Keshi

Lyrics: Jojo 　Music: Hikaru
From NERO

English Romaji Japanese

Translation: Ku

Poppy

I gaze at the midwinter constellations and mourn the passing of time

The second hand of the clock tower is frozen where it heralded the end of the world　Time stops

I gaze at the midwinter constellations and envy the passing of time

The second hand of the clock tower is frozen where it heralded the end of the world　Time stops

I want wings to soar through the starry sky　I want jet-black wings　Memories melt away like white, fluttering flowers

I want wings to soar through the starry sky　I'd sacrifice my life for you　I want to see you so badly I can't bear it　I'm coming to see you

The Ginza street lights illuminate a gruesome reality　Gazing at the sky receding into the distance　I searched for you in my fading consciousness

I want wings to soar through the starry sky　I want jet-black wings　Memories melt away like white, fluttering flowers

I want wings to soar through the starry sky　I'd sacrifice my life for you　I want to see you so badly I can't bear it　I'm coming to see you


I suspect this song is about Jojo's mother, who passed away years ago.

Romanization: Chiva

Keshi

Mafuyu no seiza wo nagamesugisaru toki wo nageku no

Tookeidai no byoushin wa sekai no shuumaku wo tsugeta mama de kooritsuku　Toki ga tomaru

Mafuyu no seiza wo nagamesugisaru toki wo netamu no

Tookeidai no byoushin wa sekai no shuumaku wo tsugeta mama de kooritsuku　Toki ga tomaru

Hoshizora wo habataku tsubasa ga hoshii no　Shikkoku no tsubasa ga hoshii no　Maiochiru mashiroi hana no you ni omoide ga tokete yuku

Hoshizora wo habataku tsubasa ga hoshii no　Kono inochi nara sasageru kara　Anata ni aitakute tamaranai no　Anata ni ai ni yuku kara

Ginza no gaitou ni seisan na genjitsu ga terashidasarete yuku　Sakasama ni toonoku sora wo mitsumete　Usure yuku ishiki no naka de anata wo sagashita no

Hoshizora wo habataku tsubasa ga hoshii no　Shikkoku no tsubasa ga hoshii no　Maiochiru mashiroi hana no you ni omoide ga tokete yuku

Hoshizora wo habataku tsubasa ga hoshii no　Kono inochi nara sasageru kara　Anata ni aitakute tamaranai no　Anata ni ai ni yuku kara

Transcription: Chiva

芥子

真冬の星座を眺め過ぎ去る時を嘆くの

時計台の秒針は世界の終幕を告げた侭で凍り付く 時が止まる

真冬の星座を眺め過ぎ去る時を妬むの

時計台の秒針は世界の終幕を告げた侭で凍り付く 時が止まる

星空を羽撃く翼が欲しいの 漆黒の翼が欲しいの 舞い墜ちる真白い華の様に思出が融けて往く

星空を羽撃く翼が欲しいの この命なら捧げるから 貴方に逢いたくて堪らないの　貴方に逢いに逝くから

銀座の街燈に凄惨な現実が照らし出されて往く 逆様に遠退く空を見詰めて 薄れ往く意識の中で貴方を探したの

星空を羽撃く翼が欲しいの 漆黒の翼が欲しいの 舞い墜ちる真白い華の様に思出が融けて往く

星空を羽撃く翼が欲しいの この命なら捧げるから 貴方に逢いたくて堪らないの　貴方に逢いに逝くから

Teito Yongou Masuiro

Lyrics: Jojo　Music: Kaede
From NERO

English Romaji Japanese

English translation: Ku & Chiva

The Imperial Capital's Wicked Waterway No. 4

The stately red brick viaduct1 forms beautiful curves
Beneath the bridge there is a door that leads to Hell

To the center of the Magic Square2
I open the sewer cover and am dragged to Hell

Without even feeling compassion for the countless burnt bodies floating down the Kanda River3
I was trembling in fear at that fact that this feels "normal"
I even forgot to cry

