Tokyo Game
Meiko Nakahara Lyrics

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午後の外苑通り
渋滞が好き
人の素顔見える

ひとりひとりのドラマ
追い越しながら
心揺らすシート

大人になるほど
生きるゲームむずかしくなるの
アンテナのばして
努力だけじゃ
都会は泳げない
( Don't fall in love with Tokyo Game
Big city nights will call your name
Never again you'll feel the same )

二十歳の頃のダイアリー
背のびのヒール
薔薇のトゲも知らず

クリエイティブな恋に
憧れてたの
心削る夢ね

大人になるほど
恋のゲームむずかしくなるの
未来を分け合う
強い味方
どこの窓にいるの

( Don't let me down, oh Tokyo Game
Show me a man who's kind and same
Let me be blessed with gorgeous fame)

ふと車を降りて
逃げたくなるわ

大人になるほど
生きるゲームむずかしくなるの
アンテナのばして
努力だけじゃ
都会は泳げない
( Don't fall in love with Tokyo Game
Big city nights will call your name
Never again you'll feel the same )

大人になるほど
恋のゲームむずかしくなるの
未来を分け合う

強い味方
どこの窓にいるの

Overall Meaning

The Meiko Nakahara song, "Tokyo Game," reflects on the challenges of life in the city and the games people play as they navigate through the urban landscape. The first stanza describes the singer's love for traffic jams on the streets of Tokyo, where she can observe the faces of people she passes by.We see that people's lives interconnect and with their individual dramas, one can experience emotional turbulence from the inside of a car. As one becomes an adult, the daily game of life becomes more complex, and the search for love and a companion gets harder, symbolized by the singer's interest in creative love when age twenty. The singer hopes for strong allies to share the future with but is unsure of where to find these allies in the city. The chorus builds a warning against the dangers of the city, with its seductive lights and fast-paced life, reminding the listener not to fall too deeply in love with Tokyo Game. The lyrics suggest that one must keep their antennae up and think beyond just working hard, to swim in the deep waters of city life.

Line by Line Meaning

午後の外苑通り
Walking down the Outer Garden Street in the afternoon

渋滞が好き
I like traffic jams

人の素顔見える
I can see the real faces of people

ひとりひとりのドラマ
Each person has their own drama

追い越しながら
While passing them by

心揺らすシート
The seat that makes my heart tremble

大人になるほど
As I become an adult

生きるゲームむずかしくなるの
Living life becomes harder

アンテナのばして
Expanding my antenna

努力だけじゃ
Effort alone

都会は泳げない
Won't let me swim in the city