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.
spiral
L'Arc~en~Ciel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
鮮やかに
悪戯に回る 青く絡まる
煌く硝煙
快楽に触れる 指は記憶に辿り着く
手を広げ掴む 飛べる瞬間
望んだ狂騒
全て塗り潰し 空は堕ちてく
甘い雫を滴らせ
今を振り払い どうせ散るなら響かせよう
最後の宴に 空は堕ちてく
甘い雫を滴らせ
今はまだ続き どうせ散るなら
淫らに舞え
If you want to dance this way
I'll show you the door
To a whole world
You've never known
繰り返す螺旋 蒼く揺らめく
鮮やかに
刻みだすリズム 鳴らす合図に従う衝動
抑えずに放て
全て塗り潰し 空は堕ちてく
甘い雫を滴らせ
今を振り払い どうせ散るなら
響かせよう
最後の宴に 空は堕ちてく
甘い雫を滴らせ
今はまだ続き どうせ散るなら
淫らに舞え
弾む身体 包む声に
感じるまま 深く溶けて
The song "Spiral" by L'Arc~en~Ciel talks about the thrill of indulging in pleasure and the beauty of chaos. The singer describes the swirling, blue spiral and the vivid, dazzling colors that surround it. The lyrics suggest a sense of mischief and the temptation to get caught up in a world of excitement and recklessness. The lines "If you want to dance this way, I'll show you the door, to a whole world you've never known" could be interpreted as the singer encouraging the listener to let loose and experience something new.
The chorus repeats the phrase "Everything is painted over, and the sky is falling" which could symbolize the loss of control and the surrender to pleasure. The singer urges to let go and indulge in the moment because everything is fleeting and temporary. The song also references the "last feast," suggesting an impending end or a final reckoning. The lyrics encourage the listener to embrace the chaos and dance sensually to the beat of the music.
Line by Line Meaning
繰り返す螺旋 蒼く揺らめく 鮮やかに
A repeating spiral, shimmering in blue, vividly.
悪戯に回る 青く絡まる 煌く硝煙
Playing mischievously, entangled in blue, with sparkling smoke.
快楽に触れる 指は記憶に辿り着く
Touching pleasure, fingers reaching into memory.
手を広げ掴む 飛べる瞬間 望んだ狂騒
Expanding hands, grasping the moment to fly, the desired frenzy.
止まらずに踊れ
Dance without stopping.
全て塗り潰し 空は堕ちてく 甘い雫を滴らせ
Covering everything, the sky falls, dripping sweet droplets.
今を振り払い どうせ散るなら響かせよう
Shake off the present, if we're going to scatter anyway, let's make it resonate.
最後の宴に 空は堕ちてく 甘い雫を滴らせ
In the last feast, the sky falls, dripping sweet droplets.
今はまだ続き どうせ散るなら 淫らに舞え
The present still continues, if we're going to scatter anyway, dance indecently.
弾む身体 包む声に 感じるまま 深く溶けて
Bouncing body, wrapped in voice, melting deeply as you feel.
繰り返す螺旋 蒼く揺らめく 鮮やかに
A repeating spiral, shimmering in blue, vividly.
刻みだすリズム 鳴らす合図に従う衝動 抑えずに放て
Starting a rhythm, following the signal to unleash the impulse, without restraint.
最後の宴に 空は堕ちてく 甘い雫を滴らせ
In the last feast, the sky falls, dripping sweet droplets.
今はまだ続き どうせ散るなら 淫らに舞え
The present still continues, if we're going to scatter anyway, dance indecently.
If you want to dance this way I'll show you the door To a whole world You've never known
If you want to dance like this, I'll show you the way to a new and unfamiliar world.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Yukihiro
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind