Ayumi ~ The Anything Goes Thread 7 ~

[Andrenekoi]

Originally Posted by ayumisrael

This thread is so awesome, I love me some reading <3

Except for HOTEL Love songs 2012 being a great show (it really did feel like a theatrical show), going back to Party Queen why do you think ayu combined Love songs and Party Queen for a live? Because Love songs had no self show (because of PoM?) Or it really was a good idea to combine Love songs and Party Queen into something called HOTEL Love songs? even though it also had a CDL). But the HOTEL Love songs tour was especially about Party Queen. Delirium posted that Tell me why is a song ayu sings to herself but she used Shuya like she is singing it for a guy. Also, why do you think ayu finished it with Party Queen and Love songs? (not the encore, the main show).

Btw Party queen, Return Road and Tell me why are personal classics (japanese fans may have how beautiful you are from Party Queen =P)

IMO Party queen is mostly about how Ayu tendence Of avoiding her personal problems and difficult on trusting people led her to be a poor lonely rich girl. She has been singing a about loneliness her whole career, but it was the first time she recognized it's her, and not the cruel evil world, to blame.

[marty]

Secret is AMAZING, every single song on it is my favourite. FLAWLESS ALBUM IS FLAWLESS.

Originally Posted by ayumisrael

Except for HOTEL Love songs 2012 being a great show (it really did feel like a theatrical show), going back to Party Queen why do you think ayu combined Love songs and Party Queen for a live? Because Love songs had no self show (because of PoM?) Or it really was a good idea to combine Love songs and Party Queen into something called HOTEL Love songs? even though it also had a CDL). But the HOTEL Love songs tour was especially about Party Queen. Delirium posted that Tell me why is a song ayu sings to herself but she used Shuya like she is singing it for a guy. Also, why do you think ayu finished it with Party Queen and Love songs? (not the encore, the main show).

I think it was to be expected, since Love Songs and Party Queen are so entwined with each other. They represent respectively the beginning and the end of a story and a dream, with all the resulting thoughts that involves. I suppose she coudn't do a Love Songs themed concert, since the dream she had was broken, but she could picture the results, and that's what HOTEL Love Songs is for me.
On another note, I'm very fascinated with Tell me why and its lyrics too! I feel too Ayu is kind of singing to herself. Tbh, I feel she's always singing to herself on Party Queen, except in call.

[ayumisrael]

But then why was the tour mainly Party Queen and why on Tell me why she used Shuya to sing it to (for a guy) if it's for herself? Not that it bothers me, I really loved the show and I'm a Tell me why fan =) I think HLs 2012 was an awesome tour. I would like to discuss what you guys think was the idea behind it since I think that the live tours must be connected to what ayu wanted to convey in the albums, unless she prefers to connect a fictional or new story just using songs from the albums?

[Delirium-Zer0]

Lyrically "Tell me why" sounds like a sequel to (miss)understood, looking at it from a big picture perspective.

In any case, it seems she's singing to someone with a publicly visible persona with lines like

その声で聴かせて欲しい
画面からじゃ伝わらない

I want you to let me hear, in your voice,
the things that can't be conveyed from a (TV) screen

Plus if you know her history of taking on everything herself professionally, and her reason why (because then if anything went wrong, she'd be the one responsible), alot of the lyrics about taking on too much personal responsibility REALLY seem to apply to her. So my theory is that she's singing to herself, or singing from the point of view of a lover or best friend talking to her.

I could absolutely be wrong though - she quotes the addressee as calling themselves "ore" so she's either talking to a guy, or a very tomboyish/casual type of girl, and ayu DOES typically refer to herself as "atashi" when she's getting especially personal. So she COULD be singing to someone she's friends with or has dated who's also famous, and who she relates to a great deal.

Or hey, could be both. Lyrics & poetry are fun like that. hehe

[pommy48]

I haven't really watched any of her TV lives or concerts lately...but does she still talk with a cute voice?

If not...when did she stop?

[marty]

Originally Posted by ayumisrael

But then why was the tour mainly Party Queen and why on Tell me why she used Shuya to sing it to (for a guy) if it's for herself? Not that it bothers me, I really loved the show and I'm a Tell me why fan =) I think HLs 2012 was an awesome tour. I would like to discuss what you guys think was the idea behind it since I think that the live tours must be connected to what ayu wanted to convey in the albums, unless she prefers to connect a fictional or new story just using songs from the albums?

I think it was really difficult to make it about Love Songs, since that album was all about love and happiness and it all ended in tragedy, poor her. I guess she used more Party Queen because it was about what she was feeling more at the moment, but she named it HOTEL Love Songs 'cause she used the ideas from the tour Love Songs was going to be and 'cause it was where it all begun anyway.
About Tell me why, I think it's like Delirium-Zer0 said: it's a beatiful song that can have more and different readings (like I feel it often happens with Ayu songs, lol).

[Surreal17]

Don't know if you guys noticed but Tell me why and criminal's lyrics are very similar. The both discuss the same theme of helplessness. Maybe those two songs are somehow connected.

Tell me why - "If you do this, I become powerless wow oh
Can’t I even give you a little bit of support?
Hey, I want to share the burden too
Share your pain, your doubt, your past"

criminal - "Why am I so powerless and stupid?
I can't even protect the hand I surely held"

[mi|kshake]

Secret-wise you can't beat the combo of Not Yet, Until That Day & Startin

[Surreal17]

Originally Posted by mi|kshake

Secret-wise you can't beat the combo of Not Yet, Until That Day & Startin

Honestly, I'm not such a big fan of Startin' but Not Yet & Until that day.. duo is outstanding!

[Delirium-Zer0]

Originally Posted by Surreal17

Don't know if you guys noticed but Tell me why and criminal's lyrics are very similar. The both discuss the same theme of helplessness. Maybe those two songs are somehow connected.

