lyrics by JUN TOGAWA / KYOKO TOGAWA | music by YOSHU KOMATSU
The title of this in the original Japanese, herikutsu, is often translated as ‘splitting hairs’ – essentially someone who argues for argument’s sake. I chose the relatively rare word sophistic, which is the adjectival form of sophistry, defined as “a subtle, tricky, superficially plausible, but generally fallacious method of reasoning.” I believe this better fits with the overall psychoanalytic vocabulary used in the song, and is a fitting take down for the know-it-all Togawa seems to be talking down to in this song.
Translation and notes are under the cut:
Nothing more than a play on words, a pick up line, no?
Even your words of love are simply psychological
(It’s analogous!) (1)
Even if it’s set up logically
It’ll be lacking in practicality
It’s all theoretical! Sophistic BOY
He can’t see through a woman’s heart
“Because I like it metaphysically!”
Pedantically, it’s a bit roundabout, no?
(It’s abstract!)
Me, as a phenomenon?
I’m a paranoiac you can’t capture
He’s lacking the knowledge
Sophistic BOY
That girls really love kisses
Even though I loved you
You’re argumentative!
I’m going home
I’m at my limit now, Sophistic BOY
I’m at my limit now, Sophistic BOY
Sophistic BOY, Sophistic BOY
1: This is rendered as アナロッてるわ in Japanese, which I cannot find used anywhere else in the time period. Maybe I’m looking in the wrong place, but I ended up taking the context into account and choosing to interpret it as a description of something being analogous, as that fits the overall psychoanalytic theme of the text. In addition, I think アナロジーっている could feasibly be truncated to アナロッてる by a Japanese speaker. If you have a better translation for this do let me know, I can frankly admit I’m not sure about this one, but I felt that the rest of the song was understandable enough without a muffled background line that it was more or less publishable. Thanks!
