August 10, 2024

Translation: The Watercolor Town (Eiichi Ohtaki)

The Watercolor Town (Ohtaki/Matsumoto) is all Eiichi: two lines of acoustic guitar, two lines of vocals, and light percussion. Someone exploring his output chronologically, like me, wouldn't think that songs arranged this way would be so precious. Imagine a solo acoustic demo of Ohtaki playing The Wind is Rising? But no, once he launched Niagara, there was no turning back. Eiichi's arrangements got progressively more unhinged, and then after the great bust he went all lush city pop, and then the muse deserted him, and that was that.

I'm far from confident about the chorus lyrics. Check back in six months. 



:::



In the watercolor town
are fragrant apricot flowers
that look like sea lanterns
dangling in the wind.

You let your hair down, giggling.
Don't act so aloof, come on!
Say something in answer
or at least grunt to show you heard me.

In the watercolor room
is a single apricot flower,
revolving delicately
like a pinwheel.

You twine my gaze all around yourself.
Don't act so aloof, come on!
Say something in answer
or at least grunt to show you heard me.

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