Below, I translated the lyrics of the song Kazarijanainoyo Namidawa by King Gnu from Japanese to English.
These lyrics have verified word for word translations. Click any lyric word to see the translation and hear the pronunciation!
watashi wa naita koto ga nai
I've never cried
hi no kieta machikado de
On a street corner where the lights went out
hayai kuruma ni nokkerarete mo
Even when I got taken for a ride in a fast car
kyuu ni supin kakerarete mo
Even when it suddenly went into a spin
kowakunakatta
I wasn't scared
akai sukaafu ga yureru no o
As the red scarf fluttered
fushigina kimochi de miteta kedo
I watched it with a strange feeling, but
watashi naitari suru no wa
I felt that me crying
chigau to kanjiteta
Just wasn't right
watashi wa naita koto ga nai
I've never cried
tsumetai yoru no mannaka de
In the middle of a cold night
ironna hito to surechigattari
Passing by all kinds of people
nage kiss uketometari nagekaeshitari
Catching blown kisses and throwing them back
soshite tomodachi ga kawaru tabi
And every time my friends changed
omoide bakari ga fueta kedo
All I gained was more memories
watashi naitari suru no wa
I felt that me crying
chigau to kanjiteta
Just wasn't right
kazari janai no yo namida wa ha han
They're not for show, these tears, ha han
suki da to itteru janai no ho ho
Didn't I tell you I love you? Ho ho
shinju janai no yo namida wa ha han
They're not pearls, these tears, ha han
kireina dake nara ii kedo
It'd be fine if they were only pretty
chotto kanashisugiru no yo namida wa ho-oh-oh
But they're just a little too sad, these tears, ho-oh-oh
watashi wa naita koto ga nai
I've never cried
hontou no koi o shiteinai
I've never been truly in love
dare no mae de mo hitorikiri de mo
In front of anyone, or all alone
hitomi no oku no namida wa kakushiteita kara
'Cause I kept the tears deep in my eyes hidden
itsuka koibito ni aeru toki
Someday, when I meet my lover
watashi no sekai ga kawaru toki
When my world changes
watashi naitari suru n ja
I feel like I might
nai ka to kanjiteru
end up crying
kitto naitari suru n ja
I'm sure I'll end up crying
nai ka to kanjiteru
end up crying
kazari janai no yo namida wa ha han
They're not for show, these tears, ha han
suki da to itteru janai no ho ho
Didn't I tell you I love you? Ho ho
shinju janai no yo namida wa ha han
Tears aren't pearls, ha han
kireina dake nara ii kedo
It'd be fine if they were only pretty
chotto kanashisugiru no yo namida wa
Tears are just a little too sad
kazari janai no yo namida wa ha han
They're not for show, these tears, ha han
kagayaku dake nara ii kedo ho ho
It'd be fine if they only sparkled, ho ho
daiya to chigau no namida wa ha han
Tears aren't diamonds, ha han
samishii dake nara ii kedo
It'd be fine if they were only lonely
chotto kanashisugiru no yo namida wa
Tears are just a little too sad
rarara rarara rarara rara
La la la la la la la la la la la
Lyrics and Translations Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Did you like this lyrics translation?
飾り — decoration / ornament
飾り means a decoration or ornament, something added to make an object look beautiful. In the song's memorable line, 「飾りじゃないのよ 涙は」 means “Tears aren't decorations,” emphasizing that the singer's tears are real expressions of deep emotion, not something pretty to display.
The narrator keeps saying "私は泣いたことがない" (I've never cried). Not when a fast car spun out under her, not on a dark street corner, not when friends drifted off and left her with nothing but memories. She watched a red scarf flutter and felt strange, but crying just seemed wrong to her. It's a tough-girl pose, and the song is having fun with it.
The chorus flips it: "飾りじゃないのよ 涙は" (tears aren't decoration). She compares them to pearls and diamonds, which would be fine if they only had to look pretty, but they're "ちょっと悲しすぎる" (a bit too sad). By the last verse she admits she has hidden her tears behind her eyes because she's never really been in love, and she suspects that when she meets the right person she'll finally cry. King Gnu cover a 1984 Akina Nakamori hit written by Yosui Inoue here, and the swaggering "ha han" and "ho ho" ad-libs keep the attitude. For learners, "〜じゃないのよ" (it isn't ~, you know) is the phrase to steal: casual, emphatic and all over this song.
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