Monday, August 09, 2004

Kill Bill 2 and The Flower of Carnage


Kill Bill 2 is out on DVD tomorrow, and I'll be picking up my copy during my lunch hour. Until then, I have both of the soundtracks to keep me occupied. Two of my favorite tracks from those CDs are The Flower of Carnage, from Vol. 1, and Urami Bushi, from Vol. 2, both by the prolific Japanese songstress and actress Meiko Kaji.. Both are songs of mournful desperation, but sung with strength and confidence, rather than helplessness. If you already have the soundtrack to Vol. 1, you know the dramatic lyrics to The Flower of Carnage:
Begrieving snow falls in the dead morning
Stray dog’s howl and the footsteps of geta pierce the air.
I walk with the weight of the milky way on my shoulders
But an umbrella that holds onto the darkness is all there is.
I’m a woman who walk at the brink of life and death
Who’s emptied my tears many moons ago.
All the compassion, tears and dreams
The snowy nights and tomorrow hold no meaning.
I’ve immersed my body in the river of vengeance
And thrown away my womanhood many moons ago.


Listen to an untitled track by Meiko Kaji from the movie Alleycat Rock 2: Wild Jumbo. All of these mp3s and and more can be downloaded here. Note: the Meiko Kaji website linked above is in French, so if you can't read it, have your translators ready.

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