男の背中
増位山太志郎 Lyrics

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男の肩と背中には
むかしの影がゆれている
恋も涙も悲しみも
だれにも言えない傷あとも
ゆらゆらゆらとまり木ゆれて
グラスの底に明日(あす)をみる
おまえはそんな男の姿
気付かないけど

男の胸のおくのおく
そのときどきの夢がある
過去も未来もぼんやりと
忘れてしまうときがある
ゆらゆらゆらタバコのけむり
見つめて愛にゆれながら
おまえのあまいかおりの中で
休む日もある

ゆらゆらゆらとまり木ゆれて
グラスの底に明日(あす)をみる

おまえはそんな男の姿
気付かないけど

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to "男の背中" or "Man's Back" by 増位山太志郎 are a poignant reflection on the struggles and pains of being a man. The first verse speaks of the shadows of the past that haunt a man's shoulders and back, and the scars that he carries from love, tears, and sorrow that he cannot share with anyone. The imagery of a swaying tree branch and looking into the bottom of a glass to find hope for tomorrow suggest that the man is searching for a way to move on from his past.

The second verse continues this theme of inner struggles and dreams that a man may keep hidden deep in his heart. The use of smoke from a cigarette as imagery for the man's thoughts is a common trope in Japanese culture, and the line "見つめて愛にゆれながら" (gazing at the smoke while swaying with love) suggests that the man is searching for a release from his pain and loneliness through love. The final lines of the song repeat the chorus and suggest that despite the man's struggles, the woman he is singing to cannot see the pain he carries.

Line by Line Meaning

男の肩と背中には
On a man's shoulders and back, his past shadows waver.

むかしの影がゆれている
The shadows of his past are still present and affecting him.

恋も涙も悲しみも
Love, tears, and sadness, are all emotions he keeps hidden.

だれにも言えない傷あとも
He also hides the scars he has endured and cannot share them with anyone.

ゆらゆらゆらとまり木ゆれて
The swaying branches of a resting place rock back and forth.

グラスの底に明日(あす)をみる
Looking at the bottom of his glass, he gazes upon tomorrow.

おまえはそんな男の姿
Although he may try to hide it, you see a man with all these complexities.

気付かないけど
Unaware of what truly lies within him.

男の胸のおくのおく
Deep within a man's heart lies his ever-changing dreams.

そのときどきの夢がある
These dreams are ever-changing, from past to present and beyond.

過去も未来もぼんやりと
He forgets both the past and future from time to time.