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.
Girl Friend
Base Ball Bear Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
君の表情、緩み始めた 飲み込まれる 覚悟してる
桜色が舞うのを見てた 黒い瞳は海みたい
桜色の心弾けた 赤い糸を鷲掴みたい
ハート型の吐息で 幻を吹き消してくれよ
思い出が囁いてるだけで 新世界など無いから
Oh, My Girlfriend
抱きしめた最悪の結末が 透明の笑顔のせいで綺麗だ
そして、いけない夢を街で見る 振り向けば春と君がゆらゆら
街は今、緩み始めた 髪なびかす春風
君の表情、小悪魔のそれ 予想通り 命取り
絡まる赤い糸を前に 息を飲む人がいる
ハートに火を点けてくれよ 君の齧った檸檬くれよ
深海のような口づけを 新世界は渦巻いて
Oh, My Girlfriend
抱きしめた最悪の結末が 透明の笑顔のせいで綺麗だ
そして、いけない夢を街で見る 振り向けば春と君がゆらゆら
透明な笑顔を見せて
いけない夢を見させて
The opening lines of Base Ball Bear's "Girl Friend" set the tone for a wistful, if not slightly melancholy, love song. The streets are loosening up as spring arrives, and the girl is warming up, too. The singer can feel himself getting drawn in, ready to be taken by her. He watches the cherry blossoms float by, and his black eyes are like an ocean. His heart bursts forth in a pink flurry, and he wants to grab onto the red thread that ties them together. He wants her to blow away his illusions with a heart-shaped sigh, but he's afraid that his memories are whispering lies to him about a new world existing for them.
In the chorus, the singer embraces the worst possible outcome, but he appreciates it because of her lovely, transparent smile. Even though he has a forbidden dream about her in the streets, he sees her everywhere, swaying like spring. Her face is that of a little devil, just as he predicted, and he knows she'll be the death of him. In front of him, there are people holding their breaths as the red threads tangle together. He wants to ignite his heart with her bitten lemon, and the new world is swirling with deep-sea kisses.
Overall, "Girl Friend" by Base Ball Bear is a song about wanting someone who might be dangerous. It's an ode to spring and the new love that such a season can bring. The lyrics are vivid and cleverly engaging, drawing the listener in with their easy-to-like melody.
Line by Line Meaning
街は今、緩み始めた スカート揺らす春風
The streets are slowly loosening up with the gentle spring breeze that flutters skirts.
君の表情、緩み始めた 飲み込まれる 覚悟してる
Your expression has started to loosen up, and I am ready to be captivated by it.
桜色が舞うのを見てた 黒い瞳は海みたい
I was watching the cherry blossoms dance, and my dark eyes were like the sea.
桜色の心弾けた 赤い糸を鷲掴みたい
My heart burst with pink blossoms, and I want to seize the red thread of fate.
ハート型の吐息で 幻を吹き消してくれよ
Blow away illusions with heart-shaped breaths.
思い出が囁いてるだけで 新世界など無いから
There is no new world, memories only whisper.
Oh, My Girlfriend
Oh, my girlfriend.
抱きしめた最悪の結末が 透明の笑顔のせいで綺麗だ
The worst outcome that I hugged looks beautiful because of your transparent smile.
そして、いけない夢を街で見る 振り向けば春と君がゆらゆら
And I dream of forbidden things on the streets. When I turn around, you and spring sway.
街は今、緩み始めた 髪なびかす春風
The streets are now loosening up more with the spring breeze that sways hair.
君の表情、小悪魔のそれ 予想通り 命取り
Your expression is devilish, and as expected, it's a fatal attraction.
絡まる赤い糸を前に 息を飲む人がいる
There are people who hold their breaths in front of entangled red threads of fate.
ハートに火を点けてくれよ 君の齧った檸檬くれよ
Let the heart be ignited, and give me the lemon that you have bitten.
深海のような口づけを 新世界は渦巻いて
A deep-sea-like kiss forms a vortex to a new world.
透明な笑顔を見せて
Show me your transparent smile.
いけない夢を見させて
Let me dream of forbidden things.
Writer(s): 小出 祐介
Contributed by Isaiah T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@skttmal
GIRL FRIEND
街は今、緩み始めた スカート揺らす春風
君の表情、緩み始めた 飲み込まれる 覚悟してる
桃色が舞うのを見てた 黒い瞳は海みたい
桃色の心弾けた 赤い糸を鷲掴みたい
ハート型の吐息で 幻を吹き消してくれよ
思い出が囁いてるだけで 新世界など無いから
Oh,My Girlfriend
抱きしめた最悪の結末が 透明の笑顔のせいで綺麗だ
そして、いけない夢を街で見る 振り向けば春と君がゆらゆら
街は今、緩み始めた 髪なびかす春風
君の表情、小悪魔のそれ 予想通り 命取り
絡まる赤い糸を前に 息を飲む人がいる
ハートに火を点けてくれよ 君の齧った檸檬くれよ
深海のような口づけを 新世界は渦巻いて
Oh,My Girlfriend
抱きしめた最悪の結末が 透明の笑顔のせいで綺麗だ
そして、いけない夢を街で見る 振り向けば春と君がゆらゆら
透明の笑顔を見せて
いけない夢を見させて
@janetsatou861
one of the first songs I heard from them! I love them so much! they are amazing!
@atelierao9046
メジャーデビュー10周年おめでとうございます!10年前の曲とは思えません…。やっぱりベボベ凄い。
@user-ro2ex1sn5r
それな！
@herozkodokuno4486
やっぱ苦労した曲だけあって 凄い完成度！！
@tokyokouichi6104
最初はこの曲あんまり好きじゃなかったけど何度も聴いてたら好きになった
@kencyan0905
この曲マジで好き！！ この曲でベボベ好きになった!
@user-ro2ex1sn5r
春になると聴き返したくなる
@poco993
このシングルに入ってる曲全部好き、俺の中での名盤
@basketballbear0208
もうべボベ好きすぎるよぅ！！！
@user-dp3mc7dp1v
自分の好みで平成の名曲選みたいなの作ったら絶対入るわこの曲