Singing about the Showa Era (5) Even though the dreaming days are over

In the latter half of the Showa era, when working hard was considered a virtue, Japan achieved rapid economic growth and eventually entered the bubble era. The bubble era began towards the end of the Showa era and continued until the beginning of the Heisei era, before bursting.

Even before the bubble era began, I think people were gradually growing tired of that way of life. As early as 1970, there was a commercial catchphrase that went "From Hardworking to Beautiful," but young working people continued to live in hard work life. They couldn't help but live in it. But living a life thinking about nothing but work meant that good days when they could live as human beings never came. Life went on, with every people wondering if this was really okay.

The bubble era eventually came, and then it burst... the economy stagnated, but the era of living life the way people wanted never came.

(Lyrics Translation)
An ordinary morning comes again,
As I go through each day

I casually nod to familiar faces,
I pass by quietly and casually.

I give blank replies to those around me,
and another burden piles up in my heart.

The days when I tended to dream fade away, farther and farther away.
I wonder if that day, and that dream, still has some meaning.

On a sleepy afternoon, I sip my coffee,
and return to my place.

While hoping in my heart that nothing will happen,
I count the hours with all my might.
At random moments, thoughts of that day suddenly come back to me.

The days when I tended to dream fade away, farther and farther away.
I wonder if that day, that dream, is still close.

The time I've dreamed and passed away has already faded away.
I wonder if that day, that dream, still has some meaning.