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Setsu | 節

by Mermaid Guitar

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  • Streaming + Download

    Includes high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more. Paying supporters also get unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app.

    Five bonus tracks with the full download: alternative versions and early demos.
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1.
Shakuhachi Man, こむそう (April, 4月) 03:47
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{first verse} Sit beneath this lonely tree High up on a hill, looking out over the sea The town below me wakes from sleep A ribbon of houses wedged beneath the mountains and the sea I come to this temple this time every year A travelling shakuhachi man, I love this cherry tree right here As I sit a morning Spring wind sounds And from just above my head the first pink blossom flutters down The sun gets higher warmth gets my fingers going, play a little tune for myself before I go down to the koen {second verse} Here they come, it's time to play Beneath the clouds of pink, a sea of blue tarpaulins laid Once a year, friends and family meeting Like the blossom on the trees, it's more beautiful because it's fleeting The day grows longer Office parties swell the numbers Make hay while the sun shines because it will have sunk too soon {middle bit} Shakuhachi In any other player's hands Is melancholy But I can't help but play my happy melody {third verse} In feudal times shakuhachi man Would have been suspected of spying on your lands Now I just play to make living And though I watch you all, this spy is more forgiving
2.
On Your Bike, 自転車で (May, 5月) 03:11
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{first verse, junior high kid} I get up on a Monday: gotta get off to school Got my books in my bag, got a black and white uniform Don't need my jacket now the May days aren't so cool Shit! 母さん 7.23 ともゆき君's gonna be waiting there for me Where we meet every day at the convenience store car park Gotta get to pre-school baseball at the school park Out the door, saddle up, helmet on, but don't do the strap up I'm free Bend my knees Soothing breeze blows through the trees On my bike Ride it where I like {second verse, Office Lady} I get up every weekday: gotta get off to work Hair up, face on, blue office lady uniform 3 years now as a desk clerk ね—母さん 8.24. No time for breakfast. Out the door At my desk I dream: me as a bride But for now I'll saddle up and ride Free Skirt to knees And high heels (but still I'm free) On my bike Ride it where I like {middle spacey bit} You take your car, safe inside But two wheels is by far the better way for me to ride {third verse, o-jiisan} The sun's up, so so am I at 5 The field needs me to bend my back That's how my crops and I continue to thrive So saddle up for a wobbly ride again Not bad for an octogenarian I am free (Oooooooo) On my bike, ride it where I On my bike, ride it where I On my bike, ride it where I like (Oooooooo)
3.
Too Much Rain, 多雨 (June, 6月) 03:42
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May blue skies, now June black And my shirt clings to my back Sweat sitting here with window wide Behind insect screen, trapped inside There's just too much rain I know the fields need rain But what's that to me in my 2DK The kids get restless, this oppressive wet air Can't ride their bikes or go exploring somewhere And they're too young to understand why you're not here [break] The scream of cicadas and rice field frogs Three weeks it's been cats and dogs But the deluge can't match my lonely tears So I sit here remembering this time every year Too much, too much, too much, too much rain
4.
Yankii Girl--a 3-Minute Opera, ヤンキーギャル--3分のオペラ (July 7月) 03:02
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Hey let's meet at the convenience store We'll hang out - that's what these summer Saturdays are for Check out my fake tan, check my false eyelashes too Sparkly mascara, don't you love my kimpatsu? >>> Look out world, here I come a glowing Yankii Girl <<< Check out my boyfriend, he's got golden hair like me He's so dreamy, in his shades looks like a young Beat Takeshi On Saturday we go out driving in his Benz (his cool Black Benz) Tinted windows so you can't see us texting to our friends Hey let's meet at the convenience store We'll hang out - that's what these summer Saturdays are for Got some money, I work part-time in a salon Got a chihuahua, he sits inside my Louis Vuitton We're so happy, how lucky we are, It's just a shame our apartment's not as big as our car
5.
