File:Kirby Memorial Arrangements Take Off!! - JOYSOUND Karaoke Version (English Subs)

Description
(Note: This is an unofficial fan translation, I myself only created the English translation, as well as the English and Romaji subtitles in this video. The video itself was made by Nintendo, HAL Laboratory, and Xing Inc.)

In 2017, the "Kirby 25th Anniversary Orchestra Concert CD" was released, which featured a second disk called "Kirby Memorial Arrangements". Out of the 12 tracks on that disk, 3 were actually vocal arrangements of past Kirby songs, featuring never before heard lyrics for these tunes.

These 3 tracks also ended up being featured in titles of the "Karaoke JOYSOUND" franchise, were they received karaoke music videos to go along with the songs.

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This track right here is number 2 on the Memorial Arrangements CD, "Take Off!"

It appears to be a vocal arrangement of the track "Boarding the Halberd", which first appeared in Kirby Super Star, specifically the "Revenge of Meta Knight" sub-game.

Fittingly, from an in-universe perspective, this song is seemingly "sung", by Meta Knight, but in real life this song is sung by Yasuhiro Mizushima.

On the official Japanese websites, this track's description is as follows: "A vocal arrangement of Meta Knight's music, like only the 25th Anniversary could do. A spirited song about passionate friendship between men."

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Translation Notes:

-The track's title is probably a reference to "Take off!" appearing as a line in Revenge of Meta Knight itself. Though, in that instance it's said by Captain Vul.

-I pluralized the word "Soldier" in my translation, since I felt that probably made more sense in this context. There is no clear distinction between singular and plural in Japanese, so it's not certain which would have been intended here.

-The line I translated as "Your name is Halberd" would more literally mean "The name is Halberd", but I felt the former seemed more natural together with the line that preceded it.

- The word "rival" is pronounced as the English word "rival" here, but it's actually spelled with the kanji 宿敵/Shukuteki, which means "nemesis" or "old enemy".

-Also, the lines I translated as "Onward, to the world which has rotten; The time has come" are a direct reference to dialouge from Revenge of Meta Knight.

Specifically, it's almost a direct quote of a line Meta Knight says at the intro of the sub-game, which in Japanese roughly translate to: "The time has come. The time to show our power! Dream Land has become rotten to the core, and we will change it with our own hands!"

I tried to reflect the reference in my translation, but the English localization of the game changed the second line to "Dream Land's lazy lifestyle will end! I will rule!" And "lazy lifestyle" didn't really fit with this song, and changed the meaning a bit too much.

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Translated Lyrics:

Piercing through Soldiers of evil Ambition aims for a Shining Star!

Comrades, whom I trust with my life To them, I offer my Heart

Phoenix, spread your wings Your name is Halberd

To the skies alight with the gleam of my blade, Take Off!!

Tearing apart Soldiers lying in wait Travelling the galaxy, a Shooting Star!

Challenge your lone rival, And with that, you wager your Heart

Onward, to the world which has rotten The time has come

To the skies alight with the gleam of my blade, Fly Away!!