Dragon Ash started out from humble punk beginnings to become one of the bri… Read Full Bio ↴Dragon Ash started out from humble punk beginnings to become one of the brightest groups in the growing New Japanese Rock movement in the late '90s, blending pop sensibilities with a hard-edged sound, producing albums and singles that play like a tour of Western rock of the '90s. Lead singer and guitarist Kenji Furuya, son of actor Ikko Furuya, met drummer Makoto Sakurai when they were junior high students in a Tokyo suburb, and the two started playing together. Though temporarily sidetracked into following in his father's footsteps, Furuya gave up the few acting gigs that he was getting on TV dramas to concentrate on music in high school. In 1996, knowing what they wanted but needing some sort of mentor, they took on bass player Ikuzo Baba, ten years their senior. Furuya and Sakurai had the talent and drive — Baba brought experience and a wealth of musical knowledge. Dragon Ash was born. The group debuted in 1997 with two EPs at the beginning of the year, The Day Dragged On and Public Garden, which showed their raw, punk hardcore style, influenced by another rock trio, Nirvana. By the end of the year and time of their release, Mustang!, the group had progressed from their simple punk roots to a blend of pop, funk, hardcore, rap, and metal. Through 1998 their popularity increased, and by the time of Buzz Songs, their sound had solidified to rock/rap, helped with the mixing skills of DJ Bots, who occasionally appeared on some songs. Two singles — "Let Yourself Go, Let Myself Go" and "Grateful Days," the latter featuring hardcore rapper Zeebra and soulstress ACO — sold so well that they cracked the Japanese Oricon charts, usually reserved for pop music, and went to number one. Now Dragon Ash had become a four-piece, with DJ Bots essential to the mix. Their third album, 1999's Viva la Revolution, not only signified the arrival of the band as a major group in Japan, but was one of the first volleys in the New Japanese Rock movement. In 2000, Dragon Ash undertook the Total Music Communication Tour, touring Japan with a lineup that included other rising rock acts, such as Missile Girl Scout, Penpals, and Skebou Kings. Meanwhile, Furuya and DJ Bots formed a duo of sorts, writing and producing songs for acts such as Sugar Soul under the name Steady & Co. Likewise, Baba and Sakurai sidelined as a remixing unit called Motor Headphone, popping up on various compilations. If anyone had any doubts that the group was softening around the edges, 2001's Lily of da Valley was as hard, funky, and uncompromising as their earliest work.

Snowscape
Dragon Ash Lyrics

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Go Dark cherries Da speed of sound
Takin' the lead, flyin' around
Dark cherries Da speed of sound
Over the rainbow at a bound
Some snowflakes began to fall from true blue sky
We always swagger about, go like a bomb bomb ride
Just singin' on

Di ri like this Da ri ri like that
両手伸ばしてビッと前へそうけっ飛ばして一歩前へ
U say don't stop I say don't quit
両手伸ばしてビッと前へそうけっ飛ばして一歩前へ

Go Dark cherries Da speed of sound
Takin' the lead, flyin' around
Dark cherries Da speed of sound
Over the rainbow at a bound
Some snowflakes began to fall from true blue sky
We always swagger about, go like a bomb bomb ride
Just singin' on

Di ri like this Da ri ri like that
果てぬそう遠くへ吹き飛べ風駆ける音速で雪解けまで
U say don't stop I say don't quit
果てぬそう遠くへ吹き飛べ風駆ける音速で雪解けまで

Go speed of sound粉雪が舞うたびにGo ride on
Go speed of sound雪解けが来る前に

Let's think about snowscape Heads! Sing about You know phrase
Let's think about snowscape Heads! Sing about You know phrase

Go Dark cherries Da speed of sound
Takin' the lead, flyin' around
Dark cherries Da speed of sound
Over the rainbow at a bound
Some snowflakes began to fall from true blue sky
We always swagger about, go like a bomb bomb ride
Just singin' on

Go speed of sound高らかに声を上げGo ride on
Go speed of sound軽やかに超えろ壁

Overall Meaning

Dragon Ash's "Snowscape" is a song that celebrates the exhilarating feeling of speed and freedom. The song starts off with the line "Go Dark cherries Da speed of sound," which sets the tone for the rest of the song. The lyrics are about taking the lead and flying around, with the speed of sound being the ultimate goal. The snowflakes falling from the sky serve as a stunning background to the sense of energy and excitement that the song conveys.

The chorus repeats the lines "Go speed of sound," with the added phrase "粉雪が舞うたびに," which means "whenever the snowflakes dance." This line underscores the connection between the sense of speed and the beauty of snow, reinforcing the theme of the song.

The song is punctuated by the lines "Di ri like this Da ri ri like that," which are an upbeat, catchy refrain that encourages the listener to join in the celebration. The lines "Let's think about snowscape Heads! Sing about You know phrase" also encourage listeners to participate in the song; the snowscape that the lyrics evoke is not just a physical place, but a state of mind, a feeling of joy that comes from being alive and free.

Overall, "Snowscape" is a song that celebrates the thrill of life, the beauty of nature, and the power of music to lift the spirit and transport us to a place of happiness and energy.

Line by Line Meaning

Go Dark cherries Da speed of sound
We're moving fast like a cherry, soaring through the air at the speed of sound

Takin' the lead, flyin' around
We're in control, taking charge and flying through the sky

Over the rainbow at a bound
We're free and flying high, soaring over the rainbow without a care in the world

Some snowflakes began to fall from true blue sky
Suddenly, snowflakes start falling from the sky, arriving unexpectedly

We always swagger about, go like a bomb bomb ride
We always move confidently and with excitement, like a thrilling, explosive ride

Just singin' on
We're lost in the music and enjoying the moment

Di ri like this Da ri ri like that
We're moving and dancing with a rhythm and style, just like this and like that

U say don't stop I say don't quit
You're encouraging us to keep going, and we're responding with a determination not to give up

果てぬそう遠くへ吹き飛べ風駆ける音速で雪解けまで
We're running at the speed of sound through the wind, going further and further towards the endless horizon until the snow melts

Go speed of sound粉雪が舞うたびにGo ride on
Every time the snow falls and dances in the wind, we surge ahead at the speed of sound

Go speed of sound雪解けが来る前に
We're moving quickly, knowing that the snow will soon melt

Let's think about snowscape Heads! Sing about You know phrase
Let's think about the snowscape and sing about it, you know what to say

Go speed of sound高らかに声を上げGo ride on
We're shouting out loud as we ride at the speed of sound

Go speed of sound軽やかに超えろ壁
We're gracefully breaking through barriers as we move at the speed of sound

Contributed by Taylor H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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