The Hungry Ghosts, 飢える亡霊 (August, 8月) 03:19
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Once a year we are allowed to come The 15th day of the 7th moon Come are we a pale, unwordly host We are the hungry hosts We envy those who are of blood and bone For we are doomed to remember our own So o-bon offers us a wondrous chance to dance The ocean's woe to those who venture in Those lost at sea will drag you in And those took 'fore our time will seek your light And visit you tonight You come to pacify my spirit gone With a sake cup, a persimmon So every year you come, my willing slave To sweep the dust from my grave
6.
Setsu, 節 (September, 9月) 04:41
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{first verse} One hand on the white ring Head on shoulder, sleeping Railway crossing Head snaps to attention Automatic reflex action Comprehension "Momonaku, uchi desu" {"Now approaching: my house"} There's no phrase more beautiful One of millions, I egress Train doors open, I'm on my cycle {chorus} Home through the streets of my neighbourhood See the moon, she nightly rides As I do, each in different spheres Such is the rhythm of life Evening air is cooling Scents of fish or curry cooking Bodies refueling {second verse} Same in every town Open windows breathe out sounds Splashing baths, baseball crowds Summer heat now Autumn's throng Fields of rice grow knee-high Last cicada sings his song Waited years to accompany my ride {chorus} Sameru|Okiru|Taberu|Deru|Hataraku|Kaeru|Asobu|Neru {Wake|Rise|Eat|Go out|Work|Come home|Play|Sleep} Getsu|Ka|Sui|Moku|Kin|Do|Nichi {Monday|Tuesday|etc.} Umare|Shibou|Gakkou|Shigoto|Kaimono|Kazoku|Shisestu {Birth|Death|School|Work|Shopping|Family|Seasons} {third verse} Now down garden path As daughter struggles with her math And son plays in the bath Open door to shut out city Put on my slippers - they're Hello Kitty Wife is pretty "Tadaima" is what I say, {"I'm home"} “O-Kaeri” comes the reply {"Welcome home"} Simple words said every day But words I long for every time I ride... {chorus}
7.
Haiku, 俳句 (October, 10月) 04:15
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{Haiku | 俳句 } Leaves catch midday sun Burning red, beautiful death Seasons turn - Autumn '`- `-._ `'` '-._ 1, 2, 3, 4 in the car, here we go Ant-lines on the highway Marching along to the rhythm of our in-car entertainment AV systems City air is infected, but air-con protected, A film strip of concrete flickers fast past our windows Slowly grey gives way, we're on our way to { C h o r u s } See the leaves, the beautiful leaves They make me feel easy, connected to nature And I snap a hundred pictures so I can enjoy them year round on my desktop { 俳句 } Melancholy I Gaze upon, soon gone, mellow red yellow colours Here 'mongst the trees, glad to be Japanese Safe amongst the thousands of individuals like me, who buy a souvenir, some snacks to prove we've { C h o r u s } Been to see the beautiful leaves Makes us feel easy, they're part of our nature Then it's back in the car, and back home, and upload to our desktops { 俳句 } Green's gone, life goes on Falling leaf, beauty's so brief First leaf falls - AUTUMN
8.
Harvest (This Is What We Do), 収穫 (November, 11月) 03:28
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Let's all go down to the fields Mother nature turns her wheel Leaves have turned, that's how we tell Bring the shrine, strike the bell Draw the lots, it's time to fight Spirits will smile on us tonight Drums will sound and crowd goes wild Shrines surge forward and collide Villages gather at this spot The night is cold but the sake's hot
9.
Cosplay, コスプレ (December, 12月) 02:49
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{first verse} Face as pure as freshly fallen snow flakes on my umbrella lace Goose bumps underneath black petticoat above black knee-high stockings Winter’s chill, it bites yet I endure it because Fashion is my passion though 2 hours it takes to make my face this perfect ...but it’s totally worth it {chorus} I wear my uniform all week At school I act like I’m a geek But, oh, on Sunday: cosuplay {second verse} Takako, my friend, she’s しろ ろり to my gothic lolita Monochrome in stereo & hand in hand we walk our small town Shopping mall, 'Last Christmas' elevator tune accompanies us as we walk The おばあちゃん stare at us severely wondering why we dress so weirdly {chorus} We wear our uniforms all week At school I’m studious and meek But, oh, on Sunday Cosuplay {middle bit} Some day I will lose my way Harajuku streets, shops, crowds and noise Somewhere where Takako and I mix with ヴィジュアル系, ガングロ, punk - we all cosuplay {third verse} Photo flash, one day you’ll dress this way, through fashion show the world the real you All おばあちゃん, salary men, office ladies, mums and kids and teachers too {chorus} We wear our uniforms all week Though the world thinks we are geeks Oh, on Sunday Oh, on Sunday...
10.
Kotatsu No Shita Ni, こたつの下に (January, 1月) 05:19
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{first verse} Fuyu - ichiban - sabishii - kiSETSU (Winter is a lonely season) Soto wa - samui - boku wa - ureshii (Outside it's cold; I am happy) {chorus} Ashi ga atatakai, atatakai ga (My legs are warm, they're warm but) Atama o sukkiri sasete kuru (My head is clear) boku wa ureshii, ureshii (I am happy, happy) Kotatsu no shita ni (Under the kotatsu) {second verse} Washitsu no naka ni (In the tatami room [traditional Japanese-style]) nooto wa kotatsu no ue ni tsukatteru (I'm using my laptop on the kotatsu) Online de tomodachi to iroiro hanashi o shite iru (Chatting online with my friends about all sorts of things) "Koko wa samui yo" ("It's cold here") "Anata no tokoro wa dou?" ("How is it where you are?") Tada boku no iken ga Fuyu wa sabishikunai yo ("IMHO winter isn't lonely at all") {chorus} {third verse} kouinya no gotoshi (Time flies like an arrow) mou asa go ji da (It's already 5am) sugu ni shigoto ni ikanai to (Gotta get to work soon) so shite tomodachi ni bai bai to iu yo (So, I say bye to my friends) soto wa samui demo (It's cold outside but...) {chorus}
11.
Practice Perfect, 習うより慣れろ (February, 2月) 04:00
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Follow the father, trade passed to me at birth Now I have hands that are stained with clay of this earth Secrets are handed down As the potter's wheel spins round Moulding each son Like this pot shaped from clay "Practice makes perfect" - creed that my father preached He always added: "Perfection can never be reached" Every artisan Geisha, painter, shakuhachi man Is bound to create Like this potter's son of clay Even though I worry about the future My son shows no interest in the craft I said, "One day, my boy, a potter you'll be" He just laughed His life's games of mahjong, pachinko and bars Spends all his money on his bleached-blonde girlfriend and cars BUT such thoughts are winter's cold Warmed by the kiln's red fire Fuelled by the heat of my father’s, his father's, Thousands and thousands Of pots fired in years gone by Secrets will be handed down As the potter's wheel spins round If not son then daughter Like a pot shaped from clay
12.
Karesansui, 枯れ山水 (March, 3月) 05:15
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{first verse} Black veins of a leafless tree Silhouette the cold blue sky Shadow creeps slowly 'cross the melting snow at my feet Marking time in black and white Look - here comes that shabby traveller, he's weird but polite He bows to me, then unloads his supplies Comes here each year, sits by the tree, gets out his pipe As as he starts to play I realise First - pink - shows - breaking through the snow {first chorus} Temple garden: climb the hill to see Temple garden: nice view of the sea for anyone who comes {second verse} I tend the trees and sweep the paths, done it since my husband died The priests seem happy for me to lend a hand I try to rake the rock garden too I'm no good but it satisfies making patterns in the sand and stone See - deep - sense - I have to laugh at my attempts but {second chorus} Karesansui: planets, rivers, hills Karesansui: the pleasure it instills in everyone who comes {mega-rock-outro-bit} And on perfect evenings such as this one Big red sun, misty ocean horizon People climb up the hill, throw a coin into the box And they sit and contemplate the stones and rocks Salary man, Yankee girl, eighty or eighteen People look and see meanings that I didn't mean to mean Differences so unexpected are the very things by which we are all connected They all leave and life goes on And I wonder who will tend the garden when I'm gone

about

Setsu | 節 = 1. occasion; time 2. section; paragraph; verse; stanza; passage

Twelve songs for 12 months to celebrate life in Japan.

About the tracks, musical notes and more: mermaidguitar.blogspot.co.nz/search/label/Setsu

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released November 1, 2016

Cover art by Catriona McKillop

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Mermaid Guitar New Zealand

If you like it: enjoy it. If you really like it: pay what you feel. Each album has bonus material for download.

Mermaid Guitar music is not earnest navel-gazing. It's indie rock with humour and hidden depths.

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