北山たけし (きたやま・たけし [Kitayama Takeshi]), whose real name is 渡辺毅 (わたなべ・たけし [Wata… Read Full Bio ↴北山たけし (きたやま・たけし [Kitayama Takeshi]), whose real name is 渡辺毅 (わたなべ・たけし [Watanabe Takeshi]), was born in Fukuoka prefecture, Japan, on February 25th, 1974. At the age of 4, in 1978, he started singing under his strict father's tutelage. During his childhood and teenage days, he joined different festivals and competitions and won many of them.
Dedicating his life to 演歌 (えんか [Enka]), japanese traditional music, after some TV presentations, he had his debut on April 2004, with the song 片道切符 (かたみち・きっぷ [Katamichi Kippu]).

男の拳
北山たけし Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

今日も明日も心の旅は
遠くはるかないばら道
長さじゃないのさ人生は
どれだけ本気で生きるかだ
意地と根性を握りしめ
じっと我慢の男の拳

勝つも負けるも自分が相手

いつも親父が言っていた
夜中におふくろ背を丸め
だまって見ていた手のひらよ
楽をさせたいいつの日か
そっと誓った男の拳

雨に嵐に打たれる夜も
流す涙は熱いから
何度も出来るさくじけても
倒れたところがはじまりだ

夢と希望を忘れずに
きっとかかげる男の拳

Overall Meaning

These lyrics belong to the song "Otoko no Kobushi" by Takeshi Kitayama. The song talks about the journey of life and how it is like a thorny road which can be travelled only by a man who has a strong will and determination. It emphasizes the importance of living life seriously and passionately, as the length of life is not what defines it, but the amount of sincerity that goes into it. The lines in the song also refer to the struggles one has to endure and the importance of one's fists in facing these struggles.

The chorus expresses the idea that whether one wins or loses, the person they fight against is always themselves, which is a way of saying that a man's true competition is with himself. The lyrics further describe how the singer of the song has been motivated and inspired by their father. They have always been watching their father, who, despite all the struggles he faced, never gave up, but instead persevered and held on to his beliefs. The song tries to inspire the listener to hold on to their hopes and dreams, even in challenging situations, to get up again after falling, and never to forget the importance of a man's fists in overcoming obstacles.

Line by Line Meaning

今日も明日も心の旅は
No matter today or tomorrow, the journey of the heart is a long and arduous path.

遠くはるかないばら道
A path that is far and full of thorns.

長さじゃないのさ人生は
The length of life is not important.

どれだけ本気で生きるかだ
What really matters is how seriously you live it.

意地と根性を握りしめ
Hold onto your pride and determination.

じっと我慢の男の拳
The fist of a man who endures patiently and silently.

勝つも負けるも自分が相手
Whether you win or lose, you are your own opponent.

いつも親父が言っていた
My father always said...

夜中におふくろ背を丸め
As my mother hunched over in the middle of the night...

だまって見ていた手のひらよ
I watched silently, holding my breath.

楽をさせたいいつの日か
Someday, I want to make things easier for them.