THE ALFEE is a popular Japanese musical group comprised of Masaru Sakurai (… Read Full Bio ↴THE ALFEE is a popular Japanese musical group comprised of Masaru Sakurai (桜井賢 Sakurai Masaru) (voice, bass guitar, born January 20, 1955), Kōnosuke Sakazaki (坂崎幸之助 Sakazaki Kōnosuke) (voice, acoustic guitar, percussion, born April 15, 1954) and Toshihiko Takamizawa (高見沢俊彦 Takamizawa Toshihiko) (voice, electric guitar, born April 17, 1954). The group was formed with four members in 1973 after they met on the campus of Meiji Gakuin University. The fourth member, Yasuo Miyake (三宅康夫 Miyake Yasuo), left the band shortly after it formed (sometime between 1975 and 1979 based on the album covers and information on THE ALFEE's official site).

They released their debut single on August 25, 1974. In 2003, HMV Records Japan rated them #92 in their "Top 100 Japanese pops Artists".

Count Down 1999
THE ALFEE Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

嵐が近づいている
炸裂するDesire Bomb
滅亡へのPrologue
カギは君が握ってるのさ

あの夏瓦礫の街から
立ち上がったEnergie
忘れないで刻み込むのさ

何故君は生まれてきたの Yellow Child
Yellow Child...

たどり着きたい約束の地
逃れられない現実
うわべだけを着飾ってみても
未来は何も見えないのさ

守り抜きたいOnly Freedom
愛という名のDemocracy
失意の中で掴み取るのさ
涙を流すその前に Yellow Sister
Yellow Sister...

だからCan You See The Nation
この国が見えるかい
諦めないで未来と
目の前の'99,'99, X Day
夜空を渡る天使達は
愛の歌を奏でながら
悲しみに集う人の胸に
舞い降りるのさCount Down, Count Down...

嵐が近づいている
炸裂したAtomic Thunder
光のワルツ踊る時に
全ての人は気付くのさ Yellow Blood
Yellow Blood...

だから Can You Feel The Nation
この国感じるかい
諦めないで理想と
目の前の'99,'99, X Day
夜空を渡る天使達は
愛の歌を奏でながら
悲しみに集う人の胸に

舞い降りるのさCount Down,'99...
Count Down, Count Down...

Overall Meaning

The ALFEE's song Count Down 1999 is a powerful anthem about the world on the brink of destruction. The lyrics paint a picture of an impending storm, with the explosive "Desire Bomb" and "Atomic Thunder" on the horizon. The prologue to annihilation is approaching, and the key to averting disaster is in the hands of the listener. The song encourages the listener to remember their place in the world and their responsibility to protect it. It asks the important question "Can you see the nation?" imploring the listener to recognize their role in shaping the future.

While the song acknowledges the challenges and struggles of the present, it also offers hope for a brighter future. The chorus implores the listener not to give up on their ideals and to keep striving for a better world. The final lines of the song speak of the strength of love, with angels singing of it across the night sky. The song ends by encouraging everyone to come together and count down to the future, with a final plea not to forget why we were born.

Line by Line Meaning

嵐が近づいている
Danger is approaching

炸裂するDesire Bomb
The strong desire is exploding

滅亡へのPrologue
The beginning of the end

カギは君が握ってるのさ
You hold the key

あの夏瓦礫の街から
From that summer and the ruins of the city

立ち上がったEnergie
We rose with energy

忘れないで刻み込むのさ
We will never forget, we will engrave it

何故君は生まれてきたの Yellow Child
Why were you born a Yellow Child?

たどり着きたい約束の地
We want to reach the promised land

逃れられない現実
The undeniable reality

うわべだけを着飾ってみても
Even if we dress up superficially