The band's first big hit was the single Around The World, the theme song of the TV drama Saiyuuki-Journey to the West. In 2007 they worked on a number of collaborations with other J-pop artists, including hip-hop duo m-flo ("Picture Perfect"), SEAMO ("卒業、そして未来へ。") and the 吉田兄弟 ("Change").
The album 空はまるで (Sora wa Maru de), was released July 25, 2007. 空はまるで is MONKEY MAJIK's fourth original full-length album. The first press of the album includes two bonus tracks from the MONKEY MAJIK × MONKEY MAGIC single. The song 空はまるで was used as the Yokohama Type image song and became the first song in Japanese History to reach #1 on USEN Request Chart before being released.
On September 2008, they released another album, TIME and the album opened its first week at #2 on the Oricon Chart. They also made a collaboration with 土屋アンナ for the song GINGER that was featured in her album, NUDY SHOW! and was used for the Asahi Ginger Draft commercial song.
In 2009 they released two singles: アイシテル and 虹色の魚 / Open Happiness / MONSTER. Early 2010 they released the single SAKURA and a new compilation titled MONKEY MAJIK BEST ～10Years & Forever～ containing songs from thank you to the newest single. The compilation also contains a song titled Fast Forward which was used as the opening theme for the anime Nurarihyon no Mago.
Later 2010, they announced the 6th album and a brand new single. The new single titled ぬらりひょんの孫 オープニングテーマ EP contains the tracks Sunshine and Fast Forward, both used as opening themes for Nurarihyon no Mago and the single was released November 24, 2010. The album, titled westview was released in February 2, 2011. They released a compilation album titled RARE TRACKS in March 2, 2011, containing b-sides from singles and random songs used to movies and animes.
The band took a break after the Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami, and in October 26 they released their 15th single: Headlight, followed by the 16th single in early 2012, HERO. In March 7 the band released their 7th original album: Somewhere Out There.
On and On
MONKEY MAJIK Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
いつも遠くばかりを見ていたんだ
目の前のことなど 気に模せず
壊れた傘も差さず 裸足のまま
自分の影からも逃げていた
On and on our way
On and on だから探すのさ
On and on 時を待たないで
On and on, yeah...
汚れた道は雨がきれいにして
確かな現実が見えてきた
On and on our way
On and on 晴れた空の下
急ぐ 意味何かないよ
On and on ただただまっすぐ
On and on, yeah...
まだ信じる者を
見付けることできない
分かっているから
今は何も言わない
On and on and on and on
On and on and on and on
On and on and on and on
On and on and on..
Yeah!
On and on ほんの少しだけ
行き先が見えてきたよ
On and on たどり着けるかな
On and on, yeah...
On and on 晴れた空の下
急ぐ 意味何かないよ
On and on ただただまっすぐ
On and on, yeah yeah yeah...
(Romanized lyrics)
Itsumo tooku bakari wo mite itanda
Me no mae no koto nado ki ni mosezu
Kowareta kasa mo sasazu hadashi no mama
Jibun no kage kara mo nigete ita
On and on our way
On and on dakara sagasu no sa
Owari to hajimari no hi wo
On and on toki wo matanaide
On and on, yeah...
Yogoreta michi wa ame ga kirei ni shite
Tashika na genjitsu ga miete kita
On and on our way
On and on hareta sora no shita
Isogu imi nanka naiyo
On and on tada tada massugu
On and on, yeah...
Mada shinjiru mono wo
Mitsukeru koto dekinai
Wakatte iru kara
Ima wa nani mo iwanai
On and on and on and on
On and on and on and on
On and on and on and on
On and on and on..
Yeah!
On and on honno sukoshi dake
Ikisaki ga miete kitayo
On and on tadori tsukeru ka na
On and on, yeah...
On and on hareta sora no shita
Isogu imi nanka naiyo
On and on tada tada massugu
On and on, yeah yeah yeah...
The MONKEY MAJIK song "On and On" speaks about the journey of life and how we often get caught up in looking too far ahead or dwelling on the past instead of living in the present moment. Throughout the song, the lyrics explain how the singer used to always look far into the distance, neglecting what was right in front of them. They even ran from their own shadow. As the song progresses, they begin to see the beauty in their surroundings and the security of the present moment. The chorus of the song encourages the listener to keep going, keep searching for the end and beginning of every day but not to be held back by time.
One verse of the song tells about how the rain cleanses the dirty road and how reality becomes more apparent when we get caught in it. The song seems to invite people to take their time and enjoy the journey, not to rush towards their destination because it is not about getting there but how we experience the journey. The bridge of the song tells about the struggle of finding something to believe in and acknowledging how that search is hard, but just the beginning. In conclusion, the song encourages us to keep moving forward, even if we are uncertain where the path will lead us.
Line by Line Meaning
Itsumo tooku bakari wo mite itanda
I was always looking far ahead and not paying attention to what's right in front of me.
Me no mae no koto nado ki ni mosezu
I didn't care about what was in front of me.
Kowareta kasa mo sasazu hadashi no mama
I didn't even bother fixing my broken umbrella and walked around barefoot instead.
Jibun no kage kara mo nigete ita
I was even running away from my own shadow.
On and on our way
We keep moving forward.
On and on dakara sagasu no sa
That's why we keep searching.
Owari to hajimari no hi wo
The day of both endings and beginnings.
On and on toki wo matanaide
We don't wait for time to pass by, we keep going.
On and on, yeah...
Over and over again.
Yogoreta michi wa ame ga kirei ni shite
The dirty road became cleaner after the rain.
Tashika na genjitsu ga miete kita
I could finally see the truth clearly.
On and on hareta sora no shita
Under a clear sky, we keep moving forward.
Isogu imi nanka naiyo
There's no point in rushing.
On and on tada tada massugu
Just keep moving forward, always straight ahead.
Mada shinjiru mono wo
I still haven't found something to believe in.
Mitsukeru koto dekinai
I can't find it.
Wakatte iru kara
I understand that.
Ima wa nani mo iwanai
I won't say anything right now.
On and on and on and on
We keep going and going and going...
On and on honno sukoshi dake
Little by little, I can see my destination.
Ikisaki ga miete kitayo
I can finally see where I'm headed.
On and on tadori tsukeru ka na
I wonder if I can reach it if I just keep going.
On and on hareta sora no shita
Under a clear sky, we keep moving forward.
On and on tada tada massugu
Just keep moving forward, always straight ahead.
On and on, yeah yeah yeah...
Over and over again, yeah yeah yeah...
Contributed by Evelyn I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.