They are widely credited to have spearheaded the "Shibuya-kei" movement of Tokyo in the 90s, along with Flipper's Guitar.
They are known for their eclectic and energetic compositions, which often sound like "new" releases from the late 1960s hipster scene. Their catchphrase--"A New Stereophonic Sound Spectacular"--captured the group's ironic stance but eager attitude. The group broke up in March 2001.
A hugely prolific group, Pizzicato Five would release at least an album-per-year along with various EPs and remix albums during their 16 year-career.
Both Nomiya Maki (野宮真貴) and Konishi Yasuharu(小西康陽) currently enjoy solo careers - with Konishi Yasuharu(小西康陽) producing other artists ranging from Puffy and SMAP to Cornelius and kahimi karie(カヒミ・カリィ) - alongside collaborative remix compilations - from Ella Fitzgerald and The Supremes to classic Disney and Thunderbirds (as in Super-Marionated) music on his Shibuya-based Readymade Records label.
On Thursday March 31st, 2011, exactly 10 years after Pizzicato Five disbanded, Konishi Yasuharu announced a new solo project called Pizzicato One. The first release, titled One and Ten Very Sad Songs, consists of covers of English songs, each featuring vocals by various internationally-known artists from around the world.
Fortune Cookie
Pizzicato Five Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Driving to the harbor town
A really short drive
Your
Little blue car is
Driving along the same course
Gazing at the usual views
Without
The weekend weather forecast is
Rainy in the late evening
Rainy till tomorrow morning
You
Without looking at me
Start to talk to me quietly
Perhaps the usual talk
Sayonara
Sayonara
It stated to rain as usual
I forgot my umbrella as usual
Where is your blue car
Off to now
After dropping me off?
Seven oclock on the weekend
Near the harbor town
At a restaurant in chinatown
The two of us
Having a meal
With the same old menu
As if we were lovers
This is the end of us
When we had dessert
Inside the fortune cookie
The waiter gave me:
Soon something good
Is going to come along.
The lyrics of Pizzicato Five's song "Fortune Cookie" narrate a mundane yet tender moment between two individuals driving to and dining in a harbor town. The singer is a passive observer of the scenery, the weather report, and the conversation that sparks between them. They seem to have a pre-established relationship, as the conversation remains "usual" and their meal tastes familiar as if they were "lovers." The lyrics describe an uneventful encounter, with the singer forgetting their umbrella and saying goodbye the same way they always do, with a nonchalant "sayonara." However, the lyrics take a sudden turn with the discovery of the fortune cookie's message - "Soon something good is going to come along." This revelation marks the turning point of the narrative, as the last line confirms "This is the end of us." The song seems to suggest that the message in the fortune cookie is a sign of hope, perhaps to the singer or to the listener, but ironically juxtaposed with the end of this relationship.
The lyrics of "Fortune Cookie" capture a moment of melancholy, uncertainty, and hopelessness. The mundane setting and dialogue, mixed with the sudden, unexpected twist in the final fortune cookie message, express a poignant contrast between the ordinary and the extraordinary. The song speaks to the contradictory nature of daily life, which can be both comforting and frustrating, familiar and uneventful. The song's themes of transience, loneliness, and the bittersweetness of letting go are resonant, and its nostalgic vibes make it a classic of J-Pop.
Line by Line Meaning
Three oclock on the weekend
It's the weekend and it's 3 pm.
Driving to the harbor town
We are driving towards the harbor town.
A really short drive
The distance we are traveling is short.
Your
Your
Little blue car is
You're driving your little blue car.
Driving along the same course
The route we are taking is familiar.
Gazing at the usual views
We're looking at the same old scenery we are used to.
Without
Without
Saying anything
We are silent.
The weekend weather forecast is
The weekend's weather prediction states that
Rainy in the late evening
It will rain in the late evening.
Rainy till tomorrow morning
The rain will continue until tomorrow morning.
You
You
Without looking at me
Without glancing at me
Start to talk to me quietly
You begin speaking softly.
Perhaps the usual talk
Maybe you're talking about the same old things.
Sayonara
Goodbye
Sayonara
Goodbye
It started to rain as usual
As expected, it began to rain.
I forgot my umbrella as usual
As always, I left my umbrella at home.
Where is your blue car
Where did you go after you dropped me off?
Off to now
Where did you go off to?
Seven oclock on the weekend
It's the weekend, and it's now 7 pm.
Near the harbor town
We are in proximity to the harbor town.
At a restaurant in chinatown
We are dining in Chinatown.
The two of us
We are together.
Having a meal
We are enjoying a meal.
With the same old menu
We're eating the same food we always do.
As if we were lovers
It feels like we are romantically involved.
This is the end of us
This is the end of our relationship.
When we had dessert
During dessert
Inside the fortune cookie
In the fortune cookie
The waiter gave me:
The server handed me
Soon something good
Good news is forthcoming soon.
Is going to come along.
We will have something fortunate occur in our future.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
RhythmDroid
Picture is great. Has that 60s-70s blur that was once again popular in the 90s
Dennis Hill
For stylistic and general groovalistic purposes.
hklinker
Groovalacious in the main