therhythmrewriter

With the rise of BTS at the BBMAs, I've realized that there's a need for musical English translations of K-pop idol songs. A friend asked me to rework English translations of Blood, Sweat, and Tears into performable song lyrics, and told me to make a Tumblr account and share the lyrics after she read them. I take requests for lyric reworking, but be warned: I don't speak Korean at all.

[therhythmrewriter-blog]

Wanna One - Energetic

Air between us is getting hotter

Your body’s warm, I feel it more now that you kiss me

Shiverin’ just at your touch

Starting at this moment is our own story

I don’t know why, didn’t catch myself

I’m falling for you and it’s choking me, baby

I don’t know why, here in this moment

I can’t stop what I’m feeling, no, no, no, no

Make me feel so high

I’m so crazy, I’ve got no self-control

You make me feel so high

I’m so crazy from the moment that we touch

You draw me in, so pull me close, baby

I’m feelin’ so energetic

And come tonight, we’re out of control, yeah

I’m feeling so energetic

Til the day comes when my heart won’t keep on beating

Let me stay by your side, I’ll protect you always

These aren’t words that I’ll take back when times are ugly

Starting now, you tell me, baby

You tell me how to feel

Uh, 1, 2, 3 and 4

I won’t be rude, your friends are all yours alone

Who am I, waiting here, playing bodyguard for ya?

Hey, I’ll say it, I’m killing the game, yeah

Uh, escape your worries when I hug you, babe

Leave all your worries in the background, hey

Any way we act everyone knows we’re built to last so

Let go and just revel in the feeling, eyy

Make me feel so high

I’m so crazy, I’ve got no self-control

You make me feel so high

I’m so crazy from the moment that we touch

You draw me in, so pull me close, baby

I’m feelin’ so energetic

And come tonight, we’re out of control, yeah

I’m feeling so energetic

I’m feelin’ good

I wanna touch

Because this feeling I can’t stop might just be freedom

I’m feelin’ good

I wanna touch, baby

Ditch your inhibitions toni~ight, o~oh, o~oh, yea~eah

Alright, oh oh, work your body

Time to party, let loose, get rowdy, let’s dance

Your favorite shoes can get dirty, lose your soul to the rhythm

Now move your body, hurry up

(You make me feel so high)

Ask questions when we’re done here

So other people know that you’re with me

(I’ve got no self control)

Work it, show off how cool you are

Let’s get it on, know what I mean?

You draw me in, (oh~) so pull me close, (yeah~) baby

I’m feelin’ so energetic (energetic, baby)

And come tonight, we’re (woo~) out of control, yeah

I’m feelin’ so energetic (woah-o~oh)

[therhythmrewriter-blog]

Got7 - Just Right

Baby

You are

Just

Just right

Mirror, mirror, tell me who’s the fairest in the land

Tell the girl who standing on the scale

Tell her that she’s flawless and she’s pretty and she’s perfect

Tell her that I think she’s as fetching as a model

Hey now, everyone looks bad when they worry

I don’t see the flaws that make you unhappy

Babe, leave the mirror behind and look me in the eye

Hey, leave the scale and I can take you for a ride

Tilting my head doesn’t change you

I look at you now and I know

Those ugly things that annoy you

Whatever they are, wherever they are, they are something I can’t find

Baby, don’t you worry ‘bout those glasses

You don’t need to cover up your face

Everything about you I find lovely

Not a single thing that you should change

You don’t need to worry ‘bout your hairdo

You look good no matter what you try

All those things you think make you look ugly

Are things that I think make you look just right

Just like this (just in this moment)

Oh (just like you look now)

Oh (just like you are now)

Oh, oh, oh, you look just right

Yo sweetheart, everything about you’s looking pretty

Darling, trust me when I compliment beauty

What I say, I mean, totally, so believe me,

Ditch your fears, babe, and love that you’re lovely

Squinting my eyes doesn’t change you

I look at you now and I know

Those little things that annoy you

Whatever they are, wherever they are, they are something I can’t find

You don’t need to worry ‘bout that makeup

You don’t need to cover up your face

Everything about you I find lovely

Not a single thing that you should change

You don’t need to worry ‘bout your outfit

You look good no matter what you try

All those things you think make you look ugly

Are things that I think make you look just right

Just like this (just in this moment)

Oh (just like you look now)

Oh (just like you are now)

Oh, oh, oh, you look just right

Something in you’s like the sun, shining bright and warm

Imperfections that you see are invisible

In my eyes, you’re so comely, baby, I want you

Just the way you are, you’re the only one

Something in you’s like the sun, shining bright and warm

Imperfections that you see are invisible

In my eyes, you’re so comely, baby, I want you

Just the way you are, you’re the only one

Baby, you should live life in the sunlight

You don’t need to hide just who you are

Everything about you is amazing

Always try to live life in the stars

You don’t need to worry ‘bout your looks ‘cause

You look good no matter what you try

All those things you think make you look ugly

Are things that I think make you look just right

[TN: feel free to change pronouns as you wish]

[therhythmrewriter-blog]

BLACKPINK - As If It’s Your Last

(Little bit o’ that)

(Little bit o’ this)

(Little bit o’ that)

(Gimme gimme gimme gimme li- gimme li-)

(Gimme a little bit o’ that) The thought of you here in my mind

(Gimme a little bit o’ this) I’m scared of this blow to my pride

My face is hot and red; my heart, it pounds with dread

My self-control is gone, I feel dizzy

(Gimme a little bit o’ that) You seem like a handful of sand

(Gimme a little bit o’ this) You constantly slip from my hands

You don’t just mess around; for that, I want you more

My self-control is gone, I can’t believe it

If you feel me gasping then you should know I want you now

When we meet I just feel like I’m missing you

So tonight, won’t you set me free? (free, free, free)

Baby, just hold me like I’m about to burst

It ain’t hard, so stop all those silly fears of yours

Kiss me hard, kiss me like a lie, like I’m only yours

Kiss me like I’m really your last love

Love me like your last, lo-lo-love me like your last

Adore me like this night’s our last, love

Love me like your last, lo-lo-love me like your last

Like sunrise isn’t comin’ fast

Uh I’ma fall in love baby

You gon finna catch me

Uh give you all of this baby

Call me pretty and nasty

Cause we gonna get it my love you can bet it on

Black we gon double the stack on them whoa!

I be the Bonnie and you be my Clyde

We ride or die

Xs and Os

Time is always passing us by and I’m not one to go slow

In my life, the one thing that I’m missing’s you

So tonight, won’t you set me free? (free, free, free)

Baby, just hold me like I’m about to burst

It ain’t hard, so stop all those silly fears of yours

Kiss me hard, kiss me like a lie, like I’m only yours

Kiss me like I’m really your last love

Love me like your last, lo-lo-love me like your last

Adore me like this night’s our last, love

Love me like your last, lo-lo-love me like your last

Like sunrise isn’t comin’ fast, love

One, two, three, and I step out in the black

It’s a new start for me, I’m never looking back

If I throw myself to you, then I need you to be brave

Cuz we’re young, and we’re free, we’ll never be restrained

BLACKPINK in your area

(reverb: BLACKPINK in your-)

Baby, just hold me like I’m about to burst

It ain’t hard, so stop all those silly fears of yours

Kiss me hard, kiss me like a lie, like I’m only yours

Kiss me like I’m really your last love

Love me like your last, lo-lo-love me like your last

Adore me like this night’s our last, love

Love me like your last, lo-lo-love me like your last

Like sunrise isn’t comin’ fast, love

[therhythmrewriter-blog]

Visit Original Link

This is a piano guide to the lyrical timing of my rewriting of BTS’s Blood, Sweat, and Tears, as some parts differ from the original. All instrumentals have been excluded: this is a vocal part only. Note that part of one rap section overlaps with the chorus: this was unavoidable since I wanted my rewriting to fit with the instrumentals of the original.

Have fun!

[therhythmrewriter-blog]

BTS - Blood, Sweat, and Tears

(warning: starts with pick-up notes)

 My blood, sweat and tears

The last dance I have in me,

Take it away,

Away.

My blood, sweat and tears

The last breath I have to give,

Take it away,

Away.

My blood, sweat and tears.

My blood, sweat, tears, and toil,

My body, heart, mind, and soul,

Everything in me is yours to control

A bit of magic that chains me to you.

Peaches and cream, sweeter than sweet

Chocolate cheeks and chocolate wings

But your wings are the wings of the devil

In front of your sweetness is bitterest bitter

Kiss me, I want it to hurt, tie me as tight as you can,

Make me as numb as you can make me

Baby, drinking's fun if I'm drunk on you

You're risky, my whiskey.

My blood, sweat and tears

The last dance I have in me,

Take it away,

Away.

My blood, sweat and tears

The last breath I have to give,

Take it away,

Away.

Gonna make you want me,

Want me, want me.

Gonna make you want me,

Make you want me, want me, want me.

Gonna make you love me,

Love me, love me.

Gonna make you love me,

Make you love me, love me, love me.

The pain doesn’t matter so tie me tighter,

So tight that I’ve no hope to escape you (shh)

Shake me to awaken me and scatter all my thoughts

So I can’t think enough to leave you again.

Kiss me on the lips, lips, our little secret

You’re my prison and my love is my addiction

My obedience is yours, forever and a day

I know that it's poison that I'm drinking from your Grail

My blood, sweat and tears (overlap with rap)

The last dance I have in me,

Take it away,

Away.

My blood, sweat and tears

The last breath I have to give,

Take it away,

Away.

Gonna make you want me,

Want me, want me

Gonna make you want me,

Make you want me, want me, want me

Gonna make you love me,

Love me, love me

Gonna make you love me,

Make you love me, love me, love me

Promise me my life won’t end with pain

Close my eyes after my mind goes blank

There's no denial for me anymore

There's no escaping for me anymore

I know it's poison, I know it's poison,

But somethin’ ‘bout you is sweet

My blood, sweat and tears

(na na na bit)

My blood, sweat and tears

(na na na bit)

[therhythmrewriter-blog]

introduction

My friend asked me about a week back to rework an English translation of BTS’ Blood, Sweat, and Tears into something that could be performed. The result was better than anticipated, and at her urging I’ve made a Tumblr to share this on.

Hi, my name’s Celaeno! Call me Lee-Lee. I’m a young adult who’s into music, and I’ve decided to help people make English covers they’re proud of.

If there’s a K-pop song you want a decent English version of, feel free to make a request! Fair warning, I don’t speak Korean. Here’s the process: I get a request (which hopefully includes links to English translations of any official Non-Korean versions available [for instance, re-releases in Japanese or Mandarin]). I figure out how the timing of the song works, the feel of the song, and how the lyrics are delivered. I then use the English translations to reshape the song into something that can be performed in English.

I’m no musician. Please remember that the result may be different than the original Korean; parts of it will be lost and some lyrics may seem new. That always happens with translations, unfortunately, especially when a rhythmic pattern has to be followed.

I won’t write out which idol sings which part; I’d rather not make mistakes and offend people. I rework songs by girl groups, by guy groups, and by anything in between: no boundaries here!

[Fair Warning Part II: I refuse to take part in fandom disputes. I know things can get ugly in dust-ups between any fandoms, and I’m really not interested in that. I’m just here to try and provide a public service.]

Finally, what should you do if you want to perform one of my translations? Simple: tell me! Just let me know you’re doing it, credit me when you do it, and send me a link to the performance once you’ve done it. I myself can’t really sing or rap beyond what’s necessary to rework songs, so hearing someone who can is amazing. Thank you!