Found the lyrics on mixi, so here we go.

I've been listening to this thing almost nonstop today, the melody and guitar are absolutely beautiful. I'm tempted to even go so far as to say that this is one of the most amazing things the pillows have released in a good five years or better. The lyrics aren't as amazing at a glance, but I feel the meaning lies somewhere between the loneliness of Strange Chameleon and the hope of Hybrid Rainbow. Combined with the amazing guitar line (this is the kind of thing I was talking about in that other thread!) and the beautiful vocal melody, this song is absolutely brilliant. Enjoy.

*note: I'm not sure on the English line, I got these lyrics off of mixi, like I said, but that sounds close enough without having a lyric booklet*

Also, interestingly, the reading for the song is listed on the site as "Ichi Kyuu Hachi Kyuu," but Sawao sings "Nineteen Eighty-nine."

fune wo koide nurenagara
boku wa yatto machi ni kita
hajimemashite konnichi wa
kimi wa dare? isogu no kai?

boku wa zutto kodoku datta
aitakatta dareka ni
hajimemashite konnichi wa
nani ga sonna ni okashii no?

tada damatte shagamikonde
tanashisou na machi ni iru
kakushimotta okurimono
watasenai de iki wo haku

Please catch this my song
atarashii jibun wo
Please catch this my song
sagashi ni kita no sa kowai kedo

hitoribocchi sabishisa ni
nareta nante uso da yo
wasuresou na jibun no koe
nodo wa zutto kawaiteru

Please catch this my song
hitsuyou to saretai
Please catch this my song
ashita wa dareka ni aeru kana

Please catch this my song
kimi ni todoku you ni
Please catch this my song
utatteita no sa 1989

fune wo koide nurenagara boku wa yatto machi ni kita
ima ni natte nurenagara boku wa yatto koko ni kita

Please catch this my song
Please catch this my song

=========================

Soaked from rowing,
I finally came to this town
Hello, nice to meet you
Who are you? Are you in a hurry?

I was always alone
wanting to meet someone
Hello, nice to meet you
What's so funny?

Without saying anything, I sat down
in a fun-seeming town
Unable to let go of this gift
that I've been carrying hidden, I let out my breath

Please catch this my song
Even though it's scary
Please catch this my song
I've come to look for a new me

It's a lie that I've become used to
loneliness, to being alone
My throat is always dry,
it seems like I could forget my own voice

Please catch this my song
I want this to be important
Please catch this my song
I wonder if tomorrow I can meet someone

Please catch this my song
I've been singing in hopes
Please catch this my song
that it would reach you
1989

Soaked from rowing, I finally came to this town
Soaked like this, I finally came here

Please catch this my song
Please catch this my song

"Please catch this my song"
What do you think he means here? oh boy terrible engrish.

But I love this song, it has a very Please Mr Lostman-ish touch to it

"Please catch this my song"

I think Sawao is pleaded for us the listener to actually
catch the inner soul of his songs and appreciate what
they are inside and out. What do you guys think?
It is pretty bad Engrish

Who cares if the engrish is bad? At least it's not Instant Music...that song had TERRIBLE engrish all over.

And like I said, the english portion is unverifiable right now, it's just one of those best guess things. The Japanese is almost guaranteed to be right though.

STILL DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND?
I'M NOT CON-SID-ER-ATE-A-MAN!

The recent engrish has been pretty badass IMO. I rather like this one as well.

As long as the English is better than the "It's penalty life" or w/e in Mole Town Prisoner, I don't mind... (I STILL just can NOT hear that line no matter how hard I try)
But yeah, thanks for the nice early translation

^I still refuse to believe that Sawao is saying "It's Penalty Life" in that recording. It sounds more like "And I don't feel like!"

Not as funny as RANBIDEN though.

Did we ever figure that one out? I remember the conversation kind of dying.

Yes, it was apparently supposed to be "bin laden," according to Japanese people's discussion of it over how he sings it live. I just haven't ever gotten around to working on translating that song, and it's a difficult one besides.

[quote="Raid"]"Please catch this my song"
What do you think he means here? oh boy terrible engrish.

[/quote]

I think it's supposed to be him singing in 1989 wanting people to listen and enjoy his songs. He wrote but nobody seemed to care, and he's pleading for people to care and to listen because it was his gift and all that he could offer.

I think Camio just nailed it right on the head.

[quote="Marekenshin"]I think Camio just nailed it right on the head.[/quote]

I agree, nice work Sawao

Thank God for Camio. He said what we were not able to say.
I believe 1989 has become my new favorite song.
It feels smooth and calm in the beginning, and rises to a climax
with Sawao screaming his lungs out. Its an absolutely beautiful song.

Great work on the translation Mare, even if its not official, it feels
just about right. I still cannot believe the PV!

I wish I could meet Sawao someday and tell him
"I'm listening to your song, now more than ever"

The most important part of the song to me:

It's a lie that I've become used to loneliness, to being alone. Please catch this, my song. I've been singing in hopes that it would reach you. 1989...

In that line I think that Sawao wants to convince himself in 1989 that his songs will be caught.
Someday, not today but someday it will reach the world. It was a way of telling himself to continue,
even if people tell him he would never have gotten as far as he has today. Maybe Kenji left the band because
he thought they wouldn't go far (his mistake).
I always though Sawao sided differently than Kenji. Like they were battling to decide who would lead the pillows
to fame. Sawao obviously won.
The line from Fool on the planet, "Even if they laugh, I won't doubt myself" was his intention all these years.
Like the song 1989 was like a promise to himself.

Fan Fiction Alert