Also, btw, people should keep in mind that being a great lyricist doesn't always mean every lyric is also poetry.

[quote="Raid"]Can we see a piece of your poetry, GR?[/quote]

Don't be a twat. I'm just saying that if we're being honest here, there should be a lot less fellating of Sawao's lyrical abilities.
We need to separate our complete adoration for Sawao and the gang, their melodies and structures, and Buster-kun, and look at their lyrics from a distanced perspective.

This is what I think: I think if, say, I presented you with the lyrics to New Animal, or Scarecrow, or Shiroi, and told you: "Hey check out these Ellegarden/AKG/Sambomaster/Sukima Switch/RADWIMPS lyrics!" would you still be like "OH MY GOD THESE LYRICS ARE AMAZING." ?

Would you be able to recognize the "strength" of Sawao's lyrics [i]if you didn't know they were Sawao's lyrics?[/i]

Excuse me, sir, but AKG has some great lyrics on Sol-fa, and Ellegarden on Don't Trust Anyone But Us. Sambomaster has some cool lyrics in songs like Tsuki ni saku hana no you ni and Sekai wa sore wo ai to yobu nda ze.

[quote="GoldenRhino"][quote="Raid"]Can we see a piece of your poetry, GR?[/quote]

Don't be a twat. I'm just saying that if we're being honest here, there should be a lot less fellating of Sawao's lyrical abilities.
We need to separate our complete adoration for Sawao and the gang, their melodies and structures, and Buster-kun, and look at their lyrics from a distanced perspective.

This is what I think: I think if, say, I presented you with the lyrics to New Animal, or Scarecrow, or Shiroi, and told you: "Hey check out these Ellegarden/AKG/Sambomaster/Sukima Switch/RADWIMPS lyrics!" would you still be like "OH MY GOD THESE LYRICS ARE AMAZING." ?

Would you be able to recognize the "strength" of Sawao's lyrics [i]if you didn't know they were Sawao's lyrics?[/i][/quote]

Damn, that's some serious hypothetical speaking. All I can say is that the first thing I focus on when I read something is what it says, both at face and below the surface. I find importance in simple things, because simple things make up a good part of life. I don't care if they're lyrics to a song, prose in a story or lines in a poem. If they've got something to say about life, then I've got ears to listen. It's a simple as that.

[quote="Marekenshin"]Also, btw, people should keep in mind that being a great lyricist doesn't always mean every lyric is also poetry.[/quote]

Yeah, I'd say another part of being a good lyricist is being able to sync up the words you write with the music played. Generally lyrics follow the typical pattern of poetry; having a beginning, middle and end, having a paradox/ambivalence, having repetition and having condensed language are tell-tale signs of a poem, but I'm sure you could find examples where lyrics don't follow these rules.

At any rate, I'm going to take myself out of this conversation so nobody hates me. I don't know why I like the pillows lyrics so much; I just do.

(Once again, this opinion is largely based on translated lyrics, although I have talked about Sawao's lyrics with at least one native Japanese speaker who likes the pillows.)

One of the things that I like about Sawao's songwriting is how he often doesn't take himself too seriously. I mean, look at Boat House or Poison Rock'n'Roll, for instance. There's so much seemingly self-deprecating humor in there about being a weird outcast who plays rock n' roll and doesn't really care about what most people think of him. I find these lyrics pretty interesting to read, on their own.

The kind of deep, "life-changing" lyrics that Roger Waters or Neil Peart write are meant to be taken a lot more seriously than Sawao's. I think, at least in terms his recent songwriting, that Sawao's lyrics are supposed to be taken in the context of someone just having fun making music. So, sure, they may be corny or unpoetic, but I think his lyrics are actually pretty inspiring and well-written, given their apparent intention and context.

Did someone post "That's a Wonderful World" yet? I saw that you guys had been working on it, but I couldn't find it posted anywhere.
I translated it if anyone needs it.

Mods and users no longer translate Pillows songs on the count they are not worth understanding.

No "That's a Wonderful World" ?????!?!?!??!