夢の中へ [Yume no Naka e]
井上陽水 [INOUE Yōsui]
Words & Music : 井上陽水 [INOUE Yōsui]
This is an article recommended for Japanese language learners!
Yōsui Inoue is a singer-songwriter born in Fukuoka Prefecture wiki in 1948. He was expected to become a dentist following the family business but gave up on going to university and moved to Tokyo to become a musician.
Previously, I introduced “Kasa ga Nai” from his first album “Danzetsu.” The next single released after that, “Yume no Naka e,” became his first hit. He has since released many works and also provided many songs for other singers, so you will see his name frequently in this blog.
“Yume no Naka e” has been covered by many musicians, with the most famous being the cover version by idol singer Yuki Saito (1989). This is arranged in a technopop style.
Additionally, there is a manga “Kareshi Kanojo no Jijō” , known overseas as “Kare Kano wiki“, which was adapted into an anime by Hideaki Anno in 1998, and the ending theme song for this anime is a cover version of this song. Incidentally, the B-side of that CD is a cover of Pink Lady‘s “S.O.S.”
探しものは何ですか?
sagashimono wa nan desu ka
見つけにくいものですか?
mitsuke nikui mono desu ka
カバンの中もつくえの中も
kaban no naka mo tsukue no naka mo
探したけれど見つからないのに
sagashita keredo mitsukaranai noni
- 探す（さがす） (sagasu) [sagasu] : search
- もの (mono) [mono] : thing
- 何（なに） (nani) [nani] : what
- 見つける（みつける） (mitsukeru) [mitsukeru] : find
- にくい (nikui) [nikui] : difficult
- カバン (kaban) [kaban] : bag
- 中（なか） [naka] : inside
- つくえ (tsukue) [tsukue] : desk
- 見つかる（みつかる） (mitsukaru) [mitsukaru] : be found
(translation) “What are you searching for?
Is it something difficult to find?
Even though you’ve searched in your bag and in your desk,
you still can’t find it.”
The words “kaban” and “tsukue” somehow remind me of my school days.
Since there are no difficult words in these lyrics, they are suitable for those who want to study Japanese, including grammar.
“何ですか / nan desu ka” (=What is it?) is a phrase found on the first page of any textbook. While such polite language is practical, it surprisingly doesn’t often appear in lyrics.
まだまだ探す気ですか?
mada mada sagasu ki desu ka
それより僕と踊りませんか?
sore yori boku to odorimasen ka
夢の中へ 夢の中へ
yume no naka e yume no naka e
行ってみたいと思いませんか?
itte mitai to omoimasen ka
- まだ (mada) [mada] : still
- 気（き） (ki) [ki] : feeling
- それ (sore) [sore] : that
- より (yori) [yori] : rather than
- 僕（ぼく） (boku) [boku] : I
- 踊る（おどる） (odoru) [odoru] : dance
- 夢（ゆめ） (yume) [yume] : dream
- 行く（いく） (iku) [iku] : go
- みたい (mitai) [mitai] : want
- 思う（おもう） (omou) [omou] : think
(translation) “Are you still searching?
Rather than that, won’t you dance with me?
Into the dream, into the dream,
don’t you want to go?”
The word “中 / naka” (=inside) appears frequently in these lyrics. Let’s also take note of its opposite, “外 / soto” (=outside).
The lyrics are suggestive and mysterious. This is the essence of Yōsui Inoue’s lyrics.
休む事も許されず
yasumu koto mo yurusarezu
笑う事は止められて
warau koto wa tomerarete
はいつくばってはいつくばって
haitsukubatte haitsukubatte
いったい何を探しているのか
ittai nani o sagashite iru no ka
- 休む（やすむ） (yasumu) [yasumu] : rest
- こと (koto) [koto] : thing
- 許す（ゆるす） (yurusu) [yurusu] : allow
- 笑う （わらう） (warau) [warau] : laugh
- 止める（とめる） (tomeru) [tomeru] : stop
- はいつくばる (haitsukubaru) [haitsukubaru] : crawl
- いったい (ittai) [ittai] : what on earth
(translation) “Not allowed to rest,
stopped from laughing,
crawling and crawling,
what on earth are you searching for?”
“こと / koto” and “もの / mono” are among the most important words in Japanese. “Koto” refers to abstract things, while “mono” refers to tangible things. Additionally, “koto” is used here to turn verbs into nouns.
探すのをやめた時
sagasu no o yameta toki
見つかる事もよくある話で
mitsukaru koto mo yoku aru hanashi de
踊りましょう 夢の中へ
odorimashō yume no naka e
行ってみたいと思いませんか?
itte mitai to omoimasen ka
- やめる (yameru) [yameru] : stop
- 時（とき） (toki) [toki] : time
- よく (yoku) [yoku] : often
- ある (aru) [aru] : exist
- 話（はなし） (hanashi) [hanashi] : story
(translation) “When you stop searching,
things often get found.
Let’s dance into the dream.
Don’t you want to go?”
“よく / yoku” and “ある / aru” combine to form “よくある / yoku aru” (=likely). Recently, this has been called “あるある / aruaru” and has become a staple in comedy.
探しものは何ですか?
sagashimono wa nan desu ka
まだまだ探す気ですか?
mada mada sagasu ki desu ka
夢の中へ 夢の中へ
yume no naka e yume no naka e
行ってみたいと思いませんか?
itte mitai to omoimasen ka
夢の中へ 夢の中へ
yume no naka e yume no naka e
Did you find anything useful in these lyrics?
The shorter the lyrics, the quicker the article ends, the more classic the song. This is a classic case of “あるある / aruaru” for “Words In Japanese Song.”
Postscript :
Yosui Inoue was arrested in 1977 for possession of marijuana (receiving an 8-month prison sentence, suspended for 2 years)…
There is a theory that this song might be about the time when his house was searched by police for marijuana. It certainly would explain a lot. Inoue himself seems to have denied this, though.
Thanks for reading! Feel free to comment if you have any feedback or questions.
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