Love　Comfort　Gratitude　Peace　These are the feelings people have forgotten
People repeat their mistakes　Repeat the same mistakes
Shedding blood and killing each other
Before we know it we'll end up strangling our future to death

Each point of the Magic Square drawn in the imperial capital rests at a cemetery4
Where the lines cross is the black world5

Without even feeling compassion for the countless burnt bodies tumbling into Kanda Ward6
I was trembling in fear at that fact that this feels "normal"
I even forgot to cry

Love　Comfort　Gratitude　Peace　These are the feelings people have forgotten
People repeat their mistakes　Repeat the same mistakes
Shedding blood and killing each other
Before we know it we'll end up strangling our future to death

---

1 Manseibashi Bridge, which was completed in 1912, on the Kanda River and featured red-brick construction. Parts of the bridge remain today, though brick walls have filled in the viaduct arches and the area has largely been converted in recent years.

2 This refers to occultist beliefs of a magical square created in Tokyo by the Meiji government which maintains peace in the city. The square's four points are Yanaka Cemetery, Aoyama Cemetery, Tsukiji, and Zoshigaya, with Yasukuni Shrine in the center. See the points on a map.

3 The images of charred bodies in the Kanda River almost assuredly refers to Operation Meetinghouse, the most atrocious firebombing of WWII. It took place March 9-10, 1945, targeting the Shitamachi area (modern-day Adachi Ward in the north, to modern-day Chuo Ward in the south). Civilians were jumping into the Sumida and Kanda Rivers (Kanda is a feeder river of the Sumida) to extinguish the flames, but the rivers were boiling. Further reading.

4 This is referencing the four corners of the Magic Square, listed above. They all feature cemeteries.

5 If you draw an X through the square (see map above), the lines intersect in the center at Yasukuni Shrine, a controversial war shrine.

6 Kanda Ward doesn't exist anymore. It was merged into modern-day Chiyoda Ward in 1947.

Romanization: Ku

Teito Yongou Masuiro

Juukou na akarenga koukakyou wa utsukushii kyokusen wo egaki
Kouka shita ni wa naraku e tsunagaru tobira ga sonzai suru

Mahoujin no chuushin e
Gesuikou no futa wo ake naraku e hikizuri komareru

Kandagawa ni ukabu musuu no shoushitai ni awaremu koto mo dekizu
"Touzen" to kanjiru koto ni obiete furuete ita
Namida wo nagasu koto sae wasurete ita

Aijou　ando　kansha　heiwa　hito ga wasureta kanjou desu
Hito wa ayamachi wo kurikaesu　onaji ayamachi wo kurikaesu
Chi wo nagashite koroshiai
Ki ga tsukeba bokura wa mirai wo shime koroshite shimau

Teito ni egakareta mahoujin wa kakuchouten ni reien ga haichi sare
Taikakusen no kouten ni kuro no sekai ga sonzai suru

Kandaku ni korogaru musuu no shoushitai ni awaremu koto mo dekizu
"Touzen" to kanjiru koto ni obiete furuete ita
Namida wo nagasu koto sae wasurete ita

Aijou　ando　kansha　heiwa　hito ga wasureta kanjou desu
Hito wa ayamachi wo kurikaesu　onaji ayamachi wo kurikaesu
Chi wo nagashite koroshiau
Ki ga tsukeba bokura wa mirai wo shime koroshite shimau

