GLAY started in 1988, when they were in high school, with TAKURO as the guitarist, TERU as the drummer and a bassist who quit when they decided to head to Tokyo. They needed a vocalist, so TERU made a tape of his singing to give to TAKURO and was immediately recruited for the part. On the search for another guitarist, HISASHI was asked to join but turned down the offer, as he was already part of a locally well-known heavy punk/rock band called 蟻 (Ari), which better suited his taste in music. When Ari disbanded, HISASHI accepted TAKURO's offer and became the lead guitarist of GLAY. By the time of TAKURO and TERU's graduation, GLAY had become more popular in their hometown of Hakodate and were playing in full live houses. Following HISASHI's high school graduation in 1990, the three of them moved to Tokyo to try and further expand their musical career. However things did not seem to improve for them in Tokyo. Their gigs only attracted a few people, and sometimes none at all.
During this time, members (particularly drummers) were constantly joining and leaving the band. When their bassist quit, Takuro had heard that JIRO, who was also from Hakodate and had played with the indie band ピエロ (Pierrot) (different from the now disbanded Japanese rock band PIERROT, that enjoyed mainstream popularity), had moved to Tokyo and invited him to join GLAY. He, too, declined the offer, insisting that he was already heading in the right direction for himself. It wasn't until TAKURO asked him to play at just one show to fill in for their missing bassist that he decided to go. Following that show, JIRO continued to receive invitations to play with GLAY, and in 1991 he had become GLAY's official bass player, finalizing the official four member lineup
Takuro was heavily influenced by his favourite band, The Beatles, and took a great interest in composing original songs and lyrics. The band name "GLAY" is a deliberate misspelling of the word "gray", which represents the style of music they wanted to play; a mixture between rock (black) and pop (white). Although GLAY primarily composes songs in the rock genre, they have also composed songs in styles ranging from reggae to gospel. Due to their musical diversity, beautiful lyrics and wonderful melodies, they have become one of the most successful and well known bands in Japan, and most of Asia.
Official site: HAPPY SWING SPACE SITE (glay.co.jp)
Cynical
GLAY Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
「晴れた日は苦手」が武器の
メッキ張りのヒーロー 8ケタの駒に愛想つかれて
データが叩き出す 隙の無い未来に
バグだらけ 自慢のヘッドルーム
秘密兵器は 造り飾られた虚像の姿
目もくれず走り続けていたスピンドルは 秒読み開始のスタンバイ
アバンギャルドな風に助けられ しなやかに
人に合わせて上手く生きる シニカルな舞台で 時には飼い主も裏切る
夜毎積み重なる声が厚い壁に変わる 胸に秘めた起爆装置のエラーで
狂わせろ くだらないレジスタンス
華麗に演じたご褒美は 暗闇で輝くアクセサリー
蹴飛ばせば世界が脆く ベクトルが期待に逆らい始める
時のリズムは 巻き過ぎたゼンマイ仕掛けの今
ガラス細工のように 守られ続けて育った後遺症はリスクとなり
汚れた灰色の ネズミ達の群に襲われ
信じてた「夢と現実」を 軽く笑い飛ばされる日々
人に合わせて上手く生きる シニカルな舞台で
飼い馴らされるのは趣味じゃない
冷めた街と 危険な遊び好きの女神達も「悪い大人達と作る 綺麗な嘘」に
気付き始める NEXT WORLD!
The GLAY song "Cynical" describes the struggles of the singer and the compromises they make to fit into society. The lyrics use a variety of metaphors, such as the unreliable wristband that shines like Jesus or the polished hero with a malfunctioning head. These metaphors represent the lack of authenticity in people's lives and how they try to cover it up.
The lyrics go on to describe the singer's isolation and their quest for a perfect future that is plagued with bugs and false images. Despite this, they strive to appear perfect and keep up appearances. However, the weight of their secrets and the pressure of societal expectations start to take a toll on their mental health, and they begin to act out in rebellion.
The song portrays a sense of disillusionment with society and the pressure to conform, which leads to a sense of emptiness that is hard to fill. Overall, "Cynical" is a poignant commentary on the challenges of modern living and the difficult choices people make to survive.
Line by Line Meaning
ジーザスが光る 頼り無いリストバンド
GLAY is mocking themselves for being an insignificant band, using the image of Jesus shining on them to emphasize their lack of importance.
「晴れた日は苦手」が武器の
GLAY's self-deprecating humor continues in this line, with the band using their inability to handle bright sunny days as a weapon to protect their image.
