), born January 14, 1958 in Hirosaki, Japan, is a pop singer and lyricist. Aran got her start writing music at the age of 19, later making her singing debut in 1981 with the single "Kanashiki Vaudevillian." She released nine albums for Warner Bros. Records between 1981 and 1990, and was largely known for her work in the City Pop genre. Aran later joined Oda Tetsurou's supergroup Nagisa no All Stars from 1986 to 1989, and then again in 2006.

In the 90's, Aran primarily focused on writing lyrics for others artists, most notably for Being Inc. artists B'z and TUBE. For a while, she was married to Being's president Nagato Daiko.

Midnight Pretenders
亜蘭知子 Lyrics

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Midnight pretenders
Senaka no hokuro wo
Nazoreba nijimu namida
Uneasy heart (uneasy heart)

Karui neiki tatenagara
Oyogitsukareta sakana no you ni
Nemuri wo musaboru hito

How much I love you (I love you)

Futari wo noseta fune wa
Yoru no umi wo sasuratte
Ashita wa doko e
Nagare nagasareru no

Every time I wish monopolize your love
Yukusaki tsugenai tabibito
Every time I wish that you would be mine
Anata no subete ga hoshii no

Midnight pretenders
Yami ni kakurete
Tsukanoma nukumori wakeau
Secret love (secret love)

Mado ni shinobikomu asa ga
Sekitateru wakare
Saigo wa itsumo mune ni tsumaru
Say goodbye (say goodbye)

Fukai umi no soko ni
Ienai kotoba shizumete
Okizari no kodoku ni
Kuchibiru kamu dake na no

Every time I wish monopolize your love
Yakusoku kawasanu koibito
Every time I wish that you would be mine
Anata no subete ga hoshii no

Futari wo noseta fune wa
Yoru no umi wo sasuratte
Ashita wa doko e
Nagare nagasareru no

Every time I wish monopolize your love
Yukusaki tsugenai tabibito
Every time I wish that you would be mine
Anata no subete ga hoshii no

Every time I wish monopolize your love
Yukusaki tsugenai tabibito
Every time I wish that you would be mine
Anata no subete ga hoshii no
That you'd be mine

(Outro)

Overall Meaning

The song "Midnight Pretenders" by 亜蘭知子 (Aran Chiko) is a melancholic ballad that speaks of unrequited love, loneliness, and the longing for someone who cannot be fully obtained. The lyrics evoke a sense of sadness and desperation as the singer longs for the affection of another person, who seems to be out of reach. The title "Midnight Pretenders" refers to the idea that the singer and their love interest are pretending to be happy and in love while hiding their true feelings and the reality of their situation.

The opening verse describes the feeling of tears that blur one's vision, as if the singer is holding back their emotions and trying to hide their true feelings. The second verse compares the singer to a tired fish swimming in a pond, consumed by a love that they cannot fully realize. The chorus repeats the singer's desire to be with their love interest, and their inability to fully express their feelings.

The bridge suggests a sense of secrecy and hidden feelings, as the singer describes the bittersweet memory of a morning when they snuck away from their lover's embrace. The final verse describes the feeling of being unable to express oneself fully and the sense of isolation that comes with unrequited love. The song ends with a repetition of the chorus, underscoring the deep longing and sense of unfulfilled desire that permeates the lyrics.

Line by Line Meaning

Midnight pretenders
People pretending to be someone they're not at midnight

Senaka no hokuro wo
The sweat stains on your back

Nazoreba nijimu namida
Tears that blur when you rub them

Uneasy heart (uneasy heart)
A heart that is full of unease

Karui neiki tatenagara
A light snore coming from you

Oyogitsukareta sakana no you ni
Like a fish that has swum too much

Nemuri wo musaboru hito
A person who is soaking up sleep

How much I love you (I love you)
Expressing love for someone

Futari wo noseta fune wa
The boat that the two people rode in

Yoru no umi wo sasuratte
Cruising on the sea at night

Ashita wa doko e
Where will tomorrow take us