The FIVE era concepts analysis thread!

[Andrenekoi]

Overall guide-lines:

-The intention of this thread is discussing the concepts of Ayu's several releases, analysing the lyrics, the music, the visual, the videos and the tour concept.

-Everyone's insights about the concept of an era is welcome!

-Please, let's avoid the "this era rocked"/"this era sucked" stuff.

-And remember, when it's about the interpretation of a creative work, there's no right and wrong, just different impressions. Offenses towards another member discussing the subject will be reported.

Other Threads:
GUILTY
NEXT LEVEL
Rock’n’Roll Circus
Love Songs
Party Queen
LOVE again
Colours
A one
M(A)DE IN JAPAN


FIVE (you can download it here)









1. progress
2. ANother song feat. URATA NAOYA
3. Why... feat. JUNO
4. beloved
5. BRILLANTE

FIVE was Ayu's 2nd mini-album, released in 2011. It was released having the 2011 Fukushima disaster in mind, leading to Ayu not moving to the USA like she planned at the time and to the HOTEL Love songs tour being postponed and changed by the POWER of MUSIC. Both the EP and the Tour have a strong "back to basics" feel to them, putting most of experimentation and extravaganza aside for a more straightfoward and music-focused aproach.


LYRICS (from here, and another take here)

progress

Spoiler:

The time when I feared the simple days is long gone
Now I know it’s the complicated days that are sad

It’s not that I want to go back, it’s just that my desire to believe
Is crying out behind me, and I know it’s not wrong

We’re carving out the same time, believe in the same future
Yesterday’s tears and today’s smiles are both true

We’ve felt the same pain and brought the same tenderness
And we’ll turn it into the strength to live tomorrow

If all the battles I fought in that time and place
Were so that I could choose what I have now

Then maybe the reason I want to forgive the past
That I left behind and looked away from because I couldn’t face it
Is because I want to be forgiven myself?

The time when we could just be free is long gone
It takes more than innocent smiles through these times

But we’ll move on, we’ll keep moving on
Because we still have the will to believe in something

Yeah, we haven’t asked for much so far
And we won’t in the future

We’re carving out the same time, believe in the same future
Yesterday’s tears and today’s smiles are both true

We’ve felt the same pain and brought the same tenderness
And we’ll turn it into the strength to live tomorrow

ANother song feat. URATA NAOYA

Spoiler:

But, but, we’ve
Always resented the person next to us
And, and, we’ve
Lost sight of things because they were too close

My reflection in the window
Is so pathetic that it annoys me
But I can’t turn back the time
I miss you...

I loved you so much it was sad
I was hopelessly in love with you
That summer day is far away now
But I’ll sing another song and pray that it reaches you

Eventually, eventually, we
Realised only when it was too late
That’s why, that’s why we
Were crying as we smiled

Will we meet again
At the end of these winding roads?
I have stupid dreams like that and it makes me
Miss u so bad...

I loved you all through yesterday
And I loved you all day today
I’m sure I’ll still love you tomorrow
And so I’ll sing another song to you

Whose side are you by now
And how are you looking at that person?
I still can’t get used to
Spending my days
Without you

I loved you so much it was sad
I was hopelessly in love with you
That summer day is far away now
But I’ll sing another song and pray that it reaches you

I loved you all through yesterday
And I loved you all day today
I’m sure I’ll still love you tomorrow
And so I’ll sing another song to you

I’m sorry, I’m still in love with you
Maybe it’s mean of me, but I love you
Even though that summer day is far away now
I’ll sing another song and pray that it reaches you

That it reaches you...you...

Why... feat. JUNO

Spoiler:

What has changed in all the time that’s gone by since then?
What was I trying to avoid when I distanced myself from you?

When I backed off a little so I wouldn’t hurt you
Was it actually so I wouldn’t get hurt?

Even though we’re far apart, I can still hear
You calling my name

No matter where I go
I look for your back

Why didn’t I tell you more
About how much I missed you and how lonely I was?
I didn’t even know the difference between kindness and selfishness

It wasn’t the number of words we exchanged with our eyes
That made it special

Maybe if I’d thrown away my pride
Things would be different now

How many times did I try to say “I love you”
And find myself unable to say it?
How much stronger should I have been?

