どうしようもない (Doushiyoumonai)

Song Meaning

The lyrics paint a picture of a life stuck in a loop, a defiant embrace of a seemingly unchanging existence. The chorus hammers home the idea that "nothing changes," no matter how much time passes, right up until the end. This stagnation is characterized by late nights of drinking, passing weed, and hitting on women – a cycle explicitly labeled as "どうしようもない" (uncontrollable, hopeless). Yet, this bleak assessment is immediately softened by the parenthetical "but it's good, that's good," suggesting a resigned acceptance, even a preference, for this predictable, albeit aimless, path. The question "How are you doing?" followed by "We're good, are you good?" reinforces a sense of camaraderie within this chosen lifestyle, a shared understanding among "brothers." The verses delve into the past, recalling youthful days of hustling for money to buy drugs and dreaming of future riches with stolen mopeds. The narrator admits to being the same kid, just older, still living in Kawasaki. This isn't a story of overcoming hardship or achieving grand ambitions; it's a narrative of continuity, where past recklessness and present habits are indistinguishable. The mention of "account settled on credit, sometimes skipping out" and the immediate craving for food after checking the time highlights a life lived moment to moment, without much foresight or responsibility. Despite the apparent lack of progress, there's a subtle shift in the second verse. The narrator reflects on early tattoos leading to job loss and a lack of financial stability, but then pivots to the present. They're now performing on stages across Japan with their crew, fulfilling a dream that still feels like that of a young person. This suggests that while the core lifestyle might persist – the drinking, the weed, the camaraderie – the context has evolved from petty hustles to a form of artistic expression, albeit one still rooted in their established identity and relationships. The lyrics imply that this unchanging core, coupled with newfound success, is precisely what makes their current reality feel "good."