She was described by Time Magazine as a "Diva On Campus," a reference to her having attended Columbia University for a brief, career-break semester in 2000. In 2009, she was considered "the most influential artist of the decade" in the Japanese landscape by The Japan Times.
Additionally, Utada is best known in the West for making two theme song contributions to Square Enix and Disney's collaborative video game series Kingdom Hearts: "Simple and Clean" (which is the re-written English-language version of her 10th Japanese single Hikari) for Kingdom Hearts and "Sanctuary" for Kingdom Hearts II (later re-recorded with new Japanese lyrics as "Passion" for the Japanese releases of the game). In 2007, her single "Flavor of Life" reached number 2 in worldwide digital download yearly single chart with over 7.2 million downloads, and contributed to 12 million digital sales for her over the same year.
First Love
宇多田ヒカル Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
ニガくてせつない香り
明日の今頃には
あなたはどこにいるんだろう
誰を想ってるんだろう
You are always gonna be my love
いつか誰かとまた恋に落ちても
I'll remember to love you taught me how
You are always gonna be the one
今はまだ悲しい love song
新しい歌うたえるまで
立ち止まる時間が 動き出そうとしてる
忘れたくないことばかり
明日の今頃には
わたしはきっと泣いてる
あなたを想ってるんだろう
Yeah, you will always be inside my heart
いつもあなただけの場所があるから
I hope that I have a place in your heart too
Now and forever you are still the one
今はまだ悲しい love song
新しい歌うたえるまで
You are always gonna be my love
いつか誰かとまた恋に落ちても
I'll remember to love you taught me how
You are always gonna be the one
まだ悲しい love song, yeah
Now and forever
"First Love" is a song performed by Japanese American singer-songwriter Utada Hikaru, that was released as a single in 1999. The song is about the reminiscences of an intense love, as the title suggests, first love. The first kiss is still lingering with the smell of cigarettes that creates a bittersweet and painful memory. In the first verse, the singer reflects on where the subject of the song may be, whom he might be thinking of, alluding to the possibility that he may have moved on. Even so, the singer reaffirms that he will always be her love, and the love that they experienced will be with them forever. The lyrics in the second verse reveals that the singer is stuck in the past, unable to move on from the love they once experienced, and that he still holds a special place in her heart, hoping that she still holds that place in his.
The lyrics of "First Love" are simple yet poignant, reflecting the theme of the song seamlessly. Utada's voice, accompanied by a piano, intensifies the song's motive, adding layers to the pain and melancholy.
Line by Line Meaning
最後のキスはタバコの flavor がした
The last kiss tasted like tobacco, bitter and painful.
ニガくてせつない香り
It had a bitter and nostalgic scent that I cannot forget.
明日の今頃には
I wonder where you will be this time tomorrow.
あなたはどこにいるんだろう
Where are you right now and who are you thinking of?
誰を想ってるんだろう
Who are you thinking of in your heart?
You are always gonna be my love
You will always be my love, no matter what happens in the future.
いつか誰かとまた恋に落ちても
Even if I fall in love with someone else someday.
I'll remember to love you taught me how
I will always remember the way you taught me how to love.
You are always gonna be the one
You will always be the one who holds a special place in my heart.
今はまだ悲しい love song
Right now, it's still a sad love song.
新しい歌うたえるまで
Until I can sing a new song.
立ち止まる時間が 動き出そうとしてる
Time seems to have stopped and is about to start moving again.
忘れたくないことばかり
I don't want to forget anything about you.
わたしはきっと泣いてる
I'm sure I'll be crying this time tomorrow.
あなたを想ってるんだろう
I'll be thinking of you, wondering where you are and who you're with.
Yeah, you will always be inside my heart
You will always have a place in my heart.
いつもあなただけの場所があるから
Because there's always a place just for you in my heart.
I hope that I have a place in your heart too
I hope that you also have a special place in your heart for me.
Now and forever you are still the one
You will always be the one I love, now and forever.
まだ悲しい love song, yeah
It's still a sad love song.
Now and forever
I will always love you, now and forever.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Hikaru Utada
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ayako Tashiro
on 日曜の朝
good