Had the Persona 4 OST pre-ordered with Play-Asia long before I got the game because I already liked what I heard from all the little teasers during the past few months. Managed to get a first press edition which I wasn't really expecting.

It's a pity the two disc 52 track OST doesn't contain a full version of "Pursuing My True Self". I'm guessing there will be a remix album like P3 before we get it and most likely drama CDs to follow too. The tracks are great but, lyrics are very "Engrishy" I hate to say.

Here's a list of the lyrics with Shihoko Hirata being the vocalist and Shoji Meguro the composer. The numbers denote the disc and track number and, the italics is a note about when the track is used in the game. Almost had the lyrics right for the opening.

Click on the titles to hear the song.

1-1, Pursuing My True Self
Opening theme song.

We are living our lives
Abound with so much information

Come on, let go of the remote
Don't you know you're letting all the junk flood in?
I try to stop the flow, double-clicking on the go but it's no use
Hey, I'm being consumed
Loading, loading, loading, quickly reaching maximum capacity
Warning, warning, warning, gonna short-circuit my identity (Ah...)

Get up on your feet, tear the walls
Catch a glimpse of the hollow world
Snooping 'round will get you nowhere
You're locked up in your mind

We're all trapped in a maze of relationships
Life goes on with or without you
I swim in the sea of the unconscious
I search for your heart, pursuing my true self

1-6, Signs of Love

At home.

This was the first P4 track that I really liked and couldn't wait to hear. Has a nice beat to it.

Signs of love overshadowed by dreams
Baby, don't worry coz you ain't alone
Only time running days without nights
Tears pass through

He said, "I'm the one who's got to leave"
I said, "Nobody's really got to leave coz"
"I don't hear enough explanation"
"All I need is admiration"
Big bro frustration bro he goes,
"Life is short we gave a shot,
but didn't work honey coz we had,
a whole lot going on and on,
and on..."

Signs of love overshadowed by dreams
Baby, don't worry coz you ain't alone
Only time running days without nights
Tears pass through

Every time look at the picture in the frame
Gaze in fascination so hard
You still think that is nothing but love
Rain still falls

1-8, Your Affection
Sunny days

Don't really remember this making an impression during the teasers but again, a very nice track. I like how the word "days" is prolonged and the high note used when singing the second verse.

Withered flowers forget
What they wept for day after day
Withered flowers blossom
In the stream of tears
They still think of the cause

Turning misery into meaningfulness
Changing day after day
Turning misery into meaningfulness
Changing day after day

Your affection, your affection, taking pride from fear
Past will tell you when to make yourself a hero
Your affection, your affection, your affection
Past will tell you when to make yourself a hero

1-11, 1-25, 2-1, Reach Out to the Truth
Battle theme.

I prefer P3's battle theme "Mass Destruction" although this isn't bad either. It sounds more... normal without the "Oh yeah! Baby! Baby!" When I first played P3 I found that funny and cool at the same time to be honest.

Now I face out, I hold out
I reach out to the truth of my life
Seeking to seize on the whole moment, yeah

Yeah, naked truth lies only if you realize
Appearing in nobody's eyes till they sterilize
Stop the guerilla warfare to keep it fair
Bro change your rage to a smarter greater cause
You know the stake is high stardom is near
Those who sympathized you die killers pass by
Do not waste your time in hating flirting guys
Use your might to AIs
Do justice to them all

Now I face out, I hold out
I reach out to the truth of my life
Seeking to seize on the whole moment to now break away
Oh God let me out, can you let me out?
Can you set me free from this dark inner world?
Save me now, last beat in the soul

1-13, Backside of the TV
Inside Mayonaka TV.

A strange one this just like its title. Heard it before in the P4 trailers but the start of the song didn't sound quite right. Since I've been playing the game, it's grown on me. Haven't put it on my music player though.

I like the line, "Bro you've got everything but, you dunno anything"... Makes me think of spoiled people who can obtain things so easily that they take things for granted and lose their consideration thus, they "dunno anything".

Lost destiny, far outcry, they hear you no more
Numb feeling, whole dizziness, deep scars, no pain
No sanity, body aching, control your own fate
Invisible, real enemy, ruin your mind, deep down

Darkness, endless, despair, fear no more
Coldness, blackened, no sound, feel no pain
Captured, helpless, ultimate, dreadful fate
Powerless, lifeless, no breath, falling down

Down down to the base,
The sound you're about to hear is deep down hip hop,
What you gone do when they start to come up,
Well they've already come up to surround you up,
To dis you at a world cup but I guess it depends,
On how you gone behave in that moment,
Huh, a moment of truth tell me what's really happening,
Their rhyme is nothing but you've got everything,
Bro, you've got everything but you donno anything...

1-21, Hito no Mono

Traditional Japanese music.

Anta ni deatta ano sakamichi arukeba
Tsu-tto namida ga aa koborechau

Yoru no yanagi ano hito (onna) ga
Chirari chirachira to ne...

Yappari anta wa haa hito no mono (otto)

2-4, Heartbeat, Heartbreak
Cloudy days.

Like this track too. Very soft rhythm to it. Suits the title and lyrics.

Tell me why you did it, every dream falling apart
Tell me why you did it, after the promise
Still aching, still aching, oh baby I need your love
Looking no different, glaring street light

Heartbeat, heartbeat, it keeps on pounding
Heartbreak, heartbreak, you tell me goodbye
Heartbeat, heartbeat, it keeps on pounding
Heartbreak, heartbreak, you tell me goodbye

Heartbeat, heartbeat, it keeps on pounding
Heartbreak, heartbreak, you tell me goodbye
Heartbeat, heartbeat, it keeps on pounding
Heartbreak, heartbreak, you tell me goodbye

Pretty good song starting off slow before picking up the tempo.

2-17, Heaven
A certain dungeon.

Can't get my mind out of those memories
Now time to tell them don't take my dream
Still music keeps on turning me from the words that hurt my soul
Removing doubts from my mind

Those long days passing by from that door
Like late summer they slowly fade away
Finding ways through the favorite tune
Play all day with my eyes closed
Those long days passing by from that door
Like late summer they slowly fade away
Finding ways through the favorite tune
Filling me with those sounds

2-26, Never More
Ending theme

Slow, steady beat. I like it. Quite a contrast to Kawamura's "Memories of You" from P3. The lyrics just seem a little more bitter-sweet but suits the game's story.

I think I still prefer Kawamura's song though because I like the way it varies between tempo, picking up along the way and then holding the same note for several seconds. The "ringing" in-between the verses is great too.

無慈悲な言葉だけが　デタラメに町にあふれてる
NEVER MORE　切なく流れてた声

何気ない日常がさよならを告げ
僕らの掛替えのない日失われてた
太陽隠す霧雨 光を奪い
信じるもの無くしてたボクは悩みだけど

忘れないよ　大事なみんなと過ごした毎日
NEVER MORE　暗い闇も一人じゃないさ
見つけ出すよ　大事ななくしたものを
NEVER MORE　キミの声がきっとそう　ボクを導くよ

信じていたよ幼いころは確かに
いつの間にか忘れてた大切な言葉
覚めない世界のなかで　捜し求めて
ボクはやっと見つけたよ　心の奥にあった

このまま電車のれば　二度と会えない気がして
NEVER MORE　戸惑う背を　キミがそっと押すよ
信じよう　キミの笑顔　ぼくらの絆を
NEVER MORE　離れてても伝わるよキミの心が

いつもキミの　記憶の片隅にね
NEVER MORE　ボクがいる信じて歩き出すよ

忘れないよ　大事なみんなと過ごした毎日
NEVER MORE　暗い闇も一人じゃないさ
見つけ出すよ　大事ななくしたものを
NEVER MORE　キミの声がきっとそう　ボクを導くよ

忘れないよ　大事なみんなと過ごした毎日
NEVER MORE　暗い闇も一人じゃないさ
見つけ出すよ　大事ななくしたものを
NEVER MORE　キミの声がきっとそう　ボクを導くよ

いまもおぼえてる
きみにあふれたよるを　それは
すてきなおもいで
いつもおぼえてる

Don't worry about "watching" this video. No spoilers! All you'll hear is the song.

Romanised

mujihina kotoba dake ga DETARAME ni machi ni afurete'ru
never more, setsunaku nagarete'ta koe

nanigenai nichijou ga sayonara wo tsuge
bokura no kakegae no nai hi ushinawarete'ta
taiyou kakusu kirisame hikari wo ubai
shinjiru mono nakushite'ta boku wa nayami dakedo

wasurenai yo, daiji na minna to sugoshita mainichi
never more, kurai yami mo hitori ja nai sa
mitsukedasu yo, daiji na nakushita mono wo
never more, kimi no koe ga kitto sou, boku wo michibiku yo

shinjite ita yo, osanai koro wa tashika ni
itsu no ma ni ka wasurete'ta taisetsu na kotoba
samenai sekai no naka de, sagashimotomete
boku wa yatto mitsuketa yo, kokoro no oku ni atta

kono mama densha noreba nidoto aenai ki ga shite
never more, tomadou se wo kimi ga sotto osu yo
shinjiyou, kimi no egao, bokura no kizuna wo
never more, hanaretete mo tsutawaru yo, kimi no kokoro ga

itsumo kimi no kioku no katasumi ni ne
never more, boku ga iru shinjite arukidasu yo

wasurenai yo, daiji na minna to sugoshita mainichi
never more, kurai yami mo hitori ja nai sa
mitsukedasu yo, daiji na nakushita mono wo
never more, kimi no koe ga kitto sou, boku wo michibiku yo

wasurenai yo, daiji na minna to sugoshita mainichi
never more, kurai yami mo hitori ja nai sa
mitsukedasu yo, daiji na nakushita mono wo
never more, kimi no koe ga kitto sou, boku wo michibiku yo

ima mo oboete'ru
kimi ni afureta yoru wo, sore wa
suteki na omoide
itsumo oboete'ru

Translation

Irresponsibly ruthless words fill this town but,
Never more, will a painful voice flow by

Those days we spent casually together are bidding farewell to us
As we lose those irreplaceable days
The rain hides the sun, stealing away its light
I am troubled as I lost what I believed in

I won't forget those days that I spent with everyone precious to me,
Never more, will I be alone even in the darkness
I will find it, that precious thing that I lost
Never more, because I'm sure your voice will guide me

I don't know when but I really have forgotten,
Those important words that I once believed in when I was young
In the world I can't wake up from I searched for them,
I finally found them, they were deep in my heart all along

If I get on the train now, I have the feeling I won't see you again
Never more, will you have to give the troubled me a little push
I will believe in that smile of yours, in our bond
Never more, for even when we are apart, your heart will be with me

Always I will be at the brink of your memories
Never more, just start walking and believe I'm by your side

I won't forget those days that I spent with everyone precious to me,
Never more, will I be alone even in the darkness
I will find it, that precious thing that I lost
Never more, because I'm sure your voice will guide me

I won't forget those days that I spent with everyone precious to me,
Never more, will I be alone even in the darkness
I will find it, that precious thing that I lost
Never more, because I'm sure your voice will guide me

Even now I remember
Those nights when I was only with you
Those are wonderful memories for me
I will always remember you

Not much to see inside the case itself. The booklet contains a number of cuts from the game's animated cutscenes and, Shoji Meguro comments about what he had in mind when he composed each of the tracks.

A short profile of Shoji Meguro himself. Born 1971 and joined Atlus in 1996. Responsible for many of the MegaTen and Persona titles.

A sticker that only comes with the first press edition of the OST. Pretty lazy of the designers to keep reusing the same artwork repeatedly....

There's also a token to enter a prize draw for a chance to win some original signed Persona goods and of course, a reminder of the live concert next month. There's the mention of a bonus "super picture label" too whatever that is. I think the Japanese themselves don't know what that is either.