Their debut single Blurry Eyes released in 1994 was used as the opening theme for the animated TV show DNA². In late 1996, L'Arc~en~Ciel gained worldwide attention for the first time after the release of their fourth album, True. This album includes the single the Fourth Avenue Cafe, which was used as an ending theme for the popular animated TV show Rurouni Kenshin. However, drummer sakura was arrested for drug possession and consequently all L'Arc~en~Ciel merchandise was removed from store shelves. The release of their single the Fourth Avenue Cafe was canceled and the song was immediately removed from the TV series.
sakura left the band in 1997, and former DIE IN CRIES drummer yukihiro replaced him for the REINCARNATION tour that year, subsequently serving as a support member for their first single after the incident, 虹 (Niji). Eventually, yukihiro officially joined the band and released the album HEART in 1998.
After the release of their eighth album REAL in 2000, L'Arc~en~Ciel went on a hiatus, releasing only compilation albums aside from their 2001 single, Spirit dreams inside -another dream-, the theme for the CG-animated Final Fantasy movie. During this time, each member engaged in solo projects: yukihiro with the band acid android, ken and former L'Arc~en~Ciel drummer sakura with SONS OF ALL PUSSYS, HYDE as a solo artist, and tetsu as TETSU69. On March 31st, 2004, L'Arc~en~Ciel released SMILE, their first album in four years.
On July 31st, 2004, L'Arc~en~Ciel performed their first concert in the United States at Otakon, a Japanese animation convention. They performed for an audience of more than 12,000 in Baltimore, Maryland.
They are best known outside of Japan for the song READY STEADY GO, which served as the second opening theme for the animated series Fullmetal Alchemist, and Link for the show's respective theatrical film. These songs earned them substantial Western popularity and attention to their album, SMILE, which was released in the United States by American label Tofu Records.
After more than a year since SMILE, the band released AWAKE on June 22nd, 2005, which was accompanied by ASIALIVE, L'Arc~en~Ciel's first tour to take them to South Korea and China, as well as the Japanese AWAKE tour.
The year 2006 marked the band's 15th anniversary since their debut. It was celebrated with the release of a box set of books titled L'Arc~en~Ciel BOX, re-releases of their first 15 singles along with the albums ark and ray, and the L'Anniversary live concerts held on November 25th and 26th. They also finally released the Fourth Avenue Cafe, the single canceled nearly 10 years prior, as part of their 15th anniversary celebrations.
The year 2007 saw increased activity for the band, with the release of four new singles, four DVD releases, the new album KISS, and the beginning of two back-to-back tours. The first was TOUR 2007-2008 THEATER OF KISS in Japan, followed by L'7 ～trans ASIA via PARIS～. The latter tour took them through Shanghai, Taiwan, Paris, Seoul, Hong Kong, and a return to Japan for shows in Tokyo and Osaka. At the end of this tour it was announced that the band would not tour again until their 20th anniversary in 2011. The band, however, says they're not on hiatus.
2008 saw the release of two new single from the band, DRINK IT DOWN released in April, and the double A-side NEXUS 4 / SHINE in August. Since then, HYDE has begun a new solo project with former OBLIVION DUST guitarist K.A.Z as VAMPS, with the release of a self-titled album and successful tours in Japan and the United States. With the legacy of 11 albums and 35 singles, L'Arc~en~Ciel continue to gather more and more fans throughout the world who eagerly await their return to renewed band activities.
Fare Well
L'Arc~en~Ciel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
裸足で歩いてゆこう
寒くて明日を見渡しても
貴方は何処にもいない
うまく言えなかったけど
いつも想っていたよ
あぁ 今吹き抜ける
優しかったなら
果てない切なさに
こごえた貴方を
守ってあげられたのに
たとえ何も無くても
この手広げてゆくよ
あぁ 空を駆け巡る
あの鳥のように
強かったなら
貴方はいつまでも
この僕のこと
愛してくれたのかな
The lyrics of L'Arc~en~Ciel's song "Fare Well" express feelings of loss, longing, and regret, as the singer mourns the absence of someone they loved deeply. The first verse talks about walking a long and difficult path barefoot, without the person they miss, as they look out into the cold and uncertain future. The second verse reveals that the singer wishes they had found the right words to express their feelings to the person they lost, and reflects on how kind and gentle they were. The chorus highlights the unyielding sadness the singer feels, wishing they could have protected the person they loved but were unable to. The final verse wonders if their loved one would have continued to love them, even if they remained weak and vulnerable like a bird flying through the sky.
The song as a whole captures the essence of grief and the irrevocable pain of losing somebody dear. The somber melody and lyrics convey a sense of melancholy that resonates with listeners who have experienced similar losses. The song is a heartfelt tribute to the memory of the person who has passed, and a lamentation of the missed opportunities and things that could have been.
Line by Line Meaning
どんなに遠くて長い道も
No matter how far or how long the road is
裸足で歩いてゆこう
Let's walk barefoot
寒くて明日を見渡しても
Even if it's cold and when I look ahead to tomorrow
貴方は何処にもいない
You're nowhere to be found
うまく言えなかったけど
I couldn't express it well, but
いつも想っていたよ
I always thought about you
あぁ 今吹き抜ける
Oh, the wind that's blowing through me right now
この風のように
If only you were as gentle as this wind
優しかったなら
It would have been nice
果てない切なさに
In this endless pain and sadness
こごえた貴方を
If only I could have protected you, who was frozen
守ってあげられたのに
Even if there was nothing I could do
たとえ何も無くても
Even if I have nothing
この手広げてゆくよ
I'll still reach out my hands
あぁ 空を駆け巡る
Oh, like the birds soaring in the sky
あの鳥のように
If only you were as strong as those birds
強かったなら
It would have been great
貴方はいつまでも
I wonder if you still
この僕のこと
Love me like you used to
愛してくれたのかな
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Hyde, Ken
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind