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
Rainbow
浜崎あゆみ Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
どこからか
いつだって
すぐそばにあった
どこからか
いつだって
すぐそばにある
lalala...
uh-
The opening verse of "Rainbow" by 浜崎あゆみ is a musing on the concept of forgiveness and the comfort of having someone to rely on. The singer recalls a warm and comforting presence that they always heard nearby, implying perhaps that it was a voice that they listened to or a person they confided in. The singer reflects on how forgiving someone can lead to their own forgiveness, and how facing and overcoming something in the past can lead to healing. The chorus speaks to the idea of gratitude for the present moment, and the importance of leaning on someone for support.
The second verse of the song is directed at a "you," implying perhaps a romantic partner or loved one, who has a comforting presence as well. The singer reflects on how they support and are supported by this "you," noting how they have grown closer over time. The chorus is repeated once more to emphasize the message of living in the present, and the song ends with a final refrain of how the singer will sing for that special someone.
Line by Line Meaning
lalala...
The song starts with the universally recognized sound of gibberish, which symbolizes the confusion and uncertainty the singer has been going through in his life.
どこからか優しく響く
The singer hears a gentle voice, which sounds familiar, and it resonates within his heart, bringing back old memories.
いつだって聞こえてたような
The voice is so comforting and familiar that the singer feels like he's been hearing it all his life, even though he can't remember where it comes from.
すぐそばにあった温もり
The voice reminds the artist of a warm feeling of someone who was always there for him, standing right by his side, supporting him through his struggles.
許す事で許されてた
The artist realizes that he has been forgiven for his mistakes and past sins, and that forgiveness has allowed him to move on with his life.
遥かもう遠い過去も
The singer thinks back to distant memories of his past, which seem so far away and unattainable now.
癒すつもりが癒されてた
The singer intended to heal himself, but instead, he ended up being healed by someone else's love and kindness.
気が付けばそんな風に
The artist realizes that he has been changed and transformed by the power of love, even though he didn't consciously plan it that way.
愛を遠ざけようとした僕は愛に救われていた
The artist confesses that he tried to push away love, thinking it would only cause him pain. However, in doing so, he was saved and rescued by love, which he now cherishes deeply.
どこからか君は舞い降り
The artist sees a beautiful person coming into his life, who appears to have suddenly appeared out of nowhere, like an angel from above.
いつだって伝えてくれる
This person always knows how to convey love and support to the singer, even without using words.
すぐそばにある幸せを
The artist realizes that happiness is all around him, within his reach, and that he only needs to open his heart to it.
支えながら支えられて
The singer learns that supporting someone else can also help him become stronger and more resilient, as he feels supported by the person he loves.
少しずつ寄り添って
The singer and the person he loves gradually become closer, feeling more and more comfortable in each other's company.
守りながら守られては
The singer feels loved and protected by the person he loves, but at the same time, he also wants to protect and cherish this person.
確信へ変わってく
As two people continue to love and support each other, they start to gain confidence and trust in their relationship, knowing that they can overcome any obstacle together.
愛を遠ざけようとした僕は愛に救われたんだ
Just like before, the artist realizes that he was saved by love, which he almost pushed away and neglected at one point in his life.
乗り越えられそうにない痛みならば
The singer acknowledges that there will be times in a relationship when things get challenging, and painful emotions arise that feel almost impossible to manage.
共に分け合い歩いて行こうか
However, instead of giving up or running away, he suggests walking together with his loved one, sharing the burden of pain and finding a way through it all side by side.
抱えきれぬ程の喜び持ち寄り
The artist learns that love is not just about sharing pain, but also about sharing joy, bringing together all the happiness each person has experienced and celebrating it together.
今は君だけのために歌おう
Finally, the artist dedicates a song to the person he loves, expressing his gratitude, joy, and love for everything they share together.
大切な僕の宝物よ
The artist recognizes that his loved one is his most precious treasure in the world, something he values above everything else.
uh-
The song ends with an uncertain, open-ended sound, suggesting that the story of love and relationships is never truly over and that there is always more to discover and explore.
Contributed by Eliana W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.