The band's former name, Planet, most likely came from a Supercar song of the same name. Their current name also derives partially from a song name. Koide thought of Japanese singer Chocolat's song "Base Ball and Elvis Presley", and suggested the name "Base Ball". Guitarist Yuasa thought it would be better if they added one more word to it, and the rest of the band agreed. They eventually settled on the word "bear".
Members
Yūsuke Koide (小出 祐介, Koide Yūsuke, born December 9, 1984 in Tokyo) - Vocalist & guitarist, primary songwriter and the leader of the band. He likes movies, music, and reading. He likes old school hip hop and his favorite artists include XTC, Happy End and Perfume. He is also a fan of drama actress and idol Meguru Ishii.
Shōhei Yuasa (湯浅 将平, Yuasa Shōhei, born April 16, 1984 in Chiba Prefecture) - Guitarist and unofficial dancer. Shōhei was on the swim team when he was in high school and worked as a lifeguard before the band became famous. He occasionally does yoga. He likes drinking and eating. His favorite artists are Thee Michelle Gun Elephant and Sly & the Family Stone.
Shiori Sekine (関根 史織, Sekine Shiori, born December 8, 1985 in Saitama Prefecture) - Bass guitarist and chorus. Shiori is the only female member of Base Ball Bear and had no experience playing bass guitar before joining the band. Shiori had a leading role as Nozomi in the movie Linda Linda Linda. She is a fan of Ultraman and likes cooking (especially desserts). She also likes manga and is a fan of Namie Odama. Her favorite artists include Jethro Tull, Caravan, Keiichi Suzuki, Yui and GO!GO!7188.
Daisuke Horinouchi (堀之内 大介, Horinouchi Daisuke, born January 17, 1985 in Tokyo) - Drummer and chorus. He has a younger sister. His favorite hobbies are lifting weights and watching pro wrestling and soccer. His favorite artists are The Police, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, John Frusciante, and Nile Rodgers.
History
Koide originally gathered the band members in 2001, with the purpose of performing at their high school's fall festival. The band's name at the time was "Planet" and they played covers of songs by the band Supercar. Afterwards, all of the band members decided to continue with the band as a hobby.
In April 2002, the band began sending demo tapes to record labels and were advised by Toshiba EMI to change their name, eventually choosing "Base Ball Bear," the name under which they performed their first gig at Shimokitazawa Garage that July. Throughout the rest of the year, they continued playing in the Shibuya and Shimokitazawa areas of Tokyo as their fan base began to grow.
In November 2003, Base Ball Bear signed with Blitz Pia Records, an indies label. They immediately release their first mini-album Yūgata Generation on November 26. The band released their first single, Yume is Vision, in April of the following year. It was the first of the band's songs to be accompanied by a music video and they colloborated with Yūki, a Japanese fashion magazine model and Base Ball Bear fan, to create it. The band spent the rest of 2004 practicing and writing new songs, some of where were featured on compilation CDs.
The band released their first full-length album, High Color Times, on March 16, 2005, and started playing concerts to sold-out crowds in larger venues. Also, Shiori Sekine was cast in one of the lead roles in the film Linda Linda Linda, which features some of the band's music.
Base Ball Bear signed with EMI Music Japan in January 2006, and immediately released an introductory album, Band B ni Tsuite, on January 12. (They had released another version of Band B ni Tsuite on October 14, 2005, but the new release included one new song and other remastering.) They played on the Nyakunyaku Nannyo (若若男女) Summer Tour with Chatmonchy and Snowkel and released their first major album, C, on October 29.
Their first solo tour "Live by the C" took place in the spring of 2007. Over the course of the year, they released four more singles, as well as their second major album, Jūnanasai. Their live performances included the Rock in Japan Festival, another round on the Nyakunyaku Nannyo Summer Tour, and the B-Pop High School Tour.
In 2008, the band went on a solo tour called "17-sai Kara Yattemasu Tour" (Starting from 17 Tour) that ran from the middle to the end of March. Their first single of the year, Changes, was released on May 8, 2008 and was the ending theme to the Production I.G anime series Toshokan Sensō. There are many live shows scheduled during the summer, including the the third round of the Nyakunyaku Nannyo Summer Tour and the Higher Ground 2008 festival in July, and the Rock in Japan Festival in August. Base Ball Bear is also planning a two-day show at Shibuya C.C. Lemon Hall in late September.
抱きしめたい
Base Ball Bear Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
広がる髪もスカートも 抱きしめたい
くちびるを湿らせるくらいのことが
この胸締めつけるよ 抱きしめたい
口移しで伝えたいこと
ついに溢れた気持ち、ひとつ
抱きしめない手はない 抱きしめたい
切りすぎた前髪に照れる君を
見つめる 真顔になる 抱きしめたい
ふたりじゃなきゃ出来ないこと
真っ白になって ふたりでいこう
君が笑った 何を見てるの?
つられて笑った 抱きしめたい
君が笑った そして、泣いた
胸が高鳴った 抱きしめたい
自分でも知らない自分に出会ってしまったのだけど
ねぇ、それって君のせいなのかな?
