SHOW-YA is a female hard rock/heavy metal band that briefly enjoyed big pop… Read Full Bio ↴SHOW-YA is a female hard rock/heavy metal band that briefly enjoyed big popularity in Japan, and made a valiant attempt at making it worldwide. Formed in 1984, the group’s very first gig was in at Dingwall’s in London. The group consisted of vocalist Keiko Terada, guitarist Miki Igarashi, keyboardist Miki Nakamura, bassist Satomi Senba and drummer Miki Tsunoda. Seemingly from the start, the group targeted the international market, early on playing in the USSR and Mexico, and later making a sustained attack on the U.S.. The band made their debut album Masquerade Show in 1985 for Toshiba-EMI. It was helped considerably by the fact their debut single “Suteki Ni Dancing” was used in a Coca-Cola commercial. Much of the focus was on the band’s sexy singer Keiko Terada, whose trademark was the fake rose tattoo she wore above her right breast. She adopted the rose mark after being deeply impressed by Bette Midler’s performance in the film The Rose, in which Midler played a Janis Joplin-like character. The tattoo was in fact the focus of the cover of their 1988 live album Turn Over. Having amassed enough hits to release a “best of” in 1988, they increasingly went after the international market.

In 1989 they recorded Outer Limits in LA with Beau Hill (Ratt, Winger, Warrant, Europe) serving as executive producer. The album included three songs sung in English, a first for the group. The following year SHOW-YA released the album in the States, and did a heavy promotional campaign in support. This was during the LA hair metal boom, and the band was frequently compared to then popular Vixen, and Lita Ford. In January 1990 SHOW-YA played to an industry heavy audience at the Palace in Hollywood, but the reaction they received was in general lukewarm. While the members were all technically very strong, they never managed to connect strongly with the US audience. The usual explanation was that their lyrics were weak, and the English singing not strong enough. The group’s management later flew writers over to Japan to witness their performance at Budokan, but the band were not able to really handle interviews in English, and junket did not really enhance their image in the States. Beyond language problems, while the band was rooted in album-oriented rock style metal, with a prominent keyboard sound and Japanese sensibilities, the music often sounded overtly pop, and thus they were not completely embraced by American metal fans, who generally favored a heavier sound. Despite their hard work and hefty financial support from their management company, the band never really took off in the States, and being away from Japan so much started leading to an erosion of their Japanese fan base. After releasing the Hard Way, touring, and then releasing the 1991 live album Hard Way Tour, Terada left the group and attempted a solo career. In 1995 the band tried to make a comeback with a new singer who spoke English more proficiently, but by then their fan base had evaporated. They tried again in 1998 with a six song EP, and then packed it in for good. In 2002, SHOW-YA’s Golden Best was released. In the US it was claimed that they had sold over 2 million units.

Current members:

* Keiko Terada - Vocals
* Miki "sun-go" Igarashi - Guitar
* Miki Nakamura - Keyboard
* Satomi Senba - Bass
* Miki "mittan" Tsunoda - Drums

Discography

Albums

* Masquerade Show (1985)
* Queendom (1986)
* Ways (1986)
* Trade Last (1987)
* Immigration (1987)
* Turn Over (Live) (1988)
* Glamour (1988)
* White (Best of/Compilation) (1988)
* Outerlimits (1989)
* Hard Way (1990)
* Hard Way Tour 1991 (1991)
* SHOW-YA Greatest 1985-1990 (Best of/Compilation)(1991)
* Touch the Sun (1995)
* SHOW-YA Twin Best (Best of/Compilation) (1996)
* SHOW-YA Golden Best (Best of/Compilation) (2002)
* SHOW-YA 20th Anniversary The Best (Bestof/Compilation) (2005)

Video releases

* Date Line (1987)
* Rollin World (1989)
* 1990 Budokan - Reach for the World (1990)
* Distance On Their Way (1991)
* Hard Way Tour 1991 (1991)

Outsider
SHOW-YA Lyrics

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信じるものに裏切られ
生きているのが辛くても
明日はいつもやって来る
燻る荒野の向こうに昇る太陽
血の滲んだその手で
遠い愛を奪え
ほんとのお前は誰

Outsider Into The Fire
世界中がお前を見てる
もう止まらない見えない壁
その手で打ち破れ

どんな終末(終わり)が来ようとも
流した涙無駄じゃない
洗い流して
傷だらけの昨日を遠い夜を
すべて許せる私は誰

Fire Into The Fire
炎の渦奈落の闇へ
もう戻れない
見えない未来
つかみ取るまで

Fire I'm A Fire
世界中が私を見てる
もう止まらない
燃えつきても闇を照らしてく
Oh I'm A Fire

Oh oh oh 応えて
Oh oh oh 教えて
Oh oh oh・・・
信じない信じたい信じてる

Outsider Into The Fire
炎の渦奈落の闇へ
もう戻れない見えない未来
つかみ取るまで

Fire You're A Fire
世界中がお前を見てる
もう止まらない見えない壁
その手で打ち破れ
Oh oh oh・・・
Oh oh oh・・・

Oh oh oh・・・
Oh・・・

Overall Meaning

The song OUTSIDER by SHOW-YA is about perseverance and never giving up, even when the world seems to be against you. The lyrics convey the feeling of being betrayed by one's beliefs, making life difficult and unbearable. However, the song also suggests that tomorrow is always a new day, and the sun that rises beyond the dystopian wasteland shines hope on everything.

SHOW-YA encourages the listener to take matters into their own hands and break down the walls that hinder their progress. The song implies that no matter what happens, there is no wasted pain or suffering, and everything will eventually be worth it. The lyrics also hint at forgiveness and the strength it takes to let go of one's past and move forward without any regrets. Finally, the song asserts that even if the future looks bleak and uncertain, one should never give up and continue chasing after their dreams until they are realized.

Overall, OUTSIDER by SHOW-YA conveys a message of hope, resilience, and determination, urging the listener not to be afraid of the darkness and to keep fighting even when it seems impossible.

Line by Line Meaning

信じるものに裏切られ
Betrayed by what I believed in

生きているのが辛くても
Even though living is painful

明日はいつもやって来る
Tomorrow always comes

燻る荒野の向こうに昇る太陽
The sun rises beyond the smoldering wilderness

血の滲んだその手で
With these bloodied hands

遠い愛を奪え
I'll take distant love

ほんとのお前は誰
Who are you really

どんな終末(終わり)が来ようとも
No matter what sort of end come to us

流した涙無駄じゃない
Tears shed are not in vain

洗い流して
Wash it all away

傷だらけの昨日を遠い夜を
All the wounded yesterdays, the distant nights