Song Details
- Album Release Date: 2012
- Genre: emo
Song Meaning of “マーチングバンド” by ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION
“マーチングバンド” (Marching Band) by ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION is a classic rock tune that many have interpreted to be about youth and the complex feelings that come along with striving for identity and purpose. In the song, the narrator longingly recalls the sweet sounds of a marching band from the past while yearning for something more than the mundanity of his reality.
The line “夢みたいな日々を 過ごしたいな” (Yume mitai na hibi wo sugoshitai na) speaks to the desire for days that are akin to a dream, a sense of having a place in the world that is specially for him. The protagonist of this song is searching for a purpose, identity, and a place to belong.
The marching band speaks to the feeling of a desire for nonconforming freedom coupled with a craving for camaraderie. Marching bands are often associated with events like festivals that provide a reprieve from the humdrum of everyday life. The idea of unison, arms in arms, marching along the same path has a certain appeal to the narrator of this song.
Though there is a sense of contentedness that comes with having someone in the same boat, there is also a fear of getting lost in the crowd and forgetting who you are. The narrator then finds himself at a crossroads between his idyllic dream of communal bliss and clinging to his own identity.
Though the band performs for countless people, the narrator doesn’t feel a sense of belonging. But rather, he feels an enveloping sense of loss in attempting to find an answer to his tumultuous inner battles. Ultimately, “マーチングバンド” is an anthem for any lost soul on their journey to find something to know, something to believe in, and something to belong to.