“Mottai Night Land” includes a pun in its title that only people somewhat familiar with both languages will understand. It's a play on the Japanese phrase “mottai inai,” which is one of the most well-known Japanese terms for a “foreigner.”
Kyary Pamyu Pamyu is a J-pop star who started out as a model and fashion leader in Tokyo’s Harajuku area. Over the past few years, she has become one of the most popular J-pop acts, not only in Japan but also abroad. It is rare for J-pop artists to have crossover appeal, outside of anime fans and Japanophiles. But, in the case of Kyary, it is easy to see why she has garnered such a varied audience. Her music isn’t simply good because it’s different or non-Western, but because it’s musically inventive, catchy, and has a bizarre sense of humor in its melody and lyrical content.
The track “Mottai Night Land” includes a pun in its title that only people somewhat familiar with both languages will understand. It is a play on the Japanese phrase “mottai inai,” which is one of the most well-known Japanese terms for a “foreigner.” The closest English translation is “It’s a waste of (something).” For example, if someone plays too many videogames and feels it’s a waste of time, they can say, “Jikan mottai inai” in Japanese. The phrase can also be used in isolation to mean, “What a waste!” Language students should be careful to view this last translation as a direct equivalent, because the Japanese phrase has a slightly different meaning. It can be used to describe wasted opportunities, for example, living in Japan for years only to see your level of Japanese decrease could be said to be “mottai inai.” Similarly, a bilingual genius who spends his time teaching English would be “mottai inai,” in the sense of wasting precious talent. The phrase has become a buzzword in recent times, with Nobel Prize winner Wangari Maathi using it to encourage others to recycle more. However, it’s hard to imagine Kyary having such world-changing intentions. Her lyrics are cryptic by design, and the song doesn’t seem to be using the phrase to make any bold statement, as the rest of the lyrics are nonsensical.
The chorus repeats “mottai I nai kara” over and over again. This part of the song has been made famous in Japan by its appearance in commercials for the au by KDDI mobile phone brand. The melody is so infectious that listeners will have it in their heads, whether they like the song or not. Musically, “Mottai Night Land” continues the style of Kyary’s last album, with its bouncy percussion, bubbly synth lines, and childlike vocals. She also uses orchestral sounds to create evocative moods and wacky visuals to craft her music videos. Kyary is as well-known for her visual sense in fashion and music videos as she is for her music. One could think of her as a Japanese version of Lady Gaga.
