Hamasaki started her musical career in 1994 and released her first album "NOTHING FROM NOTHING" in 1995; the album was not successful, and she was subsequently dropped by her record label. In 1998, Hamasaki released her first single, poker face, via the Avex Trax label, after being discovered by label head Masato "Max" Matsuura partying at the Avex-owned club, Velfarre. Hamasaki's debut album, "A Song for ××", was released in 1999, and won her a Gold Disk Award. She has since sold more than 50 million records in Japan alone with the releases of her 9 full-length studio albums, 1 mini-album, 4 compilation albums, 45 singles, and 17 remix albums, becoming the top selling solo and female artist and the 4th top selling Japanese artist in history. With the release of her 40th single "BLUE BIRD", Hamasaki's single sales passed the 20 million mark, making her the first solo and female singer to reach that milestone.
With the release of her 45th single "Rule/Sparkle", Hamasaki currently has 20 consecutive #1 singles (starting from "Free & Easy") and 32 #1 singles in the Japanese ORICON charts. In addition, she is the first Japanese artist to have her first original 8 studio albums top the charts.
Hamasaki released her ninth studio album, GUILTY on January 1, 2008. Shortly after the release, Ayumi revealed that she had become completely deaf in her left ear, and that it is inoperable. It is believed that she suffers from tinnitus, and Ayumi has known about the condition of her left ear since 2007 after an examination. She also stated that she would continue on with her career for her fans, explaining that "nevertheless, I would like to continue as a singer. That's why I would like to continue singing until I reach the limit with my remaining right ear".
In addition to serving as background music for television advertisements, some of Hamasaki's songs have been used as themes for video games and film productions such as television shows and motion pictures. "Depend on you" and its b-side "Two of us" were used as the opening and ending theme, respectively, of the video game Thousand Arms, while the video game Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams used "Startin'" and "rainy day" as its opening and ending theme, respectively. The dorama My Little Chef featured "Voyage" as its theme, while the anime InuYasha featured "Dearest." Finally, Hamasaki's songs "HEAVEN", "Secret", "fated", and "Rule" have been used as the themes for the movies Shinobi: Heart Under Blade, Confession of Pain, Kaidan, and DragonBall Evolution, respectively.
In January 2008, Hamasaki announced on her blog that an inoperable condition, possibly tinnitus or Ménière's disease, had caused complete deafness in her left ear. She had been diagnosed with the condition in 2006 and that the problem dated to 2000, when she developed an ear infection but continued to perform against the advice of doctors. Despite the setback, Hamasaki stated that she wished to continue singing, and that "as a professional", she wanted to "deliver the best performance for everyone". On May 20, 2017, she wrote that she is also losing hearing in her right ear, and had experienced dizziness and nausea. She vowed to continue performing, writing: "The stage is where I belong. It's the only place I really, truly exist. I don't know anything else."
Official site: http://avexnet.or.jp/ayu
Don't look back
浜崎あゆみ Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
いくら振り返っても 変えられない
綺麗な足跡に 塗り替えたところで
自分の心だけは 騙せない
Don't look back カッコ悪い
Don't look back 所こそが愛おしい
いくら振り返っても 変えられない
綺麗な足跡に 塗り替えたところで
自分の心だけは 騙せない
Don't look back 笑えるのは
Don't look back 通り過ぎたからこそ
進みたい進めない そうやって迷って
いるって事はもう 迷ってない
ここで留まるなら いくらか楽かもね
だけど胸を焦がす 刺激もない
ねぇ誰もが思い出すのは
一番輝いてた頃の自分なんて
それは悲しすぎるわ
Don't look back
進みたい進めない そうやって迷って
いるって事はもう 迷ってない
ここで留まるなら いくらか楽かもね
だけど胸を焦がす 刺激もない
戻れない戻らない 帰る場所はもうない
いくら振り返っても 変えられない
綺麗な足跡に 塗り替えたところで
自分の心だけは 騙せない
どんな風に幕を下ろす?
あなたなら
Don't look back
The lyrics of "Don't Look Back" by 浜崎あゆみ speak of the desire to move forward in life without dwelling on the past. The song tells of a person who has accepted that they cannot go back to their old life and the place they called home. Despite looking back multiple times, nothing can be done to change the past. Painting over old memories with pretty pictures will not deceive the person's heart. The lyrics stress the importance of not dwelling on past mistakes and missed opportunities. Instead, they encourage one to look forward, no matter how uncertain the future may be. Though it may seem foolish not to look back, it is a necessary step towards growth.
The repetition of the phrase "don't look back" is a call-to-action, urging the listener to stay focused on the present. The first verse speaks of the impossibility of returning home, emphasizing that the person has to move forward. The second verse highlights that there is no use in staying in the same place, as it will only cause stagnation. The lyrics also touch upon how everyone reminisces about their past, especially their most shining moments, but it is important to remember that it is only a thing of the past. The lyrics subtly suggest a hint of regret, for dwelling on the idea of returning home can only lead to a dead-end.
Overall, "Don't Look Back" by 浜崎あゆみ conveys the message of the importance of letting go of the past in order to move forward and grow.
Line by Line Meaning
戻れない戻らない 帰る場所はもうない
There's no going back, there's no home to return to
いくら振り返っても 変えられない
No matter how much you look back, you can't change the past
綺麗な足跡に 塗り替えたところで
Even if you paint over your footprints with pretty colors
自分の心だけは 騙せない
You can't deceive your own heart
Don't look back カッコ悪い
Looking back is uncool
Don't look back 所こそが愛おしい
This moment is precious
Don't look back 笑えるのは
We can only laugh at the things we've passed
Don't look back 通り過ぎたからこそ
Because we've already passed them
進みたい進めない そうやって迷って
Lost and unable to move forward
いるって事はもう 迷ってない
Being in this state means you're not lost anymore
ここで留まるなら いくらか楽かもね
Staying here might be a little easier
だけど胸を焦がす 刺激もない
But there's no excitement if your heart is burning
ねぇ誰もが思い出すのは
Hey, everyone remembers
一番輝いてた頃の自分なんて
The version of themselves that shone the brightest
それは悲しすぎるわ
It's just too sad
どんな風に幕を下ろす?
How will this end?
あなたなら
If it's you
Don't look back
Don't look back
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Ayumi Hamasaki, Yuta Nakano
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind