The band members are 櫻井敦司 (Sakurai Atsushi) (vocals), 今井寿 (Imai Hisashi) (guitars, noises, electronics, vocals), 星野英彦 (Hoshino Hidehiko) (guitars, chorus), 桶口豊 (Higuchi Yutaka) (bass) and ヤガミ・トール (Yagami Toll) (drums).
BUCK-TICK's music has changed and evolved hugely over the course of their career. Their early work is what the Japanese call "positive punk". It used simple rhythms and chords, with the songs mostly in major keys and using some English words in the lyrics. Starting with 1989's TABOO, they experimented with a darker sound, which grew more mature with 狂った太陽 in 1991. darker than darkness style 93 delved into a harsher industrial rock sound which continued all the way up through Mona Lisa OVERDRIVE in 2003. With 2005's 十三階は月光, they deliberately adopted a "goth" concept, which they combined with a retro straight rock sound for the albums 天使のリボルバー (2007) and Memento Mori (2009). Their next album, 2010's RAZZLE DAZZLE, then incorporated many instances of dance-rock.
Some elements that persist throughout their music are resounding, jangling guitar chords, throbbing, prominent bass lines, harsh roars of electronically distorted noise, and ambivalent melodies that wander between major and minor keys, as well as Sakurai's distinctive rich baritone voice. Jrockrevolution described the band's style as having gone "from the bubbly sounds of pop to the buzz of electronic cyberpunk to lustful velvety goth to the smooth style of hard rock and back again". Sakurai, who is the main lyricist of the band, is famous for the erotic decadence of his lyrics, but he also often addresses existential psychological themes. His lyrics is also described as "dance in a daydream about reality". Imai, the main composer, has written many songs that read like science fiction stories, involving genetic engineering and computer hackers, but more recently has branched out into love songs.
As Josephine Yun describes them, in 'A Concise Report on 40 of the Biggest Rock Acts in Japan', "BUCK-TICK's music is smashed-together nuances of everything from Depeche Mode and New Order to U2 and The Knack. While wry, it can float and be nebulously melodic. [...] Masked in eye makeup, Atsushi looks and sounds possessed. BUCK-TICK was (and continues to be) and anomaly in the Japanese music scene, a tangle of goth rock diluted with synth and electronica. It's unhappy, dirty music, the musical equivalent of exploded soot and smoke."
BUCK-TICK and their members have performed with, for example, KMFDM, Soft Ballet, Luna Sea, Sheena Ringo, and The Yellow Monkey. The band members have also participated in different side-projects, such as Schaft, Schwein (Sakurai and Imai with Raymond Watts (PIG) and Sascha Konietzko (KMFDM)), and The Mortal.
GIRL -Shape2-
BUCK-TICK Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
何だかそう とてもいい予感がするんだ
Just a single girl
忘れてしまいたくなるようなこと
世界が崩れそうな そんなことばかりじゃないはずだろう
そこで立ち止まる そこで振り返る
そこで見上げて 髪が揺れて 君はもう歩き出した
夏の終わりの空のように 君を見ていると
何だかそう とてもいい予感がするんだ
甘い香りが 眠りの奥で
甘い香りが 奇蹟を起こす
Just a single girl
朝日は照らし 花は咲き愛もある
あの吸い込まれそうな空は青 風はまだ吹いている
たとえ願いや祈りだとしても
たとえ夢物語でもいい 君にはとても似合うはず
甘い香りが 眠りの奥で
甘い香りが 奇蹟を起こす
甘い香りが 眠りの奥で
甘い香りが 風に吹かれて
Just a single girl
The lyrics to BUCK-TICK's song "GIRL -Shape2-" are about a girl who is being observed by the singer. The singer is watching her like how one would watch the end of summer sky and gets an unusually good feeling about her. The girl is described as a "single girl," and the lyrics mention that not everything in the world is about forgetting or feeling like everything is falling apart. Despite that, the girl is still free to walk away and continue her journey.
As the song continues, the singer talks about the sweet fragrance that makes miracles happen and how it's always present, especially in the girl's dreams. The song then talks about how even with wishes and praying, the girl will look good and be able to handle it. The sweet fragrance is a metaphor for hope and happiness, even in the darkest moments.
Overall, "GIRL -Shape2-" is a song about a girl who radiates hope and inspiration despite the troubles that may surround her. The song encourages the listener to find hope and light even when things seem to be falling apart.
Line by Line Meaning
夏の終わりの空のように 君を見ていると
Looking at you is like gazing at the end-of-summer sky, and it gives me a feeling of hopeful anticipation.
何だかそう とてもいい予感がするんだ
For some reason, I have a very good feeling about this.
忘れてしまいたくなるようなこと
I don't want to forget things as easily as they deserve to be forgotten.
世界が崩れそうな そんなことばかりじゃないはずだろう
I know the world isn't just about things that make it seem like it's about to crumble.
そこで立ち止まる そこで振り返る
It's important to pause and reflect at that specific moment.
そこで見上げて 髪が揺れて 君はもう歩き出した
You've started walking off, your hair swaying as you look up at the sky.
甘い香りが 眠りの奥で
A sweet fragrance lingers deep within sleep.
甘い香りが 奇蹟を起こす
That same fragrance has the power to create miracles.
朝日は照らし 花は咲き愛もある
The morning sun shines as flowers bloom, love exists.
あの吸い込まれそうな空は青 風はまだ吹いている
That engulfing sky is blue and the wind keeps blowing.
たとえ願いや祈りだとしても
Even if it's just a wish or a prayer.
たとえ夢物語でもいい 君にはとても似合うはず
Even if it's just a fairy tale, it suits you very well.
甘い香りが 風に吹かれて
That sweet fragrance wafts in the wind.
Just a single girl
I am just a single girl.
Contributed by Gabriel I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.