The band was formed in 1987 by Sato (vocals, guitar, trumpet), Kin-Ichi Motegi (drums, vocals, sampler) and Kensuke Ojima (guitar and vocals). The addition of Yuzuru Kashiwabara (bass) and Hakase (keyboards) rounded up the original line-up. Their first recorded appearance is on the 1989 Captain Records' compilation Panic Paradise. Two years later, their first album Chappie, Don't Cry was released. The band’s easy-going sound (mainly influenced by reggae and dub, but also including elements of rock, pop, drum & bass, hip-hop, etc.), coupled with Sato’s androgynous vocals, gained them acceptance in Japan’s underground scene.
Fishmans released several albums on Pony Canyon records, slowly moving away from a strictly reggae sound, but always keeping a dub foundation, powered by Motegi and Kashiwabara’s rock-steady rhythm section. In 1995, they signed with Polydor Records. By then, both Kensuke Ojima and Hakase had left the band. Neither was replaced, and the resulting trio would work with a series of guest musicians on their next records, mainly Honzi (keyboards, violin, accordion and vocals) and Darts Sekiguchi (guitar). The addition of producer ZAK on sound mixing rounded out this second phase of the band, which further evolved its sound to incorporate space rock, ambient and shoegaze elements. Song length started to grow as well, as these new tendencies blended in with their dub foundation.
空中キャンプ (Kūchū Camp) was released in 1996, and included what is probably the band’s most famous song, Nightcruising. This was followed by LONG SEASON, a 35 minute song divided into 5 parts. Their final studio album, 宇宙 日本 世田谷 (Uchū Nippon Setagaya), was released in 1997.
Fishmans performed their final concert on December 28th, 1998, later released as the live album 98.12.28 男達の別れ (Otokotachi no Wakare). They played many of their best songs, and concluded with a full performance of Long Season. Sato left the stage immediately after a single "goodbye" with his eyes teary. This was to be Kashiwabara’s final performance with the band, though Sato and Motegi planned to continue working as Fishmans. However, Sato passed away March 15th, 1999 by unknown causes till this day.
After Sato’s death, Kin-Ichi Motegi began working as a stand-in drummer for Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra(東京スカパラダイスオーケストラ), whose own drummer passed away around the same time. He eventually became a full-fledged member of the band and plays drums and sings lead vocals with them to this day. Kashiwabara, who had planned to abandon the music industry, eventually joined forces with Ooya Yuusuke (ex. LaB LIFe) to form Polaris, whose spacey and dubby tracks bore some resemblance to Fishmans’ sound in the late 90’s.
The Fishmans story did not end there. Following Sato’s death, their popularity continued to grow. In 2004, a tribute album Sweet Dreams for Fishmans was released, and included covers by artists as diverse as OOIOO, Bonobos, and UA. This was followed by the albums Kuchu and Uchu in 2005, which included rare and unreleased tracks alongside their biggest hits.
On November 22, 2005 the remaining members of Fishmans paid tribute to their fans and Shinji Sato, by performing at the Rising Sun Rock Festival. The show lasted three and a half hours, and featured many guest singers, who performed the vocals. The following month, a tribute art exhibition The Long Season Rewind was held in Shibuya with contributions from various artists.
Most recently in 2006, The Long Season Revue was released on DVD. The live concert was originally only screened in theatres and it featured the original members of the band together with a cast of supporting musicians such as UA, Asa-Chang, ハナレグミ, Oki Yuichi (of 東京スカパラダイスオーケストラ) and 原田郁子 of Clammbon (クラムボン). Following these concerts, Honzi, long-time contributor with the band, also passed away.
Long Season
Fishmans Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yuuguredoki wo futari de hashitteyuku
Running in the evening twilight just two of us
風を呼んで 君を呼んで
Kaze wo yonde, kimi wo yonde
Calling the wind, calling you
Tokyo no machi no sumi kara sumi made
From Tokyo city corner to corner
僕ら半分 夢の中
Bokura hanbun yume no naka
We are half in a dream.
くちずさむ歌はなんだ?
Kuchizusamu uta wa nanda?
What is the song are you humming?
思い出すことはなんだ?
Omoidasu koto wa nanda?
What things can you remember?
バックミラーから落っこちて行くのは
Bakkumiraa kara okkotite yuku no wa
The thing that falls from back mirror
うれしいような さみしいような
Ureshiiyouna samishiiyouna
It seems happy, maybe lonely
風邪薬でやられちまったみたいな
Kazegusuri de yararetimatta mitaina
Like affected by a cold medicine
そんな そんな 気分で
Sonna sonna kibun de
In such a mood
走ってる 走ってる 走ってる 走ってる
Hashitteru hashitteru hashitteru hashitteru
I'm running. Running. Running. Running.
