ゆりかごのなかで yurikago no naka de Inside A Cradle original: 花は幻想のままに/今昔幻想郷 ～ Flower Land/春色小径～ Colorful Path from: 東方花映塚 ～ Phantasmagoria of Flower View arrangement: コンプ (Comp) lyrics/vocals: ランコ (Ranko) album: 似非葬列指南 (Ese Souretsu Shinan) circle: 豚乙女 (BUTAOTOME)
Okay, prepare yourself, because I have a lot to say about this song and it became rare for me to write long comments about something. The moment I listened to the full version, I was absolutely mesmerized by this song. I’m still looping it constantly and I probably won’t get sick of it for a long time : P
Now, I thought it was odd that the title is written completely in hiragana, so I pondered about it for a bit. Looking at the original themes, they have a lot to do with flowers. The words “flowers” and “blooming” are also very present in the lyrics, so I believed there was a deeper meaning to the way the title is written. So I don’t think it’s a coincidence that yurikago (“cradle”) can also be read as yuri kago (“basket of lilies”). White lilies represent purity and innocence similar to the way a newborn does. Since the lyrics refer to someone or something as “blooming” rather than “growing up”, I’m positive this is a valid interpretation of the title. An alternative way to read the line ゆりかごのなかで (yuri-kago no naka de) would thus be:
“Inside a basket of lilies”
Secondly, quite a few parts of the lyrics hold a double meaning. While 青 (ao), 赤 (aka), 白 (shiro) and 黒 (kuro) normally translate to blue, red, white and black, it seemed to me like their metaphoric meanings make more sense in their context. Also, 不惑 (fuwaku) is also used to refer to the age between 40-50, because people with that age are typically believed to have their life together and have achieved a certain degree of certainty (lol). So an alternative translation of the lines with the four colors would be:
“The blue of certainty and the red of renown,
Memories are white and recurrences are black.”
相似たり、変わらぬ花は
永遠よりも尚甘く柔く
移ろいは人の世の常
何時か大地に還る時まで
ainitari, kawaranu hana wa
towa yori mo nao amaku yawaku
utsuroi wa hito no yonotsune
itsuka daichi ni kaeru toki made
The flowers of resemblance and invariance
Are more sweet and soft than eternity.
Evanescence is the way of the human world;
So that eventually they return to the earth.
不惑は青 知名の赤
耳順で一回りする 生まれ変わって
fuwaku wa ao chimei no aka
jijun de hitomawari suru umarekawatte
Unswerving yet immature, perfection is found in renown.
You take one round in 60 years and are born again.
もうさよならを重ねてく
寂しさは図れない
知らぬ侭あたたかな
ゆりかごのなかで
mou sayonara o kasaneteku
samishisa wa hakarenai
shiranu mama atataka na
yurikago no naka de
Before long, you will accumulate farewells.
Loneliness cannot be deceived
While you’re still unaware
Inside a warm cradle.
やさしさは強さを母に
強さはやがて愛を生み出す
yasashisa wa tsuyosa o haha ni
tsuyosa wa yagate ai o umidasu
Kindness has strength as its mother; and
This strength will eventually give birth to love.
記憶は白 回帰は黒
どれでも間違いはない
ただ在るままに
kioku wa shiro kaiki wa kuro
doredemo machigai wa nai
tada aru mama ni
Memories are innocent, while recurrences are guilty.
Each of them is certainly
Simply the way it is.
さぁ届かない鮮やかな
羨望は嘲られ
高潔なそのいのち
美しく咲いて
saa todokanai azayaka na
senbou wa azakerare
kouketsu na sono inochi
utsukushiku saite
Now, laugh at the envy
Of brilliance you will not reach.
That noble life of yours
Will bloom to be lovely.
さよならを重ねてく
寂しさは図れない
知らぬ侭あたたかな
ゆりかごのなかで
美しく咲いて
季節を廻りゆく
sayonara o kasaneteku
samishisa wa hakarenai
shiranu mama atataka na
yurikago no naka de
utsukushiku saite
toki o meguri yuku
You will accumulate farewells.
Loneliness cannot be deceived
While you’re still unaware
Inside a warm cradle.
You will bloom to be lovely
As you pass through the seasons.
