ARB (Alexander's Ragtime Band) is a Japanese rock band formed in spring, 19… Read Full Bio ↴ARB (Alexander's Ragtime Band) is a Japanese rock band formed in spring, 1977.

Members:
- 石橋凌 (Ryo Ishibashi) - Vocal - (1956.7.20 - Fukuoka Perfecture, Japan)
- 内藤幸也 (Koya Naito) - Guitar - (1961.11.26 - Tokyo, Japan)
- EBI - Bass - (1965.10.2 - Hiroshima Perfecture, Japan)
- KEITH - Drums - (1952.2.6 - Akita Perfecture, Japan)

First members were 石橋凌 (Ishibashi Ryo) - Vocal, 田中一郎 (Tanaka Ichiro) - Guitar, KEITH - Drums, エンマ (Emma) - Keyboard, 宮城伸一郎 (Miyagi Shinichiro) - Bass. They debuted 1978. with single 「野良犬」.
In 1979, went out new single in April 25 「ワイルド・ローティーン・ガール」 (Wild teen Girl), and soon after on May 25, ARB's 1st album 「A.R.B」. On October, Emma and Miyagi Shinichiro left band at the same time to become independent of the agency Shinko Music.
1979.12.20, as three member band they released single 「魂こがして」.
In 1980, 野中良浩 (Yoshihiro Nonaka) is joining band as the Bass. On May 21, same year, band released 2nd album 「BAD NEWS」. Already next year the band went with 2 full Albums, in March 21 - 3rd album 「BOYS & GIRLS」, and in November 21 - 4th album 「指を鳴らせ!/Snap Your Fingers」.
On 21 June 1982, came out 5th album 「W」 and release of album followed LIVE tour "LIVE! CRAZY! LOVE TOUR" when they toured cities Yokohama, Urawa, Mishima, Nagoya, Fukuoka, Kumamoto, Hiroshima, Osaka, Tokyo, Sapporo.
ARB did many LIVE performances in 1983, and on April 21 they released 6th album 「トラブル中毒」(trouble poisoning). The same year in September, guitarist Tanaka quits the band. He was quickly replaced with guitarist 斉藤光浩 (Mitsuhiro Saito) from BOW WOW. In 1984, Yoshihiro quits the band. As the short replacement for Bass, Jean-Jacques Burnel from The Stranglers, joined the band when he visited Japan.
In May 1984, 岡部滋 (Okabe Shigeru) joins as the Bass, on Septembre went out 7th album 「YELLOW BLOOD」 and they did album follow up tour 'YELLOW BLOOD TOUR''. Next year om October, ARB released 8th album 「砂丘1945年」.
In June 1986, after the concert in Hyogo Gymnasium, guitarist Saito leaves the band. After one month came replacement from solo guitarist 白浜久 (Shirahama Hisashi) who joined ARB. In November 21, 9th album is released 「ONE and ONLY DREAMs」.
On 21 June 1987, quickly came out ARB's 10th album 「ROCK OVER JAPAN」, and after album release In October, Shigeru withdraws from the band, and as support Bass in December joins 浅田孟 (Asada Takeshi) previous member of Sheena & the Rokkets.
On 21 June 1988, ARB released 11th album 「PAPERS BED」. They did big tour around Japan in July, named "SWEAT, HEART&BRAIN TOUR". Soon, next year, 1989.11.8, came 12th album 「SYMPATHY」. In 1990, the band did long tour "LOVE THE LIVE '90 TOUR", where they announced hiatus, and soon after in October they released Best Album 「BALLADS AND WORK SONGS」. On December 28, ARB released Best live album 「RED BOX / ARB LIVE(1980-1990)」.
1991.1.21 came out VIDEO "THE LONGEST TOUR" release of their LIVE tour from 1990, and in June 「BLACK X'mas-ARB SECRET SINGLES」 release.
On 1993.11.21. went release「DAYS OF A.R.B. Vol.3 (1986-1990)」.
ARB came back to celebrate anniversary in 1997.7.24 at Nippon Budokan "LOFT 20th ANNIVERSARY ROCK OF AGES" (only as original members Ryo Ishibashi · KEITH).