Transcription: Ku

帝都四号魔水路

重厚な赤煉瓦高架橋は美しい曲線を描き
高架下には奈落へ繋がる扉が存在する

魔方陣の中心へ
下水溝の蓋を開け奈落へ引き摺り込まれる

神田川に浮かぶ無数の焼死体に憐れむ事も出来ず
『当然』と感じる事に怯えて震えていた
涙を流す事さえ忘れていた

愛情　安堵　感謝　平和　人間が忘れた感情です
人間は過ちを繰り返す　同じ過ちを繰り返す
血を流して殺し合い
気が付けば僕等は未来を締め殺してしまう

帝都に描かれた魔方陣は各頂点に霊苑が配置され
対角線の交点に黒の世界が存在する

神田区に転がる無数の焼死体に憐れむ事も出来ず
『当然』と感じる事に怯えて震えていた
涙を流す事さえ忘れていた

愛情　安堵　感謝　平和　人間が忘れた感情です
人間は過ちを繰り返す　同じ過ちを繰り返す
血を流して殺し合う
気が付けば僕等は未来を締め殺してしまう

Shiden Juunanaban Keitou Baikokugo Rekishi Jiken

Lyrics: Jojo　Music: Hikaru
From NERO

English Romaji Japanese

Translation: Ku

The Incident of a Traitor's Death by Streetcar Line No. 17

The stench of your corpse sticks in my memory　The stench of your corpse, who I hate

I whisper shameless taboo words

Deep red blood splatters to an alarm that won't stop ringing
Deep red blood splatters to an alarm that won't stop ringing
Deep red blood splatters to an alarm that won't stop ringing
Deep red blood splatters to an alarm that won't stop ringing

I whisper strange taboo words

I sneer at your corpse crushed to death1 by the streetcar
I sneer at your corpse crushed to death by the streetcar
I sneer at your corpse crushed to death by the streetcar
I sneer at your corpse crushed to death by the streetcar

Outside, Ikebukuro turns the sweet scent drifting from a Western confectionery into the scene of a tragedy

The stench of your corpse sticks in my memory　The stench of your corpse, who I hate

I whisper shameless taboo words

I'm a coward who passed the blame and ran
I'm a coward who passed the blame and ran
I'm a coward who passed the blame and ran
I'm a coward who passed the blame and ran

I whisper strange taboo words

I'm a coward who passed the blame and ran
I'm a coward who passed the blame and ran
I'm a coward who passed the blame and ran
I'm a coward who passed the blame and ran

The stench of your corpse sticks in my memory　The stench of your corpse, who I hate
Your final moment sticks in my memory　The final moment of yours, who I hate

---

1 The verb pattern here is something Jojo has been using a lot in lyrics lately. The Japanese phrasing he uses would normally be used for a verb that has happened and is still in progress. However, he's used a select kanji in here where kanji should not be used, and though the reading is the same, the meaning is "to die." It's a bit of a double entendre, and I've tried to reflect that in English.

Romanization: Chiva

Shiden Juunanaban Keitou Baikokugo Rekishi Jiken

Anata no nioi ga kioku ni nebaritsuku　daikirai na anata no nioi ga

Harenchi na kinku wo sasayaku

Naritomanai keiteki to shinku no senketsu ga tobichiru
Naritomanai keiteki to shinku no senketsu ga tobichiru
Naritomanai keiteki to shinku no senketsu ga tobichiru
Naritomanai keiteki to shinku no senketsu ga tobichiru

Kiteretsu na kinku wo sasayaku

Romen densha ni hikareyuku anata no shitai wo azawarau
Romen densha ni hikareyuku anata no shitai wo azawarau
Romen densha ni hikareyuku anata no shitai wo azawarau
Romen densha ni hikareyuku anata no shitai wo azawarau

Yougashiten kara tadayou amai kaori wo yoso ni Ikebukuro ga sangeki no butai to kasu

Anata no nioi ga kioku ni nebaritsuku　daikirai na anata no nioi ga

Harenchi na kinku wo sasayaku

Sekinin wo kosuritsukete nigeta hikyou na ningen desu
Sekinin wo kosuritsukete nigeta hikyou na ningen desu
Sekinin wo kosuritsukete nigeta hikyou na ningen desu
Sekinin wo kosuritsukete nigeta hikyou na ningen desu

Kiteretsu na kinku wo sasayaku

Sekinin wo kosuritsukete nigeta hikyou na ningen desu
Sekinin wo kosuritsukete nigeta hikyou na ningen desu
Sekinin wo kosuritsukete nigeta hikyou na ningen desu
Sekinin wo kosuritsukete nigeta hikyou na ningen desu

