Mr.Children is one of the most popular bands in Japan. They made their major debut in 1992 with the release of their first album, "EVERYTHING", but it wasn't until one of their singles was used as a drama theme song, like their fourth single "Cross Road", that they started getting noticed. They got their big break in 1994 with the release of their fifth single, "innocent world", which made record sales and earned the Japan Record Award in 1994. Their fourth album, "Atomic Heart", which was released in the same year, is still their top selling album to date. Since then, all their singles have been number one hits in the Oricon charts like "Tomorrow never knows" and "Namonaki-uta", and many of them became million sellers, and they've produced other noteworthy albums.
In 1997, they took a long vacation, and came back to the Japanese music scene the next year with the single "Owari-naki-tabi."
Their sound is essentially a blend of light pop and classic rock. But due to the band's inclination to experiment with various music styles, their sound is constantly evolving. They have delved into various types of rock as well as jazz, blues, folk, country, and dance. Despite this constant change, however, their music has progressed successfully, proving them to be a versatile band that can last.
The main force behind the band is their singer and songwriter, Kazutoshi Sakurai, who composes almost all of their songs. The rest of the band include Kenichi Tahara on guitar, Keisuke Nakagawa on bass, and Hideya Suzuki (Jen) on drums and backing vocals. They also have supporting musicians on keyboards, guitar, brass instruments (trumpet and saxophone), and computer programming for their tours because they usually embellish their recordings.
It must be noted that a good part of what makes Mr.Children's songs unique is Sakurai's remarkable vocal ability. His vocal range is higher than the typical male range, and he sings with a noticeable Western style. Also, it is because he is influenced by the great classic rock artists of the '60s and '70s (in particular, the Beatles and the Rolling Stones) that the band's music usually has a classic rock feel. But being the vocalist of the band doesn't prevent him from sometimes sharing guitar solos with Tahara, or playing them by himself. He also plays the piano and harmonica proficiently.
Tahara and Nakagawa are the quietest members of the group, often choosing to remain in the background when the band appears on TV shows. Jen seems to be the most extroverted member who takes his top off onstage at any opportunity. He also always matches Sakurai's sense of humor. They are all very talented musicians who make vital contributions to the band.
On December 31, 2004, their song "Sign," was again awarded the Japan Record Award, ten years after the first.
Mr. Children has a long-time association with the Toys Factory record label.
Dive
Mr.Children Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Scuba dive into your eyes
I scuba into your soul
I scuba dive until we're
Old, old, old
Scuba dive
Scuba dive into your eyes
I scuba into your soul
I scuba dive until we're
Old, old, old
Love is blind
That's why I walk around with closed not opened eyes
To the skies I'd reach for you
But paralyzed
Underwater scuba dive
I soon realize
The tube was full of foolish lies
Who'd knew that I'd never see you
Time and time again believe you
Open arms I'd give receive you
Promise that I'd never leave you
Never leave you never go
I stayed high you took me low
Never settled never coped
Underwater now I'm soaked
Scuba dive
Scuba dive into your eyes
I scuba into your soul
I scuba dive until we're
Old, old, old
Scuba dive
Scuba dive into your eyes
I scuba into your soul
I scuba dive until we're
Old, old, old
Who am I?
To tell you what to do with your life
I can only do my best and try
I wanna be along for the ride
For the ride
For the ride
But it's alright if I'm not
I got plenty more to see
Plenty more I can do
Plenty fish in this sea
I'll advance without you
I keep diving my tank
Full of air when I breath
I just want to be me
I know that I'll succeed
Scuba dive
Scuba dive into your eyes
I scuba into your soul
I scuba dive until we're
Old, old, old
Scuba dive
Scuba dive into your eyes
I scuba into your soul
I scuba dive until we're
Old, old, old
The lyrics to Mr.Children's song Dive are about the ups and downs of a romantic relationship. Through the use of scuba diving as a metaphor, the singer describes diving deep into their lover's eyes and soul, staying with them through thick and thin. However, the lyrics also reveal a sense of uncertainty and insecurity in the relationship as the singer questions their own worth and ability to be a good partner. They acknowledge that love can blind us, but they still want to be along for the ride and succeed as an individual. Overall, the use of scuba diving and underwater imagery creates a sense of exploration and discovery in the relationship, while also highlighting the danger and risk involved in opening ourselves up to love.
Interestingly, the chorus of the song contains the phrase "until we're old, old, old," which is a reference to a traditional Japanese children's song called "Koinobori". The song is about carp-shaped streamers that are hung during a seasonal holiday, and the lyrics talk about how the carp grow bigger and stronger as they swim upstream.
Line by Line Meaning
Scuba dive
Let's explore deeper
Scuba dive into your eyes
Let's get to know each other better
I scuba into your soul
I want to understand you on a deep level
I scuba dive until we're Old, old, old
I want to love you for a lifetime
Love is blind
Love can make us overlook flaws
That's why I walk around with closed not opened eyes
I'm cautious because I don't want to be hurt
To the skies I'd reach for you But paralyzed
I want to be with you, but my fears hold me back
Underwater scuba dive I soon realize The tube was full of foolish lies
When we get closer, I realize that there were things you were hiding
Who'd knew that I'd never see you Time and time again believe you
I trusted you, but you weren't who I thought you were
Open arms I'd give receive you Promise that I'd never leave you Never leave you never go
I was committed to you and wanted to be there for you forever
I stayed high you took me low Never settled never coped Underwater now I'm soaked
Our relationship was tumultuous and it's left me feeling emotionally drained
Who am I? To tell you what to do with your life I can only do my best and try
I don't want to control you, I just want to support you
I wanna be along for the ride For the ride For the ride But it's alright if I'm not
I want to be a part of your life, but I understand if you don't want me to be
I got plenty more to see Plenty more I can do Plenty fish in this sea I'll advance without you
Even if we don't end up together, I still have a lot of life to live
I keep diving my tank Full of air when I breath I just want to be me I know that I'll succeed
I'll keep exploring and growing, and I'm confident that I'll find happiness
Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: Alex Baider
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind