Prime Minister

Shinzo Abe announced today that he's quitting, so I've revived this blog after an eight-year absence with a very hasty (and probably rougher than usual) translation of Kiyoshiro's song "Prime Minister", from when he played with The Timers. Recorded in London and Tokyo in October 1988 and July 1989.

A great album of angry, cynical songs, set to some good funk-rock. One of my favourites.

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Prime Minister! Prime Minister! 

Prime Minister! Prime Minister! 

You just can't say anything clearly. Prime Minister!

You waffle and you deceive when you speak. Prime Minister!

We really can't rely on you, Prime Minister! 

Our country's Prime Minister! 

You look just like a celebrity from some production outfit,

Like a celebrity puppet having their strings pulled

Prime Minister! Prime Minister! Prime Minister! 

Our country's Prime Minister!    

Why don't you join us if you're a celeb?

We'll get along like old cronies

We could make a group, sing the blues,

We'll play the guitar, you can do the vocals

Lies, truth, fiction

Your bragging, all that hardship, the inside story

At the top of your voice, go ahead and sing! At the top of your voice, go ahead and yell!

We won't let anyone complain

You just leave it to us, Prime Minister! Prime Minister! 

I'll get you singing something nice and clear

Something a young woman would make a scene about

The two of us will give them all a scare

You can always turn a scandal into something useful

Let's get the country dancing to the blues

Prime Minister! Our country's Prime Minister! 

Come on and play the blues with us

We can go on tour a make a fortune

Go all over and make a killing

Be so much more straightforward than right now

Come on and play the blues with us

We can go on tour and have a blast

Have a blast, have a total blast - oh, minister!

Prime Minister! Prime Minister! Our country's...

Prime Minister! Prime Minister! 

We'll get along like a pair of old cronies

I've got the guitar, you do the singing

Come on, sing something clearly 

Yeah, just sing something clearly 

So we can hear it - sing something clearly!

Come on, sing it clearly this time minister

Let's blow them all over

Come on minister, let's blow them right over

Prime Minister! Prime Minister! 

Prime Minister! Prime Minister! 

Let's make the ground shake with the blues

Let's shake the whole country with the blues

Let's blast the ground away with the blues

Be so much simpler than right now

Prime Minister! Prime Minister! 

Prime Minister! Prime Minister! 

Swing your hips, go ahead and dance

No-one's going to complain about it

We won't let them, we won't let anyone say a word

Leave it to us, minister, just sing nice and clearly, nice and clearly

Like the way you're not embarrassed when you go abroad

Like the way you're not ashamed when you to America

Like the way you don't laugh when you're on TV

I'll do the production for you

Come and join me, we'll make a good pair

I'll do the production

Just come in what you're wearing, that's cool

Prime Minister! Prime Minister! Prime Minister! 

You'll find a lover in every town

Prime Minister! Prime Minister! Prime Minister!