English Translation | 赤いスイートピー – Red Sweet Pea (Japanese)

春色の汽車に乗って海に連れて行ってよ
Take me to the sea on a spring-colored train

煙草の匂いのシャツにそっと寄りそうから
I’ll lean gently against your shirt that smells of tobacco

何故　知りあった日から半年過ぎても
Why, even though it’s been six months since we met

あなたって手も握らない
You still won’t even hold my hand

I will follow you　あなたに
I will follow you, I want to

ついてゆきたい
Follow wherever you go

I will follow you　ちょっぴり
I will follow you, though I’m a little

気が弱いけど
Shy and unsure

素敵な人だから
Because you’re someone so wonderful

心の岸辺に咲いた　赤いスイートピー
On the shores of my heart, a red sweet pea blooms

四月の雨に降られて駅のベンチで二人
Caught in April rain, sitting together on a station bench

他に人影もなくて不意に気まずくなる
With no one else around, an awkward silence falls

何故　あなたが時計をチラッと見るたび
Why is it, every time you glance at your watch

泣きそうな気分になるの？
I feel like I’m about to cry?

I will follow you　翼の
I will follow you, in boots

生えたブーツで
With wings to soar

I will follow you　あなたと
I will follow you, sharing

同じ青春
The same youth as you

走ってゆきたいの
I want to run alongside you

線路の脇のつぼみは　赤いスイートピー
By the tracks, red sweet pea buds bloom

好きよ　今日まで
I love you, more than

逢った誰より
Anyone I’ve ever met until today

I will follow you　あなたの
I will follow you, because

生き方が好き
I love the way you live

このまま帰れない　帰れない
I can’t go back now, I just can’t

心に春が来た日は　赤いスイートピー
The day spring came to my heart, red sweet peas bloomed

---

Notes:

1. “春色の汽車に乗って海に連れて行ってよ” → “Take me to the sea on a spring-colored train”: The poetic imagery of “春色” (spring-colored) highlights Japanese cultural appreciation for seasons. In English, “spring-colored” keeps the image vivid and direct.
2. “煙草の匂いのシャツにそっと寄りそうから” → “I’ll lean gently against your shirt that smells of tobacco”: “煙草の匂い” (the smell of tobacco) is retained literally, showing how sensory details enhance intimacy in the song.
3. “あなたって手も握らない” → “You still won’t even hold my hand”: The simple expression of unspoken affection, a hallmark of Japanese lyricism, is conveyed with emotional subtlety in English.
4. “心の岸辺に咲いた　赤いスイートピー” → “On the shores of my heart, a red sweet pea blooms”: The metaphor “心の岸辺” (shores of my heart) is kept intact, offering a poetic, romantic image for learners.
5. “四月の雨に降られて駅のベンチで二人” → “Caught in April rain, sitting together on a station bench”: The seasonal detail “四月の雨” (April rain) reflects Japan’s deep connection to nature, translated for cultural resonance.
6. “泣きそうな気分になるの？” → “I feel like I’m about to cry?”: The emotional vulnerability in “泣きそう” is directly relatable in English, helping learners understand subtle expressions of feelings.
7. “線路の脇のつぼみは　赤いスイートピー” → “By the tracks, red sweet pea buds bloom”: The imagery of red sweet peas symbolizes love and fragility, a cultural motif that enriches understanding of Japanese symbolism.
8. “心に春が来た日は　赤いスイートピー” → “The day spring came to my heart, red sweet peas bloomed”: The phrase “春が来た” (spring came) metaphorically represents emotional awakening, showcasing how seasons are often tied to emotions in Japanese songs.