An Analysis of The Specials' Rat Race
https://lyrics.soulminingrig.com/2023/04/09/the-specials-rat-race-翻訳/
Regarding the lyrics of Rat Race posted on the sub-site.
There were quite a few Japanese translation patterns, but many of them were too aggressive...
By the way, I think The Specials probably created this song from Bob Marley's Rat Race, so I've also posted a translated Bob Marley version.
https://lyrics.soulminingrig.com/2023/04/09/bob-marley-the-wailers-rat-race-翻訳/
In terms of image:
Bob Marley = To the world
The Specials = To the UK
I'll introduce The Specials, who probably sang this song focusing on the UK, later, but I think it's due to the economic background.
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Isn't the image of this song more self-loathing than aggressive towards the upper class?
The reason is the second line:
“The promises you make tomorrow have no guarantee”
Tomorrow's promises have no guarantee.
This is my will among the few sentences, and I thought there could be two patterns for this.
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The situation is so bad that thinking about the future is meaningless.
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The world from my perspective simply has no future.
In any case, it has a negative image, so I think it's more likely to be 2.
Honestly, I think the global situation at that time was quite bad.
This can be judged from the Ministry of Finance's PDF below.
https://www.mof.go.jp/pri/research/conference/zk051/zk051b.pdf
Since the content of documents tends to change significantly depending on the Ministry of Finance / writer / reader, let's consider it from numbers and charts, not text.
The significant rise in unemployment rates in conjunction with falling prices is a clear economic slowdown.
From a macroeconomic perspective, the mid-1970s, when inflation exceeded 20%, was an extremely abnormal situation.
If there is no price decline, inflation cannot be stopped, and the sacrifice for price decline is an increase in unemployment. Once it starts to increase, it's a difficult problem to recover from unless it reaches its lowest point due to sluggish purchasing power and wage declines caused by falling prices.
By the way, I think this can be said for the future, or rather, for now (current 2023). (Though inflation will likely rise enough for GOLD to reach $2500)
It makes sense that 2 Tone Ska gained overwhelming popularity across racial barriers, given the clear dominance of the upper class and the vast majority of the working class.
I've only listened to folk songs up to the 1900s, but I feel that much music since then has been born when workers rise up.
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So, I thought it probably wasn't about envying the upper class.
Working tirelessly, studying, and in the end, the future is dark. I can't be friends with someone who acts so cheerful. It feels like the lyrics, filled with intense self-loathing and a bleak future, harmonize perfectly with the bright melody of 2 Tone Ska.
It was a song that seemed to blow away that melancholy with light ska music, even evoking a sense of transience.
On the album, the next track is “A Message To You Rudy”.
What a wonderful album, following with a song that sends a message to troubled youth.