Dentaku
Kraftwer k Lyrics

The opening lines of Kraftwerk's "Dentaku" (meaning "Pocket Calculator" in Japanese) describe the persona of the singer. "Boku wa ongakuka" ("I am a musician") establishes that the singer is someone who makes music, while "dentaku katateni" ("holding a calculator in my hand") indicates this person is no ordinary musician. The line "Tashitari, hiitari" creates a rhythm to the lyrics, suggesting the tapping of numbers and commands into a calculator. The next line "sousashite, sakkyoku suru" ("making calculations and composing") shows how this person uses the calculator as a tool for composing music. Finally, "kono botan oseba, ongaku kanaderu" ("if I press these buttons, I play music") reinforces that the calculator is the instrument used to make the music.

The lyrics continue with "hajimete kikuhito watashi no kyoku o, hajimete kiita hito ohayogozaimasu" ("to the first person who hears my music, good morning"). As the persona is in control of the calculator, it sets a playful tone to the song, but with the mention of the listener, the tone changes to one of appreciation.