くちずさむ歌はなんだ?
Kuchizusamu uta wa nanda?
What is the song are you humming?
思い出すことはなんだ?
Omoidasu koto wa nanda?
What things can you remember?
僕ら半分 夢の中
Bokura hanbun yume no naka...
We are half in a dream.
The song Long Season by Fishmans is a reflective and nostalgic journey through the streets of Tokyo at dusk. The lyrics describe two people running together, calling out to the wind and each other as they make their way through the city. They pass through every corner of Tokyo, from one end to the other, all while half-living in a dream-like state. As they drive on, the singer takes notice of the other person's humming and wonders what song it is, and then asks what memories they can recall. The journey is bittersweet, as they feel both happy and lonely, like they're under the influence of cold medicine.
The lyrics of this song create a dreamlike, almost ethereal atmosphere. The imagery of running through the city at dusk, of passing from one end to the other, and of being half in a dream, all contribute to this feeling. The use of repetition, both in the phrases "calling the wind, calling you" and "running, running, running," lends a certain hypnotic quality to the song. The lyrics, coupled with the haunting, melancholic melody, make Long Season an evocative and emotional piece that invites the listener to close their eyes and imagine the sights, sounds, and feelings of Tokyo at dusk.
Line by Line Meaning
夕暮れ時を二人で走ってゆく
Just the two of us running in the twilight
風を呼んで 君を呼んで
Calling out to the wind and to you
東京の街のスミからスミまで
From every corner of the city of Tokyo
僕ら半分 夢の中
We are halfway in a dream
くちずさむ歌はなんだ?
What song are you humming?
思い出すことはなんだ?
What can you remember?
バックミラーから落っこちて行くのは
What falls from the rearview mirror
うれしいような さみしいような
Feels happy yet sad
風邪薬でやられちまったみたいな
Feeling like you've been drugged by cold medicine
そんな そんな 気分で
In a mood like that, in a mood like that
走ってる 走ってる 走ってる 走ってる
Running, running, running, running
くちずさむ歌はなんだ?
What song are you humming?
思い出すことはなんだ?
What can you remember?
僕ら半分 夢の中
We are halfway in a dream
Contributed by Jeremiah L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@rainydaysinaugust4715
lyrics in english if anybody wanted to read them
fishmans - long seasons
The two of us driving at dusk
Calling the wind
Calling you
From one end of the city of Tokyo to the other
We were halfway in a dream
What is that humming song?
What do you remember?**
Watching the sunset in the rearview mirror
Feeling kinda happy, feeling kinda lonely
Seems I've been messed up by my cold medicine
Like that, in that kind of mood
Driving, Driving, Driving, Driving
What is that humming song?
What do you remember?**
GET ROUND* IN THE SEASON
The two of us driving at dusk
Calling the wind
Calling you
From one end of the city of Tokyo to the other
We were half way in a dream
@Marco1Keane
Here is a list of the best fishmans songs
if you just started in this wonderful band
- Baby Blue
- Magic love
- to forget
- GOGO ROUND THIS WORLD !
- thank you
- Running Man
- paradise
- いかれたBaby
- walkin
- kansha odoroki
- fishmans - あの娘が眠ってる
- everyday everynight
- pokka pokka
- ushiro sagata
- ひこうき
- Oh! Crime
- 青空のように
and if you want to go deeper into the heart of fishmans (epic and deep)
- Night cruising
- What was that (なんてったの)
- In The Flight
- weather report
- in the air
- DAYDREAM
- オアシスへようこそ (Bienvenido a oasis)
- walking in the rhythm
- すばらしくてNICE CHOICE
- 幸せ者 - 98.12.28 男達の別れ
- Backbeat ni Nokkatte
- "Long Season" <------<< (The Masterpiece of Fishmans)
this is a small list obviously a lot of good songs don't appear here, If you want more I recommend listening to all albums...
@jdh21403
I’m happy that I was born in a generation where I have free access to this album and was able to find. Had I been alive when it came out and where I live, I would’ve never found it.
@mar15115
True man. I was born in the right generation.
@koki-dm9rv
I was born
@Akhin
You are enlightened
@rippspeck
This is the new "wrong generation" meme. Yo has a clue.
@somkeweed
@Yo no u
@user-gx9xf2zb6o
Fishmans was not a major artist in Japan, but rather a niche artist in a subculture that was popular with a certain segment of the population. And the people who attended Fishmans' live performances had good taste in clothes.
I was kind of happy about that at the time.
@Shaker626
Every generation has a special artist like this. I wonder where the kids of Japan wear their cool clothes today.
@andrewpirooz8873
😊
@omgrapist
Plot twist: everyone at their concerts were nude