Originally named X (エックス, Ekkusu), they released their debut album Vanishing Vision (1988) on Yoshiki's own Extasy Records one year after finalizing their line-up including bassist Taiji, lead guitarist Hide and rhythm guitarist Pata. They achieved breakthrough success in 1989 with the release of their second and major debut album Blue Blood. Following 1991's Jealousy, Taiji left the band in early 1992. He was replaced by Heath and the group changed their name to X Japan before producing the mini album Art of Life (1993), which is composed solely of the 29-minute title track. In 1995 the group dropped most of its original visual kei aesthetics in favor of a more casual look and released Dahlia (1996), which like their two previous albums debuted at number one. X Japan performed their last concert at the Tokyo Dome on December 31, 1997, making it the last of five consecutive sold-out New Year's Eve concerts the group held at the stadium.
After ten years, X Japan reunited in 2007 and recorded the new song "I.V.". Over the next two years they performed several concerts, including their first overseas show in Hong Kong, and formally added Sugizo as lead guitarist in place of Hide, who died in 1998, before holding a North American tour in 2010. In 2011, the band went on their first world tour throughout Europe, South America and Asia. Shortly after reuniting, work began on their sixth studio album. During its ten years of production, several release dates were announced, but it remains unreleased despite Yoshiki's claim of its completion in September 2018.
X Japan has released five studio albums, six live albums, and 21 singles. In 2003, HMV Japan ranked the band at number 40 on their list of the 100 most important Japanese pop acts. In 2007, Rolling Stone Japan ranked Blue Blood number 15 on its list of the 100 Greatest Japanese Rock Albums of All Time.[1] In 2017, Loudwire named X Japan the Best Metal Band from Japan. It has been reported that X Japan has sold over 30 million records.[2][3]
BLUE BLOOD
X JAPAN Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's nothing but pain
追い詰められた快楽に
I can't tell where I'm going to
I'm running all confused
死にものぐるいで
Can do nothing but run away
追いかけてくる幻覚に
Look out! I'm raving mad (no)
You can't stop my sadness
切り刻んだ夢は叫気に流れる
(I'll slice my face covered with blue blood)
(Give me some more pain)
(Give me the throes of death)
涙に溶ける青い血を欲望にかえて
生まれ変わった姿を装ってみても
孤独に怯える心は今も
過ぎ去った夢を求めさまよう
悲劇に踊る悲しみを幻にかえて
醒めた姿の舞台を演じてみても
瞳に溢れる虚像は今も
脱ぎ捨てた愛を鮮やかに写す
(Give me some more pain)
(Give me the throes of death)
忘れられない悲しみを幻にかえて
生まれ変わった姿を装ってみても
青い涙は悲劇に踊る孤独の
心を今でも濡らし続ける
The lyrics of X JAPAN's "BLUE BLOOD" depict a state of intense emotional turmoil and physical pain. The singer's face is covered with blood, a physical manifestation of his suffering. He confesses that he is running confusedly toward an unknown destination, desperate to escape both the pain and the hallucinations that pursue him. Despite this, he is drawn toward someone he sees standing in the distance. However, the singer does not feel he is worthy of approaching this person and instead seeks solace in causing himself more pain.
The second verse expands on the themes of loneliness, yearning, and the futile search for redemption. The singer struggles with the idea of being reborn, trying to distance himself from his traumatic past, but ultimately failing due to his constant emotional pain. He seeks comfort in the illusion of his performances, trying to play the part of someone who has moved on from their suffering. But ultimately his reflection betrays him, reminding him of everything he has lost.
Overall, the lyrics of "BLUE BLOOD" are a bleak portrayal of the emotional anguish and physical trauma that people experience, but also a desire to keep pushing through the pain in the hope of a brighter future.
Line by Line Meaning
My face is covered with blood
My face is covered with the scars of my pain and suffering
There's nothing but pain
All I can feel is pain, there is no joy left in me
追い詰められた快楽に
In the pursuit of pleasure, I feel trapped and suffocated
I can't tell where I'm going to
I am lost and confused, without any direction or purpose
I'm running all confused
I am trying to escape from my reality, but I don't know where to go
死にものぐるいで
I am willing to die to escape from my pain and suffering
Then I see you standing there
When I see you, I am reminded of what I have lost
Can do nothing but run away
I am afraid of facing my emotions and the reality of my situation
追いかけてくる幻覚に
The illusions that haunt me are chasing me relentlessly
Look out! I'm raving mad (no)
I am consumed by my pain and am losing my grip on reality
You can't stop my sadness
Nobody can take away the pain and the sorrow that I carry within me
切り刻んだ夢は叫気に流れる
The shattered pieces of my dreams are floating in the air with my screams
(I'll slice my face covered with blue blood)
I will continue to hurt myself, even if it means adding to my scars
(Give me some more pain)
I am numb to everything except my pain, and it is all that I want
(Give me the throes of death)
I am ready to welcome death if it brings me relief from my pain
涙に溶ける青い血を欲望にかえて
I am so consumed by my pain that my tears turn into blue blood, a symbol of my twisted desires
生まれ変わった姿を装ってみても
Even if I try to change myself and become someone new, my pain still stays with me
孤独に怯える心は今も
I am still haunted by my fear of loneliness
過ぎ去った夢を求めさまよう
I am lost and wandering, searching for the dreams that I lost in the past
悲劇に踊る悲しみを幻にかえて
I try to turn my sadness and my tragedy into an illusion, to escape from reality
醒めた姿の舞台を演じてみても
Even if I pretend to be someone else, I cannot escape from my pain and sorrow
瞳に溢れる虚像は今も
My eyes are filled with illusions and distorted images, even now
脱ぎ捨てた愛を鮮やかに写す
The love that I have lost is still reflected brightly in my memories
忘れられない悲しみを幻にかえて
I try to turn the sadness that I cannot forget into an illusion, to escape from reality
生まれ変わった姿を装ってみても
Even if I try to become someone new, my sadness still stays with me
青い涙は悲劇に踊る孤独の
The blue tears that I cry are a symbol of my loneliness and my sadness
心を今でも濡らし続ける
Even now, my heart is still drenched in tears and sorrow
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Yoshiki
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind