Yuki Kajiura 2nd Solo Album - FICTION Ⅱ

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wintersviolet said:
EDIT: I never really paid attention to the meaning of a lot of Yuki's songs (that's bad DX), but I've been more attentive to the lyrics this time around, especially because many of the songs are in English. After listening to "Sweet song" more closely, I realized that one of the lyrics is "I know I won't be perfect without you", and I'm really bothered by that. It sounds so... dependent and reminds me of the Twilight books :desksweat:. Also, some of the English songs make sense (ex: winter) but some contain lines that are complete rubbish (ex: ETYKM, in the land of twilight). I know English isn't a language that Yuki's fluent in, but she needs to be more careful about how she uses it.
A lot of the tracks I liked because of melodies and instrumentation while neglecting the actual words of the song. My bad >_<
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What's wrong with the sentence "I know I won't be perfect without you"? I haven't read Twilight before, but Sweet Song existed so long time before the first Twilight book was written. As for a kind of nonsense lyrics, I don't think that it's because of Yuki deficiency in English, but it's her own style, her lyrics are usually pretty poetic&nonsense. Many of her Japanese songs lyrics are a kind of a bit poetic&rubbish things as well. (And if you asked me, a bulk of English poetries seem much more rubbish than Yuki's song lyrics.)
 
Because it's giving off the idea of dependency on another person just to feel "perfect". Nothing grammatically wrong with it, I just don't like the idea.
Yuki's not completely inexperienced in English, but she's definitely not fluent enough to express herself fully in the language. I have nothing to say about most of her songs because I don't speak Japanese, and one of the reasons I love her compositions is because I love the sound of her music and the wordless feelings it gives me. But I do wish she'd at least try to write more coherent lyrics in English sometimes (with help from people like Emily/Deb/Margaret/Curtis/Clara/a whole army of English speakers she's worked with) instead of giving it the same treatment as her mother tongue.
 
I think her proficiency in English is quite exemplary actually :confu: When it comes to writing lyrics anyway not really sure if she is an adept speaker. Anyway, I don't really understand your coherence argument because when it comes to music lyrics they don't have to make sense on a grammatical level. She isn't giving us essays...they're songs. I mean if you look at the level of American lyrics in today's music I think Yuki is one of the best. Besides the point what romantic song doesn't have simple lyrics? I mean what is the best way to lyrically represent "love"? Its defined in a different manner from individual to individual.

Twilight is so :blood: I don't see a relation between that lyric and the series at all.

Anyway overall I feel like Fiction I >>> Fiction II.

In the Winter
Just a rehash prelude...nothing special a waste of space really. Would have been nice to have a new prelude or something.

Image Theme XII
Pales in comparison to the live. Deb just can't top FictionJunction IMO. The blending of their voices is just too incredible in comparison to one person and background vocals.

lotus
Reminds me of aura during the beginning of the chant for some reason :XD: Its a decent song nothing everlasting in my mind though.

Cloistered Sleep
Its nice to have a clear version so I can't complain.

I swear
Personally this is my favorite song for some reason :shy: I think its refreshing that she is using such a different vocalist although I usually can't stand that style of singing but this song is an exception. I just hate the ending part when that background voice starts singing along...the vibrato is too long...its like its underwater or something bleagh. :uh..:

forest
Once again the FictionJunction Live is 10X better despite the Engrish.

Too tired to finish maybe another time :XD:
 
Re:

salvanos said:
I think her proficiency in English is quite exemplary actually :confu: When it comes to writing lyrics anyway not really sure if she is an adept speaker. Anyway, I don't really understand your coherence argument because when it comes to music lyrics they don't have to make sense on a grammatical level. She isn't giving us essays...they're songs. I mean if you look at the level of American lyrics in today's music I think Yuki is one of the best. Besides the point what romantic song doesn't have simple lyrics? I mean what is the best way to lyrically represent "love"? Its defined in a different manner from individual to individual.

Twilight is so :blood: I don't see a relation between that lyric and the series at all.
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She keeps taking the same English words and rearranging them in different ways for many songs. Pretty-sounding stuff like twilight/winter/snow/moon/pain/everlasting/summer/winter/rain/kiss/melody/memories/roses show up time and time again. The words may help to create the setting of a song, but as lyrics they make no sense. Even if I were to listen to the songs in question based solely on an emotional level, I still get the same angsty and heartbroken vibe (usually about a couple's love) every time.

I know that grammar doesn't play a big part in songs, and sometimes it's even forgone so the melody or words are more pleasing. That's fine. But while decent English-speaking musicians are capable of compromising some grammar while presenting their thoughts clearly and painting an eloquent picture of the story they're trying to tell, Yuki's lyrics are often a garble of description with a handful of the aforementioned words thrown in.

As for the Twilight parallel, it's clear in the books that the vapid and colorless protagonist thinks that she cannot survive without her vampire lover. (Off-topic: Who freaking SPARKLES. I can't even. Anyway~) The whole idea about needing someone (usually a lover) to feel complete is not only overused, but unhealthy. Yuki seems like a strong and independent person, and it irks me how so many of her English songs revolve only around the yearnings of romantic love. I don't perceive her as the sort of person who would sit around and brood on such a thing, so I don't see why it's a recurring theme in her works.
 
but some contain lines that are complete rubbish (ex: ETYKM, in the land of twilight).
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Rubbish? You didn't listen to Peter Gabriel yet - and he's considered an official British poet. :ohoho: What's wrong with making your texts sound unusual and peculiar, with fresh imagery? And it's exactly because of the army of native English speakers Yuki works with that you can't just write it off as her lack of language command. And if Margaret, Clara and both Emilies find these texts alright to sing, who are WE to argue? :tea: :sparkleguy:
Besides, this imagery is about the same as the one she uses in her Japanese songs (as far as we can judge by translations). If she can carry her style over to a foreign language, that's definitely not to be called "inability to express herself fully". Yuki didn't start learning English yesterday, and while it's possible she may still have some trouble with live communication, expressing oneself in written verse form, when you take your time and have all necessary dictionaries/grammars/spellcheckers at your disposal, is always a MUCH more productive effort. :sparkleguy: Of course, she may be alright with using words and concepts she's used to - seeing as her goal is to write a love song in English, not to top Shakespeare or Burns.
And her texts remain enticing and attactive through all that. ETYKM and March are nice examples - it's a perfect blend of word imagery and melody. :goodjob:
 
Hey Yuki88, could you please gather up all the Fiction II related interviews and send the links to me via pm, because i have lost count of them ^^; XD

[EDIT] Flying dog updated its whole site and it now has a sidebar where you can see cms of releases and it had the monthly clip with all the releases of the month. Fiction II is the first http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1BbZ2-3 ... edded#at=0 :shy:
 
Because maybe those vocalists are paid to sing what they're singing, and so they don't feel the overwhelming urge to correct her?

There are way more topics one can use in songs other than about romantic love- it's just that Yuki doesn't want to budge from this theme.

I don't care how "enticing" the lyrics of her songs are, they still don't make SENSE. "Silver dishes, for the memories/For the days gone by" is an example. What the heck is the meaning of the silver dishes? Are silver dishes propped up like decorations on a wooden cabinet, evoking the memories of whoever walks by? Are people raising silver dishes in a toast to commemorate the past? All the explanation we receive is that silver dishes are somewhat connected to memories, and that's the only clue we're getting.(Off-topic: I have never washed a silver dish and started reflecting on days gone by. Even if I'm just washing a regular dish that isn't silver.) There is no way in a million years I would associate "memories/love" with "silver dishes" without good reason, but we've not given any clarification as to what the link is. To me, that's not innovative. That's just random.

And "your very voice is in my heartbeat/ sweeter than despair" is another one. I wouldn't say the feeling of despair feels sweet at all (unless you're a masochist who enjoys the emotional pain), and I can list plenty of emotions that I'd rather be feeling than despair and that I am much more inclined to describe as sweet (happiness, for one). Following Yuki's line of thought, I could've inserted something like "bitterer than happiness" or "more joyful than pain", and if it wasn't for the fact that those words don't fit into the melody I could get away with it.
 
Because maybe those vocalists are paid to sing what they're singing, and so they don't feel the overwhelming urge to correct her?
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nonetheless, Yuki did call Emily her "teacher of English" for some reason. :XD:

I don't care how "enticing" the lyrics of her songs are, they still don't make SENSE. "Silver dishes, for the memories/For the days gone by" is an example. What the heck is the meaning of the silver dishes? Are silver dishes propped up like decorations on a wooden cabinet, evoking the memories of whoever walks by? Are people raising silver dishes in a toast to commemorate the past?
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could be the idea of carefully arranging memories like a table set... and don't forget the setting the targeted story was based in. I doubt I can interpret any of these lyrics as correctly as Yuki herself would, but this is all about metaphors, really. And in music industry, it's never considered bad to sing about love alone. Then again, were all .hack songs about love and love only?

And "your very voice is in my heartbeat/ sweeter than despair" is another one. I wouldn't say the feeling of despair feels sweet at all (unless you're a masochist who enjoys the emotional pain), and I can list plenty of emotions that I'd rather be feeling than despair and that I am much more inclined to describe as sweet (happiness, for one). Following Yuki's line of thought, I could've inserted something like "bitterer than happiness" or "more joyful than pain",
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Honestly, Yuki is not the first one who brings this up. :tea: Dual nature of feelings, the paradox of it etc.
 
Re:

You support all of Yuki's musical decisions, and I don't. Let's just agree to disagree. :XD:
 
I think that Kajiura-sensei tries to create a mood with her English lyrics, as opposed to telling a sensible story :plot:

I still like Japanese lyrics better than English lyrics anyway. If I happen to write a song which is pretty rare, I write the lyrics in Japanese. I would prefer Kajiura-sensei to write all Japanese lyrics, but then she wouldn't be able to have Deb Lyons sing... :dote:
 
If we are to talk aabout paradoxes in Yuki's lyrics, I'd call maybe tommorow the most paradox of all, like in

there is no way to be free from love
deeper we sink in the darkness
brighter it shines in our hearts
the lights of love

- the character that's supposed to be the song about seems to want to be freed from love but realises that she cants, she sinks in the darkness but love shines brighter in her heart. Is love considered a bad or a good thing here ? :XD:

In general this song seems to have lots of fighting between light and darkness, and the character changes opinion from one stanza to the other,
like in stanza 6 and 8. :ayashii:
 
@wintersviolet
She just loves silver things. For instance, Kimi ga Hikari ni Kaete Iku has a silver RAINBOW. Silver rainbow...seriously, what is this I don't even...
 
LOL KP :XD:
I just woke up from a nap and was all dead tired and when i saw your post i lolled for real and now im ready to study :ohoho:
 
Re:

wintersviolet said:
And "your very voice is in my heartbeat/ sweeter than despair" is another one. I wouldn't say the feeling of despair feels sweet at all
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For Yuki's lyrics you always have to consider the series she wrote the song for (if it's a song that's part of a soundtrack). She usually takes the content into consideration (f.ex. writing the lyrics from a certain character's point of view).
And you have to consider the lyrics as a whole. The part you mention is actually a (imho clever) variation of the same verse earlier in the song. She does this in other songs as well (f.ex. hikari no senritsu).

everytime you kissed me
I trembled like a child
gathering the roses
we sang for the hope
your very voice is in my heartbeat
sweeter than my dream
we were there in everlasting bloom

everytime you kissed me
my heart was in such pain
gathering the roses
we sang of the grief
your very voice is in my heartbeat
sweeter than despair
we were there, in everlasting bloom
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it directly opposes positive and negative things, and with the rest of the lyrics it all fits together nicely imho, there is a development. This is a sad song about happy times that are gone, a lost love, but the speaker isn't giving up, and keeps waiting and "dreaming". It also fits very well with Pandora Hearts.
 
heh Everytime I listen to my long forgotten cloistered sleep I think "I wish Yuki would use more bells in her songs" I love the sound of bells, mainly church bells. Also I would love to hear a Japanese version of March. :dote:
 
^ I love the bells in Magia and Heigen :dote: And I think Keiko or Kaori would do a beautiful March.

Anywho, I tried to read the musicians and vocalists from Liana_Ilia's booklet scans and wrote down as much as I could :bow:

in this winter:

accordion: Katou Kanako (?)

the image theme:

vocal: Deb Lyons
chorus: Kaida Yuriko/KAORI/KEIKO/Tokyo Konsei
guitar: Korenaga Koichi
drums: Satou Kyoichi
bass: Matsuda FIRE Takumi
uileann pipes: Jerry O'Sullivan
strings: Dunn Pearson Orchestra

lotus:

vocal: Tomaru Hanae
chorus: Kajiura Yuki
guitar: Korenaga Koichi
drums: Satou Kyoichi
bass: Matsuda FIRE Takumi
strings: Kiyo Kido Strings (?)

my long forgotten cloistered sleep:

vocal and chorus: Emily Bindiger
flute: Akagi Rie
percussion: Kakehashi Kunio
strings: Konno Hitoshi Strings

I swear:

vocal: Clara Kennedy
chorus: Emily Bindiger
guitar: Korenaga Koichi
drums: Satou Kyoichi
bass: Matsuda FIRE Takumi
strings: Kiyo Kido Strings (?)

forest:

vocal and chorus: Emily Bindiger
guitar: Korenaga Koichi
acoustic guitar: Furukawa Hirotsu
drums: ??
bass: Sting Miyamoto (?)
flute: Akagi Rie
strings: Kiyo Kido Strings (?)

sweet song:

vocal: Margaret Dorn
chorus: Tokyo Konsei
flute: Akagi Rie
percussion: Kakehashi Kunio
strings: Kiyo Kido Strings (?)

E.G.O.

vocal: Ito Eri
chorus: Kaida Yuriko
guitar: Korenaga Koichi :cheer:
violin: Konno Hitoshi

everytime you kissed me:

vocal and chorus: Emily Bindiger
chorus: Kaida Yuriko/WAKANA
guitar: Korenaga Koichi
drums: Nozaki Masuke
bass: Nozaki Morio
strings: Konno Hitoshi Strings

I reach for the sun:

vocal and chorus: Emily Bindiger
chorus: Kaida Yuriko
guitar: Korenaga Koichi
piano: Matsuda Masato

March:

vocal and chorus: Emily Bindiger
guitar: Korenaga Koichi
drums: Satou Kyoichi
bass: Matsuda FIRE Takumi
accordion: Katou Kanako (?)
violin: Kiyo Kido (?)
viola: ??
cello: ??

heigen:

vocal: Johan Sara Jr./??, Kaida Yuriko, KAORI, KEIKO, Kajiura Yuki
strings: Kiyo Kido Strings (?)

maybe tomorrow:

vocal: Emily Curtis
chorus: Kaida Yuriko, KAORI, KEIKO
guitar: Korenaga Koichi
drums: Satou Kyoichi
bass: Matsuda FIRE Takumi
percussion: ??
flute: Akagi Rie
piano: Matsuda Masato
strings: Kiyo Kido Strings (?)

:bow:

I corrected Akagi Rie :spotlight:
 
Thanks Ninetales! I didn't know Rie Tanaka did the flute. That's cool. :dote: And I agree about Keiko and Kaori, I think Saeko would be good as well.
 
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