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.
season
Fishmans Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
風を呼んで君を呼んで
東京の街のスミからスミまで
僕ら半分夢の中
バックミラーから
落っこちて行くのは
うれしいようなさみしいような
風邪薬でやられちまったみたいな
走ってる走ってる走ってる走ってる
くちずさむ歌はなんだい?
思い出すことはなんだい?
忙しくて会えないねえ
だんだん暑くなってくよ
こんな季節を遊びたい
君をそばにおいて
風を呼んで風を呼んで
君をそばに呼んで
季節の中を走りぬけて
もうすぐ秋だね
GET ROUND IN THE SEASON
GET ROUND IN THE SEASON
GET ROUND IN THE SEASON
GET ROUND IN THE SEASON
GET ROUND IN THE SEASON
GET ROUND IN THE SEASON
GET ROUND IN THE SEASON
GET ROUND IN THE SEASON
GET ROUND IN THE SEASON
GET ROUND IN THE SEASON
GET ROUND IN THE SEASON
GET ROUND IN THE SEASON
GET ROUND IN THE SEASON
夕暮れ時を二人で走ってゆく
風を呼んで君を呼んで
東京の街のスミからスミまで
僕ら半分夢の中夢の中夢の中
GET ROUND IN THE SEASON
GET ROUND IN THE SEASON
GET ROUND IN THE SEASON
GET ROUND IN THE SEASON
The song SEASON by Fishmans+ is a nostalgic and dreamy ode to a fleeting moment of happiness and freedom. The lyrics describe two people running together through the streets of Tokyo at sunset, calling out to the wind and to each other. The city is described as a blur, and the two runners seem to be caught between reality and a half-asleep dream state. The ups and downs of their emotions are contrasted as the lyrics describe feeling happy and sad at the same time, as if they had both taken a cold medicine. The lyrics ask what they should sing and what they should remember, capturing the bittersweet sense of wanting to hold onto a fleeting moment of joy. The chorus repeats the phrase "Get Round in the Season," emphasizing the idea of making the most of a particular moment in time.
The lyrics can be interpreted as a tribute to the beauty of a particular moment, a reminder to appreciate small victories, and a meditation on the transience of life. The song’s serene melody and thoughtful lyrics create a gentle, atmospheric soundscape that evokes a sense of melancholy, nostalgia, and hope all at once. Ultimately, the song seems to be a gentle reminder to savor the fleeting moments of happiness that life offers and to hold them tightly before they slip away.
Line by Line Meaning
夕暮れ時を二人で走ってゆく
We run together during the twilight hours
風を呼んで君を呼んで
Calling for you by calling forth the wind
東京の街のスミからスミまで
From one end of Tokyo's dark streets to the other
僕ら半分夢の中夢の中夢の中
We are half asleep and drifting in and out of dreams
バックミラーから落っこちて行くのは
What falls from the rearview mirror is
うれしいようなさみしいような風邪薬でやられちまったみたいな
Like feeling both happy and sad, like we've been drugged with cold medicine
そんなそんな気分で走ってる走ってる走ってる走ってる
That's the mood we're in as we keep running and running
くちずさむ歌はなんだい?
What song are we humming?
思い出すことはなんだい?
What are we remembering?
忙しくて会えないねえ
We're busy and can't meet
だんだん暑くなってくよ
Gradually, it's getting hotter
こんな季節を遊びたい
We want to play during this season
君をそばにおいて風を呼んで風を呼んで君をそばに呼んで
Having you by my side, calling forth the wind to have you near
季節の中を走りぬけて
We run through the season
もうすぐ秋だね
Autumn is coming soon
GET ROUND IN THE SEASON
Get around in the season
GET ROUND IN THE SEASON
Get around in the season
GET ROUND IN THE SEASON
Get around in the season
GET ROUND IN THE SEASON
Get around in the season
GET ROUND IN THE SEASON
Get around in the season
GET ROUND IN THE SEASON
Get around in the season
GET ROUND IN THE SEASON
Get around in the season
GET ROUND IN THE SEASON
Get around in the season
GET ROUND IN THE SEASON
Get around in the season
GET ROUND IN THE SEASON
Get around in the season
GET ROUND IN THE SEASON
Get around in the season
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: 伸治 佐藤
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
めいこ
"あの頃"を、感じせる一曲。
あの頃、とにかく浮遊感を感じてた。
なんだろう。あの浮遊感は。
90年代。
フィッシュマンズの中でも、
それ以外でも、とにかく1番くらい好きな曲です。
ゑ瓈ヴぁ
あんまり良いことなかった日でも夕暮れ時にこれを聴けば「まぁいっか……」ってなる。
harrooodisco
Legendary band
EmanuelJose710
La banda mas cool de todos los tiempos. El violin me mata, es brutal.
CacoPholey
It's insane to me that after making this song, which in and of itself is already great, they decided "fuck it, let's make this into our masterpiece", made long season, then took long season and said "fuck it, let's make this the literal best song of all time" and did the live long season performance
watari
この曲の時点で圧倒的なイマジネーションなのに、 更に全く別のベクトルでロングシーズンなんてもん作っちゃうんだから本当に凄い
mappplesirrup
on god bro
にじしろなつ
鳥肌がたつ。秋への移ろいを感じる、色褪せない美しさ
Furansowakun
すばらしい曲だ！
ryoryoryoryo
このドラム。ベース。グルーヴ。すげーっす。
SHIN
後世の唄歌いの人たちに、絶対影響を与えた曲だと思う。