People's Perception of Ayu's Lyrics

[jbrat2219]

I was in a meeting with my Japanese teacher and she was helping me go over some grammar for the exam we had this week and afterwards I asked her about some grammar from Ayu's lyrics for crossroad. She hesitated because she's not really a big fan of Ayu but agreed anyway. She took one look and burst into laughter and inquired about Ayu's age. When I told her she is 32, she said, "She's MY age, she's too old to write lyrics like these. These are the kind of lyrics you write when you're really young. But I guess she's 'forever young.'" I was kind of shocked because of all the reasons people don't like Ayu, her lyrics were never one of them. At least not in my experience.

So I am wondering, what are people's true perception of Ayu's lyrics in Japan? Or anywhere else for that matter. I know some people think she's too old to do a lot of things but I always thought her lyrics were beautiful and mature.

To be fair, my teacher just may not like this generation of music. She also mentioned she doesn't like Gackt because she thinks he sounds like a mosquito.

[Andrenekoi]

Pop lyrics tend to be simpler and straightfoward, so they catch more listeners easier and more people can relate to them... depending on what ur teacher listens to, her reacton to Ayu is pretty natural...

[ayumasing]

I don't think of Ayu's lyrics as "Forever Young", but rather, mature. I really don't see too much of an age aspect (in more of her dark/serious songs; in songs that are light and fun like "HONEY", I can see the "young" and "girly" side of her, though tthat part of her lyrics isn't being questioned). Perhaps it's just the lyrics you presented to her, though. Or that's just my opinion of Ayu's lyrics.

[Kanzaki]

It's a cultural thing I believe. In Japan (and I guess in asia in general) girls/women seem to be slightly more innocent and childish at ages were we in the west are growing up really quick. Also we might have different perceptions of what is childish and what is not.

[HarukaKamiya]

Originally Posted by jbrat2219

To be fair, my teacher just may not like this generation of music. She also mentioned she doesn't like Gackt because she thinks he sounds like a mosquito.

ROFL FOREVER. XD

But to answer your question, I guess I've never really thought about it. Mature or immature, Ayu's lyrics will always find a way to speak to my soul and bear some relevance to my life somehow. Even when she does cutesy, she doesn't get overly vapid like idols do, which is something I adore in her cute songs.

I'm 20 right now, and I could only wish my attempts at lyric-writing were on par with the lyrics from A Song for ｘｘ and LOVEppears: straightforward, introspective, honest, curt, I could go on forever, and she does it all in a manner that makes you double-take at the sound of the song.

That's my take on it.

I think her lyrics really started to go down after I am...

Her early lyrics I find great in terms of putting across emotion. When I read recent ones, I just think "oh an Ayu lyric". It's hard to explain, but I feel like most of her lyrics now sound pretty much alike enough to the point when I read them, even if you didn't tell me who's song it is, I would know Ayu wrote it. Crappy explanation, but whatever.

In terms of being youthful, I also think her newer lyrics sound less mature. But that's just my opinion. :/

[Mitkki]

It's just one teacher's opinion. You shouldn't dwell on it too much. She probably said that because ayu's lyrics haven't changed much since she started writing them.
After the age of 30, you're supposed to have "figured out" life but ayu's lyrics, especially in crossroad are still about being lost and unsure while wandering through life with questions unanswered.
Therefore those are the kinds of lyrics "you write when you're really young."
Also ayu herself has confessed that she wishes to remain a child forever since the implications of being an "adult" don't seem to fit her.
You also have to take into consideration that her target audience is still people in their 20's and that her lyrics and mindset don't seem to shift too drastically.

[truehappiness]

That's actually the way I saw it since crossroad is about a girl/Ayu being at the crossroads of her life, hence the reason why they may seem like they were written by a younger girl.

[Mami-chan]

In my opinion (and experience) she said that just because she doesn't like Ayu. When people hate/dislike someone they use to find anything he/she does awful.
I've a lot of friends who doesn't like the artists I like and so many times they said me my fave artists write stupid lyrics. The fact is that they didn't even read one of their lyrics and if they'll do it they'll find them creepy anyway.
I'm not saying it's not true that she didn't like it but I think that's the main reason..

[Andrenekoi]

Originally Posted by Mami-chan

In my opinion (and experience) she said that just because she doesn't like Ayu. When people hate/dislike someone they use to find anything he/she does awful.
I've a lot of friends who doesn't like the artists I like and so many times they said me my fave artists write stupid lyrics. The fact is that they didn't even read one of their lyrics and if they'll do it they'll find them creepy anyway.
I'm not saying it's not true that she didn't like it but I think that's the main reason..

This...^^

[Zeke.]

Idk, Ayu's lyrics always seem so "inspirational" to me. Not so much about the everyday relationship issues people deal with (although she has those lyrics too) - but usually hers are more broad in a sense.

[jbrat2219]

I'm sure it was just the wrong lyric, I showed her crossroad because of a grammar point. But I'm still curious as to if anyone has any insight on what the Japanese think of her lyrics now a days. I saw some comments on mixi that were kind of "same ol' same ol." I wonder if they think she's repeating herself like some do here.

[*Petit*]

I don't think you have to even be able to read japanese to see that see writes about the same themes and to a certain extent uses the same images. (the recurrence of "wing" for example.)

[joshohhhhh]

you can't expect ayu to write a song unlike ayu... because then it wouldn't be ayu anymore. she writes from her perspective because that is what she knows. maybe her life was a bit more complicated when she was younger, but now it's rather simple. we can never truly understand, only speculate.

[Melodie]

Maybe it was the writing style, the kanji used in the song? crossroad isn't poetic, and I imagine Ayu used some basic kanji in the lyrics, and didn't ponder too much on the "hidden meaning concept" that some musicians apply when writing songs. I know for a fact that Gackt cares about the kanji as much as he does about his voice and the music itself.

[Andrenekoi]

Originally Posted by *Petit*

I don't think you have to even be able to read japanese to see that see writes about the same themes and to a certain extent uses the same images. (the recurrence of "wing" for example.)

She and any other songwritter in the world...

[*Petit*]

^
Absolutely. =)

[Michan]

Originally Posted by xLitax

I think her lyrics really started to go down after I am...

Her early lyrics I find great in terms of putting across emotion. When I read recent ones, I just think "oh an Ayu lyric". It's hard to explain, but I feel like most of her lyrics now sound pretty much alike enough to the point when I read them, even if you didn't tell me who's song it is, I would know Ayu wrote it. Crappy explanation, but whatever.

In terms of being youthful, I also think her newer lyrics sound less mature. But that's just my opinion. :/

Totally agree with u.

[jbrat2219]

I always love Ayu's lyrics, I never really find anything wrong with them. Do you guys think she writes better than some other (newer) artists now a days?

[DevilsClap]

I hope people understand what I'm trying to say..I'm sure once I read that Ayu isn't always singing/writing about herself alone and also includes feeling/thoughts and other things from Friends and other people? so mabe that song you showed your teacher had lyrics that weren't really based on her own feelings right now and that Person it was about was a younger one..then it would be correct the way it is xD;