Ryutaro and Tadashi wanted to combine two words to form the band name; something artificial and something natural. After trying a few combinations, they decided on ‘Plastic Tree’. Formerly, there were rumours floating around the web about the band’s name coming from Fake Plastic Trees but this was always disputed due to timing inconsistencies.
In the beginning, Plastic Tree were influenced greatly by The Cure. There was also a large britrock influence. Plastic Tree played a mix of indie rock, punk, and heavier grunge, characterized by Ryutaro’s generic Visual Kei voice and gloomy lyrics. They went through a period where they played more pop-rock and radio-style rock music, although they have recently returned from lighter music to their original roots.
In July 2006, Plastic Tree embarked on their first world tour that took them to Germany, France and Finland.
On the 23rd of February 2009, Sasabuchi Hiroshi left the band and was later replaced by Satou Kenken..
Tsumetai hikari
Plastic Tree Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
kaze wa mukou de boku o maneiteru KURIIMU iro no sora made
kasa wa mou iranaku natta kimi ga boku o mitsukete kureru kara
tsumetai hikari ga togirete, hora, yuki ga maioriru yo.
hanarenai you ni te o tsunaide futari de nee kono mama de mienaku narou
kono mama de mienaku narou
yuki ni uzumorete boku wa shinda furi kimi wa waratte miteru
"hitotsu" ni wa narenai bokura itsuka futari no kyori ga tookunaru
oto mo naku yuki ga furitsuzuite ashiato keshite yuku,
kaeranaku natta bokura ni tada, kane no oto ga itsumademo hibikiwataru
itsumademo hibikiwataru
tsumetai hikari ga togirete hora yuki ga maioriru yo
hanarenai you ni te o tsunaide futari ga umoretara
dokomademo hirogatte "negai no hate" tsuzuite iku
kagirinaku, kagirinaku shiroku nare, uso no sekai-----.
soshite bokura o fuyu ga tsuresatta
hikari ga afurete kuru
The first verse of Plastic Tree's song Tsumetai Hikari sets a melancholic and introspective tone with the image of "white sighs" being spilled into pockets. The singer feels small and insignificant in the grand scheme of things, as the wind outside seems to mirror his every move. The sky is a "cream" color, which could either mean a muted pastel shade or an evocation of the creaminess of winter. As the next line reveals, the singer is no longer holding an umbrella; someone has come to rescue them from the elements. This could be interpreted in a literal sense, but it feels more likely that it's a metaphorical umbrella. Maybe someone has come to lift the singer out of a bleak situation.
The chorus is a repeated image of cold light fading and turning to falling snow while hands grip tightly together. The falling snow seems to both comfort and isolate the singer -- keeping them locked in a moment or memory they want to hold onto. The second verse continues this theme of beauty and desperation, with a metaphor for being buried by snow and pretending to die while the person they want to impress watches on with amusement. The following sentences suggest that the pair will never truly be able to become one entity, but perhaps with enough effort on their part, they can expand beyond the confines of the present moment together.
Line by Line Meaning
shiroi tameiki koboshiteru boku wa POKETTO ni te o ireteta
I let out a white sigh, putting my hand in my pocket
kaze wa mukou de boku o maneiteru KURIIMU iro no sora made
The wind is beckoning me beyond, to the cream-colored sky
kasa wa mou iranaku natta kimi ga boku o mitsukete kureru kara
I no longer need an umbrella, because you'll find me
tsumetai hikari ga togirete, hora, yuki ga maioriru yo.
The cold light is flickering, look, the snow is falling
hanarenai you ni te o tsunaide futari de nee kono mama de mienaku narou
Let's hold hands so we won't be separated, hey, let's disappear like this
kono mama de mienaku narou
Let's disappear like this
yuki ni uzumorete boku wa shinda furi kimi wa waratte miteru
I'm pretending to be buried in the snow, while you're watching and laughing
"hitotsu" ni wa narenai bokura itsuka futari no kyori ga tookunaru
We can't become "one", but someday our distance will grow
oto mo naku yuki ga furitsuzuite ashiato keshite yuku,
Silently, the snow falls and erases our footprints
kaeranaku natta bokura ni tada, kane no oto ga itsumademo hibikiwataru
For us who can't return, only the sound of bells will continue echoing forever
itsumademo hibikiwataru
Will continue echoing forever
tsumetai hikari ga togirete hora yuki ga maioriru yo
The cold light is flickering, look, the snow is falling
hanarenai you ni te o tsunaide futari ga umoretara
Let's hold hands so we won't be separated, until we're buried together
dokomademo hirogatte "negai no hate" tsuzuite iku
Spreading out endlessly, following the "end of wishes"
kagirinaku, kagirinaku shiroku nare, uso no sekai-----.
Endlessly, endlessly becoming white, in this world of lies-----
soshite bokura o fuyu ga tsuresatta
And then, winter carried us away
hikari ga afurete kuru
The light overflows
Contributed by Kylie N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Nai
on Angelfish
Your clothes fluttered like white clouds
Kanno Yoichi
on Namida Drop
ねぇ 夕暮れ たそがれ ビードロの街 残ったまんまの忘れ物があるんだ
また胸の奥たたく声は君だよ 砕けないように想いをギュッと押さえなきゃ
名を呼び合い 名を告げ合い ぐるぐる回る惑星で 君と僕 会えた事
涙こぼれたら何がなくなるの？ サヨナラ溶けたら何が残るかな？
言葉にならない想い ひとしずく 冷たく乾いて 少しだけ苦いな
もう 宵闇 思い込み セロハンの街 無数の光の中で交わしたお別れ
あの指切りしたあと 嘘つきの指 ささくれ出来て今でもちょっと痛いよ
散らばってくスケッチを両手であわてて拾うよ 似てないな 君の顔
涙こぼれたら忘れてくのかな？ カナシミ溶けたらちゃんと見えるかな？
きらめく世界で揺らめくカゲロウ 冷たく乾いて 消えてく手 握って
月より風吹きかき消されてくけど ハレルヤのように君まで届いてよ
ねぇ 今どこで何してるんだろう？ 教えてよ
涙こぼれたら何がなくなるの？ サヨナラ溶けたら何が残るかな？
言葉にならない想い ひとしずく 冷たく乾いて 消えていくよ ほら
例えば 世界が嘘でデタラメで出来てたとしても たぶん気にしないよ