Happy Sunday Japanophiles, Herewith the 43rd issue of the Hai Japan Newsletter — your Weekly Dose of Japan!

Today, we’re breaking down the song "Lucky Bruto" by Ado!

Lucky Bruto by Ado

🎵 Beginning

Japanese:
かったりいな たらたら ブルー ブルー
日々 日々 たりい たりい かったりいな 日々

Romaji:
Kattarii na taratara burū burū
Hibi hibi tarii tarii kattarii na hibi

Translation:
How dull, draggy, blue, blue,
Day after day, boring, dull, tiresome days.

Analysis:

• かったりいな (kattarii na): Slang for "so annoying" or "tiring." A casual, youthful expression.

• たらたら (taratara): Suggests something "dragging on" or "slow and tedious."

• 日々 (hibi): Means "days," often indicating monotony here.

🎵 Beginning 2

Japanese:
意味なくても ガーリー ガーリー
気味悪い ワーニン そうこれ以上ワーニン

Romaji:
Imi nakutemo gārī gārī
Kimiwarui wānin sou kore ijou wānin

Translation:
Even if it’s meaningless, girly, girly,
Creepy warnings—no more of these warnings.

Analysis:

• 意味なくても (imi nakutemo): "Even if it’s meaningless." Reflects a sense of apathy.

• 気味悪い (kimiwarui): "Creepy" or "eerie." A vivid emotional descriptor.

🎵 Chorus Highlight

ヘイミスター
狂ったり 怒り 否 ナ ナ
下らぬ足りない望み蹴ったりしたり

Romaji:
Hei misutā
Kuruttari ikari ina na na
Kudaranu tarinai nozomi kettari shitari

Translation:
Hey mister,
Sometimes crazy, angry—no, no.
Kicking away trivial, unfulfilled desires.

Key Grammar Points:

1. たり...たり (tari...tari): Indicates a list of actions or states.

2. 否 (ina): Means "no" or "denial," adding a blunt, rebellious tone.

🎵 Bridge

Japanese:
きっかけなどは不利益だと
たら たり たり たる たれ とは？

Romaji:
Kikkake nado wa furieki dato
Tara tari tari taru tare to wa?

Translation:
Opportunities are seen as disadvantages—
Tara, tari, tari, taru, tare—what does it mean?

Analysis:

• きっかけ (kikkake): A "trigger" or "opportunity."

• とは (to wa): "What is...?" Common for rhetorical questioning.

• The play on たら/たり references grammatical forms in Japanese.

🎵 Cultural Context

This song captures the angst, monotony, and frustration of modern youth. The slang, repetition, and chaotic emotions evoke rebellion and existential dread, a common theme in contemporary Japanese music.

📝 Practice Exercise:

1. Highlight the -tari forms in the lyrics. Can you spot verbs conjugated this way?

2. Use かったりい (kattarii) in your own sentence. Example: この宿題はかったりいな！(This homework is so annoying!)

That’s all folks!

Let us know your thoughts on these lyrics! 🎤

Have a great Sunday!