Letters
Utada Hikaru ( 宇多田ヒカル) Lyrics


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Atatakai suna no ue wo arukidasu yo
Kanashii shirase no todokanai umibe e
Kimi ga inakutemo taiyou ga noboru to
Atarashii ichinichi no hajimari
Kyou eranda amidakuji no sen ga
Doko ni tsuzuku ka wa wakaranai
Namakemono na watashi ga mainichi hataraku riyuu
Aa ryoute ni sora wo mune ni arashi wo
Aa kimi ni owakare wo
Aa kono umibe ni nokosarete ita no wa
Itsumo okitegami
Aa yume no naka demo denwa goshi demo
Aa koe wo kikitai yo
Aa kotoba kawasu no ga nigate na kimi wa
Itsumo okitegami

Isogashii to renraku tama ni wasurechau kedo
Dare ni datte ichi, nido wa aru koto
Kyou hanashita toshiue no hito wa
Hitori demo daijoubu da to iu
Ibukashige na watashi wa mada kangaeteru tochuu

Aa hana ni namae wo hoshi ni negai wo
Aa watashi ni anata wo
Aa kono madobe ni kazararete ita no wa
Itsumo okitegami
Aa sukoshi dake demo shatsu no ue demo
Aa kimi ni furetai yo
Aa oboete iru saigo no ichigryou wa
Kanarazu kaeru yo
Aa yasuragu basho wo yume ni tsuzuki wo
Aa kimi ni okaeri wo
Aa kono sekai no dokoka kara watashi mo
Okuritsuzukeru yo
Aa yume no naka demo denwa goshi demo
Aa koe wo kikitai yo
Aa kotoba kawasu no ga nigate nara
Kondo kyuu ni inaku naru toki wa
Nanimo iranai yo

Tell me that you'll never ever leave me
Then you go ahead and leave me
What the hell is going on
Tell me that you really really love me




Then you go ahead and leave me
How the hell do I go on...

Overall Meaning

In "Letters," Utada Hikaru sings about walking on the warm sand and moving towards the never-ending sadness of an unreachable coastline. The singer is talking about beginning a new day without someone special in it. The lyrics speak to the idea of feeling lost after a relationship's end and the struggles of trying to move forward on your own. The song expresses a sense of longing for the person who has gone away, but also an acceptance that life goes on, and there will be new beginnings.


The lyrics mention amidakuji, which is a Japanese game similar to a ladder and snake game where players follow a path of connected lines to get to the end. The mention of this game could symbolize the unknown path moving forward as the singer recognizes that they do not know where this path leads. Furthermore, the lyrics speak to the difficulty of communication, especially during tough situations, where words can be challenging to exchange, and it is tough to express oneself. It also talks about how easy it is to forget to communicate with people when you are busy with your own life.


Line by Line Meaning

Atatakai suna no ue wo arukidasu yo
I'm walking on warm sand


Kanashii shirase no todokanai umibe e
Heading towards a sad and unreachable shore


Kimi ga inakutemo taiyou ga noboru to
Even if you're not here, the sun will rise


Atarashii ichinichi no hajimari
The start of a new day


Kyou eranda amidakuji no sen ga
Which path will the chosen lottery ticket lead me down today?


Doko ni tsuzuku ka wa wakaranai
I don't know where it will end up


Namakemono na watashi ga mainichi hataraku riyuu
The reason I work hard every day, even though I'm lazy


Aa ryoute ni sora wo mune ni arashi wo
I hold the sky in my hands, a storm in my heart


Aa kimi ni owakare wo
Saying goodbye to you


Aa kono umibe ni nokosarete ita no wa
What's always left for me on this shore


Itsumo okitegami
Are always wake-up calls


Aa yume no naka demo denwa goshi demo
In my dreams, over the phone


Aa koe wo kikitai yo
I want to hear your voice


Aa kotoba kawasu no ga nigate na kimi wa
You, who struggle with exchanging words


Itsumo okitegami
Are always wake-up calls


Isogashii to renraku tama ni wasurechau kedo
We forget to communicate when we're busy


Dare ni datte ichi, nido wa aru koto
You only get one chance with anyone, two at the most


Kyou hanashita toshiue no hito wa
The older person I talked to today


Hitori demo daijoubu da to iu
Said it's okay to be alone


Ibukashige na watashi wa mada kangaeteru tochuu
I, who am timid, am still thinking about it


Aa hana ni namae wo hoshi ni negai wo
I give my flowers names and my wishes to the stars


Aa watashi ni anata wo
To you, to me


Aa kono madobe ni kazararete ita no wa
What is decorated on this window


Itsumo okitegami
Are always wake-up calls


Aa sukoshi dake demo shatsu no ue demo
Even just a little bit, whether it's over a shirt


Aa kimi ni furetai yo
I want to touch you


Aa oboete iru saigo no ichigryou wa
I remember the last strawberry


Kanarazu kaeru yo
It will definitely return


Aa yasuragu basho wo yume ni tsuzuki wo
Continuing my dream of a peaceful place


Aa kimi ni okaeri wo
Welcome home


Aa kono sekai no dokoka kara watashi mo
From somewhere in this world, I


Okuritsuzukeru yo
Will continue to send


Aa yume no naka demo denwa goshi demo
In my dreams, over the phone


Aa koe wo kikitai yo
I want to hear your voice


Aa kotoba kawasu no ga nigate nara
If exchanging words is difficult


Kondo kyuu ni inaku naru toki wa
When, suddenly, you disappear


Nanimo iranai yo
I don't need anything




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: HIKARU UTADA

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@locketology

honestly one of the best songs ever made

@tigrishke3115

I agree a thousand times!!!

@EveAulyta

The mood of this song is just too good, like it's so chill and warm at the same time, sad but also comforting too.

@Kaoren717

Aw man, riding the bus 3hrs to and from school, listening to this on loop, good times...

@zakarahmath

My exact experience 😆

@apolpieTV

Ahhhh, it brings back may early college days since 2003 🥲

@ki188

Letters〜i love youまでの構成が秀逸すぎる

@1polyron1

I just discovered this song. It's so good. It's like this song is a representation of the word "life" itself. It's has such a lively feel to it. Makes you feel younger just listening to it.

@jhannellysamodio9201

I'm kinda will remember the song as I ever forget in my life. this could be change my life for better.❤️❤️❤️

@mohammadjuhail86

Never gets old.

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