Frontman Mukai Shutoku founded what would later be called Zazen Boys shortl… Read Full Bio ↴Frontman Mukai Shutoku founded what would later be called Zazen Boys shortly after the demise of his previous band Number Girl. He initially recruited former Number Girl drummer Ahito Inazawa. Mukai's original idea for Zazen Boys centered around himself and Inazawa playing together with guest talent. This changed after Mukai brought in Hinata Hidekazu (ex-ART-SCHOOL) on bass and Yoshikane Sou (Kicking the Lion) to fill out the band's lineup. He named the group Zazen Boys after an old project with 54-71 and pop singer hal. The band's self-titled album was released in January of 2004 to considerable underground success.

The band's debut continued the steady evolution apparent in Number Girl's final albums, but taken several steps further. The precise rhythms and minor-key melodies of Mukai's former band were still part of the equation, though a heavy dose of experimentation moved the sound even farther left-of-center.

Mukai started working on a new album the same year, released in September 2004. Zazen Boys II smoothed out the rough edges of the band's debut and featured another hometown friend, Shiina Ringo, on backup vocals.

Inazawa announced his sudden departure the next year. Mukai quickly brought in Matsushita Atsushi as the new drummer, then released the five-track single Himitsu Girl's Top Secret in July followed by Zazen Boys III in January 2006. The new album looked to be a push towards free jazz, with a clear focus on improvisation and ambient experimentation.

Source: Keikaku.net

Maboroshi in My Blood
ZAZEN BOYS Lyrics

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深夜3時の霊感
飛ぶ原子力潜水艦
笑うエロチックマガジン
こんがらがってる
In my brain
In my brain
In my brain...

目がとっても変
真っ赤な残像が消えん
覚醒が中途ハンパ

MA・BO・RO・SHI

IN MY BLOOD

赤い残像の
MABOROSHI IN MY BLOOD

消えない幻影がはりついた２４時間

はっきり見える血液の流れ
フラッシュバック現象
こんがらがってる
ｉｎｍｙｂｒａｉｎ

MA・BO・RO・SHI

IN MY BLOOD

笑うエロチックガール
目隠しされながら
６年生たちが道端でやりまくる

MABOROSHI IN MY BLOOD

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Zazen Boys's Maboroshi In My Blood are a reflection of the chaotic and surreal thoughts that can come to one's mind during the late hours of the night. The first couple of lines talk about an inspiration that is coming to the singer at 3 am, perhaps after a long period of rumination or a sudden epiphany. The mention of an atomic submarine flying through the air and an erotic magazine may suggest a mixture of nuclear anxiety and sexual frustration, or perhaps it's just a representation of the absurdity of the ideas that can come to one's mind in such a state. The phrase "In my brain" is repeated several times and serves as a marker of the internal, introspective nature of the song.

The second verse is more focused on the physical sensations that the singer is experiencing. The eyes are described as being odd, and a vivid red afterimage has trouble disappearing, possibly due to the singer's altered state of mind. The word "maboroshi" is repeated several times, which can be translated as "illusion" or "phantom," which could mean that the singer is aware of the surreal nature of their thoughts but can't shake them off. The phrase "in my blood" is also repeated several times, which could indicate that the singer feels like these thoughts are an intrinsic part of their being.

Overall, Maboroshi In My Blood is a song that evokes a sense of unrest and disorientation, speaking to the difficulty of navigating one's own mind.

Line by Line Meaning

深夜3時の霊感
Inspiration at 3AM in the night

飛ぶ原子力潜水艦
Flying nuclear submarines

笑うエロチックマガジン
Laughing erotic magazines

こんがらがってる
In a state of confusion

In my brain
In my mind

目がとっても変
Eyes are very strange

真っ赤な残像が消えん
Red afterimage does not disappear

覚醒が中途ハンパ
Incomplete awakening

MA・BO・RO・SHI
Maboroshi - Illusion

IN MY BLOOD
In my veins