"Friends" by KOHH
English

"Friends" by KOHH

by

music

Writing about danchi made me reflect on danchi culture. There’s a rich tradition of anime and manga set in danchi, and countless artists from danchi backgrounds have created amazing works. One of the most important examples is the song Friends by KOHH, who grew up in a danchi in northern Tokyo.

KOHH is Yuki Chiba's former stage name. He overcame a really tough childhood, and that experience gives his music a rare brilliance. Many of his tracks are intense and avant-garde, but Friends is one of his most lyrical and sentimental songs. It features his half-brother, Lil KOHH, and the interplay between Lil KOHH’s childish voice and KOHH’s deeper tone is truly striking.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QFH0h4tzjI

友達とキャッチボール

いつもみんなで遊ぶ

女子のことが好きな松田

神田川は超エロいやつだ

こびつもめっちゃエロいやつだ

吉田はわかんないやつだ

俺は最近彼女が出来たけど

友達みんなで集まる

他の友達も呼んで

馬場遺跡公園

みんなサッカーで遊んでる

けど俺はキャッチボールしてる

たつきのあだ名はゴールディ

久能のあだ名はメッティー

LINEで連絡取ってる

豊田とスミスも元気

みんなでずっと遊ぼう

みんなでずっと遊ぼう

大人になっても一緒に遊ぼう

みんなでずっと遊ぼう

スタジオでレコーディング

金が生まれる遊び

イケてる友達が多い

こんな人生超いい

環七と明治通り

裏道庚申通り

東京都北区王子

後輩いっきとモニー

スカッシュスクワッドかスモーク

俺らのボスりょう君

クラブでお酒を飲む

そのあとは女の子と踊る

みんなでステージの上

刺青だらけの腕

学歷とかないけど気にしない

毎日の遊びが夢

みんなでずっと遊ぼう

みんなでずっと遊ぼう

大人になっても一緒に遊ぼう

みんなでずっと遊ぼう

格闘家になりたいゆう

勉強ばっかしてるすず

サッカーのコーチやる江州

やりたいことを好きにする

接客が好きな高木

レーサーになりたい浅りん

いつの間にいのちゃんはパパになった

時間が過ぎんの早い

きょうじとまあ君もパパ

りゅうじとりゅうたろうもパパ

腕っぷしなら立山

またいじられてる中沢

野口君はおまわり

オラオラようたは五丁目団地

最近太ったいさむ

ノムと勇太が懐かしい

ぶっ飛ばされて飛んだやつ

自殺して死んじゃったやつ

いろんな人生がある

いつかはどっかでまた会う

Playing Catch with Friends

Always hanging out together

Matsuda, who's curious about girls

Kandagawa, the super naughty guy

Kobitsu, also a really naughty guy

Yoshida, the one nobody really understands

Recently, I got a girlfriend

But I still get together with all my friends

We call up some other friends too

At Bamba-Iseki Park

Everyone’s playing soccer

But I’m playing catch

Tatsuki’s nickname is Goldie

Kuno’s nickname is Metty

We keep in touch on LINE (a messaging app widely used in Japan)

Toyota and Smith are doing well too

Let’s keep playing together forever

Let’s keep playing together forever

Even when we’re adults, let’s still hang out

Let’s keep playing together forever

Recording in the studio

A game that makes money

I’ve got lots of cool friends

Life like this is just awesome

Kan-nana and Meiji Street

The back road, Koshin Street

Oji, Kita-ku, Tokyo

Younger friends Ikki and Moni

Squash Squad (a hip-hop group name to which KOHH belonged) or Smoke

Our boss, Ryo-kun

Drinking at the club

After that, dancing with girls

Everyone up on stage

Arms covered in tattoos

No education, but who cares

Every day’s fun is my dream

Let’s keep playing together forever

Let’s keep playing together forever

Even when we’re adults, let’s still hang out

Let’s keep playing together forever

Yuu wants to be a fighter

Suzu is always studying

Goshu is coaching soccer

Everyone does what they love

Takagi loves customer service

Asarin wants to be a racer

Before I knew it, Ino-chan became a dad

Time really flies

Kyoji and Mah-kun are dads too

Ryuji and Ryutaro are dads too

If it’s about strength, that’s Tateyama

Nakazawa’s getting teased again

Noguchi-kun is a cop

Yota from Gochome Danchi, always tough

Isamu’s gotten fat lately

Nomu and Yuta, I miss them

Some got knocked out and flew

Some sadly took their own lives

Everyone’s got their own story

Someday, somewhere, we’ll meet again

Needless to say, we can't meet someone who has passed away. And honestly, even if we're still alive, there's no guarantee we'll ever meet again. Yet KOHH ends the lyrics with this beautiful line: "Someday, somewhere, we'll meet again." I couldn't love this song more.

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