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".

Kamen Butoukai
THE ALFEE Lyrics

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男は皆優しさを売りものに
偽りのマントをひるがえす
そして今振り返る女たち
妖しい瞳の衝撃

洒落たスーツ決め込んで夜の街へ
あいつは名うての恋の魔術師
気をつけろ! 獲物は今お前しかない

仮面ははずさずに甘い誘惑

ここはガラスの国仮面舞踏会
美しい者たちの虚飾の都

女は皆想い出を着飾って
破れた心つくろう

出逢いの夜別れの朝くり返す
ドラマは一夜の三文オペラ

シャワーの音背中で聞く男たち
けだるい素顔モノローグ

唇に淡いルージュひきなおすたび
悲劇のヒロイン演じてきた女
気をつけろ! もう二度と虜になるな
あいつの仮面の裏に甘いワナ

ここはガラスの国仮面舞踏会
美しい者たちの虚飾の都

男は皆優しさをめかしこみ
汚れた心つくろう

女は皆想い出を着飾って
破れた心つくろう

男は皆優しさをめかしこみ
汚れた心つくろう

Overall Meaning

The Alfee's song "仮面舞踏会" (Masked Ball) is a melodramatic portrayal of a society where both men and women wear masks to cover their true intentions and feelings. The song paints a picture of a pretentious world where people put on a façade of beauty and kindness to hide their corrupted and damaged souls.

The lyrics suggest that men use their superficial charm to lure in unsuspecting women and make them their prey. The women, in turn, adorn themselves with memories of past lovers, trying to mend their broken hearts. The song highlights the emptiness of this culture of masks, where encounters are fleeting and love is nothing more than a three penny opera.

The chorus of the song beautifully captures the essence of the concept of the masked ball- Here in the Glass City of the Masked Ball, everyone is just a beautiful, fake person.

Overall, the lyrics to "仮面舞踏会" present a world that is devoid of real emotions and is instead filled with pretense and deception.

Line by Line Meaning

男は皆優しさを売りものに
All men sell their kindness

偽りのマントをひるがえす
While concealing their true selves

そして今振り返る女たち
Now, the women look back

妖しい瞳の衝撃
With a bewitching gaze

洒落たスーツ決め込んで夜の街へ
Dressed in fancy suits, heading to the night city

あいつは名うての恋の魔術師
He is a renowned magician of love

気をつけろ! 獲物は今お前しかない
Beware! The prey is only you now

仮面ははずさずに甘い誘惑
Don't remove the mask and fall into sweet temptation

ここはガラスの国仮面舞踏会
This is a glass country, a masked ball

美しい者たちの虚飾の都
A city of beautiful people and their pretenses