The meaning behind "count down"?

[Spartayu]

Hello there. I was just curious about the song, "count down", I've read the lyrics in English, but I do not really understand what Miss Hamasaki tried to convey her feelings in this song.

Anyone knows the actual meaning behind this song?

Spoiler:

In Shangri-la where I had been longing for
The strong and very cold wind
Woke me up
And at the same time, disappeared

I don't laugh nor cry
I experienced despair so much in the past
That I became empty, I feel nothing

I hear some distant sound
You see? The end will begin soon
I'll accept it as it is
On my left side
I need no compassion

"Supposing you are in the abyss
All that is left is to go up"

You said so with no hesitation
It's not important what on earth it meant
There is something more important

* I hear some distant sound
You see? The end will begin soon
Pretend to watch me until the end
I'll be on your left side
I need nothing else

I hear some distant sound
You see? The end will begin soon
I'll accept it as it is
On my left side

* (repeat)

[Mirrorcle Monster]

I´ve read that is about her ear

[Andrenekoi]

Her deafness

[Raiu-Ayu]

yeah I'm pretty sure its about her left ear.

I think she's basically saying that, although she is considered legally deaf, she can still hear a tiny bit in her ear, She knows eventually that she won't be able to hear at all in it, hence a 'count down' of sorts. It also implies that she understands this and accepts it and will continue on.

The line that really interests me is:
"Supposing you are in the abyss
All that is left is to go up"
From this it seems that ayu feels that she has been at the lowest point in her life and so therefore there is nowhere but up from this place.

Despite being quite a sad song, it also has quite a hopeful meaning

[AngelSenshi]

Originally Posted by Raiu-Ayu

yeah I'm pretty sure its about her left ear.

I think she's basically saying that, although she is considered legally deaf, she can still hear a tiny bit in her ear, She knows eventually that she won't be able to hear at all in it, hence a 'count down' of sorts. It also implies that she understands this and accepts it and will continue on.

The line that really interests me is:
"Supposing you are in the abyss
All that is left is to go up"
From this it seems that ayu feels that she has been at the lowest point in her life and so therefore there is nowhere but up from this place.

Despite being quite a sad song, it also has quite a hopeful meaning

I agree with this.

There's potential for it getting worse, but she knows that even if it'll be tough, she's already seen things at their worst, she knows that while one great bad thing will happen, something good will surely happen; she can only move up from the horrible things.

She's got people beside her to get through the whole thing of her hearing going and she knows they won't leave her because they're the people that were there for her in even worse times.

The meaning of count down is quite deep; I think it really is about coming to terms with what's happening, it's sad but its hopeful.

Originally Posted by Raiu-Ayu

yeah I'm pretty sure its about her left ear.

I think she's basically saying that, although she is considered legally deaf, she can still hear a tiny bit in her ear, She knows eventually that she won't be able to hear at all in it, hence a 'count down' of sorts. It also implies that she understands this and accepts it and will continue on.

The line that really interests me is:
"Supposing you are in the abyss
All that is left is to go up"
From this it seems that ayu feels that she has been at the lowest point in her life and so therefore there is nowhere but up from this place.

Despite being quite a sad song, it also has quite a hopeful meaning

I agree with this explanation the most. Thank You!

[AyuWorld]

actually im quite confius with the lyrics so yeah its about her deafness,thanx for clearing this ^^

[Spartayu]

That is so inspirational... Always listen to this whenever you get a fall in your life
As respected always...

[Keiichi_JPU]

I like to think a person's "left side" is some sort of empty spot for a partner / lover. That's why she sings

I'll be on your left side,
I need nothing else

I think it's a bitter-sweet love-song (god that sounds cheezy)
I don't connect it to her hearing problems.

But that's just my opinion, the way I see it

[AyuWorld]

^ agreed =)

and this line,
I'll be on your left side,
I need nothing else

maybe Ayu referring to her fans and her friends,she said before that her fans are her left ear =)

even the beginning of the music it has some sort of sound that she used to hear in her left ear before becoming totally deaf,so it kind of implies the meaning of this song =(

but looks like Ayu wanna tell us shes ok now and can accept the thing as it is and whatever that will be,life must go on (^_^)

[kotora]

count down (left ear)
Last Links (right ear)

[Pieces_of_SEVEN]

Originally Posted by kotora

count down (left ear)
Last Links (right ear)

highly doubt that...lol

[Spartayu]

Originally Posted by identity

A while ago I asked Misa-chan to translate the song since her translations always are so clear and easy to understand. Maybe her translation will help you:

Hmmmm... Isn't that translation similar to the one I read?

