Sanatorium

Plastic Tree's song "Sanatorium" delves into the complex emotions of love, loss, and the passage of time. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a person reflecting on a past relationship, capturing the bittersweet essence of memories that linger like a feverish dream. The opening lines, "目を閉じて、色んな君、瞳の奥に納めました" ("With my eyes closed, I stored various versions of you in the depths of my eyes"), suggest a deep introspection and an attempt to preserve the essence of a loved one within oneself. This metaphor of storing memories highlights the struggle to hold onto fleeting moments of happiness and the inevitable decay of those memories over time.

The recurring theme of a "sanatorium" serves as a metaphor for a mental and emotional refuge, a place where the protagonist retreats to cope with their feelings. The lyrics, "目眩で、夢の花開けば ゆっくりさよなら唱えるようで" ("If the dream flowers bloom in dizziness, it feels like slowly saying goodbye"), evoke a sense of disorientation and the slow, painful process of letting go. The sanatorium represents a space of both healing and confinement, where the protagonist is trapped in their memories and unable to move forward.

The song also touches on the idea of forbidden love and the beauty found in loneliness. Lines like "禁じられた遊びで燃やせば孤独って綺麗な色" ("If you burn it with forbidden play, loneliness is a beautiful color") suggest that the intensity of forbidden love can transform loneliness into something almost beautiful. The imagery of flowers wilting and the passage of time, as seen in "花束の花が一つずつ 枯れてくのを眺めているような" ("Like watching the flowers in a bouquet wither one by one"), underscores the inevitability of change and the sorrow that accompanies it. Ultimately, "Sanatorium" is a poignant exploration of the delicate balance between holding onto the past and finding the strength to let go.