Hosono first came to attention in Japan as the bass player of the psychedelic rock band Apryl Fool, who released the album "The Apryl Fool" in 1969. Members from this band (including Hosono) then formed the influential folk-rock group Happy End, which led to Hosono's first collaboration with Van Dyke Parks. After Happy End disbanded, Hosono worked with a loose association of artists making "exotica"-style music under the title Tin Pan Alley and also released four solo albums with increasingly eclectic instrumentation. Additionally, he made an innovative electronic soundtrack for the film "Cochin Moon", together with artist Tadanori Yokoo.
In 1978, Hosono formed the Yellow Magic Orchestra with Yukihiro Takahashi and Ryuichi Sakamoto. The Yellow Magic Orchestra (a.k.a. YMO) released a number of albums in the late 70s and early 80s to considerable acclaim both inside and outside Japan. After YMO disbanded in 1984, Hosono released a number of solo albums covering a variety of styles, including film soundtracks, and a variety of electronic ambient albums.
He was one of the first producers to recognize the appeal of video game sounds and music. YMO's self titled debut in 1978 continued substantial game sounds and after YMO disbanded an early project was an album simply titled "Video Game Music" containing mixed and edited Namco game music and sounds. In the late 80s and early 90s the influence of world music on his music deepened, and he worked with international singers and musicians such as Amina Annabi.
As well as recording his own music, Haruomi has done considerable production work for other artists such as Miharu Koshi, Sheena and the Roketts, Sandii and the Sunsetz, Chisato Moritaka and Seiko Matsuda.
He's produced a number of short term band projects as a band member. His first post-YMO band was Friends of Earth. As with most of his projects he combines musical styles he's interested in. F.O.E. seemed to be a combination of Funk and Techno and included a collaboration with James Brown and Maceo Parker for a remake of the song "Sex Machine". Another notable band project was 1995's Love, Peace & Trance. Members were Mimori Yusa ("Love"), Miyako Koda ("Peace"), Haruomi Hosono ("&") and Mishio Ogawa ("Trance").
In the 1990s he started the Daisyworld label to release a wide range of experimental artists from Japan and the rest of the world. Hosono collorated on many of the releases, such as World Standard, a trip into Americana; HAT, a supergroup (the acronym stands for Hosono, Atom Heart, Tetsu Inoue),and "Quiet Logic", by Mixmaster Morris and Jonah Sharp. The Orb also paid tribute with a series of remixes including the notorious "Hope You Choke On Your Whalemeat".
In 2002 Haruomi formed the duo Sketch Show with his YMO band-mate Yukihiro Takahashi. They have released two albums, one of which, Loophole, has received a UK release. When the third former YMO member, Ryuichi Sakamoto deepened his involvement it was decided to bill those collaborations as Human Audio Sponge.
In 2007, his fellow YMO members and other artist paid tribute to Haruomi with a 2-disc album titled "Tribute to Haruomi" in Spring of 2007. Also, that same year, the animated film "EX MACHINA" (Appleseed) which will be released worldwide will feature a soundtrack performed and supervised by Haruomi Hosono.
薔薇と野獣
細野晴臣 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
守られては いるものの
山鳴りの響に
怯える指先 ちょっと震える
山に映る 街の影が
夕日と共に色褪せると
ミルク色の空から
あまい夢 夢 夢を見させて
眠りを揺りを揺り 起こさないで
今も僕は眠りつづける
ララララ ラララララ
ララララ ラララララ
ララララ ラララララ
ララララ ラララララ
家の周りを 野薔薇の棘に
守られて 眠り続ける
頭を駆け回る
この暗いメロディー 口ずさむ
家のまわりを 野薔薇の刺に
守られては いるものの
山鳴りの響に
怯える指先 ちょっと震える
The lyrics of 細野晴臣's song "薔薇と野獣" convey a sense of isolation and fear in the midst of beauty. The singer talks about being protected by the thorns of wild roses that surround their home, but also acknowledges feeling afraid of the loud sounds of the mountains. The imagery in the lyrics is both dark and beautiful, as the singer talks about the fading colors of the city shadows reflecting on the mountains, and the milk-colored sky from which an angel descends to comfort them.