Originally Posted by Ayesha

I didn't know why, but -before knowing the story behind it- despite the actual sadness in the song, I sensed, I felt a ray of hope, an urge to go on, to keep up your strength..
Now I understand everything.
This is how music comunicates.
This is sooo going to my blog.
Thank you for your question. Now I understand much more.

You're welcome =)
I felt the same way as you do, I always felt that her song was more supportive to every listener, in a way that it shared sorrows and brought certain hopes to us.

Originally Posted by captain-kawaii123

I interpreted it as her left ear being unable to hear~

Especially with the sound that plays at the beginning that reminds me of a hearing aid sound~

Originally Posted by Ayesha

more than a hearing aid, i'd said a disturbing sound to any ear, even more to a damaged ear... maybe they wanted to imply that not hearing well can be compared to hear that uneasy sound for a not hearing-impaired person.

Hi-5! Nah, I'm just styling my hair... Yeah! After this thread, I kindda realized that as well... Both of you got a point there

Originally Posted by asmAyumi1992

Seriously.. Ayu is really poetic.. I'm sad for her

Don't be sad, she shares all her thoughts, whether it's dark or bright, to let us understand certain things of life. As well as herself earning for her living =)

Originally Posted by Mintkisses

^ Me too =/
I didn't realize that this song was so emotional (well, meaningful). Now I will listen to it knowing the words Ayu has given us~

And that makes a difference in her, compared to those modern singers nowadays, that made songs that simply had no meanings, sounds retarded, and worse comes to worst, added noise pollution to our society.

Originally Posted by Pieces_of_SEVEN

highly doubt that...lol

Why not?

[emi♡]

did she actually say it was about her ear.

[Spartayu]

Originally Posted by AyuWorld

^ agreed =)

and this line,
I'll be on your left side,
I need nothing else

maybe Ayu referring to her fans and her friends,she said before that her fans are her left ear =)

even the beginning of the music it has some sort of sound that she used to hear in her left ear before becoming totally deaf,so it kind of implies the meaning of this song =(

but looks like Ayu wanna tell us shes ok now and can accept the thing as it is and whatever that will be,life must go on (^_^)

Huh? It's a little odd... If we're her left ear, it means that we were the cause of her near-fall? Shouldn't we be her right ear instead, those that brought her hopes to continue on despite the setbacks?

Oh well, anyways we should learn something from this song; Always look at the worst state before jumping to conclusions ^^, (Random thoughts o.O)

Originally Posted by kotora

count down (left ear)
Last Links (right ear)

That was for real?

Originally Posted by emiko

did she actually say it was about her ear.

Ain't so sure bout that, but it should be, as far as we can see.

[crea_spain]

maybe she's referring to her heart (left side)

[Spartayu]

Originally Posted by crea_spain

maybe she's referring to her heart (left side)

Hmmmm... Maybe not... As the song referred to quite some setbacks she'd faced throughout her career, and yeah...

Guess what, I just realized that Last Link starts off the music on the right side of the speaker in the direction of where it supposedly came from. Does that mean something of her ear?

[AyuWorld]

Originally Posted by Spartayu

Huh? It's a little odd... If we're her left ear, it means that we were the cause of her near-fall? Shouldn't we be her right ear instead, those that brought her hopes to continue on despite the setbacks?

haha you got it wrong i mean that she want us to be her "left ear" as she cant use her left ear anymore but us her fans,are the strenght for her and so we can be like her "left ear" to continue her career,you know she lost her hearing but her fans will always there to support her,you got it?im sorry if this is not clear enough XDD

i remember maybe at AT 08 Ayu told her fans at the finale show that she's going to continue singing and her fans are her "left ear" and so in my opinion she felt like she lost nothing and still got the strenght to go on

@ Rody! that makes sense and interesting thought
@ Misa chan awww~ i really hope her right ear will survive if not,thats really2 pity for her

[Spartayu]

Originally Posted by AyuWorld

haha you got it wrong i mean that she want us to be her "left ear" as she cant use her left ear anymore but us her fans,are the strenght for her and so we can be like her "left ear" to continue her career,you know she lost her hearing but her fans will always there to support her,you got it?im sorry if this is not clear enough XDD

i remember maybe at AT 08 Ayu told her fans at the finale show that she's going to continue singing and her fans are her "left ear" and so in my opinion she felt like she lost nothing and still got the strenght to go on

@ Rody! that makes sense and interesting thought
@ Misa chan awww~ i really hope her right ear will survive if not,thats really2 pity for her

Ah, yes. I got what you're saying, but the way she says it might spark off some confusion for people like me..

[non3ko]

Originally Posted by emiko

did she actually say it was about her ear.

It'd be nice to know if she did say this, rather than speculations about her ear. Does anyone know where this came from, is there an article? I'd really like to read about her inspiration for this song.