“Playback, Part 2” by Yamaguchi Momoe

This song gets stuck in my head a lot. I’ll hum it while washing the teachers’ tea cups, and the student helping me will laugh and ask where I learned such an old song. It’s just that hard to resist – starting with the title. What on earth happened to “Playback, Part 1”? And then there’s the deliciously classic campy performance (enough to make Liza Minnelli weep) by Yamaguchi Momoe. She retired to be a full-time housewife in 1980 after only seven years in show business, but she’s sure to turn up in every best hits musical program.

Racing through the green in a red Porsche,
Travelling alone, I twist the wheel as I like.
At an intersection I bump the mirror of the next car,
And the shouting makes me automatically raise my voice.

"Don't treat me like a fool - it's your fault."
Wait a second - Playback, Playback -
Those words just now - Playback, Playback.

"Don't treat me like a fool - it's your fault."
That was my line last night.
Embracing others as you like,
As though a woman will wait forever.
Boy, who on earth did you learn that from?
As for me, as for me - I'm tired of it.

The distant waves glitter along the highway.
This will be a short trip - I step on the gas.
In the salt air I turn the radio up.
Out flows a beautiful song that steals my heart.

“Do as you like - I guess you're leaving.”
Wait a second - Playback, Playback -
That song just now - Playback, Playback.

“Do as you like - I guess you're leaving.”
That was your line last night.
Pretending to be strong, you said that,
But I know you'll truly miss me.

Boy, who on earth did you learn that from?
After all, after all, I am coming home.

Coming back to you, Playback, Playback -
Coming back to you, Playback.

 

(On a side note, I love the way she says “Boya” which has exactly the same disdainful connotations as its obvious English counterpart. When they were first put together, Kinki Kids were called Kanzai Boya [Kanzai/Kinki both being names for the area they’re from] and probably the only reason they didn’t rebel against the second name was that it was an improvement {though slight} on the first)

歌詞 翻訳 英語 山口百恵 プレイバックPart2