Anata no nioi ga kioku ni nebaritsuku　daikirai na anata no nioi ga
Anata no owari ga kioku ni nebaritsuku　daikirai na anata no owari ga

Transcription: Ku

市電拾七番系統売國奴轢死事件

貴方の屍臭が記憶に粘り着く　大嫌いな貴方の屍臭が

破廉恥な禁句を囁く

鳴り止まない警笛と真紅の鮮血が飛び散る
鳴り止まない警笛と真紅の鮮血が飛び散る
鳴り止まない警笛と真紅の鮮血が飛び散る
鳴り止まない警笛と真紅の鮮血が飛び散る

奇天烈な禁句を囁く

路面電車に轢かれ逝く貴方の死体を嘲笑う
路面電車に轢かれ逝く貴方の死体を嘲笑う
路面電車に轢かれ逝く貴方の死体を嘲笑う
路面電車に轢かれ逝く貴方の死体を嘲笑う

洋菓子店から漂う甘い香りを余所に池袋が惨劇の舞台と化す

貴方の屍臭が記憶に粘り着く　大嫌いな貴方の屍臭が

破廉恥な禁句を囁く

責任を擦り付けて逃げた卑怯な人間です
責任を擦り付けて逃げた卑怯な人間です
責任を擦り付けて逃げた卑怯な人間です
責任を擦り付けて逃げた卑怯な人間です

奇天烈な禁句を囁く

責任を擦り付けて逃げた卑怯な人間です
責任を擦り付けて逃げた卑怯な人間です
責任を擦り付けて逃げた卑怯な人間です
責任を擦り付けて逃げた卑怯な人間です

貴方の屍臭が記憶に粘り着く　大嫌いな貴方の屍臭が
貴方の最期が記憶に粘り着く　大嫌いな貴方の最期が

Musou

Lyrics: Jojo　Music: Wajow
From NERO

English Romaji Japanese

Translation: Ku & Chiva

Dreamburial

Two ・ three ・ five ・ seven1

A dandelion, trampled in the great Tokyo that gives fuel to dreams,
Scrounges for love in the red-light district, on Philopon2 that does away with fear

I keep falling　Falling in love
Little girls　Young women　Grown women　Old women

A dandelion, trampled in the great Tokyo that's tainted black,
Scrounges for trash in the red-light district, scowling at stingy rich people

You keep falling3　Passing away into darkness
Saints　Perverts　Whores　Harlots4

I set fire to the words I dedicated to you, darling, and they all turn to ash
I count the lonely numbers and eat you to death

A dandelion, trampled in the great Tokyo that fuel gives fuel to dreams,
Scrounges for love in the red-light district, drunk on crude moonshine

I set fire to the words I dedicated to you, darling, and they all turn to ash
I count the lonely numbers and eat you to death

It runs down her thighs　The future leaks out
Little girls　Young women　Grown women　Old women　Saints　Perverts　Whores　Harlots

A dandelion, trampled in the great Tokyo that's tainted black,
Scrounges for trash in the red-light district, spitting on flashy pan-pan girls5

The reason I killed you, darling, was that if I lost you I'd understand what "precious" means
I sing about the demise of fleetingly-falling love

The reason I killed you, darling, was that if I lost you I'd understand what "necessary" means
I sing about the demise of fleetingly-falling love

I eat you to death to satisfy myself

---

1 Counting in prime numbers is in homage to the manga, "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Part 6: Stone Ocean," in which the main villain counts prime numbers to calm himself down. Jojo is a huge fan of the manga series, and the prime number counting can also be seen in several of the Maou series songs.

2 Philopon is the trademarked name for methamphetamine in Japan which came into use during WWII, before effects of the drug were well-studied. After the government released its military stockpile into circulation, it was increasingly blamed for violent crimes and was banned in 1951.

3 The verb pattern here is something Jojo has been using a lot in lyrics lately. The Japanese phrasing he uses would normally be used for a verb that has happened and is still in progress. However, he's used a select kanji in here where kanji should not be used, and though the reading is the same, the meaning is "to die." It's a bit of a double entendre, and we've tried to reflect that in English.

