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.
PIANO MAN
Mr.Children Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Akegata chikaku ni omoitsuita no wa
"Yamechaou ka dou ka" de
Dare ni mo nozomaretenai ki ga suru
Ikigai da nante ieru shiromono ja nee
Kore wa kitto tashika da
Kokorozashi to rinen bakka ookina kao shite
Baransu warui mitai nan da
Yuubin posuto ni nage komareta
Amata no yuuwaku ni kuitsuita nara
Happii ni nareru ka na?
Tsukitsukerareta shimekiri noruma
Ittai dare no tame ni ikiten darou?
Kangaeru no mo akita naa
Yuka no ue ni yoko ni natte
Ichinichijuu nete itai
Jiyuu wo tsukanda kuusou ga boku wo iyashiteku
Mugendai ni aru
Kitto kanousei wa hateshinai
Korondara haitsukubattatte susumou
Tachisukunde iyou ga
Aruite iyou ga tokei no hari wa susumu zo
All right, all right, all right
Iikikaseru yo
Ittsu gona bii oorai
Igamiai nante shitakunai kedo
Kuchi wo hiraku tabi kado ga tatsu ja nai
Kodoku yori wa mashi ka naa
Seiji mo kabuka mo michi yuku hito mo ayashii keredo
Jibun wo dare yori shinyou dekinaide iru
Tane mo shikake mo miyaburareta tejina miseru yo
Damasareta furi shite kureru hito
Dareka inai ka na
Enryo wa iranai
Omou ga mama ni ikireba ii
Potensharu nara mada juubun nihakki shite inai
Suteru kami araba hiroi kami ari
Sono ryouhou to te wo tsunaidara
All right, all right, all right
Jumon tonaeru yo
Ittsu gona bii oorai
Enryo wa iranai
Omou ga mama ni ikireba ii
Potensharu nara mada juubun nihakki shite inai
Mugendai ni aru
Kitto kanousei wa hateshinai
Korondara haitsukubattatte susumou
Tachisukunde iyou ga
Aruite iyou ga tokei no hari wa susumu zo
All right, all right, all right
Iikikaseru yo
Ittsu gona bii oorai
All right, all right, all right
Jumon tonaeru yo
Ittsu gona bii oorai
The lyrics of Mr.Children's song "Piano Man" explore the confusion and uncertainty of youth, and the pressure to conform to societal norms. The opening lines describe the singer's morning routine, feeling uninspired by the television and contemplating whether to skip school. He feels that no one wants him to succeed and that he lacks a clear purpose in life. He yearns for meaning, but struggles to find it in the face of societal expectations.
The second verse describes the singer's sense of isolation and temptation to give in to the vices of the world around him. He wonders if succumbing to these temptations will bring him happiness or if he will just be trapped. He feels unsure of his place in the world and struggles with the burden of conforming to societal standards while trying to find his own way.
Throughout the song, the lyrics express a desire for freedom and self-expression, but also the difficulty of achieving it in a world that often values conformity over individuality. The chorus encourages the listener to pursue their dreams and not be held back by fear or societal pressure, suggesting that success is possible if one stays true to themselves.
Line by Line Meaning
Kudaranu terebi tsukeppanashi de
Without turning on the pointless TV
Akegata chikaku ni omoitsuita no wa
What I thought about this morning, close to daybreak, was
"Yamechaou ka dou ka" de
"Should I stop? Or keep going?"
Dare ni mo nozomaretenai ki ga suru
I feel like no one wants me
Ikigai da nante ieru shiromono ja nee
You can't just say that your purpose in life is white
Kore wa kitto tashika da
This must be certain
Kokorozashi to rinen bakka ookina kao shite
Just having aspirations and principles doesn't make you a big person
Nekose gimi no genjitsu to
The harsh reality of modest greed
Baransu warui mitai nan da
It's like having a bad sense of balance
Yuubin posuto ni nage komareta
Thrown into a mailbox
Amata no yuuwaku ni kuitsuita nara
If you gave in to countless temptations
Happii ni nareru ka na?
I wonder if I can be happy?
Tsukitsukerareta shimekiri noruma
Trapped in a cramped submarine
Ittai dare no tame ni ikiten darou?
Who am I living for, exactly?
Kangaeru no mo akita naa
I'm tired of thinking too
Yuka no ue ni yoko ni natte
Lying down on the floor
Ichinichijuu nete itai
I want to sleep all day, every day
Jiyuu wo tsukanda kuusou ga boku wo iyashiteku
My fantasy of grasping freedom is healing me
Mugendai ni aru
Infinitely
Kitto kanousei wa hateshinai
Certainly, possibilities are endless
Korondara haitsukubattatte susumou
If we fall down, we'll keep fighting and move forward
Tachisukunde iyou ga
Let's stand our ground
Aruite iyou ga tokei no hari wa susumu zo
Let's keep walking, as the clock's hands move forward
All right, all right, all right
All right, all right, all right
Iikikaseru yo
I can make it sound good
Ittsu gona bii oorai
Let's go, one by one
Igamiai nante shitakunai kedo
I don't want to compete with others, but
Kuchi wo hiraku tabi kado ga tatsu ja nai
Every time I open my mouth, a corner doesn't come out
Kodoku yori wa mashi ka naa
Better than being lonely, maybe
Seiji mo kabuka mo michi yuku hito mo ayashii keredo
Politicians, stockbrokers, and people who walk their own path are all suspicious, but
Jibun wo dare yori shinyou dekinaide iru
I'm not having more faith in anyone but myself
Tane mo shikake mo miyaburareta tejina miseru yo
I'll show you my trickery, where both the seed and its motive have been hidden
Damasareta furi shite kureru hito
People who pretend to be fooled
Dareka inai ka na
Is there anyone here?
Enryo wa iranai
No need to hold back
Omou ga mama ni ikireba ii
It's fine to live as you want
Potensharu nara mada juubun nihakki shite inai
If it's potential, I haven't shown half of it yet
Suteru kami araba hiroi kami ari
If you throw away God, there's a wide world out there
Sono ryouhou to te wo tsunaidara
If we hold each other's hands with this method
Jumon tonaeru yo
We'll cast a spell
All right, all right, all right
All right, all right, all right
Ittsu gona bii oorai
Let's go, one by one
Mugendai ni aru
Infinitely
Kitto kanousei wa hateshinai
Certainly, possibilities are endless
Korondara haitsukubattatte susumou
If we fall down, we'll keep fighting and move forward
Tachisukunde iyou ga
Let's stand our ground
Aruite iyou ga tokei no hari wa susumu zo
Let's keep walking, as the clock's hands move forward
All right, all right, all right
All right, all right, all right
Iikikaseru yo
I can make it sound good
Ittsu gona bii oorai
Let's go, one by one
All right, all right, all right
All right, all right, all right
Jumon tonaeru yo
We'll cast a spell
Ittsu gona bii oorai
Let's go, one by one
Contributed by Ryan B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.