Can you translate the lyrics in this Japanese song?
March 30, 2011 8:19 AM Subscribe
Can you translate the Japanese lyrics of this song?
Backstory:
Virtuality was a show Ron Moore (Battlestar Galactica) created for Fox. Only the two hour pilot was shot and aired. In it, the crew of a spaceship endures their ten year journey by using virtual reality modules.
One of the crew member's virtual reality experiences is that of a rock star singing a Japanese song to the tune of The Munsters theme. Problem: the Munsters theme didn't have lyrics, at least not initially. Apparently there was a Munsters Christmas special where they added lyrics. But co-creator/executive producer Michael Taylor claims: "I wrote new lyrics to The Munsters theme, sort of punk rock lyrics, then we translated those into Japanese and I thought it sounded great..."
So what are the lyrics to the song she's singing?
Backstory:
Virtuality was a show Ron Moore (Battlestar Galactica) created for Fox. Only the two hour pilot was shot and aired. In it, the crew of a spaceship endures their ten year journey by using virtual reality modules.
One of the crew member's virtual reality experiences is that of a rock star singing a Japanese song to the tune of The Munsters theme. Problem: the Munsters theme didn't have lyrics, at least not initially. Apparently there was a Munsters Christmas special where they added lyrics. But co-creator/executive producer Michael Taylor claims: "I wrote new lyrics to The Munsters theme, sort of punk rock lyrics, then we translated those into Japanese and I thought it sounded great..."
So what are the lyrics to the song she's singing?
Response by poster: Thanks, pts! Yeah, I'm sure the actress doesn't speak Japanese and had to learn it phonetically, hence the bad pronunciation. I appreciate you taking the time.
posted by sharkfu at 9:49 AM on March 30, 2011
posted by sharkfu at 9:49 AM on March 30, 2011
Best answer: It’s hard to make out most of the lyrics because her pronunciation is quite off in parts...
I went to see my beloved family 私の大好きな家族を会いに行って*
My family is crazy！ みんなは基地外の*
Have you heard all the rumors? うわさ知っているの*
Herman is a ????ハーマンは
Lilly is a blood sucking vampire リリーは吸血切**
Grandpa used to run a restaurant. おじいは食堂をやっていた
That's how it is! 現実よ
The undead love blonde girls (possibly referring to herself?)! 生きていない人たちは金髪娘が好き！
The Munsters ???? ムンスたズ？？？
Because they're all insane! 基地外だから
* I got these lines from an alternative youtube clip. Apparently the first few lines are cut off in the clip provided.
**Translation stolen on preview from pts. Sorry.
On preview: I was thrown off by the cool/undead distinction. I'm wondering if in fact the translator is in fact trying to be clever, and punnishly making fun of the singer...
pts What is the word that you have translated as Mad Scientist?
posted by ultrabuff at 10:11 AM on March 30, 2011
I went to see my beloved family 私の大好きな家族を会いに行って*
My family is crazy！ みんなは基地外の*
Have you heard all the rumors? うわさ知っているの*
Herman is a ????ハーマンは
Lilly is a blood sucking vampire リリーは吸血切**
Grandpa used to run a restaurant. おじいは食堂をやっていた
That's how it is! 現実よ
The undead love blonde girls (possibly referring to herself?)! 生きていない人たちは金髪娘が好き！
The Munsters ???? ムンスたズ？？？
Because they're all insane! 基地外だから
* I got these lines from an alternative youtube clip. Apparently the first few lines are cut off in the clip provided.
**Translation stolen on preview from pts. Sorry.
On preview: I was thrown off by the cool/undead distinction. I'm wondering if in fact the translator is in fact trying to be clever, and punnishly making fun of the singer...
pts What is the word that you have translated as Mad Scientist?
posted by ultrabuff at 10:11 AM on March 30, 2011
pts What is the word that you have translated as Mad Scientist?/ ooofff comprehension fail. Nevermind
posted by ultrabuff at 10:13 AM on March 30, 2011
posted by ultrabuff at 10:13 AM on March 30, 2011
I think pts has it, but I can add this: in that first line, she's saying "Haaman wa Furankenshutain", Herman is Frankenstein['s monster].
("Shutai" is audible because the Japanese pronunciation of "Frankenstein" is closer to the German than the English, so that the "s" is realized as what English speakers would write as "sh".)
posted by No-sword at 4:47 PM on March 30, 2011
("Shutai" is audible because the Japanese pronunciation of "Frankenstein" is closer to the German than the English, so that the "s" is realized as what English speakers would write as "sh".)
posted by No-sword at 4:47 PM on March 30, 2011
I want to add that the line referring to the blonde girl/daughter is probably referring to one of the characters Marilyn Munster, and in light of that the line makes sense. Marilyn is the human amongst the lot, although the Munsters don't seem to be aware of that fact. She is known in the family as the "plain one". The line in the song probably refers to the fact that, inexplicable to the family, she was often chased by humans, whom the Munsters thought were downright horrible. So the line could be translated as "Loser humans love the blonde daughter, Marilyn".
posted by ultrabuff at 11:12 PM on March 30, 2011
posted by ultrabuff at 11:12 PM on March 30, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
http://ask.metafilter.com/27784/If-I-Were-a-Munster#437930
Big Pizza, Big Pizza..
posted by jozxyqk at 8:48 AM on March 30, 2011