[OLD] Song of the Week: Birth - KAT-TUN

This week another Japanese entry (with a group that's actually Japanese this time).  The song I'll be focusing on this week is by a group of guys that I really don't know a whole lot about, but I do know they're pretty good singers and really good dancers.  KAT-TUN is the group I speak of (pronunciation is interesting on this one; I'm told you're supposed to say it like you're saying "cartoon" with an English accent).  This group is one that I like not so much for their music, but more for their personalities.  A few years ago they had a variety show (in Japan that can mean just about anything, but trust me, this one was good) on TV wherein I got to know their personalities and temperaments fairly well.  But I digress.

Back to the song at hand.  This particular song, entitled Birth, was used as the ending theme for the 2012 drama Youkai Ningen starring KAT-TUN member Kamenashi Kazuya (Kame for short).  It's really cool as you'll soon see, and while it's not explicitly connected to the drama, the tone is similar and it fits really well.  Below are the lyrics*:

Light and shadow, the traveling rain will never come again "here"
I only try to move forward, while searching for you in an endless world

From "here" what will be waiting for us?  In which "place" is tomorrow?
In a time which will never return, I want to know the reason of my birth
Even if I'll have difficulties to understand things I believe
Doubting of things I don't know, I want to see you

There is no night without dawn, someone is waiting for you with an outstretched hand
Without me never give up, go ahead!

Light and shadow continue to go on, a painful birth
In that endless world which only falls down then stands up
I remember, I remember that I'm born to meet you
In an unknown tomorrow, I'll engrave only the sound of your voice in my chest

Nothing is healed, pain is among my belongings when I'm in a corner of that huge city
Without limit from me to a sinless you
I noticed that place isn't good since you're not in it

There are no tears that we cannot dry, I'll surely find you in the next town
The dreams that we can't believe in don't change, go ahead!

The light is overflowing on me, I wonder if there is darkness in the bottom of my heart
When someone is self-confident, his memories traveled
I heard, I heard, I see you under the same sky
Yes, believe in the life which goes on, in the miracle that leads us

The world still turns without even noticing our lives
But now I feel like believing in our encounter

Light and shadow continue to go on, a painful birth
In that endless world which only falls down then stands up
I remember, I remember that I'm born to meet you
In an unknown tomorrow, I'll engrave only the sound of your voice in my chest

And I walk

I love this song.  Personally I'm a little sad this doesn't have music video, even a "drama trailer" music video like they do with a lot of Korean drama themes.  But aside from that, this song rocks.  There's a lot of really cool electric guitar riffs in this, along with some really heavy techno beat type stuff.  When you watch the drama, it totally fits the feel of what you just watched.

The vocals for this song are pretty cool too.  This isn't the strongest I've ever heard out of KAT-TUN, but then again, they tend to focus more on individual sound than cohesive sound (I won't get into my opinion of that; they should totally focus more on their "harmony", so to speak).  At least that's what I've noticed.

Anywho, this song is awesome.  Plain and simple.  Pure awesome.  So go look it up.  Watch the drama while you're at it.  I don't think you'll be disappointed.

*Translation may not be 100% accurate.  Don't fault me; I don't speak Japanese.
Translation credited to makikawaii