Catch Ball / キャッチボール English Lyrics Translation

ENGLISH

Catch Ball

A tree-lined road after the rain

The smell of exhaust and grass

You stood to my side

Coughing

And you smiled

Painfully

A red-rusted iron pipe

A dam made of sand

From behind me, you

Threw a rubber ball

High into

The sunless sky

"I'll never catch that!"

I panic and chase the ball, already giving up

"You don't have to"

You say, smiling

We kept playing catch ball

Even after the sun set

You face looked a bit bored

And deep in thought

You threw an

Uncontrolled curve ball

"I'll never catch that!"

I desperately chase the ball, already giving up

"I didn't think you could"

You say, surprised

Complaints like a curve ball

Kindness like a disappearing magic ball

The ball you throw

Always lands somewhere I can't get it

Time and time again

You threw it

Though I won't be able to catch it

I desperately chase the ball, already giving up

I don't want you to laugh and say

"You don't have to catch it"

I will desperately chase

The kindness and complaints

That I have overlooked until now

I'll keep playing catch ball

I'll keep playing it forever

I become better

And I close the distance

Your heart grows closer

Your voice grows distant

Your voice grows near

Complaints like a curve ball

Kindness like a disappearing magic ball

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JAPANESE

キャッチボール

雨上がりの並木道

排気ガスと草の匂い

君は僕のななめ前

咳をしながら

苦しそうに

笑った

赤く錆びた鉄棒

造りかけの砂のダム

君は僕の後ろから

ゴムのボールを

日の沈んだ空に

高く投げた

「とれるわけないだろう!」

呆れながらも慌てて追う

「とれなくてもいい」

と君は微笑んでた

夕焼けが終わっても

キャッチボールは続いてた

君はちょっと飽きた顔

思い付いた顔

コントロール無視の

カーブ投げた

「とれるわけないだろう!」

呆れながらも必死でとる

「とれないと思った」

と君は驚いてた

カーブの様な愚痴

消える魔球のような優しさ

君のボールはいつも

届かない所へ飛んでいく

君はボールを何度も

僕に投げた

とれるわけない球も

呆れながらも必死で追う

「とれなくてもいい」

と微笑んで欲しくない

今まで見逃した

優しさや愚痴やいろいろ

必死で追う

キャッチボールは続いていく

いつまでも続いていく

上手くなって

距離を置く

心は近付いていく

君の声は遠くなり

君のコエが近くなる

カーブの様なグチ

消える魔球の様な優しさ

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OPINION

I see this as a song about human relationships. The speaker wants to get closer to his friend, but the friend does not always open up to him. The friend complains and hides his kindness, and is evasive. Their relationship is like a back-and-forth game.