春風の中、君は花のようだ
広がる髪もスカートも 抱きしめたい
いやらしめな意味でも綺麗な意味でも
突然でも構わないかい? 抱きしめたい
春風の中、君は花のようだ
そのすべて今きつく 抱きしめたい
気持ち悪くなるほどの幸せも
君がまた笑うから 抱きしめたい
抱きしめていたい
The song "抱きしめたい" by Base Ball Bear is a love song about the desire to embrace someone special. The lyrics describe the object of the singer's affection as a beautiful flower in the spring breeze, with hair and a skirt that the singer wants to envelop in an embrace. The intensity of feeling is such that the singer's chest tightens at the thought of holding the beloved closely enough to wet their lips with affection.
In the second verse, the singer reveals that the one they love has been putting up a strong front, but their shoulders are shaking, indicating that they are not as strong as they appear. The singer cannot help but embrace them. When the singer looks into the beloved's eyes, they are struck by the beauty they see, and want nothing more than to hold them even closer. The two together can do things that they cannot do alone, and they can face anything together.
The chorus repeats the desire to embrace the beloved in all their beauty, whether in innocence or with intention, whether suddenly or not. The singer wants to feel close to the beloved and be overwhelmed with joy at their smiles and moved to tears by their emotions. The song ends with the suggestion that the beloved has revealed a side of the singer that even the singer didn't know existed, and they wonder if this is the beloved's doing.
Line by Line Meaning
春風の中、君は花のようだ
You look like a flower, swaying in the spring breeze
広がる髪もスカートも 抱きしめたい
I want to hold you tight, your hair and skirt blowing in the wind
くちびるを湿らせるくらいのことが
Just wetting your lips is enough to make my heart race
この胸締めつけるよ 抱きしめたい
I want to hold you so tightly, my heart feels like it's being strangled
口移しで伝えたいこと
There's something I want to tell you, with a kiss
ついに溢れた気持ち、ひとつ
Finally, my overflowing feelings are united
強がる君が肩を震わせていた
You were trying to act tough, but your shoulders were shaking
抱きしめない手はない 抱きしめたい
I can't help but hold you tight, with both arms
切りすぎた前髪に照れる君を
I see you blushing at your too-short bangs
見つめる 真顔になる 抱きしめたい
I can't help but stare back, straight-faced, while holding you tight
ふたりじゃなきゃ出来ないこと
There are things we can only do together
真っ白になって ふたりでいこう
Let's do them together, until we turn white
君が笑った 何を見てるの?
What are you looking at that's making you smile?
つられて笑った 抱きしめたい
I can't help but hold you tight when you smile like that
君が笑った そして、泣いた
You were laughing, and then you were crying
胸が高鳴った 抱きしめたい
My heart started racing, and I couldn't help but hold you tight
自分でも知らない自分に出会ってしまったのだけど
I don't even know who I am anymore, since I met you
ねぇ、それって君のせいなのかな?
Hey, is that because of you?
いやらしめな意味でも綺麗な意味でも
Whether it's dirty or pure
突然でも構わないかい? 抱きしめたい
Is it okay if I hold you tight, out of nowhere?
春風の中、君は花のようだ
You look like a flower, swaying in the spring breeze
そのすべて今きつく 抱きしめたい
I want to hold you tightly, with all my being
気持ち悪くなるほどの幸せも
Even if it's almost sickening, this happiness
君がまた笑うから 抱きしめたい
I know I'll want to hold you even tighter, once you smile again
抱きしめていたい
I just want to hold you tight
Contributed by Connor B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@cookie5452
春風の中 君は花のようだ
広がる髪もスカートも 抱きしめたい
くちびるを湿らせるくらいのことが
この胸締めつけるよ 抱きしめたい
口移しで伝えたいこと
ついに溢れた気持ち ひとつ
強がる君が肩を震わせていた
抱きしめない手はない 抱きしめたい
切りすぎた前髪に照れる君を
見つめる 真顔になる 抱きしめたい
ふたりじゃなきゃ出来ないこと
真っ白になって ふたりでいこう
君が笑った 何を見てるの？
つられて笑った 抱きしめたい
君が笑った そして泣いた
胸が高鳴った 抱きしめたい
自分でも知らない自分に出会ってしまったのだけど
ねぇ それって君のせいなのかな？
春風の中 君は花のようだ
広がる髪もスカートも 抱きしめたい
いやらしめな意味でも綺麗な意味でも
突然でも構わないかい？抱きしめたい
春風の中 君は花のようだ
そのすべて今きつく 抱きしめたい
気持ち悪くなるほどの幸せも
君がまた笑うから 抱きしめたい
抱きしめていたい
@ky-yx4wi
この世に存在する曲の中で1番好き
@user-ey1tt3qm9v
夏は異常にベボベが聴きたくなる
@yossan369
春風の中 君は 花のようだ
このフレーズにガツンときた、2007年4月。もう14年も前の曲なんだね。
@FRDC3
この曲に限らずだけど関根さんのコーラスめっちゃ好き
@user-tr4id2xn9k
コードというものを知ってこの曲のコードを見るとじわじわ上がっていく感覚が理屈で分かった
@LL-vz5sv
ドラマチックやELECTRIC SUMMERみたいな一撃必殺のサビがある曲ではないが、じわじわとムードを高揚させるバンドの演奏とツインボーカルの繊細な絡みが際立つから、ご飯三杯は食える！
@bokuwakichiguy
湯浅さんのギターはマジで魔法
@sympathy1398
中学から好きで、何年経っても、たまにここに戻ってくる、好きがループする。これからもずっと
@uhbfg4554
シンパシー
@knymginji33
これを聴いていた高二の夏を思い出して懐かしくも切なくなる