Midnight Blues

Ichiro Araki's 'Midnight Blues' is a poignant exploration of nostalgia, heartache, and the enduring power of music. The song's lyrics paint a vivid picture of a past filled with youthful dreams and emotional highs, all encapsulated in the titular 'Midnight Blues.' The recurring phrase 'Hey hey hey blues' serves as a refrain that underscores the deep emotional resonance of the blues genre, which is known for its ability to convey sorrow and longing.

The song opens with the narrator reminiscing about a dream of a past love, whose memory is intertwined with the music they once shared. This sets the tone for the rest of the song, where the 'Midnight Blues' becomes a symbol of both the pain and the beauty of those memories. The lyrics mention various forms of blues, such as 'ジャンキーナブルース' (Junkie Blues) and 'クレイジーレイジーナブルース' (Crazy Rage Blues), each representing different facets of the emotional spectrum the narrator experiences.

Araki's use of metaphors like 'シャワーのようさ' (like a shower) and '雨のランニン・ザ・ブルース' (Running in the Rain Blues) adds layers of meaning to the song. These images evoke a sense of cleansing and renewal, suggesting that while the past may be filled with pain, there is also a cathartic release in revisiting those memories. The song's structure, with its repetitive and rhythmic 'Hey hey hey blues,' mimics the cyclical nature of memory and emotion, reinforcing the idea that these feelings are ever-present, even as time moves on.

'おまえの熱さが 忘れられない' (I can't forget your passion) and 'アイツのそぶりは 忘れられない' (I can't forget their demeanor) highlight the lasting impact of the people and experiences that have shaped the narrator's life. The 'Midnight Blues' thus becomes a timeless anthem for anyone who has ever felt the sting of lost love and the bittersweet comfort of cherished memories.