BUCK-TICK is a Japanese rock band, originally formed by Imai Hisashi in 198… Read Full Bio ↴BUCK-TICK is a Japanese rock band, originally formed by Imai Hisashi in 1983 in Gunma, Japan, with its current line-up lasting since 1985. They are commonly credited as one of the founders of the visual kei movement. As of yet, they have released twenty-three original studio albums and one of self-covers, nearly all reaching the top ten on the charts. Their most recent album, "異空 -IZORA-", was released on 12th April 2023.

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.

MY FUNNY VALENTINE
BUCK-TICK Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

狂った俺はかげろうだ
ゆううつさに歌うよ Lady
最後に教えてあげるよ
灰に埋もれたRhapsody
アア僕ハコンナニ
待チ焦ガレテル Valentine
ソウ愛シイ君ガ
赤ｲ血ヲ注グ Valentine

夢見たお前幻だ
気懈さに躍れよ Lady
ZAKUROにむさぼりつくのさ
見世物小屋の Last show
アア君ノカカトガ
通り過ギテク Valentine
ソウ狂オシイ程ニ
胸ヲ切り刻ム Valentine
<間奏中>
死んでもいいよな太陽
血肉まで溶ろけ出してゆく
怖くて仕方がないのさ
鏡に映る Destiny
アア僕ヲ置キ去り
君ハ残酷ナ Valentine
ソウ美シイ君ヲ
ニ度ﾄ眠ラセル Valentine
今夜燃え尽きたいのさ
ふたりきり灰になる
全て憎んでもいいだろ
君さえも俺さえも
死にゆく愛しの Valentine
I want Valentine
サヨナラ愛しの Valentine
My funny Valentine
<間奏中>
今夜燃え尽きたいのさ
ふたりきり灰になる
全て憎んでもいいだろ
君さえも俺さえも
今夜崩れ落ちたいのさ
ふたりきり灰になる
全て裏切りと信じた
君さえも俺さえも
死にゆく愛しの Valentine
I want Valentine
サヨナラ愛しの Valentine
My funny Valentine
死にゆく愛しの Valentine
I want Valentine

オヤスミ愛しの Valentine
My funny Valentine

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of BUCK-TICK's song "My Funny Valentine" are a mix of haunting and melancholic themes. The singer starts with lines that convey a sense of madness, saying that he's like a will-o'-the-wisp. He sings in a melancholic tone, accompanied by a lady who seems to be suffering from depression or sadness, that he will teach the lady a lesson or share a story with her. He further says that his Rhapsody or inner music is buried in ash or that his passion is dead. The singer then says that he is waiting impatiently for Valentine's day, a symbol of love and celebration, but his Valentine's day is going to be full of loveless pain and despair.

He compares his love interest to a red-blooded Valentine's day, but his love is a mere illusion that is not meant to be. He says that their love is myth or a fairy tale, and the girl should dance to her heart's desire and prowl the ZAKURO, also known as the pomegranate flower. He is ready to devour her like a carnival ringmaster is ready to perform the last show. In the middle section, the singer is willing to die for his love, and he's discussing his fear of death, and his destiny is evident in the reflection of the mirror on his face. He's pleading with the love of his life to not be cruel and entrancing. Instead, they should get some rest, cuddle, and go into a deep sleep together. As the song concludes, it sounds as if the singer is pleading with Valentine to stay for the night before forever separating.

Line by Line Meaning

狂った俺はかげろうだ
I am a moth gone mad

ゆううつさに歌うよ Lady
Lady, I'll sing to your gloom

最後に教えてあげるよ
I'll tell you in the end

灰に埋もれたRhapsody
A Rhapsody buried in ashes

アア僕ハコンナニ
Ah, how impatient I am

待チ焦ガレテル Valentine
The Valentine I'm eagerly waiting for

ソウ愛シイ君ガ
Yes, you, whom I love

赤ｲ血ヲ注グ Valentine
The Valentine that pours red blood

夢見たお前幻だ
The you I dreamt of was an illusion

気懈さに躍れよ Lady
Lady, dance in lassitude

ZAKUROにむさぼりつくのさ
I'll devour you like a Pomegranate