- Lyrics & Music: Kazuya Yoshii
- Arrangement: The Yellow Monkey
Original Lyrics
魔の海を越えて
異国の空の下
最後に見たのは
メリケンの兵士
この国はどこの国だろう?
この僕は僕じゃないだろう
胸に3発の弾丸
片腕はシビレたまま
頭の中には
作りかけのメロディー
この歌は誰の歌だろう?
この夢は夢じゃないだろう
僕はジャガー 確か殺された
僕はジャガー あの娘の前で
僕はジャガー 確か殺された
僕はジャガー あの娘の前で
僕はジャガー 確か殺された
僕はジャガー あの娘の前で
僕はジャガー 確か殺された
僕はジャガー あの娘の前で
キラめく赤い血は何を見た
震える指先で何を書いた
狂える世界の SACRIFICE
バラ色に生まれた BLOODY BOY
お前に魂を売ってやる
お前に全てを売ってやる
お前に薬を射ってやる
堕落を鎮める
ROCK AND ROLL!!
FROM 1944 TO 1994
FROM 1944 TO 1994
FROM 1944 TO 1994
FROM 1944 TO 1994
Romanized Lyrics
ma no umi wo koete
ikoku no sora no shita
saigo ni mita no wa
meriken no heishi
kono kuni wa doko no kuni darou?
kono boku wa boku janai darou
mune ni sanpatsu no tama
kataude wa shibireta mama
atama no naka ni wa
tsukuri kake no melody
kono uta wa dare no uta darou?
kono yume wa yume janai darou
boku wa Jaguar tashika korosareta
boku wa Jaguar ano ko no mae de
boku wa Jaguar tashika korosareta
boku wa Jaguar ano ko no mae de
boku wa Jaguar tashika korosareta
boku wa Jaguar ano ko no mae de
boku wa Jaguar tashika korosareta
boku wa Jaguar ano ko no mae de
kirameku akai chi wa nani wo mita
furueru yubisaki de nani wo kaita
kurueru sekai no sacrifice
barairo ni umareta bloody boy
omae ni tamashii wo utte yaru
omae ni subete wo utte yaru
omae ni kusuri wo itte yaru
daraku wo shizumeru
rock and roll!!
From 1944 to 1994
From 1944 to 1994
From 1944 to 1994
From 1944 to 1994
Translated Lyrics
Crossing the sea of evil
Beneath the sky of a foreign country
The last thing I saw
Was an American soldier
Where is this country that I’m in?
The person that I am isn’t actually me
Three bullets in my chest
I can’t feel one of my arms
And a half written melody
Lingers in my head
Whose song is this that I’m hearing?
This dream that I’m having isn’t actually a dream
I’m Jaguar, I was definitely killed
I’m Jaguar, in front of that girl’s eyes
I’m Jaguar, I was definitely killed
I’m Jaguar, in front of that girl’s eyes
I’m Jaguar, I was definitely killed
I’m Jaguar, in front of that girl’s eyes
I’m Jaguar, I was definitely killed
I’m Jaguar, in front of that girl’s eyes
What did that glistening red blood see?
What did those trembling fingers write out with it?
This mad world’s sacrifice
A bloody boy born in the color of roses
I’ll sell you my soul
I’ll sell you everything
I’ll shoot you full of medicine
And to suppress the depravity
Rock and roll!!
From 1944 to 1994
From 1944 to 1994
From 1944 to 1994
From 1944 to 1994
Notes
Opening an album with a song that starts with such a somber tone, but really picks up in the chorus/as the song is closing out is always a very good decision on just about any album, and this is no exception. It’s having a good opening song without sacrificing the theatrics that the album was going for in the first place. And the sound of those electric guitar arpeggios with just Yoshii’s voice at the beginning makes for a very iconic sound. Once you get past the intro, all of the other instruments come in in ways that support that arpeggio, which the song was clearly constructed around. In terms of musicality, it may not be the most complex song that Yoshii has written up to this point, but it’s absolutely one of the most intentionally and best written ones.
Of course lyrically, it’s very easy to tell that the purpose of Second Cry is to introduce the concept that the album is based around: Jaguar, a soldier was killed in battle in 1944. Longing for his lover Mary, his soul was transported ahead in time to 1994 at his time of death, so that he can search for her. The lyrics are obviously describing the process of him remembering his death, and finding himself in a strange body, and in a strange new time. Lyrically speaking, the main chorus might be a little on the nose, but with everything else that works about this song and just how strong the chorus is musically, that’s not really much of a problem. Everything about the music and lyrics was masterfully crafted to convey Jaguar’s emotions throughout these realizations: Melancholy at the beginning, remembering the circumstances of his death. Then things pick up as he’s realizing what’s happening to him, conveying his shock. Second Cry opens Jaguar Hard Pain in such a way that shows us that Yoshii’s song writing has elevated far past even most of what we’ve heard on previous albums.
It’s very easy to miss (and not mentioned in the lyrics booklet at all), but during a part of the last “boku wa Jaguar” chorus (after the guitar solo) you can hear bits of the beginning verse to the last track on the previous album “Silk Scarf ni boushi no Madam” playing, almost as kind of a backing vocal. In fact for the longest time I thought it was just some indistinct backing vocal that didn’t particularly mean anything! But no, it’s actually connective tissue between that song, which as I mentioned before, is about Jaguar’s lover Mary. I’m not sure whether that was planned as far back as the recording of Experience Movie, but either way it’s a very nice touch.
In terms of live performances, this is a song that typically only comes out during Mekara Uroko concerts (in which the set-list of largely older songs), and semi regularly at that. There have been some rare exceptions that rule though. Naturally it was the opening song during the Jaguar Hard Pain tour in 1994, but it also appeared on the set-list of the Spring Tour in 2000. Additionally it was played at Mekara Uroko 7 (1996), 9 (1998), and 27 (2016).
It’s also worth mentioning that during the Jaguar Hard Pain tour, Yoshii was very interested in fleshing out the character of Jaguar that he had created for this concept album. So all throughout the tour he kind of acted out the part on stage, talking to the audience in a very abrupt, military sort of fashion between songs. During the performances of Second Cry he would usually slowly and confusedly walk out on stage up to the microphone, as if not completely knowing where he was or what he was doing. In the initial performance of the song during this tour, Yoshii also wouldn’t play the acoustic guitar part live. However in every other instance afterward, he would (at least for the first half of the song).
(Jaguar Hard Pain tour, 1994)
(Mekara Uroko 7, 1996)