ARB announced their comeback in January 1998, with 2 new members: EBI -Bass- and 内藤幸也 (Koya Naito) -Guitar- along with original members Ishibashi and KEITH, what stayed as current line-up.
In February 21, they are officially back with release Resurrection first bullet maxi single 「TOKYO OUTSIDER」, which follows release of 13th Album 「REAL LIFE」 on March 21, and a tour "REAL LIFE TOUR '98".
In August 1999, ARB went with 14th album 「EL DORADO」 and promo-album tour. KEITH released 1st Solo Album 「親孝行」 in November, 2000. On the same year ARB made compilation album 「武道館LIVE～1999.1.24Days of ARB～」.
2001 on June 13, came out band's 15th album 「HARD-BOILED CITY」 with the following tour.
For their 25th anniversary ARB did tour starting in October 2003, "ARB 25th Anniversary LIVE CIRCUIT IN TOHOKU", and 16th album 「KAZA-BANA」 was released on 17 December.
On 2004, ARB released new Best of Album, 「LOCUS 1998-2004 ARB LIVE BEST」.
In February 2005, new Single 「荒鷲のうた」 went out. Soon each member became more occupied with their solo projects and other bands.
After 2006, ARB went inactive.

Official website: http://www.arb-tamashii.com/
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Boys & Girls
ARB Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Hello Boys 激しい男達
Hello Girls 妖しき女達
Boys ＆ Girls 甘い言葉だけは
Boys ＆ Girls いつも気をつけろ
堀を飛び越えてみた
したたかに吠えてみた
狂えない時代の友
今音をたてて崩れてゆく

ゆくゆく......

Hello Boys 角のパーキングの
Hello Girls 壁に走るシルエット
Boys ＆ Girls こらえきれず書いた
Boys ＆ Girls らくがきのように
寒い時には踊れ
シナリオ破り捨てて
笑えない事ばかり
今味気のない風が吹く
吹く吹く......

Boys ＆ Girls 笑わぬ天使達
Boys ＆ Girls とべない悪魔達
だらしなく振る舞って
静かにキバをみがく
それも一つの手段
今思いどうりジャンプする
するする......
堀を飛び越えてみろ
したたかに吠えてみろ
狂えない時代の夜

今音をたてて崩れてゆく
ゆくゆく......

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of ARB's song "Boys and Girls" are an ode to youthful rebellion and non-conformism. The song starts by greeting the boys and girls who are wild and bewitching respectively, and the chorus warns about being careful of sweet words. The first verse describes the friends who dared to jump over a moat and howl fiercely, even in a time when their peers were too afraid to be different. The second verse talks about the graffiti on walls that couldn't be contained, and urges the listener to dance to keep warm in the cold. The wind blows tastelessly, but the rebellious children still go against the norm.

The last verse is about how society expects angels to laugh and demons to fly, but they choose to act sloppily and polish their fangs quietly as a means of rebellion. They will jump over the moat and howl fiercely, just like they did in the past. The night of the unyielding age will crumble with the noise they make, and it will continue to do so in the future.

Line by Line Meaning

Hello Boys 激しい男達
Greeting to the bold and intense boys

Hello Girls 妖しき女達
Greeting to the enchanting and mysterious girls

Boys ＆ Girls 甘い言葉だけは
Boys and girls, be careful of sweet words

Boys ＆ Girls いつも気をつけろ
Boys and girls, always be cautious

堀を飛び越えてみた
I tried jumping across the moat

したたかに吠えてみた
I tried howling fiercely

狂えない時代の友
The friend of an age that cannot go mad

今音をたてて崩れてゆく
Now collapsing with a loud sound

ゆくゆく......
Gradually going...

Hello Boys 角のパーキングの
Greetings to the boys at the corner parking lot

Hello Girls 壁に走るシルエット
Greetings to the girls' silhouettes running on the wall