4 Though we don't have good English equivalents, the words Jojo uses here all refer to women.

5 "Pan-pan girls" were young Japanese women in Japan after WWII who traded their traditional Japanese clothing for emulations of Hollywood fashion in order to hook up with American military stationed in the country. They were essentially early prostitutes, a dire change from the geisha that existed before them. Along with the reference to Philopon, this evidence points to this song being set during the Occupation after WWII.

Romanization: Chiva

Musou

Ni ・ san ・ go ・ nana

Yume wo haseta daitokyo de fumitsubusareru tanpopo
Kyoufu wo furiharau hiropon de iromachi no koi wo asaru

Boku wa ochite yuku　koi ni ochite yuku
Youjo　shoujo　fujo　roujo

Kuro ni somaru daitokyo de fumitsubusareru tanpopo
Kechi na kanemochi wo niramitsukete iromachi no gomi wo asaru

Kimi wa ochite yuku　yami ni ochite yuku
Seijo　chijo　baita　yuujo

Itooshii kimi ni sasageta kotoba ni hi wo tomoshite subete ga hai ni naru
Kodoku na suuji wo kazoete kuikorosu

Yume wo haseta daitokyo de fumitsubusareru tanpopo
Soaku na kasutori ni yoishirete iromachi no koi wo asaru

Itooshii kimi ni sasageta kotoba ni hi wo tomoshite subete ga hai ni naru
Kodoku na suuji wo kazoete kuraikorosu

Futomomo wo tsutau　Asu ga koborete yuku
Youjo　shoujo　fujo　roujo　seijo　chijo　baita　yuujo

Kuro ni somaru daitokyo de fumitsubusareru tanpopo
Hade na panpan ni tsuba wo haite iromachi no gomi wo asaru

Itooshii kimi wo koroshita riyuu wa ushinaeba "taisetsu" to rikai suru
Hakanaku chiru koi no owari wo utaimasu

Itooshii kimi wo koroshita riyuu wa ushinaeba "hitsuyou" to rikai suru
Hakanaku chiru koi no owari wo utaimasu

Boku wa mitasareru tame ni kimi wo kuikorosu

Transcription: Taken from Jojo's blog

夢葬

弐 ・ 参 ・ 伍 ・ 七

夢を馳せた大東京で踏み潰される蒲公英
恐怖を振り払う注射剤(※ヒロポン)で色街の恋を漁る

僕は堕ちて往く　恋に堕ちて往く
幼女　少女　婦女　老女

黒に染まる大東京で踏み潰される蒲公英
吝嗇な富豪(※金持ち)を睨み付けて色街の塵を漁る

君は堕ちて逝く　闇に堕ちて逝く
聖女　痴女　売女　遊女

愛惜しい君に捧げた言葉に火を灯して全てが灰に為る
孤独な数字を数えて喰い殺す

夢を馳せた大東京で踏み潰される蒲公英
粗悪な焼酎(※カストリ)に酔い痴れて色街の恋を漁る

愛惜しい君に捧げた言葉に火を灯して全てが灰に為る
孤独な数字を数えて喰い殺す

太腿を伝う　明日が零れて往く
幼女　少女　婦女　老女　聖女　痴女　売女　遊女

黒に染まる大東京で踏み潰される蒲公英
派手な娼婦(※パンパン)に唾を吐いて色街の塵を漁る

愛惜しい君を殺した理由は失えば『大切』と理解する
儚く散る恋の終焉を歌います

愛惜しい君を殺した理由は失えば『必要』と理解する
儚く散る恋の終焉を歌います

僕は満たされる為に君を喰い殺す

Fushoku

Lyrics: Jojo　Music: Kaede
From DEEP MORE DEEP & NERO

English Romaji Japanese

Translation: Ku

Corrosion

MY LIFE IS TORTURE. GET THE FUCK OUT.