The dreams we shared, the future we promised each other
Since that day, they blurred little by little until I lost sight of them

I tried to reach out but I couldn’t get anywhere near you
Why... wow

Why didn’t I tell you more
About how much I missed you and how lonely I was?
I didn’t even know the difference between kindness and selfishness

How many times did I try to say “I love you”
And find myself unable to say it?
How much stronger should I have been?

beloved

Spoiler:

Yesterday, once again, I couldn’t walk properly
And I flung words around and hurt someone

And so today my name is mud
And I’m hanging my head to avoid the cold looks

Please, how do I look to you?
How do I come off?
Please, I want you at least to tell me the truth
And tell me off when I’m wrong

I want you to just be there, be there for me
Just as you are, never changing
I’ll never be able to change and my smile is awkward
But let me stay by your side, by your side, as I am

Maybe I can have some hope for myself tomorrow
I’ll resolutely turn up the corners of my mouth

Please, am I still a joke?
Am I still not enough?
Please, I want you at least to show me the truth
And laugh off my silliness

Do you still remember
The dreams we talked about that night?
They haven’t faded at all, to this day
They’re still vivid, ruling my heart

Please, I want you at least to praise me
Even if everyone else rejects me

I want you to just be there, be there for me
Just as you are, never changing
I’ll never be able to change and my smile is awkward
But let me stay by your side, by your side, as I am

Please, you know the truth
That I’m not really that strong
I don’t have anything I can do for you
But I’m always embracing your heart

BRILLANTE

Spoiler:

I’ve decided that these will be
My last words of love for you

I won’t tell you why
That’s my greatest gift to you

People are much stronger than they think
I’ve been in the dark a little too long
But I’ll go soon

After I couldn’t see anything
I could see everything
The road ahead is too narrow
I have no choice but to walk it alone

When our pain goes too far beyond
The realm of our imagination

We don’t have the strength left
To cry or scream anymore
And we’re overcome by total nothingness

Two become one
And then one becomes two again, that’s all
We’re just back where we started

After I couldn’t see anything
I could see everything
The road ahead is too narrow
So I can’t walk with you anymore...

BOOKLET (from here)

Spoiler:

PV's

Spoiler:

~POWER of MUSIC~ 2011 A LIMITED EDITION (you can download it here)

[Andrenekoi]

-The number 5 is repeated through the album elements... It's named "Five", the "V" on five is highlightned, there's a "5" on Ayu's back on the CD/DVD back cover, there are five tracks and it was released 5 months after the Fukushima disaster. The number five seens to be important as a symbol in some Japanse cultural aspects, but I couldn't really get it.

The number 5 (Pinyin: wu) was within Daoism associated with the five elements (water, wood, fire, earth and metal) and a very important number within Chinese symbolism. It occurs widely within both architecture and all kinds of decorative arts.

- The booklet shows Ayu messed up and then fixing herself up, she was probably representing the same things that Japan was going through at the time.

- The PoM concert started very simple and melancholic, and as dates went by, it got bigger, more extravagant and more positive. I think I remember reading Ayu saying the idea was following Japan's feelings after the disaster through that time span.

- The back of her outfit CD only cover has a Kirin:

The qilin or kirin (Chinese: 麒麟; pinyin: qílín) is a mythical hooved chimerical creature known throughout various East Asian cultures, said to appear with the imminent arrival or passing of a sage or illustrious ruler.[1] It is a good omen thought to occasion prosperity or serenity (Chinese: 瑞, p ruì).[citation needed] It is often depicted with what looks like fire all over its body. It is sometimes called the "Chinese unicorn" when compared with the Western unicorn.

[Surreal17]

Love these threads! Can't wait for the Love Songs one
Okay..so

BRILLANTE
Letting aside the fact that BRILLANTE's lyrics are about a separation and about ayu's decision to leave I noticed something interesting in these few lyrics:

"When the pain becomes
Far beyond the reach of imagination

There is no more energy left
To be able to cry or shout
A human is entirely
Caught in nothingness, isn't he?"

I believe that these words are reffering to the trauma and suffering caused by the 2011 earthquake and the fact that the whole country was taken unawares. The word "BRILLANTE" has a positive meaning (full of light, shining) so maybe ayu was reffering to the fact that people gathered in solidarity and took action very fast. I strongly believe that ayu created this masterpece (the sound of the song and also the pv are conveying pure grandeur; new composer who happens to be european) mostly because she was too impressed with the events from her country and wanted to express her feelings from that period of time in a different way.

[maneayu]

^ Good point.

In any case, I still don't get the video and the connection with the lyrics.
"I am the queen of a thousand gorgeous men" kinda thing.

[Andrenekoi]

^I always felt like Ayu represents a victory goddess on that video, that's why she's among men training for competitive sports. In the end of the video the heigh and pressure of the ambition of those men kills her.

[Uknow!]

First of all, sorry for my English.

About BRILLANTE...

I think this song talk about her artistic career. Ayumi describes his career as BRILLANTE. This word has the meanings Surreal17 said, but a synonym of BRILLANTE can be MAGNIFICO/EXPECTACULAR (marvelous)

PV & Lyrics

The boys represent the phases of Ayumi. Ayumi is sleeping in the dark, then Timmy sings and Ayu wake up. This represents that Ayumi was plunged into darkness and music rescued her.
The first boys represents the naturalness, innocence and fragility. And Ayumi debuted with these things.
The part where her mouth is uncovered represents the discovery of her voice.

Then the lyrics.
A human is much stronger than I thought, isn't he?
I've stayed in the darkness a little longer
But it's time to go

And Ayu run away the darkness changing the room.
The next room represents "training" and "work". Lives like 1LOVE, when Ayu needed to improve, learn to dance, improve her singing and fight to continue. And for this, this room is the longest in the video.

The lyrics.
I couldn't see anything
After that, I saw everything
The road ahead is too narrow
And I have no choice but to walk alone

Represents the changes in her mentality and her feels of loneliness

When the pain becomes
Far beyond the reach of imagination

There is no more energy left
To be able to cry or shout
A human is entirely caught in nothingness, isn't he?
Now is talkin about her deafness. In this part of the lyrics Timmy is in his left ear when he was before in the right and the expressions of Ayu changes, are more saddest.

The next room o part of the video is Ayu walking with the boys and they wear a belt victory, in this moment Ayu was the queen of pop in asia (2007/2008)
The scene changes and she is in the throne... but Timmy start to sing and she can't hear anything, so panics and begins to mourn.
Therefore, the boys who represents the fragility try to catch Ayu and plunge her into darkness again.
But she don't want it, she want still singing (It represents the choice of continue with her career despite his deafness) and this decision ends up murdering Ayumi on her throne.

Ayu is dressed like cleopatra because some people say Cleopatra committed suicide. Ayu is comparing suicide with his decision to continue, ending his successful career.

And Timmy said words like adios, goodbye etc because they are saying goodbye to the best days.

This is my point of view, very sad i think, sorry.
In my opinion Ayu's career is BRILLANTE in all eras.

[Surreal17]

@Uknow! : love your review of BRILLANTE! And by the way, welcome to AHS

[Andrenekoi]

^^Ur English is great!

[LONJJONG]

^^^ Wow, amazing interpretation!!

[Andrenekoi]

IMO progress video is Ayu's music reaching all sort of missfit around the world, and as a consequence, reaching herself... Like her music reaching people is what makes her find herself.

[ayu-michan]

Originally Posted by Uknow!

And Timmy said words like adios, goodbye etc because they are saying goodbye to the best days.

When did Timmy say those things? Are they supposed to be the parts that he sings? What exactly is timmy singing anyway, I never understood them And I love your thoughts of this song, it matches up quite well

[Andrenekoi]

^He said some words exist, some don't.

Them people heard he saying "goodbye" on several languages.

[Uknow!]

Thanks to all!

When did Timmy say those things?

It's supposed to be in the chorus. I've never heard but I read people saying this xD