メッキ張りのヒーロー 8ケタの駒に愛想つかれて
Here, the band is criticizing the shallow nature of the music industry for being obsessed with shiny, superficial images and quickly discarding artists like a disposable commodity.
データが叩き出す 隙の無い未来に
This line seems to speak to the band's feelings of being trapped in a world controlled by technology and data, where everything is planned out in advance and there is no room for spontaneity or creativity.
バグだらけ 自慢のヘッドルーム
GLAY is commenting on the flaws in their own music or personality, highlighting their 'headroom' or ability to improve or stretch themselves, despite their myriad of 'bugs' or issues.
秘密兵器は 造り飾られた虚像の姿
The band is expressing their cynicism towards figureheads and appearances that are just a facade or a lie when they talk about their 'secret weapon' being an image that is fake and constructed.
枯れては 咲き誇る時代のスキャンダルで ノイローゼ気取り
Here, GLAY is commenting on the cyclical nature of the entertainment industry, where scandals continually arise in different eras and people become addicted to the chaos and drama it creates, even if it leads to mental health issues like 'neuroses'.
目もくれず走り続けていたスピンドルは 秒読み開始のスタンバイ
This line seems to use the metaphor of a spinning wheel that continuously runs without pause, representing GLAY's relentless pursuit of their goals, to the point that they are now waiting and counting down to something, most likely the end of their careers.
アバンギャルドな風に助けられ しなやかに
GLAY is expressing their gratitude towards the avant-garde or experimental movements in music that have shaped their sound and allowed them to be flexible and adaptable over time.
人に合わせて上手く生きる シニカルな舞台で 時には飼い主も裏切る
This line criticizes the pressure to conform to societal norms, particularly in the music industry, where artists often feel like they are forced to play a role in a sarcastic and cynical stage, and where even those in power can turn their backs on the artist.
夜毎積み重なる声が厚い壁に変わる 胸に秘めた起爆装置のエラーで
GLAY seems to be expressing their frustration with the music industry and their attempts to break through the wall of silence and apathy, even resorting to using personal secrets or mistakes to try and get noticed.
狂わせろ くだらないレジスタンス
This line is an expression of GLAY's desire to shake things up and challenge the status quo, even if it's just a silly form of resistance.
華麗に演じたご褒美は 暗闇で輝くアクセサリー
In this line, GLAY seems to be reflecting on the success and rewards that come from performing flawlessly on stage, despite the fact that the audience may not truly understand or appreciate their talent or dedication.
蹴飛ばせば世界が脆く ベクトルが期待に逆らい始める
This line speaks to the idea that the world is fragile and can be easily disrupted or upset, and that when expectations are not met, it can have an impact on the direction or momentum of a person's life or career.
時のリズムは 巻き過ぎたゼンマイ仕掛けの今
Here, GLAY is commenting on the fast-paced nature of the entertainment industry and how everyone is constantly moving and being wound up like a clock, with no chance to pause or reflect on what they're doing- something that is likely taking a toll on their mental health and wellbeing.
ガラス細工のように 守られ続けて育った後遺症はリスクとなり
GLAY is reflecting on the negative effects of a life lived in the public eye, where every move is scrutinized and controlled, and any mistakes can have long-lasting consequences that can impact a person's mental health and sense of self.
汚れた灰色の ネズミ達の群に襲われ
This line speaks to GLAY's feelings of being attacked or criticized by those who are struggling to survive in the cut-throat entertainment industry, or by critics who want to tear them down and expose their flaws.
信じてた「夢と現実」を 軽く笑い飛ばされる日々
Here, GLAY is expressing the disappointment and disillusionment that comes when reality doesn't match up to the lofty dreams and goals they had for themselves when they started out.
飼い馴らされるのは趣味じゃない
This line is a declaration that GLAY is not interested in being tamed, controlled or molded by the music industry or fans, and that they value their freedom and independence too much.
冷めた街と 危険な遊び好きの女神達も「悪い大人達と作る 綺麗な嘘」に
In this line, GLAY is commenting on the shallow and misleading nature of the entertainment industry, and how even the temptations of the city and the thrill of hanging out with dangerous women are all part of a larger facade or 'beautiful lie' created by those in charge.
気付き始める NEXT WORLD!
The song ends on a note of optimism, with GLAY acknowledging that there is a new world unfolding, and that maybe they can finally break free of the cynicism and corruption of the past and start anew.
Contributed by Mia W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.