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.
Rain
BUCK-TICK Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
ボロボロの刃でもって傷つけた
ぬくもりに 優しさに
苛立ち背を向けては
ひとつ ふたつ みっつ 涙こぼれた
うう うう
いつからか こんなにも 溺れて
傷口をウイスキーでもって
幸せに 喜びに 戸惑い背を向けては
よっつ いつつ むっつ 涙こぼれた
うう うう
Sing in the rain.
雨が君に突き刺さる
笑っちまう 俺は笑えないピエロ
君を悲しませるつもりじゃない
そうじゃないのに
Sing in the rain.
人は悲しい生き物
笑ってくれ 君はずぶ濡れでダンス
いつか世界は輝くでしょうと
歌い続ける
さよならは 言わないで
君と出会えた喜び
ななつ やっつ 涙 涙あふれた
Sing in the rain.
人は可笑しな生き物
笑っちまう 俺は笑えないピエロ
君を悲しませるつもりじゃない
そうじゃないのに
Sing in the rain.
雨が君に突き剌さる
笑っちまう 俺は笑えないピエロ
君を悲しませるつもりじゃない
そうじゃないのに
Sing in the rain.
人は悲しい生き物
笑ってくれ 君はずぶ濡れでダンス
いつか世界は輝くでしょうと
歌い続ける
雨に歌えば 雨に歌えば...
The lyrics of BUCK-TICK's "Rain" express the pain, confusion, and loneliness that often come with loving someone deeply. The singer is hurt and frustrated, feeling that his emotions are being ignored or pushed away. He describes his wounds and how he tries to hide them with alcohol, but ultimately he can't help but cry. The chorus provides a somewhat paradoxical image of a sad clown, singing in the rain and trying to make his loved one smile, despite his own sorrow. The final stanza repeats the theme of hope for a brighter future, even as the rain continues to fall.
The lyrics are emotionally charged and poignant, with vivid imagery and metaphors. The rain motif is particularly effective, representing both the tears of the singer and the hope for renewal and growth. The idea of the clown also adds another layer of complexity, suggesting that even when we try to make others happy, we can still be deeply unhappy ourselves.
Overall, the song is a powerful exploration of love, pain, and the human condition.
Line by Line Meaning
見てごらん こんなにも 汚れて
Look at how dirty it is.
ボロボロの刃でもって傷つけた
It hurts, even if it's with a dull blade.
ぬくもりに 優しさに
I turn away from warmth and kindness.
苛立ち背を向けては
I get frustrated and turn my back.
ひとつ ふたつ みっつ 涙こぼれた
One, two, three, tears fall.
いつからか こんなにも 溺れて
At some point, I started drowning.
傷口をウイスキーでもって誤魔化した
I tried to hide my wounds with whiskey.
幸せに 喜びに 戸惑い背を向けては
I turn away from happiness and joy, confused.
よっつ いつつ むっつ 涙こぼれた
Four, five, six, tears fall.
Sing in the rain.
Sing in the rain.
雨が君に突き刺さる
The rain pierces through to you.
笑っちまう 俺は笑えないピエロ
I laugh, but I'm a sad clown who can't laugh.
君を悲しませるつもりじゃない そうじゃないのに
I don't mean to make you sad, but I do.
Sing in the rain.
Sing in the rain.
人は悲しい生き物
People are sad creatures.
笑ってくれ 君はずぶ濡れでダンス
Please laugh, as you dance, soaking wet.
いつか世界は輝くでしょうと
Someday, the world will shine.
歌い続ける
I'll keep singing.
さよならは 言わないで
Don't say goodbye.
君と出会えた喜び
The joy of meeting you.
ななつ やっつ 涙 涙あふれた
Seven, eight, tears spill over.
Sing in the rain.
Sing in the rain.
人は可笑しな生き物
People are strange creatures.
雨が君に突き剌さる
The rain stabs you.
雨に歌えば 雨に歌えば...
If you sing in the rain, if you sing in the rain...
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: 櫻井敦司
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
wolfgirl sakurai
One of my favourites & Acchan is so passionate & breathtaking here! To me,he truly is the MOST beautiful,passionate,sensual man on this earth! Not to mention an incredible vocalist,lyricist,& poet. As for B-T as a whole,they are my #1 favourite band & I will love them till the day I die,so go ahead & call me a BiTch;i'll take it as a compliment! haha!
RYuuka Khadijah
Haha I like that B*T** wordplay 😂
Elly
It's so beautiful! I also love Atsushi's performance. Thanks for translating!
Garrett
:D
I'll have another video coming out later on today. "Yougetsu"
siqqk
like always, he sounds exactly like the recorded version. that’s my favorite thing about buck tick, they always sound exactly like the recorded version. if not, even better!
Virginia Angstadt Duckett
No one compares to them! ❤️❤️❤️
Thanh Truc
Love Imai's hair, so stunning 🐸🐸
Светлана Михайловна
Очень проникновенно и чувственно!!!
Hao Hoo
Thank u for translation and sharing this masterpiece with us💜
girl with a mushroom haircut
my feels are leaking.