Following the reissue of Love Logic and Fruits Mechanical, Minuano are soon re-releasing their long out of print second album: the fan-favorite Spring Lovers (ある春の恋人) from 2010.
This re-release will be coming out on vinyl and CD in March/April 2025.
Pre-orders are now live at Shopify and Bandcamp. Please note that pre-orders for both the LP and the LP+CD Bundle are only open from November 15 to 29, 2024. Because this is a limited edition pressing, it is highly recommended that you put in a pre-order if you want to be sure to attain a vinyl copy. (A link for CD-only pre-orders will be made available in March 2025.)
But no matter if you are going for the CD or the LP (or both), something that you will find in both editions of this release are my English translations of the lyrics.
23 years old — I’m a fifth grade college student
Going for that Ivy League look just as today, top to bottom VAN
Never having even been outside Japan yet
And my dream? Of course, to be a rock musician!
23 years old — I’m living in a Shin-Nakano apartment
No bathtub, six tatami mats, only a piano and a synthesizer
Trying to somehow repay the loans on my instruments
Temp jobs and bands — uh-oh, guess I’m repeating a year!
Those days — reckless; frantic; all over the place
Filled with an illogical, unwarranted sense of self-confidence
Writing at a pace so incredibly fast, completely unthinkable today
Day and night I wrote, constantly — eight songs a month or so
At 23 years old
23 years old — I’m working part-time
As an Italian restaurant cameriere in Ginza
I always did love peeking into the kitchen
For a moment seriously thinking I’d become a chef
And naturally I was in love back then
With a cute, somewhat selfish, beautiful girl — I was head over heels
My one-sided feelings where it didn’t matter even if she rejected me
On and on I held out, ceaselessly — for eight years or so
Those memories — some painful; some good; some strange
Chance, luck and fortune all interlinked
Life’s really not too bad at all!
23 years old — are you in love today?
The real-time-currently-23-year-old you
May all your days be filled with happiness
…Or so I now sing, but think nothing of it
If the me from back then was to meet you today
Without a doubt, it’d be love at first sight — I’d be head over heels
My one-sided feelings where it wouldn’t matter even if you rejected me
On and on I’d hold out, ceaselessly — yes, for 20 years or so
No, even longer, forever — at least for 35 years or so
And before I’d noticed it, I’m 58 years old
MAN
I believe that a man should always
Always be kind to his woman
Flowers for her birthday; a song for the sad moments
Sending love her way even on the ordinary days
Whatever your dreams may be
I’ll make them come true the best I can
Say you were to discover some new, beautiful world
It would be my role to open the door for you
But then if on that last day you’d made up your mind
Silently having decided you were going to leave me
Would I still open that door only to see you off?
No, I would not — although I’m contradicting myself…
MAN
I believe that a man should always
Always be tough on himself
MAN
A man, no matter what kind of man
Always has a thing or two he must protect
Holding one another, facing one another
Always busy glossing things over
People have this need to rank order things
And I’m sad to say it, but for me?
The most important thing is myself
But then I hit wall, and I find myself at a standstill
Because when I found you there, just watching me from behind
I now wish to protect you even if it means sacrificing myself
One day I will say it and I will truly mean it
When I have the courage — that’s when I’ll be a man
MAN
And like so, the man, to a foolish degree
Always tries to take responsibility for everything
Being the tiny little creature that he is
ひざまくら〜うれしい こりゃいい やわらかい〜
Lap Pillow ~So Happy, So Good, So Soft~
Just once I wish I could show you
Show you what I’m like at work
Fighting like a real manly man’s man
You’d fall in love with me all over again!
Even at the standstill at today’s meeting
I gave those guys a piece of my mind
That’s all it took — the thing was settled
Bet you they all think I’m such a cool cat!
And like so, during the day
I’m pretty sharp and dandy
So at least when I’m with you
Let me be a bit of a baby
Surely it should be all right
If I have a little more to drink…?
Ahh, I’m drunk…
I’m drunk…
I’m drunk…
But please just give me a pass
And tomorrow I promise to do better
You know, I was thinking
Thinking about world peace
Mutual respect and forgiveness
Foundations for peace in the world
So even if I get a bit drunk like this
I’m really a proper social dandy guy
Or to put it in simpler terms for you
Surely you’ll allow me just a little bit
Of your lap pillow — for world peace…?
Ahh, so happy…
So soft…
So good…
If I could stay here forever
It would be heaven on earth
So please, just a tiny moment longer
Of your lap pillow — as a symbol of our peace…?
Ahh, so happy…
So good…
So drunk…
But please just give me a pass
And tomorrow I promise to do better
Darling I love you You know I love you just like you love me We can get alongif the wind is high If the storm is coming
Even now I can’t believe it
Your hair; your voice
Your phone number; your plans for tomorrow
Somehow it’s all become mine
So happy-lucky — every day is Sunday!
Right now even my English is fluent
I could go bungee jumping like a foreigner
I was sure you’d turn me down
So with nothing to lose, I shot my shot
Already thinking of excuses with which to console myself
But when I heard your answer, your unbelievable answer
Waseda University, Keio University, Tokyo University
It’s like I’ve been accepted everywhere all at once!
Everything you’re missing in life, you just tell me
We’ll make this love exactly how you want it
Whether it works out or not — it’s all up to my capacity
And on those nights when you have nowhere to go
I will come to you
For you are the sunshine of my heart
Sometimes I’ll hear strange rumors
But I just could not care less
For now I’m the one who knows you best
That’s right: you’re perfect
We’ll be so great together, they’ll all give up!
Everything you want, we’ll go shopping for it
Though there are more important things in life
I’ll make you see — that, too, is up to my capacity
And on those afternoons when you feel dizzy
I will come to you
For you are the sunshine of my heart
Darling I love you just like you love me We can get along if the wind is high If the storm is coming
And on those nights when you have nowhere to go
I will come to you
For you are the sunshine of my heart
Oh, show me, lay yourself bare, let’s make love
Whether it works out or not — it’s all up to my capacity
And on those afternoons when you feel dizzy
I will come to you
For you are the sunshine of my heart
