(Daesung’s interview on songs in his new album D’slove)
All translation credit is me, mmvvip. Thank you and I hope you enjoy what Dae wants to say about each of his original songs 😀
1. Rainy Rainy
“This song was in the final list of the songs that I chose from and the moment I listened to it, there was something I felt. I could immediately image how I should sing this song. There initially was temporary lyrics to it and it was already good so I tried not to break that atmosphere and added my colors. It’s about love that already came to an end and the main character can’t get over his past love and it really hurt my heart. I personally experienced a 6 year long unrequited love. From 3rd grade in Elementary school until 3rd year of middle school. I’m not really good at confessing and I had no confidence so I couldn’t tell her. Then I found out she has a boyfriend and I thought I had to clear out my feelings. However, I couldn’t let go of the feelings I had for her for so long, so ended up not getting over her for 2 years. I don’t really mind when you listen to this song, but I prefer you listen to it on a rainy day to get more soaked in that feeling. If you have anyone that you can’t get over, you should listen to this song and wait for that person until you are satisfied. Because there will be the time when that person becomes a past!”
2. 想い募って (Omoi Tsunotte – Feelings Deepened)
“We weren’t planning to put this song in the album. YG said ‘Something is lacking. I don’t know how to express it, but something is lacking.’ So it was on hold. But I really loved this song so I wanted to put it in my album and tried many things and ended up bringing the key half level up and recorded. YG said ‘Now there’s emotions in that song.’ Then we added to the track list. I wrote the lyrics with the producer of YG so it went very smooth because we know each other. It is about the main character who keeps his feelings toward the one, comparing the loneliness to the cold winter season. When winter pasts and spring comes, the piled snow melts as you touch it with your warm hands, but he won’t touch it so his memories don’t melt(fade). Why is my heart still in the cold winter season…. So painful. Please listen to this song and deepen your feelings toward your love.”
3. SHUT UP
“When I was training at 12o’clock noon at YG Ent, YG called me and says ‘Where are you. Come to 3rd floor recording room right now.’ I was worried there was something wrong but he suddenly says ‘Sing this song.’ Then I recorded then he says ‘AWESOME. Let’s add to the list.’ So we decided to add this song last minute. The lyrics is written by G-DRAGON so I love it. Because we have different personalities, the mood is very different comparing to what I write. I think this fact broadens the charms of the album, and my voice, melody and the pitch all matched, so I could sing smoothly. More than anything, I can’t use the phrase SHUT UP in real life but I can say it so many times in the song so it feels very good…I am satisfied (laughs) It relieves your stress and it’s simply a fun song so I want everyone to have fun with it too. If you have some troubles that you can’t say out loud, stare at the wall and listen to this song and yell SHUT UP! Don’t say it to a person, but say it to the wall!!”
4. 二人？一人！！(Futari? Hitori!! – Two? Alone!!)
“This is the song that shows my true feelings now. Being alone is better than being with someone…Haha. Let’s put the joke aside. This isn’t a sad break up song but rather a situation when it was good to break up. At first the phrase ‘alone than two’ came up then I tried to come up with the characters and the story so the lady in the song is very bad (laughs) The man falls in love at first sight because of her beauty but the lady puts other guys in the same situation. When the guy asks the girl, she tries to get away with it by saying things like ‘that was a misunderstanding’. Such a devilish woman. This story is something I can’t relate to but it’s fun to act the character in the song in such situation. The lyrics ‘freedom…freedom….’ shows my true feelings that I want to be free and sang it openly. After watching live video of QUEEN’s KIND OF MAGIC, I decided to arrange it so I can have fun on stage like it. I want people to clap hands and have fun together.”
5. Dress
“This is composed by the same person as Rainy Rainy, and the moment I listened to this song I could imagine myself singing it. But the recording part didn’t go well as I was thinking, especially the pronunciation. Such as the word ‘sonnna’s ‘nn’ and the voiced-consonant marks. The lyrics is about being with you is very fortunate;stay by my side; let’s keep on spending the time together. There was initially temporary lyrics and this phrase and the melody of the chorus ‘Let’s keep it as it is, Let’s keep that as it is’ touched my heart and kept the temporary lyrics. For me, the happiest moment is when I am performing on stage. Thinking that I can sing again and being able to make a happy time with the fans using my voice/songs is unbelievably the happiest moment. Because the fans are there with me, I am able to keep singing and that is my promise to you all. This song is very beautiful and I am able to sing it while I soak my feelings to it, so I hope everyone gets into this song and feel the same as me.”
6. Try Smiling
“I sang this song in Korean during last year’s tour. I made a promise that I will sing this song in Japanese if I get the chance, so I wanted to keep that promise so went on to record it. This was my first solo song which explains well about the feelings when I had a crush on someone, so I was easily able to relate to it. Making this in Japanese changed the structure of the song and most of all, I was surprised that my voice is very different from when I first recorded in 2006. I hope people will feel that I have experienced many things since 2006 and compare the old and new version and see the charms in both versions.”
7. 醒めて、眠れ (Samete, Nemure – Awake, Asleep)
“As your feelings deepens toward the one, you get more disappointed when you get betrayed. I sang this song with so much power/dynamics to show the feeling of rather than hanging on to that person, trying to let go of that person is very gracious. If you are heartbroken, please listen to this song and transform that damage into a positive power.”
8. 世界が終わっても(Sekai ga Owattemo – Even when the world ends)
“When I first listened to this song, the track and the vocal seemed very difficult and I had to think how to sing it with my voice. When I record, I record the song I think the most difficult last, so this was the song I recorded at the very last. I thought it will take about 2 days to finish recording but process went smoothly so it only took one. I practiced so many times before recording but rather than trying to use the skills, I thought focusing on the feelings would be better. So I tried to keep the clear thoughts in my heart and sang. Also as I sang this song, I realized the things that I never knew about myself as a vocalist and it opened up a new scope for me. The title ‘even when the world ends’ characterize this song. It simply express the feelings to the love that as long as she/he is there, it is all good. As I write the words ‘I can die for you’, I was worried if it was too much but I though expressing like this would be good for this song (laughs) It has that much magnificence.”
9. Look at me Gwisun
“My first trot song. My parents love trot so I grew up listening to it. This was release in 2008 in Korea. At that time I used to work in various variety shows so it suited my bright, delightful character; many people had the image of D-LITE= trot singer. I sang this during the tour last year in Korean and the fans sang along and danced along but this time I wanted to express the funniness of the song so decided to make a Japanese ver. Japanese lyrics is written by Hyadain-san (famous composer in Japan) and I have met him before in TV shows so he knows about my personality and ended up with lyrics like this (laughs) I really want people to take a look at the lyrics. The tempo of the song is very fast and there’s so many words and the key is high so I had to work on it a lot but it was very fun. Especially the rap part was fun! If you sing it at a party or karaoke, I believe all people will bond and be able to get along. But rather than explaining too much,I think it is good to just have fun as you feel.”
10. I LOVE YOU
“There’s no explanation needed for this song. So I’m done….kidding. Listening to Taro Hakase’s beautiful violin makes me feel that divine feeling everytime I listen. Then Seiji Kameda’s arrangement and my interpretation got mixed and I was able to make my own I LOVE YOU. This is the only cover song in this album but I put this as my final song of the album because cover songs is my starting point of my career as a solo in Japan. Then, starting again from this, there will be another new world starting… I want people to feel this D-lite’s story and future. I also want you to sing this song to your love and confess your true feelings.”
(trans cr. mmvvip)
Daesung UK 