アンジュルム – マリオネット37℃

Lyrics were by Kodama Ameko, song was composed by Hoshibe Sho, and song was arranged by CMJK. This is one of my favorite Angerme songs (not including S/milage). I personally associate S/milage with Tsunku and Angerme with the new wave of composers musically. So this is certainly one of my favorite non-Tsunku songs.

Song History
This song was a song on the B limited edition of the S/milage / Angerme selection album Taiki Bansei. So this qualifies as a relatively obscure song in their discography. However, for an obscure song, it seems to be well received by those who have heard it.

General Impression
This song is very European in its feeling. Its in ¾ time and is clearly inspired by European waltzes. If I had to guess (not a classical music guy, yet!) I would say Russian waltzes.

Dmitri Shostakovich – Waltz No. 2   
Russian Waltz

Despite me knowing nothing about waltzes outside of video game music, I looove love love Waltz music. Its so romantic. So naturally this song suits my tastes well. Oh course this is idol music and not a true waltz, but that doesn’t stop me from loving it. When the girls performed it live, the dance routine seemed to be a mix of the girls acting like marionettes and ballet inspired dance moves.

Lyrics (Taken from project Hello)
I have offered my interpretation of the lyrics below. The lyrics of this song are so great to me. Its the Pinocchio effect. The song is called marionette 37 degrees Celsius. Marionettes are puppets controlled with strings by puppeteers, they are essentially dolls. 37 degrees Celsius is the temperature of the human body, insinuating that the marionette is a living person. I think you can see in my interpretation of the lyrics that the marionette is a romantic who wants to please its master by performing superbly. Despite it’s insecurities. At least I hope I conveyed that.

This likely is a doll who has come to life. But who is she talking to?

オリジナルシナリオ – A plot made just for me
誂えのお召し物 –  Couture made just for me
夢のような舞台上 – A stage thats like a dream
今日も出番だ – Its my turn on that stage today as well
もっとよく見て – Take a better look at me
もっとよく見て – Take a better look at me
もっとよく見て – Take a better look at me
ここに来て – Come over here
しっかり当て 書いて よ – The plot is being written with a goal in mind, you know…
心を揺さぶる台詞を – Emotionally moving lines
照明きらめく – that sparkle showing the way
鳴り出す音楽 – The start of the music
今から　私が – From this moment I’m
主役だ  – the leading actress
ステップ刻む　呼吸刻む – Recall my steps, recall my breath
ワンツー　ワンツー　マリオネット – One two, one two marionette
スキップ駆ける　気持ち駆ける – Proceed forward by skipping, proceed forward with my feelings
ワンツー　ワンツー　マリオネット – One two, one two marionette
踊りましょう Da La La La – Shall I dance Da la la la
あなたのために踊りましょう – Shall I dance for your sake
世の中は劇場  – All the world is a theater
人生のミザンセーヌ – Life’s Mise en scène (visual theme)
せわしないプロット – A plot that can’t wait to get moving
今日も演るのだ – I am performing today as well
きっといつしかは – Just like that before you know it
きっといつしかは – Just like that before you know it
きっといつしかは – Just like that before you know it
大団円 – The grand finale is upon you
愛と義理と人情 – Love, honor, and kindness
心惜しまずに尽くすの – Putting all my heart into my devotion
誰に観られようと –  If its who you likely will watch
なんと言われようと – Even If I probably can’t say it
ここでは　私が – At this place,
主役だ I am the leading actress, for sure
メロディ刻む　呼吸刻む – Recall the Melody, recall my breathing
ワンツー　ワンツー　マリオネット – One two one two marionette
メロディ駆ける　気持ち駆ける – Proceed with the melody, Proceed with the feeling
ワンツー　ワンツー　マリオネット – One two one two marionette
歌いましょう Da La La La – Let’s sing Da la la la
あしたのために歌いましょう Shall I sing for tomorrow’s sake?
オリジナルシナリオ – A plot made just for me
誂えのお召し物 – Couture made just for me
夢のような舞台上 – A stage thats like a dream
今日も出番だ – Its my turn on that stage today as well
ずっと踊らせて – Always make me dance
ずっと歌わせて – Always make me sing
ずっと笑わせて – Always make me smile
最後まで – Until the very end
操られた人形 – A doll whose operated by strings?
心を失くした人形 – A doll whose misplaced her heart?
ほんとにそう思う？ –  Do you really think I’m like that?
気付いてないでしょう？ – I don’t think you’ve noticed yet
そうです　私は　したたか – That’s right, I’m determined to show you
野望刻む　呼吸刻む　- Recall my ambition, recall my breathing
ワンツー　ワンツー　マリオネット – One two one two marionette
野望駆ける　気持ち駆ける – Proceed with my ambition, proceed with my feelings
ワンツー　ワンツー　マリオネット – One two one two marionette
熱く熱く　火照って巡る – making intensely intensely hot revolutions
ワンツー　ワンツー　マリオネット – One two one two marionette
熱く熱く　冷たく燃える – to intensely intensely burn cold
ワンツー　ワンツー　マリオネット – One two one two marionette
踊りましょうDa La La La – Let’s Dance Da la la la
歌いましょうDa La La La – Let’s sing Da la la la
愉快でしょうDa La La La – Isn’t it delightful? Da la lala
あなたも共に – Together with you as well
あしたも共に – Together tomorrow as well
拍手万雷 – Thunderous applause
踊りましょう！ – Shall I dance!

Thoughts on the Music
The melody is superb, its like its fluttering up and down like the arms of a ballet dancer. Pushing and pulling, going up and down, thats the feeling I get when I hear the melody along with the rhythm of the waltz. This makes me want to dance as I sing along with it. There is not extensive harmonization which I think adds to the strength of the melody and style of song. Its usually just one part of harmonization, except in the chorus.

Thoughts on the Aural Asthetic
Naturally as a random song on a random limited release of an album, not even B-side status, they synthesized the orchestral sounds instead of using actual instruments. The tone of the song could not be recreated with live instruments anyways. But this style of music is general played on real instruments, which is why I mentioned it. But it has the EDM percussion sounds along with the synth strings, harpsichord, and handbells… or something. I love how the arrangement is so sparse in the verses and builds to almost a cacophony of sound in the chorus.

The intro with the old radio sounds and creaking gives the haunted house feel, which strangely fits with the living walking, dancing marionettes, its a bit creepy. This song should of had a PV and it probably would have visually looked close to another Hoshibe Sho song’s PV , Kisoku tadashiku utsukushiku.

Anyways, obviously I like the song or I wouldn’t have written all of this. I like the choices in almost every part of the creation of the song. Masterful job by this trio of Kodama Ameko, Hoshibe Sho, and CMJK.