Blue
The Seatbelts
The Ethereal Longing in 'Blue' by The Seatbelts
The song 'Blue' by The Seatbelts, featured in the iconic anime series Cowboy Bebop, is a hauntingly beautiful exploration of existential longing and the quest for freedom. The lyrics, delivered with ethereal vocals by Mai Yamane, Soichiro Otsuka, and Gabriela Robin, evoke a sense of yearning and introspection. The recurring theme of the color blue serves as a metaphor for both melancholy and the infinite possibilities of the sky, symbolizing the vast expanse of human emotions and the desire to transcend earthly limitations.
The opening lines, 'Never seen a blue sky / Yeah I can feel it reaching out / And moving closer,' suggest a sense of awakening and the pursuit of something greater. The protagonist grapples with the meaning of their existence, questioning the purpose of their journey. The line 'Things have turned a deeper shade of blue / And images that might be real / May be illusion' reflects the blurred lines between reality and illusion, a common theme in Cowboy Bebop, where characters often confront their pasts and the elusive nature of their dreams.
The chorus, with its repeated plea for freedom, 'Free / Wanna be free / Gonna be free / And move among the stars,' captures the essence of the human spirit's desire to break free from constraints and explore the unknown. The song's conclusion, 'Life is just a dream you know / That's never ending / I'm ascending,' reinforces the idea that life is a continuous journey, filled with dreams and aspirations that propel us forward. The absence of 'black and white in the blue' signifies a world beyond rigid dichotomies, where clarity and freedom coexist in a boundless, dreamlike state.