For over ten years I have listened to and loved this album I have by Haruomi Hosono. Hosono was one of the members of Yellow Magic Orchestra, a very popular Japanese '80's-era pop band. (Ryuichi Sakamoto was another of the members, and Yukihiro Takahashi was the third. Sakamoto is probably the most famous, in the U.S. and in Japan.)

Anyway, my favorite song on the album has always been the last one, called Arigatou, which title translates as "thank you". The song is very sweet-sounding, with Hosono singing and playing acoustic guitar. It's a very catchy and soft tune. Although I speak a little Japanese, I had never really listened to the words closely.

At some point I decided that I would learn the song to play for a group of friends at some event. In preparation, I translated the lyrics, which are provided in Japanese in the CD. I discovered a song which was very different from the one which I had imagined. Here is my translation:

Arigatou by Haruomi Hosono Translated by Jeremy Bornstein

Thank you for your caprice, thank you Thank you for your nonsense, thank you For your cynical words of flattery too-- Once again, thank you very much I merely thank you for all the words which come out of your mouth Thank you for your downright lies Thank you for your watered-down laughter For your cynical words of flattery too-- Once again, thank you very much I merely thank you for all the words which come out of your mouth It's as if I have become the Earth, Accepting of everything. I have gradually become a fool. Thank you for your advice, thank you Thank you for your familiar earnesty, thank you From the bottom of my stony heart, resoundingly-- I merely thank you for all the words which come out of your mouth I merely thank you for all the words which come out of your mouth

I received some help with bits of the translation from some friendly and helpful native Japanese speakers, but I'm not absolutely certain I have it correct as it is above.

Here are the original transliterated Japanese lyrics: