Poor Tomoko!

Lyrics

by Saeger Ryman, adapted from other translations.

When I try  
To speak with anyone,  
I can’t find words  
So I run.

What the hell?
 
Day after day  
I walk home from school solo.  
People I pass,  
I can’t even say hello.

Though I admit  
That my current life is dumb,  
You’ll see!  
One day my day will come!

Live on the web  
Day and night behind my door,  
So when I talk  
Nothing comes out any more.

Rain, snow, or shine,  
I am stuck on the default.  
I swear!  
It’s everybody else’s fault!

Who cares if my time’s all free?  
Who cares whether boys like me?  
Just a bit of work n’ you’ll see:  
Super popular me!

Oh, mirror, mirror on the wall,  
I will smash you on the floor.  
You can count on bad luck, that’s for sure.

Oh, mirror, mirror on the wall,  
Things you show are way too mean.  
What’s been seen can’t be unseen.

Oh, mirror, mirror on the wall,  
I have beauty deep inside.  
Couldn’t be more deranged if you tried.

Oh, mirror, mirror on the wall,  
When I take a look myself,  
All I see is my sad self.

And every day  
Is like the day before.  
I just don’t know  
Anymore.  

What the hell!  

Talk to myself, talk to myself, talking talking no end in view.  
Who can I talk, who can I talk, who is there to talk to?  
All alone, all alone, alone it’s just so wrong.  
Nightmare, I’ve been asleep too long.  

Playing alone, playing alone, playing playing solo game.  
Who is there, who is there, just who is there to blame?  
All alone, all alone, alone is my default.  
I swear, it’s got to be somebody’s fault!  
 
Worm turns into butterfly.  
Wouldn’t I too if I try?  
If I keep this goal in view,  
I’ll be popular too!  

Oh, morning glory, won’t you watch me  
While I’m flying on the wing!  
Really doubt you will do a damn thing.  

The morning sunshine cheers me on  
As higher in the sky I climb!  
What a waste of the sun’s time.  

The next day  
Will bring a change I feel!  
Yeah, it’s a dream,  
It’s not real.  
I’m in hell!  

[music]  

But I try  
To speak and I’m a mess.  
Anyone  
Hearing could care less.  

Talking to  
The mirror on the wall.  
Oh mirror, dear,  
Please suffer through it all.  

A butterfly  
From a lowly bug.  
So sorry, dear,  
A slug is still a slug.  

Tomorrow’s me  
Will be completely new.  
It will too!  

Oh, mirror, mirror on the wall,  
I will smash you on the floor.  
You can count on bad luck, that’s for sure.  

Oh, mirror, mirror on the wall,  
Things you show are way too mean.  
What’s been seen can’t be unseen.  

Oh, mirror, mirror on the wall,  
See the beauty deep inside.  
Couldn’t be more deranged if you tried.  

Oh, mirror, mirror on the wall,  
When I take a look myself,  
All I see is my sad self.  

Every day  
Is like the day before.  
I just don’t know  
Anymore.

What the hell.

Notes

Probably the most obvious change I made from the original lyrics was switching from lines about being stupid to being in hell. “Am I dumb?” and “are they dumb?” sound limp in English, and there aren’t enough beats (three) for much variation.

Revisions

The latest revision (2020 August 17) is on the fourth full verse: I thought before it was a reference to her doing research online (like when she looked for ways to change her appearance, in the first episode) but re-reading the translation on the Watamote Wiki I realized that she is saying that she can’t talk anymore because she spends all her time on the internet instead of interacting with real people. This is a much more straightforward and sensible statement for the song.

My previous version suggested the word “tard” under the cough. I’m not really sure why the cough occurs in the song, other than to mask an unfortunate word.

   Went on the web  
   But my research flopped real hard.  
   Clutching my skirt,  
   Stutter, mumble like a [coughs]

My new version ignores the cough in order to complete the thought.

   Live on the web  
   Day and night behind my door,  
   So when I talk  
   Nothing comes out any more.

From the Watamote Wiki translation (uncredited):

   After all the time I’ve spent online  
   My voice won’t even come out after all this time

TV version with subtitles is approximate to the Google Translation of the original Japanese, which is almost no help at all:

   It's all wrapped up on the net,  
   It's been a while since I spoke up.

Wrapped up?