Feeling we have ‘Run out of gas’ emotionally?
Are there times when someone you know feels like a stranger?
Feeling we have ‘Run out of gas’ emotionally every day?
Are there times when you suddenly feel that a word you write every day is misspelt?
BTS Jamais Vu Lyrics Analysis
Jamais vu is the psychological word that describes the feeling of “experiencing something so familiar for the first time in life”.
What Jamais vu feels like?
The French word Jamais vu simply means “never seen”. Jamais vu is about something that feels familiar and unfamiliar for a moment. You can often experience the feeling of Jamais vu if you write one word about 30 times in 60 seconds, and you will immediately have doubts about whether the word’s spelling is spelt correctly or not. It also feels like Jamais vu when you stare at an image of someone you have known for a long time.
This is also called the jamais-vu phenomenon (JVP) in medicine.
When a teacher comes to class and asks the lesson’s name, “Have you been taught this?” Examples such as going to a tertiary JVP, even if someone has read the details in an e-mail or announcement, then when someone asks about it, they say they do not know anything about it, forget about the time to start a class, a meeting and say, “I did not know that.” An example of this JVP situation is when a singer forgets a line of his song.
Although Jamais vu is not a common condition, conditions such as epileptic seizure can cause severe Jamais vu symptoms. Lethologica (Tip of the tongue) is very similar to Jamais vu. Sometimes when we forget a word, we say, “That word is on the tip of my tongue.”
What is the opposite of jamais vu?
Déjà vu is the opposite of Jamais vu. Déjà vu is the feeling that an event/experience happens for the first time in life, but that event/experience is experienced the same way.
A song called Jamais Vu is on the concept album Map of the Soul: 7 by the South Korean music band BTS. They are referring to feeling of Jamais Vu as feeling the hurt like it is the first time when one keeps stumbling on their way towards their goal.
“The song talks about how there might be unintentional mistakes and setbacks, but we will keep getting up and keep on running.” – KIM NAMJOON (RM)
In this song, they compare the life of a computer game to real life as they send their message to the fans: “Keep moving forward without making unexpected mistakes and setbacks.”
What does the BTS song Jamais Vu mean?
Here are the lyrics and English translation, along with the explanation.
또 져버린 것 같아 넌 화가 나 보여 아른대는 game over, over, over
(Translation: I think I lost again; you look like you’re mad, in a blur, game over and over)**
[Explanation: game over when the number of chances you can try in a computer game is over.]
만약 게임이라면 또 load하면 되겠지만
I guess I gotta deal with this, deal with this, Real-world.
(Translation: If this was a game, I could just load it again, I guess I got to deal with this, deal with this, Real-world.)
[Explanation: In real life, you can’t start all over again, just like you make a mistake in a computer game and start all over again.]
Ay, uh 차라리 게임이면 좋겠지 너무 아프니까 (Translation: It’d be better if it were a game Because it hurts so much)
I need to heal my medic, but I’m another star.
[Explanation: Not like when you make a mistake in a game, but when you make a mistake in real life.]
완벽하지 못했던 나를 탓해 (Translation: Blame me since I was imperfect)
Brake in my head, brake in my step, always
그저 잘하고 싶었고 웃게 해주고 싶었는데 (Translation: All I wanted was to do well I wanted to make you smile, damn)
But I’m one more star
[Explanation: Games have health packs and extra lives for instant recovery. (They show up as several stars on the game interface, but no extra chances in real life. One life)]
Please give me a remedy 멈춰버린 심장을 뛰게 할 remedy
이제 어떻게 해야 해 날 살려줘 다시 기회를 줘 Please give me a
(Translation: Please give me a remedy, a remedy to make my heartbeat again (Remedy)
What should I do now? Please save me, give me another chance, please give me a…)
A remedy, a melody 오직 내게만 남겨질 그 memory
이쯤에서 그만하면 꺼버리면 모든 게 다 편해질까
(Translation: A remedy, a melody, A memory that will be left just for me
If I stop right now if I just turn it off, will it all be more comfortable?)
괜찮지만 괜찮지 않아 익숙하다고 혼잣말했지만 늘 처음인 것처럼 아파
(Translation: I’m fine, but I’m not okay. I told myself I was used to it
It always hurts like it’s the first time.)
부족한 gamer, 맞아 날 control 못하지
(Translation: Not a good gamer, that’s right, you can’t control me)
Explanation: You can follow the instructions of a game and win until the end of the game. However, you can not easily win a game without following the game’s instructions.
계속 아파 ’cause 시행착오와 오만 가지
내 노래 가사, 몸짓 하나 말 한마디 다 내 미시감에 무서워지고
(Translation: It keeps hurting because of trial and error and 50,000-something else
My song lyrics, each gesture I become afraid of every word, my jamais vu)
또 늘 도망가려 해 But 잡네, 그래도 네가 내 그림자는 커져가도
(Translation: Again, I try to escape as always, but still, you grab me, even as my shadow grows.)
[Explanation: To win a game, you have to follow the instructions, face the battles/obstacles in it, and make the right decisions, just like in real life. In that sense, there are a lot of similarities between game unit life and real life.]
Please give me a remedy 멈춰버린 심장을 뛰게 할 remedy
이제 어떻게 해야 해 날 살려줘 다시 기회를 줘 Please give me a
(Translation: Please give me a remedy
A remedy to make my heartbeat again (Remedy)
What should I do now? Please save me, give me another chance, please give me a….)
또 다시 뛰고, 또 넘어지고 (Honestly)
수없이 반복된대도 난 또 뛸 거라고
Translation:(Melody) Run and run again, stumble again
Translation:(Honestly) Even if it repeats forever, I’ll keep running
[Explanation: Honestly, even if it happens again, no matter how many obstacles come, I will not stop running.]
Please give me a remedy 멈춰버린 심장을 뛰게 할 remedy
이제 어떻게 해야 해 날 살려줘 다시 기회를 줘 Please give me a
(Translation: Please give me a remedy
A remedy to make my heartbeat again (Remedy)
What should I do now? Please save me, give me another chance, please give me a….)
이제 어떻게 해야 해 (익숙한 아픔이 똑같이 날 덮쳐)
날 살려줘 (이번에도 쉽지 않아)
다시 기회를 줘 (관둘 거냐고? No, no never) I won’t give up
(Translation: Please give me a remedy (So is this success, I came back)
A remedy that will make my heartbeat again (I’ll concentrate on reaching you no matter what, falling, stumbling)
What should I do now? (This familiar pain seizes on me again.)
Save me (It’s not easy this time either)
Please give me another chance. (Am I giving up? No, no, never)
I won’t give up!
Check the following reference articles to learn more about the meaning of Jamais Vu
- The “Jamais-vu Phenomenon” in Medical Education: (URL)
- ABC Science Online, Is it really you or jamais vu?: (URL)
- Ceylon Bangtan, what is Jamais vu? BTS Jamais vu: (URL)
- How Did BTS Become Victims in a Smear Campaign Despite Organic Success
- Young Men’s Struggles Explored in BTS Music
- Min Yoongi: Musical Talent and Resilience
This article is written by:
Ceylon Bangtan
Ceylon Bangtan shares BTS song analyses, BTS theories, and helpful BTS facts.
