RETRORIRON collaborates with lyricist 涼音 and composers Ryuma Annaka, Masahito Komori, and Tsubasa Yamazaki to create ‘Birthday,’ a track from the album ‘COLLECTION ALONE.’ The song dives into the struggles of self-acceptance and the search for meaning in life. The music blends electronic beats with a reflective tone.
Released: November 5, 2025
Birthday
Retroriron • From “COLLECTION ALONE”
COLLECTION ALONE’s Birthday Japanese Lyrics English Meaning
涼音 writes about the frustration of feeling stuck and the longing for something ordinary. The line, ‘If I could grab even one of those, perfectly ordinary things with my hands,’ highlights the desire for simplicity. The lyricist describes the internal conflict between regret and hope.
Ate mo naku konashiteku hibi niIn the days I aimlessly spend just getting by,
Nayami nado ureu hima mo nakuwithout even the time to worry or grieve,
Tashika da to omotteta koto mothe panic I definitely used to feel,
Kizukeba atarimae no mono nihas become normal before I even knew it.
Nokosareta jikan mo wakarazuI don’t know how much time I’ve got left,
Tachidomaru koto mo yurusarezuand I’m not allowed to even stop.
Tashika da to omotteta koto moEven the things I thought were certain,
Dareka no koe de kutsugaeru shiare overturned by someone else’s voice.
Nee ima demo naritai jibun oHey, even now, I’m lamenting that I can’t,
Image dekizu ni nageite irueven imagine the person I want to be.
Datte shiawase ni narenaiBecause I just can’t find happiness,
Ikiru imi sura mada wakaranaiand I still don’t know the meaning of life.
Itsu made mo nasakenasa oI’m keeping this wretchedness forever,
Kakushite sodatsu kono iyashisa moand this growing greed that I hide,
Suteru koto ga dekiyashinai mamasince I still can’t just throw them away.
Mada boku mo shiranai boku gaA version of me that even I don’t know,
Daremo yosou dekinai koto gaand things that no one could predict;
Arifureteru sono hitotsu demoif I could grab even one of those,
Kono te ni tsukamu koto ga dekiru naraperfectly ordinary things with my hands.
Oshiyoseru koukai da tokaThe regrets that wash over me,
Akiramete kita mirai dake gaand the future I’ve given up on,
Boku no koto o dakishimete iruare the only things holding me close.
Kitto imi ga aru no da to sou iikikasete iruI tell myself it surely has a purpose.
Mitasarenai mama kokoro dake gaWhile unfulfilled, my heart alone,
Kako ni boku o mada tsunagitomete iruis still keeping me tied to the past.
Saitei na kotoba o narabena garaWhile listing out the worst words,
Mada aitsu yori mashi da toit’s laughable that I’m thinking,
Omotte iru no ga waraeruI’m still better than that other guy.
Nanika ga kawaruSomething will change,
Sonna yokan dake de minogasuI overlook everything with just that hunch.
Kyou mo jibun o uragiriI betray myself today, too,
Soshite furimawasaseru bakariand I’m just being jerked around by it all.
Kotae no nai ano koro ni modoreta naraIf I could go back to those days without answers,
Ima mo fumidaseyashinai mamaI’d still be unable to take a step forward.
Mada boku mo aisenai boku gaThe me that I still can’t love,
Dare ni mo misetakunai koto gaand the things I don’t want anyone to see;
Arifureteru sono hitotsu de iieven just one ordinary thing would be enough,
Sunao ni miseru koto ga dekiru naraif only I could show it honestly.
Soredemo mukiaenai yoru gaStill, the nights I can’t face,
Nanimo umaku ikanai koto gaand the fact that nothing’s going right,
Boku no ima o tarashimeteruare exactly what define my present.
Kitto imi wa nai no da to sou akiramete iruI’ve given up, thinking there’s surely no meaning.
Nando mo naite kitaI’ve cried so many times,
Soredemo nanimo kaerarezu ni itabut still, I couldn’t change a single thing.
Doryoku wa uragiranai“Effort will never betray you.”
Sono kotoba ni ikudo mo uragirareta neI’ve been betrayed by those words so many times, haven’t I?
Kienai kizu moThe scars that won’t fade,
Kudaranai itami moand the trivial pain,
Imada wasurerareyashinai mamastay with me as I still can’t forget them.
Soredemo boku ga mitai mono gaStill, the things I want to see,
Mada ima mo kakitai yume gaand the dreams I still want to write;
Arifureteru sono hitotsu de iieven just one ordinary thing is enough,
Anata ni todoku koto ga kanau naraif only I could reach you.
Dareka onaji de iyou da tokaTrying to be the same as everyone else,
Nantonaku awaseyou da tokaor just trying to fit in somehow,
Ikiru imi o samatageteruonly get in the way of life’s meaning.
Sonna mono mo itsuka kieru toI’ll keep telling myself,
Iikikasete ikuthat those things will disappear someday.
Mitasarenai kedo kokoro dake waI’m not satisfied, but as for my heart,
Dare ni mo watasanaide dakishimete yukuI’ll hold it tight and never give it to anyone.
Wagamama de iiIt’s okay to be selfish,
Sono mama de iin da bokutachi wawe’re fine just the way we are.
Gamushara de iiIt’s okay to be reckless,
Barabara de ii sa kyou kurai wait’s fine to be falling apart, at least for today.
Nugisutete iiIt’s okay to cast it all off,
Aishite mo ii yo nee ima wa sait’s fine to love yourself, you know, right now.
Sono mama de iiIt’s fine just the way you are,
Arifurete iiit’s okay to be ordinary.
Birthday Music Video
The translation of ‘Birthday’ lyrics shows a journey of self-reflection. RETRORIRON and team craft a song that resonates with anyone questioning their place in the world.