KAN – Mayumi (English Lyrics)

まゆみ
Mayumi

Mayumi, how are you doing as of late?
Me, I’ve been feeling a bit sulky
Mayumi, in case you ever feel down
I just kind of wrote you this song

Mayumi, you are a flower
Secretly smiling in some corner of the city
Mayumi, I am only watching
Afraid that someone might nip you off

This life neither good nor bad
Wanting to talk, wanting to express
Always unable to get the words out
“This isn’t it; that isn’t it; that’s too heavy”
Cheating each other, comforting each other…
Our hearts won’t hold

Mayumi, at times when you get sad
Where do you put the sadness?
Mayumi, you can raise your voice and cry
It’s okay to take it all out on me
Don’t ever go blaming yourself

This personality neither good nor bad
Not liking this, not minding that
Always unable to take responsibility
“I want this; I don’t want that; that’s heavy too”
Want to leave, but I can’t

Human beings, every single one of us
Dealing with our own sadnesses
All of us constantly dreaming
Until one day our tiny cries
Reach that other person

Mayumi, do you happen to know
The clearest, most beautiful water there is?
Mayumi, it’s when you’re in love and it hurts
And you keep bearing it and bearing it
Until finally the tears come falling out

Forgive me, for this is all I can say

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KAN – Happy Time Happy Song (English Lyrics)

Happy Time Happy Song

Look and see
The blue earth continues to spin
And the stars are still shining

Come, young student
Stop worrying about the future for now
Surely a happy, happy time will come along

I am a street corner love fortune teller
Even today there’s 30-something people lining up
My duty is to give you a nudge in the back for 3,000 yen
Telling you how surely a happy, happy time will come along

So that’s right — believe in yourself
Your dream specifically is the real deal
So take the plunge and push ahead

Listen closely
Strain your ears, someone’s calling
Today it’s pa, pa, pa, pa, paa

Come, good sir
Just head back to your family for now
You’d better go back to the place you call home

So that’s right — it’s as you thought
Life presents a huge pile of problems
But one day you’ll spread your wings
As you head for the bright blue skies

My apologies
I am actually only a small-time musician
And I sing of love, love, love

But either way
My duty is to give you a nudge in the back for 3,000 yen
With a happy, happy song for your good luck

La, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la, la

So how about it?
Stop worrying for now and give it a go
Surely a happy, happy time will come along

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Imai Miki – Ame ni Kiss no Hanataba wo (English Lyrics)

雨にキッスの花束を
Rain and a Bouquet of Kisses

Suddenly he says, “let’s get married right now!”
Storm warning, everyone in town hurrying home

Telling each other “I love you,” both of us grownups
But after all that talk about keeping a proper distance…

An out-of-the-blue proposal!
In the middle of an intersection!
You’re kidding me!
Frozen, my umbrella rolls over like a flower

Can’t even hear the car horns
So drenched I can’t move
The entire world holds its breath
As we stand here staring at each other
Kiss, kiss!

I’d always adored you — frankly, I was waiting for this
While doing my best to look all cool and indifferent

I cherish both my work and my love life
But really my biggest treasure is his smile

A dream-like proposal!
Lipstick running down my chin!
But a headstrong woman like me…
Am I really the one you want?

A ring of raindrops
Landing on my fourth finger
What a once-in-a-lifetime memory
Make me happy, okay? I love you!
Kiss, kiss!

Destiny beckons to us
A bouquet of tearful kisses
Brimming with the word “YES”

An out-of-the-blue proposal!
In the middle of an intersection!
You’re kidding me!
Frozen, my umbrella rolls over like a flower

Can’t even hear the car horns
So drenched I can’t move
The entire world holds its breath
As we stand here staring at each other
Kiss, kiss!

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KAN “Ai wa Katsu” Interview (1992)

Yesterday, it was announced that this man—one of my favorite songwriters—has passed away.

I had been working on this interview about his most well-known single, “Ai wa Katsu,” and my intention had been to post it today. I’m going to go ahead and publish the interview as scheduled, but please allow me first to express a couple of thoughts.

I just want to say that I absolutely adored this guy. Everything about him. I loved his voice. I loved his singing. I loved his piano playing. I loved his sense of humor; how he had seemingly dedicated his entire adult life to never ever being serious when he spoke. Even his lyrics were silly and comical more often than not. Humor was his life philosophy, and deservedly so. After all, what point is there to life if you can’t even have a wink and a laugh about it?

Most of all, however, I loved his sense of melody.

We all have our “sweet spots” when it comes to music, and for me the things he did as a songwriter often hit those sweet spots exactly on the mark. Anyone could tell he was a real musician’s musician, always wearing his influences—Beatles, Billy, Stevie, et al—on his sleeve. I’m going to miss this guy so much, and I’m going to continue singing praises of his work forever.

I wish I had something more meaningful to say. I feel like there has to be a better set of words I could string together to express how I feel about him. But this is the best I can do for now.

I love you, KAN. Thank you for the music. ❤️


Is KAN‘s 1990 hit single “Ai wa Katsu” your favorite goddamn song of all time? If so, you’ve come to the right place. Here, you see, is an entire 5000-word interview dedicated to that very tune.

This interview was originally published in the 1992 book Boketsu Bari Hori.

Text: Morita Kyoko
English translation: Henkka
KAN links: Website, Twitter, YouTube

Note: You can buy KAN’s physical releases on CDJapan.


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KAN Liner Notes ② (1989–1991)

Here are the liner notes for every song on KAN‘s 4th, 5th, and 6th studio albums, written by the artist himself. The albums featured here are HAPPY TITLE (1989), Yakyuu Senshu ga Yume Datta (1990), and Yukkuri Furo ni Tsukaritai (1991).

These liner notes were originally published in the 1992 book Boketsu Bari Hori.

Text: KAN
English translation: Henkka
KAN links: Website, Twitter, YouTube

Note: You can buy KAN’s physical releases on CDJapan.


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