Below, I translated the lyrics of the song Sanmon Shosetsu (ALBUM Ver.) 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!
kono sekai no dare mo ga kimi o wasuresatte mo
Even if everyone in this world forgets you completely
zuibun fuketa ne tte kyou mo tonari de warau kara
Because you laugh beside me today too, saying "You've gotten so old"
obienakute ii nda yo
You don't have to be afraid
sono mama no kimi de ii nda yo
You're fine just the way you are
fueta shiwa no kazu o tonari de kazoenagara
While I count your growing wrinkles beside you
bokura no jinsei ga sanmon shousetsu da to shite mo
Even if our lives are a cheap novel
nageuru ki wa nai ne nando de mo kakinaosu yo
I won't sell it off cheap, I'll rewrite it as many times as it takes
dare mo ga ai makase itsu made mo samayou sadame
Everyone leaves it to love, fated to wander forever
kono shousetsu no hate no sono saki o kakitasu yo
I'll add on to what comes after the end of this novel
shinjitsu to mukiau tame ni wa
To face the truth
hitori ni naranakyaikenai toki ga aru
There are times when you have to be alone
ayamachi da to wakatte ite mo nao
Even knowing it's a mistake
egakitsuzuketai monogatari ga aru yo
There's a story I still want to keep writing
aゝ
Ah
dabun bakari no kyakuhon to sanmon shibai ni itsu made mo
With a script full of clumsy prose and a cheap, third-rate play
tsukiatteitai no sa
I want to keep playing along forever
aゝ
Ah
kimi no bukiyouna hyoujou ya kotoba hitotsu de
With just one of your awkward expressions or words
sukuwareru boku ga iru kara
Because I find myself saved
ano koro no kagayaki ga iki o hisometa to shite mo
Even if the glow of those days has gone quiet
zuibun fuketa ne tte ashita mo tonari de warau kara
Because you'll laugh beside me tomorrow too, saying "You've gotten so old"
kanashimanaide ii nda yo
You don't have to be sad
sono mama no kimi ga ii nda yo
I love you just the way you are
sugiyuku byoushin o tonari de kazoenagara
Counting the second hand ticking by beside you
tomedonaku nagaruru namidaame ga
Because the endless rain of tears
shousetsu no you ni jinsei o nanshou ni mo
Like a novel, my life into so many chapters
kugittekureru kara
Splits it up for me
oroka da to wakatte ite mo nao
Even knowing it's foolish
agakitsuzukenakyaikenai monogatari ga aru yo
There's a story I still have to keep struggling through
aゝ
Ah
tachitsukushita ano hi no tayorinai senaka o
That unsteady back of mine, standing frozen that day
ima nara tsuyoku oshitemiseru kara
Now I'd give that back a firm push
aゝ
Ah
boku no kudaranai hyoujou ya kotoba hitotsu de
At just one of my silly expressions or words
hohoenda kimi ga iru kara
Because you smiled
aゝ
Ah
dabun bakari no kyakuhon to sanmon shibai ni itsu made mo
With a script full of clumsy prose and a cheap, third-rate play
tsukiatteitai no sa
I want to keep playing along forever
aゝ
Ah
kimi no bukiyouna hyoujou ya kotoba hitotsu de
With just one of your awkward expressions or words
sukuwareru boku ga iru kara
Because I find myself saved
aゝ
Ah
tachitsukushita ano hi no tayorinai senaka o
That unsteady back of mine, standing frozen that day
ima nara tsuyoku oshitemiseru kara
Now I'd give that back a firm push
aゝ
Ah
boku no kudaranai hyoujou ya kotoba hitotsu de
At just one of my silly expressions or words
hohoenda kimi ga iru kara
Because you smiled
kono sekai no dare mo ga kimi o wasuresatte mo
Even if everyone in this world forgets you completely
zuibun fuketa ne tte kyou mo tonari de warau kara
Because you laugh beside me today too, saying "You've gotten so old"
obienakute ii nda yo
You don't have to be afraid
sono mama no kimi de ii nda yo
You're fine just the way you are
fueta shiwa no kazu o tonari de kazoenagara
While I count your growing wrinkles beside you
Did you like this lyrics translation?
三文小説 — cheap novel / pulp fiction
三文小説 literally means “three-mon novel,” referring to a cheap, low-quality or sensational story. In the song, the singer compares their life to an ordinary, undervalued novel, yet vows not to throw it away and to keep rewriting it together. Its unusual literary imagery makes it especially memorable for learners.
This is a love song for a couple who have been together a long time, and King Gnu frame it as a cheap paperback. The title phrase 三文小説 (sanmon shōsetsu) means a "three-penny novel", a trashy dime-store book. The singer admits their life together might be exactly that: 僕らの人生が 三文小説だとしても (even if our life is a three-penny novel). But he refuses to sell it off cheap, 何度でも書き直すよ (I'll rewrite it as many times as it takes).
The details are what make it. She laughs beside him saying 随分老けたね (you've gotten pretty old), and he counts 増えた皺の数 (the growing number of wrinkles) next to her. Later he sticks with the theatre metaphor: a 脚本 (script) full of 駄文 (bad writing) and a 三文芝居 (cheap, hammy play), and he wants to keep acting in it with her forever. The repeated reassurance そのままの君で良いんだよ (you're fine just as you are) is the line to learn first. It's simple, it's warm, and 良いんだよ is how you tell someone, softly, that something is okay.
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