Ayu has been using too much English in her songs lately...

[yoshino]

Do u feel irritated or u like it ?

In fact what got me into Ayu back then 10 years ago is also partly cos of her 100% Japanese lyrics in her songs. I dun like to listen to other Japanese singers' songs initially where they have lots of English in their songs cos most of them they can't really pronounce correctly and it's more like broken English in which I dun even understand sometimes. Everytime I found myself guessing what they are singing. lol. And I think Japanese songs should jolly well have more Japanese words than English.

I'm not saying that I hate English or anything like that but I felt that English can't express the meaning as good as Japanese. I dun mind a single sentence like 'No rain can't get the rainbow' or a small paragraph at the end of a song like forgiveness but not like English words filling over 50% of the song.
Just like NaNaNa, I love the song but it bothers me that it has so much English words all over like about 80%. It makes me feel that it's more like an English song more than a Japanese song.

I wonder if there's anyone who feel the same as me...

[ExodusUK]

Once you get past the first three songs on Party Queen there is hardly any English at all except "Oh tell me why", "Say eyes, smoke and magic" and "you don't know how beautiful you are".

[sxesven]

Originally Posted by ExodusUK

Once you get past the first three songs on Party Queen there is hardly any English at all except "Oh tell me why", "Say eyes, smoke and magic" and "you don't know how beautiful you are".

You either have a great sense of humour or, er, you don't.

[xLuna&1LOVE]

Well, I like many other songs fom other Japanese singers who are also using lots of english in their songs. It doesn't bother me, as long as it does sound nice.

However I see your problem with NaNaNa, but try to hear the fun actually in it? Come on, didn't you laugh too when you'd heard "LISTEN TO MY VOICE, U DUNT HAVE NO CHOICE?" "Fun fun number 1, uhm... we're done." It's hilarious.

[jang-kun]

Originally Posted by xLuna&1LOVE

Well, I like many other songs fom other Japanese singers who are also using lots of english in their songs. It doesn't bother me, as long as it does sound nice.

However I see your problem with NaNaNa, but try to hear the fun actually in it? Come on, didn't you laugh too when you'd heard "LISTEN TO MY VOICE, U DUNT HAVE NO CHOICE?" "Fun fun number 1, uhm... we're done." It's hilarious.

omg this!


and tbh her engrish in Real Me is worse than anything on Party Queen. it's catchy but for me i didn't understand it until i checked out the lyrics lol and also Happening Here omg the english there i can't stand

[SURREAL__RAINBOW]

I don't mind actually, as long as we get lots of variety like in Party Queen. At least Return Road and other songs in there had amazing lyrics.

[douggn]

Well it does make sense with ayu working on her English a lot last year to incorporate it more and more with her new lyrics over time

[PoetGirl]

I dont get it can bother some people. I love her music so much that I would be stanning for her even is she was singing in turkish lol.

I usually find it cute.

[tetsuo69]

i dislike it cause most of the time i have no idea what she saying.

[relmy]

Originally Posted by orangedream

Do u feel irritated or u like it ?

In fact what got me into Ayu back then 10 years ago is also partly cos of her 100% Japanese lyrics in her songs....

You mean 10 years ago, when, you know, Real Me, came out.

She's been using English for years, why is it only bothering you now? :/

[yoshino]

Originally Posted by relmy

You mean 10 years ago, when, you know, Real Me, came out.

She's been using English for years, why is it only bothering you now? :/

Okay, sorry for this part I wasn't specific. 10 years ago I was at A BEST era. That's the first Ayu album I bought. All her earlier songs back then was 100% Japanese lyrics indeed.

Originally Posted by Delirium-Zer0

I know what you mean, orangedream. When I first got into ayu in 2000, I found it fascinating that her lyrics were 100% japanese when other artists seemed to love random english so much. She said in an interview at the time that she was only comfortable expressing herself in Japanese. I remember being shocked at the english word "Yes" appearing in "AUDIENCE"! It was just like "waaaaaaah!?"

Then when she took her trip to HK in 2002 and saw how many fans she had there, she suddenly started sticking English in her songs. I mean it was welcome at the time, but later, in retrospect, I'd realize that that was when the quality of Ayu's music really started to decline. Now that she was writing with listeners outside of Japan in mind, she started getting more & more "safe" with her music and less & less personal.

But she did start easing up on the English. For a long time it felt like she hardly had ANY songs that were 100% Japanese, but i feel like those songs do come up more often now. I do wish she'd back off the English almost completely, because I do feel like she WANTS to be personal but feels like she can't be because of the listeners. That said, the English she DOES use now is the English she's comfortable with (which is why it's so simplistic sounding) so I'm fine with what little she uses now. It bugged me for ages cuz it didn't feel like her talking, but now it does so it's fine with me.

My main concern is that her message gets across in her lyrics. Now that it seems to be doing that, the English doesn't bother me as much as it used to.

I'm so glad u understand me. That was really how I felt..

[ExodusUK]

I was curious so I checked, Love Songs has the following English
like a doll (repeated through out the song)
dance, dance, dance, do it again etc (repeated through out the song)

FIVE only has the "Oh anoother song" and "why..wow" lines

[TeamAyu2004]

i dont think she uses too much english.

[jewelbox]

Well, I don't like NaNaNa or You & Me but english parts are not the only reason why I dislike them. I don't see it as a problem. She has used english several times in her lyrics

[isthisLOL?]

She's been learning English, she found out about having tons of international fans(see the 10 or so languages used in BRILLANTE), she was with somebody who could speak English but not Japanese for over a year...all natural reasons for her to incorperate more English. Why limit yourself to your native language if you feel like you can express some things the same or better in another one?

[Aderianu]

Heartplace
We're free to go anywhere we want
We're free to do anything we want

real me
What I get?
What you get?
...
What I say?
What you say?
...
a woman never runs away
a woman never hides away
in order to survive
...
a woman never shows her fears
a woman never shows her tears
in order to survive
... etc


she use english words very often, many old songs can't be 100% japanese.

[ohsixthirty]

She barely uses English in her songs...

But I actually love when she does.

[ExodusUK]

IIRC Ayu justifies using English because sometimes it works easier with the rhythm and melody. Using the example "watashi" has three syllables while "I.." just has one but have the same meaning.

[kinix]

I think she uses english more for the convenience of her international fans like us =D
Trying to get more attached and I like it =P
Even namie also had english versions of her songs in uncontrolled it just shows that they're looking out of the japan market. Which is a good thing IMO.

[FoxyPinkGirl]

I like it personally. I think she should anyways because it would help boost her image more internationally. I mean Koda Kumi is a little more known here in the US because she's collaborative with Fergie and Orianthi Panagaris (the blonde guitarist for Micheal Jackson's This Is It comeback tour), and BoA released an English album here. people got curious about her because Dearest was used as the 3rd ending theme for InuYasha that was boradcasted here in English a few years after it was originally broadcasted in Japan and Asia. but since she hasn't done anything really outside Asia for English speaking fans, not many people know about her outside Asia. English is an international language, if she did more in English....she would have many many more fans and could do so much more. so many endless possibilities. I think it would be great is she did an English album, I really hope she does. but it's up to her label, since they've been focusing on Asia her entire career.