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.
Floods of tears
L'Arc~en~Ciel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
誰もが黙って空を見上げている
哀しい色の雲が雨の訪れを伝え
やがて私に降りそそぐ
目の前でくり返す裏切りの答え
深く沈む情景に立ち尽くす
Floods of tears
信じている気持ちが
思い出に身を移す
子供達は気にも止めず雨を従えて
恐れず明日を夢見ている
目の前でくり返す裏切りの答え
深く沈む情景に立ち尽くす
Floods of tears
何も見えない 重ねた信実も
何も見えない
あなたが居るのかさえ
盲目なその想いは崩れて
Ah 空しく運命に刻み付ける
目の前でくり返す裏切りの答え
深く沈む情景に立ち尽くす
立ち尽くす Floods of tears
何も見えない 重ねた信実も
何も見えない
あなたが居るのかさえ
何も見えない......
途切れた糸が何処か
雨に震えながら
手さぐりで探している
盲目なその想いは崩れて
空しく運命に刻み付ける
盲目なその想いは崩れて
空しく運命に刻み付ける
The Japanese lyrics of L'Arc~en~Ciel's song Floods of Tears lament about the feeling of betrayal and the loss of faith in oneself and others in the face of hardships. The lyrics describe a scene where people are standing in the rubble, looking up at the sky in silence. The sad clouds represent the coming of rain that will wash away the belief in oneself, leaving only memories behind.
The children, who are dreaming of tomorrow without fear, seem to be immune to the pain caused by betrayal. However, for the singer of the song, the answer to their pain and doubt keeps repeating in front of them, causing them to feel stuck in a deep, sinking feeling. The floods of tears symbolize the loss, sadness, and despair that the singer feels, as they struggle to find hope in their current situation.
Throughout the song, there is a sense of loss and confusion, and the singer feels as though they are blindly following their own emotions. They question the existence of their loved one, and wonder whether their blind faith, which was built with great care, will crumble away. The final lines of the song depict a haunting image of someone searching through rain, trying to find a broken thread.
Line by Line Meaning
瓦礫の中たたずむ者は
The person standing still in the rubble
誰もが黙って空を見上げている
Is looking up at the sky, silently
哀しい色の雲が雨の訪れを伝え
Sad, colored clouds announce the arrival of rain
やがて私に降りそそぐ
They will soon pour down on me
目の前でくり返す裏切りの答え
The answer to the repeated betrayal in front of me
深く沈む情景に立ち尽くす
I stand still in a deeply sinking scene
Floods of tears
Tears are flowing uncontrollably
信じている気持ちが
The feeling of being believed
雨に流されそうで
Seems to be washed away by rain
思い出に身を移す
Shifts to the memories
子供達は気にも止めず雨を従えて
Children follow the rain without a second thought
恐れず明日を夢見ている
Dreaming of tomorrow without fear
何も見えない 重ねた信実も
Even the stacked trust cannot see anything
あなたが居るのかさえ
Even if you are there
盲目なその想いは崩れて
Those blind feelings crumble away
Ah 空しく運命に刻み付ける
Ah, engraved emptily into fate
立ち尽くす Floods of tears
Floods of tears stand still
途切れた糸が何処か
Somewhere, the thread has been cut
雨に震えながら
Shivering in the rain
手さぐりで探している
Searching blindly
何も見えない......
Cannot see anything
盲目なその想いは崩れて
Those blind feelings crumble away
空しく運命に刻み付ける
Engraved emptily into fate
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: hyde
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind