メケ・メケ
越路吹雪 Lyrics
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恋の花が咲く ラ
波止場近い あの酒場に
可愛い娘がいるよ ラ
なぜかしら 泣いているよ
別れが かなしいのか
すすり泣いて 娘は云う
ねエ 忘れちゃいやだよ
メケメケ・メ・ケスクセ 濡れ場の話さ
汽笛が鳴る 船はゆれる
別れが近ずく あゝ
ふたりはもう 泣くのをやめ
かたく抱きあう ラ
娘は云う 離れちゃいや
別れが かなしいのよ
そこで男 涙ながし
サヨナラ 船が出るよ
メケメケ・メ・ケスクセ 別れの話さ
メケメケ・メ・ケスクセ 濡れ場の話さ
荷物積んで 船は岸を
静かに離れる ラ
ぼくのこころ 信じておくれ
胸のせつなさを ラ
泣いている 娘をみて
思わず 海ヘザンブ
恋ごころに 狂った男
魚も 呆れはてる
メケメケ・メ・ケスクセ 濡れ場の話さ
メケメケ・メ・ケスクセ 濡れた身体で
二人は 抱きあう
あとは云えないね
The lyrics to 越路吹雪's song メケ・メケ depict a sad scene of two lovers parting ways as the man embarks on a ship from the port. The beginning of the song introduces the setting of the port, where love blooms when the ships arrive. The man and the woman in the song frequent a nearby bar, but on this particular occasion, the woman is crying, likely due to the impending farewell. She tries to stop him from leaving and expresses her sadness at the separation. The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "メケメケ・メ・ケスクセ," which means "a story of separation" and "a story of a wet place," possibly hinting at a sexual relationship they had.
As the ship's whistle blows, the two stop crying to hold each other tightly. The woman again expresses her sadness, asking him not to leave her. The man sheds tears as the ship departs, and the chorus repeats. In the last verse, the ship has already left, and the man looks back at the woman who is still crying. He becomes overwhelmed with emotion and jumps into the sea, presumably to follow after her, and the last line of the song implies that the two lovers embrace each other again.
The lyrics of the song can be interpreted as a commentary on the impermanence of love and the pain that comes with separation. The use of the port setting and the ship leaving emphasize the physical distance between the two lovers, while the repetition of the chorus drives home the emotional theme of separation.
Line by Line Meaning
港 港 船が着けば 恋の花が咲く ラ
Love blossoms when the ship docks at the harbor.
波止場近い あの酒場に 可愛い娘がいるよ ラ
There is a lovely girl at that bar near the pier.
なぜかしら 泣いているよ 別れが かなしいのか すすり泣いて 娘は云う ねエ 忘れちゃいやだよ
For some reason, the girl is crying and saying 'No, I don't want to forget' because she is sad about the separation.
メケメケ・メ・ケスクセ 別れの話さ メケメケ・メ・ケスクセ 濡れ場の話さ
She talks about the separation story and the erotic scene with 'Mekemeke Me Keskuse'.
汽笛が鳴る 船はゆれる 別れが近ずく あゝ ふたりはもう 泣くのをやめ かたく抱きあう ラ
As the whistle blows and the ship rocks, the couple stops crying and embraces tightly because separation is imminent.
娘は云う 離れちゃいや 別れが かなしいのよ そこで男 涙ながし サヨナラ 船が出るよ
The girl says 'No, I don't want to separate. It's sad.' A man sheds tears and says goodbye as the ship departs.
荷物積んで 船は岸を 静かに離れる ラ
With luggage loaded, the ship quietly departs from the shore.
ぼくのこころ 信じておくれ 胸のせつなさを ラ
Believe in my heart and understand this heartrending feeling.
泣いている 娘をみて 思わず 海ヘザンブ 恋ごころに 狂った男 魚も 呆れはてる
Seeing the crying girl, the man goes crazy with love and even the fish are amazed.
メケメケ・メ・ケスクセ 濡れ場の話さ メケメケ・メ・ケスクセ 濡れた身体で 二人は 抱きあう あとは云えないね
She talks about the erotic scene with 'Mekemeke Me Keskuse' and they embrace with each other's wet bodies. What happens after that cannot be said.
Writer(s): Charles Aznavour, Gilbert Becaud
Contributed by Emma N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.