Ayu retiring? Hints in L lyrics.
 

When I first read the lyrics for Virgin Road, I thought "Wow, there is so much closure in this song." Then, this morning, I read the translation for Last Angel and it became evident: I think this might be Ayu's last single.

Here are links to the translations:
Sweet Season http://www.ahsforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=104160
Virgin Road http://www.ahsforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=103999
Last Angel http://www.ahsforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=104150

In Sweet Season she reviews all the times "we" have spent together (her and us, the fans?), and all the seasons we went through together (summer happy songs, winter ballads?).

The second chorus is "You start to walk now / After looking back just a little and smiling nostalgically / You start to walk now / I see your future full of hope, so brilliant." It sounds like she's leaving us alone... She also references "Seasons"

Virgin Road is all about being thankful, and I think it might be to Max Matsuura. She also says "Hey, from now on, everything which may happen uh- I'll be grateful for it, from now till forever, "Thank you"." Again, it sounds a lot like something is about to happen.

She also references count down ("So please watch over me"). I think it's pretty obvious that count down was about the end of her carreer (the chorus for that says "I hear a distant sound / You see, the end will begin soon").

The really alarming part is Last Angel, though. First, she references a lot of her previous songs:
"The bell’s sound / That announces the end" - count down
"But your voice remained silent, didn’t it? / I wonder if it isn’t a lie." - I am...
"I wonder if it isn’t a dream / Because I have never woken up" - neverending dream
"I won’t feel regret anymore, I won’t look back anymore" - Microphone
"I can only move forward" - Don't look back
"I’ve had a love where I couldn’t hold my head high / And felt guilty" - GUILTY
"I accept you for the person you are" - SURREAL
"Just one, the last one / I have such a pure love" - 1 LOVE

Then there are lines like these in the song:
"I wonder if I am still in time. I wonder if I am not too late / I wonder if I can still start / I want to see it, I want to feel it / I don’t want to give up / I wonder if I’ll run away. I wonder if I’ll lie." Is she talking about 'normal life?'

"Even if I love you, even if I miss you / Even if we can never meet again." Is she talking about music?

Finally, she compares a love she had a while ago, that made her feel guilty, and how this new love, but now, this last love she has is so pure. Sounds like she's compring the times when Avex manipulated her and she became 'a product' back in the Rainbow era and these new times when she feels comfortable as a recording artist.

Maybe I'm reading too hard into it, but it sounds like there is a lot of closure in this single, L can be read as 50 in roman or as "Last", the three songs are a ballad, a cheery song and a hyper song (she covered the whole spectrum).

Any thoughts?

hmm,as far as i know,
music is her life.so,i don't think she's gonna retire (unless she's tired of it or no one accept her anymore),or else she's not gonna retire... soon

i guess she will retire once she get married.for now i don't think she will retire

i think she will be the next seiko matsuda...that never retired, no matter how old is she...she will keep on releasing music...

Hmmm I think she said in twitter that Virgin Road is dedicated to her mother.. so maybe your theory falls apart a little xD

Anyway, I hope you're wrong! I want more and more songs of ayu!! >_<

She herself said it's a song dedicated for her mother.

this is so annoying. Remember curtain call and all the rumors about her retirement. And that was more reasonable!

She isn't retiring. Music is everything to her. Also on twitter she confirmed both that Virgin Road is for her mother and that she is working on a new album.

Also remember the CAROLS PV and how people thought she was about to retire.

I know there's a lot of people that don't like or care for ayu and would love her retirement
Ayu may want to start a family or live in more peace
Etc etc etc

But when truly looking at things ayu is not really set on the path of retirement. If she was. Avex might announce it to gain more money from it. And release another best album.

I honestly don't think she's going to retire after this. Or the new album coming out.

L stands for Leaving

nah like in every thread that touches this subject I always say
"she said music is her life so she's never going to retire"

LOL this actually made me sad. honestly.

U just made me realize how special Last angel's lyrics are. But the title itself for that song is soo...unique to fit a song like that. I mean, I was just wondering about it just a while ago, why is it called Last angel.

but yea, music is her life. then again, she could make music and go on a break too right?

ayu should have retired 29763 times since I joined this forum

I didn't really get any hints from the lyrics parts you quoted...:shrug Maybe I should try reading the full translations. But I don't think she'll be retiring anytime soon.

Yeaaaah, no. Every time Ayu reaches a new landmark, wait no- every time Ayu releases ANYTHING people think she's on the brink of retiring.

I think Ayu is not going to retiring but also think she will take a break / vacation after CDL, she can't be making music without stop, she also needs to live her own life.

She can't retired yet. She still got 50 more singles and 10 more albums to release!....kidding :P

I don't think she'll retired anytime soon.

First of all, woow that you can match all those lyrics with certian thoughts ans memories, impressive.

Second: MAYBE you are right, but i don't hope so.

Third: like she said, music is my life, so i think without she can't live.
BUT in that CNN nterview she ALSO said, she lives in present, AND NEVER KNOW about the future. So who knows?

(sorry if i am trolling)


But i hope/think so she won't but We''ll never know till the time is theer.

She has been asked on twitter and she answered NO !!

OMG THIS RUMOR AGAIN? No, she's a workaholic and won't retire anyday too soon.

No, she called me yesterday at my phone and she said, she'll retire tomorrow.

Urghh.. :rolleyes