Route89

dadappiroi machi wo sunabokori age
kawaita kuuki wo matoihashitta
dokomade tsudzuku? chiheisen no oku
nanika wo sagashimotome kita wake ja nai
Billows of dust rise in this vast city
I wrap the parched air 'round me and run forth
How far do I go? Far into the horizon
I didn't come here looking for something.

moshi kono basho ni umare   chigau hitomi ni iro wo shite itemo
tabun kudaranai nayami   onaji you ni omoku seotteru
Even if I had been born in this place
And my eyes were a different color,
Probably, I would still be carrying around
These same worthless worries on my back.

ningen tte sonzai wa zeitaku na mono
donna joukyou ni itatte
sorenari fuman   sorenari giman   chikamichi motome
kedo imi aru toomawari shitai monda na
Mankind is an extravagant creature,
Whatever the situation, he follows his nature
Always discontent, always deceptive, seeking the shortest way out
But don't you want to walk the longest, most meaningful path?

hiniku ni mamiresugita   kotoba wo dareka ni tsukisashite
hon no sukoshi yuuetsukan   oboeru you na boku ni deatta
I would pierce others with words
That were dripping with sarcasm
Just to feel a little bit of smugness...
That was the sort of person I found in myself.

fukashigi na HERO ga sawaideru mune no naka
kakimushiri hikkaite   SOITSU sutero to iu
Inside my heart,
A mysterious hero is stirring,
He tells me to tear out and claw away at it
To throw it all out....

kitto kono basho ni umare   chigau hitomi no iro wo shite itara
chotto kurai DRY na boku de ite   yasashii dareka ni ai sareta?
demo ano machi ni kaeri   itsumo no nichijou tokete ittara
shoukori mo naku   mata shimetta ikizama wo sarashitsudzukeru darou
Surely, if I had been born in this place
My eyes would be a different color,
And just as I would be a little dry,
Would I have been loved by some kind soul?
But if I am to return to that city
And melt into the routine of usual life,
I'll probably go back to my same old ways
And continue on my dreary way of life. [1]

SORE DE II   SORE MO II   KIMI DE II
It's fine like that,
That's fine, too
I'm fine with you....


Translator's Notes :
[1] There seems to be a pun with the word 'shime(tta),' which can mean both 'moist/damp' (as in humid air or a damp towel) or 'gloomy, dreary' (as in one's spirits). I've translated it here as 'dreary' (hoping to conjure up images of a dampened spirit on a wet, rainy day) in order to contrast with other words like 'dry,' 'parched' (air) that are scattered throughout the rest of the lyrics.