The second stanza of the song continues the theme of dreaming and escape, as the singer pleads to be allowed to continue dreaming instead of being woken up. The melody that keeps running through the singer's head is described as dark, capturing the sense of being trapped in a beautiful but lonely place.
Overall, the lyrics to "薔薇と野獣" serve as a meditation on the paradoxical nature of beauty and fear. The wild roses that protect the singer's home are a reminder of the power of nature, which can be both beautiful and dangerous. Similarly, the beauty of the sunset and the angel's visit are mitigated by the fear and loneliness that the singer feels.
Line by Line Meaning
家のまわりを 野薔薇の刺に
My house is surrounded by wild roses with their sharp thorns
守られては いるものの
Though it's being protected by them
山鳴りの響に
The sound of the mountains echoing in the distance
怯える指先 ちょっと震える
Makes my fingertips tremble out of fear
山に映る 街の影が
The city's reflection on the mountain
夕日と共に色褪せると
Fades away with the sunset
ミルク色の空から
An angel descends from the milky sky
天使が降りて来て 肩をたたく
Taps gently on my shoulder
あまい夢 夢 夢を見させて
Letting me see sweet dreams
眠りを揺りを揺り 起こさないで
Rocking me to sleep, not wanting to wake me up
今も僕は眠りつづける
Even now, I keep sleeping
ララララ ラララララ
La la la la la la
家の周りを 野薔薇の棘に
My house is surrounded by wild roses with their sharp thorns
守られて 眠り続ける
Protected and continually sleeping
頭を駆け回る
This dark melody is running through my head
この暗いメロディー 口ずさむ
So I hum this gloomy melody
家のまわりを 野薔薇の刺に
My house is surrounded by wild roses with their sharp thorns
守られては いるものの
Though it's being protected by them
山鳴りの響に
The sound of the mountains echoing in the distance
怯える指先 ちょっと震える
Makes my fingertips tremble out of fear
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Haruomi Hosono
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
K Tanaka
The Rose and the Beast - Hosono Haruomi
Although my house is protected by thorns of roses
my fingers are a little frightened by the sound of lightning.
The shadow of the town being reflected in a mountain has faded with the sunset
so angels, who came from the milk-colored sky are patting me on the shoulder.
Let me have a sweet, sweet dream
Please don't shake me awake. And I'm still sleeping now.
La la la la....
I'm still sleeping with my house protected by thorns of roses
I hum to the dark melody which is running about in my head.
La la la...
I translated this song into English! I love this song, too! Please enjoy it!
Pason Jayne
Great song wish I knew what he was saying
K Tanaka
The Rose and the Beast - Hosono Haruomi
Although my house is protected by thorns of roses
my fingers are a little frightened by the sound of lightning.
The shadow of the town being reflected in a mountain has faded with the sunset
so angels, who came from the milk-colored sky are patting me on the shoulder.
Let me have a sweet, sweet dream
Please don't shake me awake. And I'm still sleeping now.
La la la la....
I'm still sleeping with my house protected by thorns of roses
I hum to the dark melody which is running about in my head.
La la la...
I translated this song into English! I love this song, too! Please enjoy it!
Pason Jayne
K Tanaka omg thanks. Youre amazing
Mike Duvall
+K Tanaka Thanks!
Random Dude
Brother, you're a star! Just reading these marvelous lyrics sends chills down my spine! Mr.Hosono was destined to become a star!
ana_cabana
K Tanaka Thank you my dude, lovely lyrics
Smokee Wisdom
That laugh at 3:15 is me at my LIFE ... I LOVE THIS CLASSIC SONG
歌う人
2:42からのベースとドラムの絡みが最高！
Right Weaponry
That intro is in my head all the time
Pablo Tamarin
Best song on the album