Foreigners1 sell stimulants on the black market　A paradise where streetwalkers sell at a discount
Society kills the shoe-shining orphans　It's been hell since the day the bombs dropped2

Even though it's mortifying and loathsome I obey so I can escape "this agony3," because I'm beaten if I disobey

I won't be saved even if I scream and cry and so I'm knocked up in the ruins
I won't be saved even if I scream and cry and so I envision how to kill them

I'm passed around still in my school uniform

Public sex　Terror　Murderous intent　Hatred　Ejaculation　Impregnation　Abortion　The future

The sleazy occupying forces4 enjoy gang rape　A paradise where prostitutes5 sell at a discount
Politicians are killed in unsightly hangings　It's been hell since the day the bombs dropped

Even though it's mortifying and loathsome I obey so I can escape "this agony," because I'm beaten if I disobey

Beneath the night sky my torment continues and so I'm knocked up in the ruins
Beneath the night sky my torment continues and so I envision how to kill them

I'm passed around still in my school uniform　I aim the gun and blow them away

---

1 The word Jojo's used for foreigners is a term from around WWII that was used specifically for Korean and Chinese foreigners.

2 Without a doubt, this is a reference to the dropping of the atomic bombs in WWII and Japan's surrender.

3 Jojo writes "agony" but sings "here" so I've combined the words to try to best represent the feeling of the sentence.

4 From the end of WWII in 1945 until 1952, the Allied forces occupied Japan to install new laws and government. During this time brothels were set up, temporarily, for the occupying soldiers, and rapes became rampant. Further reading.

5 The difference between the aforementioned streetwalkers and the prostitutes that are coming up now: the terms he uses signify the former are common prostitutes, whereas the latter are licensed.

Romanization: Ku

Fushoku

MY LIFE IS TORTURE. GET THE FUCK OUT.

Yamiichi de sangokujin ga kakuseizai wo uru　gaishou ga yasuuri suru tengoku
Kutsu wo migaku minashigo ga shakai ni korosareru　bakudan ga ochita hi kara jigoku desu

Sakaraeba utareru kara kuyashikute nikurashii kedo "koko" kara nogareru tame ni shitagau no

Naki wameite mo tasukete kurenai kara yakeato de haramasareru no
Naki wameite mo tasukete kurenai kara koroshi kata wo omoi egaku no

Seiraa fuku no mama de mawasareru no

Aokan　kyoufu　satsui　zouo　shasei　chakushou　datai　mirai

Teizoku na senryougun ga rinkan wo tanoshimu　koushou ga yasuuri suru tengoku
Koushukei de seijika ga buzama ni korosareru　bakudan ga ochita hi kara jigoku desu

Sakaraeba utareru kara kuyashikute nikurashii kedo "koko" kara nogareru tame ni shitagau no

Yozora no shita de naburare tsuzukeru kara yakeato de haramasareru no
Yozora no shita de naburare tsuzukeru kara koroshi kata wo omoi egaku no

Seiraa fuku no mama de mawasareru no　kenjuu wo tsuki tsukete uchinuku no

Transcription: Ku

腐食

MY LIFE IS TORTURE. GET THE FUCK OUT.

闇市で三國人が覚醒剤を売る　街娼が安売りする天國
靴を磨く孤児達が社会に殺される　爆弾が落ちた日から地獄です

逆らえば撲たれるから悔しくて憎らしいけど『苦痛』から逃れる為に従うの

啼き喚いても助けて呉れないから焼跡で孕まされるの
啼き喚いても助けて呉れないから殺し方を想い描くの

セーラー服の侭で廻されるの

青姦　恐怖　殺意　憎悪　射精　着床　堕胎　未来

低俗な占領軍が輪姦を愉しむ　公娼が安売りする天國
絞首刑で政治家が無様に殺される　爆弾が落ちた日から地獄です

逆らえば撲たれるから悔しくて憎らしいけど『苦痛』から逃れる為に従うの

夜空の下で嬲られ続けるから焼跡で孕まされるの
夜空の下で嬲られ続けるから殺し方を想い描くの

セーラー服の侭で廻されるの　拳銃を突き付けて撃ち抜くの