In addition to his solo works, he is a member of the Electronica duo Kimonos, which formed in 2010 with Mukai Shutoku of Zazen Boys. He is also is a member of the band Metafive, formed in 2015 with Yukihiro Takahashi, Keigo Oyamada, Yoshinori Sunahara, Towa Tei, and Tomohiko Gondo.
Alongside his own projects, he continues to contribute a wide range of music and text to various other artists.
Born in Tokyo to a Japanese father and Swedish mother. Educated at SOAS and Oxford University. Settled in Tokyo in July 2006 to launch music career with debut album ‘City Folk’.
Showcasing a variety of styles from heart-rending killer-tunes to angular rap, he not only represents a new style of singer-songwriter in J-Pop, but his blend of lyrical passion and austerity of design may mark something new for the world at large.
Go On
LEO今井 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They glued my hands to my face so I can't see straight
Took me to the specialist to hand me my fate
And I can't wait to see their shadows leave the room, I hesitate
Walk past front desk, wink to the waitress
Back to back attack, and I'm with the temptress
Her office room no.2118, something I've never seen
Before me, wanna take it all away from the microphone
So this you gotta know
Saw my love grow tighter
Saw the demons bite her
Make it burn with my lighter
Make my urgency much brighter
Nice advice, shame it's lame
Had this line so many times, but it's true, so I keep repeating
Repeat to the shadow elite, burn a hole with 'em dancin' feet
Try to run away and you're mangled like a fist when it hits concrete
Over and over, and I grasp it, and it's too late
21 single females in a row, they're posing for magazines
Believe me when I tell you that I want to make it right one more time
So this you gotta know
I take that line? Don't give a fuck if it's a Class A crime
I waste my time? Don't care if it wastes this life of mine
I'll bust that gag? Don't give a shit if it offends or rags
I'll fight that slag? Don't care if it makes me a damn scumbag
Bring out the scum, bring out your scum, hey
I know it's wrong but I'm gonna do it anyway
Can't turn on, I can't turn on
I can't turn my love back on
Can't forget them ole regrets
I'm left a silhouette (so I smoke a cigarette)
Can't go on, I can't go on
I know I'm so wrong
I'm wasted but I'm not erased
Just give me one more taste, go on
The lyrics of LEO今井's song "Go On" come across as reflective and introspective. The opening lines, "Shame on me, shame, shame, shame/They glued my hands to my face so I can't see straight," convey a sense of guilt and shame. It suggests that the singer has done something wrong and is being punished for it. This is further reinforced by the lines, "Took me to the specialist to hand me my fate/And I can't wait to see their shadows leave the room, I hesitate." The idea of fate suggests that the singer has made a choice that has led him down this path.
The second verse is more abstract and imagistic. The singer talks about "21 single females in a row, they're posing for magazines." This could be a metaphor for how the media portrays women as sexual objects. The lines, "Believe me when I tell you that I want to make it right one more time," suggest that the singer regrets his past behavior and wants to make amends. The final lines, "Can't turn on, I can't turn on/I can't turn my love back on/Can't forget them ole regrets/I'm left a silhouette (so I smoke a cigarette)" convey a sense of resignation. The singer knows he can't undo his past mistakes, and so he smokes a cigarette to help him cope.
Overall, the song seems to be grappling with the idea of regret and the difficulty of moving on from past mistakes. The lyrics are abstract and at times difficult to parse, but they convey a sense of emotional turmoil and a desire to make things right.
Line by Line Meaning
Shame on me, shame, shame, shame
Feeling guilty and regretful of my past actions
They glued my hands to my face so I can't see straight
Feeling trapped and unable to see things clearly
Took me to the specialist to hand me my fate
Being resigned to my fate and powerless to change it
And I can't wait to see their shadows leave the room, I hesitate
Feeling relieved when the people causing me pain leave, but also hesitant and unsure of what comes next
Walk past front desk, wink to the waitress
Being flirtatious and confident in a public setting
Back to back attack, and I'm with the temptress
Being in a dangerous and exciting situation with someone who is tempting
Her office room no.2118, something I've never seen
Experiencing something new and unfamiliar
Before me, wanna take it all away from the microphone
Wanting to achieve success and take control of my career
Got one soul, one goal, but lost all control
Having a singular focus and purpose, but feeling out of control in achieving it
So this you gotta know
Emphasizing the importance of what I need to communicate
Saw my love grow tighter
Feeling closer to someone I love
Saw the demons bite her
Witnessing someone I love struggling with their own inner demons
Make it burn with my lighter
Escaping reality and emotions through smoking
Make my urgency much brighter
Adding a sense of urgency to my actions
Nice advice, shame it's lame
Being unimpressed with advice that is unhelpful or overused
Had this line so many times, but it's true, so I keep repeating
Acknowledging the truth in something that has been said before
Repeat to the shadow elite, burn a hole with 'em dancin' feet
Sharing my thoughts and opinions with those in positions of power, even if it creates tension and conflict
Try to run away and you're mangled like a fist when it hits concrete
Feeling trapped and unable to escape my problems
Over and over, and I grasp it, and it's too late
Repeating the same mistakes and only realizing it when it's too late to change them
21 single females in a row, they're posing for magazines
Feeling overwhelmed and numb to the superficiality of the world around me
Believe me when I tell you that I want to make it right one more time
Expressing my desire to fix my mistakes and make things right
I take that line? Don't give a fuck if it's a Class A crime
Being willing to break the rules and take risks to achieve my goals
I waste my time? Don't care if it wastes this life of mine
Being willing to take risks and pursue my dreams, even if it may not turn out well
I'll bust that gag? Don't give a shit if it offends or rags
Being willing to speak out and express myself, even if it might upset others
I'll fight that slag? Don't care if it makes me a damn scumbag
Being willing to stand up for myself and fight against those who try to bring me down, even if it may not be seen as socially acceptable
Bring out the scum, bring out your scum, hey
Encouraging someone to show their true colors and reveal their inner flaws
Can't turn on, I can't turn on
Being unable to feel love or positive emotions
I can't turn my love back on
Being unable to rekindle my feelings of love
Can't forget them ole regrets
Being haunted by past mistakes and regrets
I'm left a silhouette (so I smoke a cigarette)
Feeling like a shadow of my former self and using smoking as a coping mechanism
Can't go on, I can't go on
Feeling like I can't continue living the way I am
I know I'm so wrong
Acknowledging my mistakes and shortcomings
I'm wasted but I'm not erased
Feeling exhausted and depleted, but still holding on
Just give me one more taste, go on
Yearning for one more chance or opportunity to make things right
Contributed by Colin S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.