It’s #SongLyricsSunday! This week’s prompt is “Around/Down/Sideways/Up” presented by Jim at An Unique Title For Me. For this prompt, I went back to 1998 when one of my favorite Japanese groups was just starting off. This group had a prolific 15 years together that saw them moving throughout the musical universe, releasing music from every genre out there. The group’s name? Simply m.o.v.e/move.
My Love For move/m.o.v.e
I remember the day when I first discovered move/m.o.v.e, it was the same way I discovered Namie Amuro. I first saw the group during the summer vacation of 2002. Back before Youtube, the Japanese music label avex would stream their artists’ music videos 24/7 on their homepage. I would watch these music videos from morning to night, discover new favorites. I discovered Ayumi Hamasaki, Namie Amuro, DA PUMP, and move. When I first saw move’s music video for “FUTURE BREEZE”, I was curious to learn more about the trio. I became a fan soon after and followed their music until their disbandment.
I got to see them live twice in their 15-year career. My first encounter was in 2005 when they came to the USA for the anime convention Anime USA. I was able to get a hug from the rapper motsu after the concert during the meet and greet. I also got to see them at their final concert in 2013. It was a great way to see them off and hear them perform their hits for the last time together.
Moving Around the World
“around the world” was m.o.v.e’s second single that was released in January of 1998. It was used as the first opening for the popular car racing anime Initial D. The lyrics were written by member motsu who also served as the rapper for the group. Besides move, motsu has been involved with a ton of groups during his musical career. These groups are MORE DEEP, RAVEMAN, ALTIMA, and King Cream Soda. Anime fans worldwide and school-age kids in Japan would instantly recognize motsu as the rapper in the megahit “Gero Gero Po no Uta” (first theme song for Yokai Watch).
The tune isn’t really one of my favorites. Although the tempo is at 120 BPM, the song feels slower. Maybe because it is more of a rock beat than a dance one. Sure, there is a synthesizer as the main instrumentation, but it feels like it is programmed to play a rock beat. The tune seems like a dance-rock tune with the occasional guitar playing here and there, a synthesizer that is playing a rock-like beat, and some annoying synthesized loops during the bridge.
“around the world” isn’t a polished dance tune like “Gamble Ramble” or “FUTURE BREEZE” as the group was still trying to find their sound in 1998. Sadly, “around the world” is a pass for me.
What do you think about “around the world”? Listen to it below and tell me in the comments section.
The Lyrics to move/m.o.v.e’s “around the world”
Here is the English translation to “around the world”, provided by Sedimaster at Anime Lyrics Dot Com:
Trip to the world
Yo! here we go into the unknown world, us just born travelers
The unfamiliar walk is still charming, you only hit the place you decided on
So many people in this world, it doesn’t mean that at times there’s could be slander, but
Let’s warp past those boring parts, go straight through the reason and live
That’s our low
Aimless Trip
One way ticket to your soul, let’s go!
Keep pushing and looking for your goal
Feel together the times you love each other, let’s make all sorts of dramas
So many things we wanna try hiding at the bottom of a pop song, deep style
5 billion wishes, swirling world, surely it’s gonna reach someone
Your light
Can’t even take a breath, the city that can’t sleep
Don’t be off your guard, but laugh at each other
Even lies are safety, the truth is empty
It’s almost dangerous but wanna shut and break out
(Now we gotta start Let’s get move!!)
Let’s move into the brand new world
Let’s dive into the brand new trip
Frightened in the gray world
We’ve just begun
Now we go full speed and funky beat
Surely we’re shining around the world
Until it reaches somebody, the powerful brand new wind
Sketch your own future, you don’t need a map
But, I seriously want to meet love and affection
It’s the time to travelin’ around the world
Information, it’s an age that tells you speed by the second, but
Choice isn’t understood
Money can’t buy my love
What kind of carefree guy gets roped three times
Following the manual you just hold each other, you don’t notice things without love
Before you suffocate, shout out “Ho!!!!!! In the midnight dream”
Now I know I wanna start to move into the rhythm
Don’t snap all control of hot feelings
Wishes pierce through the sky
At the last of the 90s, be alive with full speed
Now I know I wanna start to move into the rhythm
(Now we gotta start Let’s get move!!)
Let’s move into the brand new world
Let’s dive into the brand new trip
Frightened in the gray world
We’ve just begun
Now we go full speed and funky beat
Surely we’re shining around the world
I want to feel it, standing naked at the edge of the world
The landscapes that have just been born
But I seriously want to meet tomorrow and dreams
It’s the time to Travelin’ around the world
move, also known as m.o.v.e, started in 1997 when vocalist yuri, rapper motsu, and composer/instrumentalist t-kimura came together. The band released their first single, “ROCK IT DOWN”, the autumn of that year. Over the next 15 years, move would release many songs in various genres. Some were used in such anime and game series like Initial D, Ikki Tousen, and Final Fantasy: Unlimited.
The group changed their name from move to m.o.v.e in 2005 when they ventured into the international music scene. The reason was that there was another group named move. They kept on touring around the US, visiting many anime conventions.
t-kimura decided to leave the group in 2009 to focus more on music production. This left the group to continue as a duo. The two remaining members continued to perform and release music until their disbandment in 2013. After m.o.v.e’s disbandment, motsu continue onto other groups like ALTIMA and King Cream Soda. yuri just released her first solo album this July, titled Eternity.
The Rules
If you want to participate, here are the rules:
- Post the lyrics to the song of your choice, whether it fits the theme or not.
- Please try to include the songwriter(s) – it’s a good idea to give credit where credit is due.
- Make sure you also credit the singer/band and if you desire you can provide a link to where you found the lyrics.
- Link to the YouTube video, or pull it into your post so others can listen to the song.
- Ping back to this post will eventually work, as long as you are being patient, but you can also place your link in the comments if you don’t like to wait.
- Read at least one other person’s blog, so we can all share new and fantastic music and create amazing new blogging friends in the process.
- Feel free to suggest future prompts.
- Have fun and enjoy the music.
