One of the biggest and most influential bands of the Japanese indie rock sc… Read Full Bio ↴One of the biggest and most influential bands of the Japanese indie rock scene, Number Girl are a quartet hailing from Fukuoka, Japan. Formed in 1995, they gradually gained a following in their hometown, and soon released their first album, School Girl Bye Bye in 1997. The band was later picked up by Toshiba EMI and released their major label debut, School Girl Distortional Addict. Initially somewhat evocative of the Pixies and Sonic Youth, the band evolved and found themselves creating their own unique mixture of indie rock and traditional Japanese sounds in their subsequent albums, Sappukei and Num-Heavymetallic (both produced by Dave Fridmann.

They disbanded in 2002 when it was announced that bassist Nakao was leaving the band, and the former members moved on to other projects - Mukai and Inazawa formed Zazen Boys. Tabuchi formed Toddle shortly after Number Girl's breakup and joined bloodthirsty butchers as an official member after being a guest guitarist for a number of shows throughout their Kouya Ni Okeru tour in early 2003. Nakao joined Spiral Chord after their original bassist left, and shortly after formed Sloth Love Chunks.

The band got back together in 2019 and release their first new song since their disbandment, "排水管" ("Drainpipe"). During this reunion period, Number Girl played a number of shows from 2019 to until their eventual second disbandment on December 11, 2022.

NUM-HEAVYMETALLIC
NUMBER GIRL Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

鉄の小太鼓どんしゃん鳴らし
鎖の三味線針の声
山から聞こえる春猫音頭
祝うこの世の無常節
発情して炎上
さらに色めく発狂和尚
発情して炎上
さらに色めく発狂和尚

発情して炎上
さらに色めく発狂和尚
発情して炎上
さらに色めく発狂和尚
しょんべんもらして少年少女
ええじゃないかのやりまくり

今は昔の桂浜
この世を憂いて何思う？

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to NUMBER GIRL's song NUM-HEAVYMETALLIC are a vivid and chaotic representation of the extreme emotions and frustrations that can consume us. The imagery painted by the lyrics is intense and graphic, using instruments like chains, needles, and steel drums to create a sense of industrial brutality. The call and response of the lyrics between the singer and the "insane monk" further heightens the feeling of violent mania that seems to be taking over.

The repeated phrase "発情して炎上" (literally "becoming aroused and burning up") speaks to a primal, animalistic desire that is driving the characters in the song to madness. However, this is also juxtaposed with moments of levity, like the mention of young boys and girls engaging in sexual activity. The final lines of the song, "This world is so sad, what do you think?" provide a poignant conclusion, suggesting that while the characters in the song are caught up in their own intensity, they are ultimately grappling with the inescapable pain and sorrow of human existence.

Line by Line Meaning

鉄の小太鼓どんしゃん鳴らし
Beating the small iron drum with a resounding noise

鎖の三味線針の声
Playing the samisen with chains, creating a sharp sound

山から聞こえる春猫音頭
Hearing the spring cat dance song from the mountain

祝うこの世の無常節
Celebrating the fleeting nature of this world

発情して炎上
Burning with the fire of passion

さらに色めく発狂和尚
Further intensified by the crazy priest who is shining with color

しょんべんもらして少年少女
The boys and girls urinating themselves in excitement

ええじゃないかのやりまくり
Is it not good, this wild indulgence?

今は昔の桂浜
Now becomes the old Katsurahama

この世を憂いて何思う？
What do you think about the sorrows of this world?

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: 秀徳向井

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind