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)
Giant Strong Faust Super Star
GLAY Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
あと三つ数えるから
自分の墓場でも掘るんだな。
五連の銃創にまだ六弾残ってるぜ。
そう、パーティーはこれからだ。」
僕は未来を想定し
目の前の暗雲に目を凝らした。
SIX GUNS & 24 BIT BEAM
闇夜ビルの間に響く MIDI TIME PIECE
10TRACKS SCREAM 2048 SPEED
刻むグリッドに音符のナノデバイス:
SIX GUNS & 24 BIT BEAM
波形のピークでキメるノーズライディグ
10TRACKS SCREAM 2048 SPEED
赤いボタンで塗り替えた世界
The first verse of GLAY's "Giant Strong Faust Super Star" describes a moment of violence, where the singer expected to only need one shot, but took two. They count to three before indicating that they are willing to dig their own grave if necessary. The second line can be interpreted as the singer trying to imagine a better future, but realizing that hope is nonexistent in their current reality. The chorus jumps to a different theme, introducing "SIX GUNS & 24 BIT BEAM" which creates a techno-futuristic atmosphere. The singer describes the sounds of the MIDI TIME PIECE and the speed of the music. They describe their sounds as part of the music equipment, made up of a "nano device". The sound of the music is quantized, with the world being painted over by "red buttons". The whole song seems to alternate between gritty, violent reality, and an imagined futuristic world.
Overall, the song seems to be a commentary on how technology might provide a solution to help escape the real world. The title "Giant Strong Faust Super Star" can be interpreted in many different ways, but the phrase "Super Star" stands out - especially when contrasted with the lowly and sour reality described in the first verse. The song may be suggesting that technology will eventually lift us up, into a better reality, creating a new type of star - a "suture of the sky", as it says earlier in the song.
Line by Line Meaning
一撃の筈が二発貰っちまった。
I thought I had one chance to succeed, but I had to take two shots.
あと三つ数えるから
I have three chances left to succeed.
自分の墓場でも掘るんだな。
I'll keep trying until I succeed, even if it means digging my own grave.
五連の銃創にまだ六弾残ってるぜ。
I've been shot five times, but I still have six bullets left.
そう、パーティーはこれからだ。
Yes, the real fun is just getting started.
僕は未来を想定し
I think about the future
目の前の暗雲に目を凝らした。
I focus on the dark clouds in front of me.
しかし晴れた空に希望は無かった。
But there was no hope in the clear sky.
SIX GUNS & 24 BIT BEAM
I have six guns and a 24-bit beam.
闇夜ビルの間に響く MIDI TIME PIECE
My MIDI timepiece echoes between the dark buildings at night.
10TRACKS SCREAM 2048 SPEED
I scream through 10 tracks at a speed of 2048.
刻むグリッドに音符のナノデバイス:
The notes are engraved on a grid with a nano device:
赤いボタンで塗り替えた世界
I painted over the world with a red button.
Contributed by Isaac H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.