Tokyo
Tino Casal Lyrics

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Hay un pasado que ocultar
destrucción, miedo y radioactividad.
Me lo contaron en Tokyo,
es la leyenda de Tokyo.

Hoy ya no temen al dragón
se ahogó en un mar de polución.
Me lo contaron en Tokyio,

es la leyenda de Tokyo.

Son kamikazes en acción.
Sanyo, Sony y plástico.
Crisis de energía, mil tecnologías
bajo el sol de Tokyo.

Hay un futuro nuclear
bycicles entre máscaras de gas.
Todos son monkeys transistorizados
serán los hijos de Tokyo

serán los monkeys de Tokyo
es la leyenda de Tokyo.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Tino Casal's song Tokyo tell the story of the city of Tokyo, its past, present, and future. The first verse refers to a dark past that is hidden and filled with destruction, fear, and radioactivity. The singer reveals that they heard about this past when they were in Tokyo, and this is the legend of Tokyo. The second verse talks about how the people of Tokyo are no longer afraid of the dragon, which can be seen as a metaphor for the destruction and pollution that used to plague the city. The people have now adjusted to their environment and carry on with their lives even though they are surrounded by various technologies and industries, including companies such as Sanyo and Sony.

The third verse talks about the future of Tokyo and how it is surrounded by nuclear energy and bicycles. The line "todos son monkeys transistorizados" translates to "everyone is transistorized monkeys," which can be seen as a comment on the effects of technology on society. The people of Tokyo are portrayed as being completely absorbed in technological advancements and living in a world where wearing masks and being protected from harmful radiation is a norm. The song ends by stating that the people of Tokyo will become the "monkeys of Tokyo," a term that can be interpreted in different ways, but possibly referring to how people become slaves to their own creations, in this case, technology.

Line by Line Meaning

Hay un pasado que ocultar
There is a hidden past that Tokyo has witnessed

destrucción, miedo y radioactividad.
It was a time of destruction, fear and nuclear radiation

Me lo contaron en Tokyo,
I heard about it in Tokyo

es la leyenda de Tokyo.
It's the legend of Tokyo

Hoy ya no temen al dragón
Now they are no longer afraid of the dragon

se ahogó en un mar de polución.
It drowned in a sea of pollution

Son kamikazes en acción.
They are like kamikaze warriors in action

Sanyo, Sony y plástico.
With companies like Sanyo, Sony and plastic everywhere

Crisis de energía, mil tecnologías
Despite an energy crisis, there are thousands of technologies

bajo el sol de Tokyo.
Thriving under the sun of Tokyo

Hay un futuro nuclear
The future seems nuclear