Tell me why - "If you do this, I become powerless wow oh
Can’t I even give you a little bit of support?
Hey, I want to share the burden too
Share your pain, your doubt, your past"

criminal - "Why am I so powerless and stupid?
I can't even protect the hand I surely held"

She goes back to older themes in her lyrics quite frequently, which is what will happen when you write autobiographically AND are as prolific as Ayu is (Stevie Nicks, for example, reuses phrases in her lyrics constantly, always has).

How many times has she mentioned "ano ko" for example, usually in combination with someone else ("kimi/you", "aitsu/that guy", "boku/me")? Off the top of my head, I can think of immature, Heartplace, fairyland, Marionette.

In "Secret" she sings about flying with only one wing - no doubt a reference to "Endless sorrow" and her then-new status as a single woman - and girls who are dazzling, probably a reference to "Boys & Girls." (I really should listen to the song "Secret" more often... I never liked the arrangement, it's a bit R&B for my taste, but the lyrics, MY GOODNESS! I love the lyrics to this song, and her vocals are suitably sad and shaken-sounding.)

She says in the 2000 NTV interview that she became a singer in her search for an "ibasho," a place in the world for her, a place where she belonged. That phrase comes up in her lyrics frequently - "A Song for XX," "Naturally," "BLUE BIRD" (which may or may not be referring to "ibasho" in the spiritual sense like it usually does, but it's FASCINATING if it does!), "Secret." In "NEXT LEVEL" doesn't use the phrase directly but she clearly seems to be talking about having found her "ibasho" there (which is made more explicit by the time-traveling photo album montage during "Bridge to the Sky" at AT2009, leading into "NEXT LEVEL." I may or may not have cried actually) and now wondering where to go next with the freedom that achievement has brought.

Anyway, I like looking at ayu's lyrics. haha

[mizuki-7]

I really like your interpretation of her lyrics =D

[Andrenekoi]

Originally Posted by ayumisrael

But then why was the tour mainly Party Queen and why on Tell me why she used Shuya to sing it to (for a guy) if it's for herself? Not that it bothers me, I really loved the show and I'm a Tell me why fan =) I think HLs 2012 was an awesome tour. I would like to discuss what you guys think was the idea behind it since I think that the live tours must be connected to what ayu wanted to convey in the albums, unless she prefers to connect a fictional or new story just using songs from the albums?

I was agreeing with you! XD
The mid-section of the album deals with the marriage and both Return Road And Tell me why are about and for Mannie... The first dealing with it on the public sphere And the 2nd on the private sphere.

Party Queen is a concept album, and those usually either explore a concept and aethetic or tell a story. Party Queen tells a story, starting from the parting night of the protagonist, then going to what she is trying to forget during the rock-section, the conclusion of what happened during the jazz part and the closing\self rendeption during HBYA

[Delicious n Bold]

I remember that some reviews said party queen was not cohesive
But I thought that the interludes did a great job of setting the tones for the following songs.
I guess some people just don't see that

[hayasaki]

Originally Posted by mi|kshake

Secret-wise you can't beat the combo of Not Yet, Until That Day & Startin

Agree!! "Not yet" is born to welcome "Until that day". Those two tracks <3

[Andrenekoi]

Originally Posted by Delicious n Bold

I remember that some reviews said party queen was not cohesive
But I thought that the interludes did a great job of setting the tones for the following songs.
I guess some people just don't see that

The songs right after/before the interludes also share some elements, making the transition less harsh...

[TeamAyu2004]

Originally Posted by Delicious n Bold

I remember that some reviews said party queen was not cohesive
But I thought that the interludes did a great job of setting the tones for the following songs.
I guess some people just don't see that

I thought the entire thing was really forced. Like I had never really noticed the interludes "setting" the stage for the next group of songs, but with this album its like BAM in your face.

[NintendoHTF1242]

Originally Posted by Delicious n Bold

I remember that some reviews said party queen was not cohesive
But I thought that the interludes did a great job of setting the tones for the following songs.
I guess some people just don't see that

The interludes did do their jobs, but "a cup of tea" sucks lol

[Chris85]

Originally Posted by artcika

also is anyone else in love with Satsugyou Shashin? I really like that one as well! It just sounds so sweet when Ayu sings it and the arrangement is lovelly as well.

and why so much hate for Born to be...? lol I personally adore the song!

Sotsugyou shashin - yeees! Born to be.. - nooo, I've never liked this one.

[tsumekaze_]

Originally Posted by NintendoHTF1242

The interludes did do their jobs, but "a cup of tea" sucks lol

Given that I don't really care about this interlude, I've always thought that they way it sounds + its title point to an "alice in wonderland" landscape which would introduce the sound which comes after it and the way themes are going to be treated from now on. Both in ESM and the next love the voice who's talking seems that of an alicesque ayu. In ESM she's supposedly a little girl who doesn't really understand what's going on around her and the few things she CAN understand get obliviated in a wonderland-like way: eyes, smoke and then magic. She doesn't want to see it probably and instead refuges in a world of magic, fantasy. Everything is sublimated in some way. in The next love we have again the figure of a little ayu (she again talks about mama, how she used to tell her that she'd find a prince and so on.) who, looking herself in her mother's mirror (looking-glass anyone?) thought she could become "anything she wanted to" (again an escape into a wonderland through the "looking-glass"). In here though ayu takes the distance from that little girl and does the point of the situation. She's not little anymore, she has to deal with her own problems... (thus the series of question. When Did I last believe in something I couldn't see? When did I start hating myself? Am I an adult now?") The wonderland is shattered, she's a grown up, lonely, sad woman ("where is it possible to find love? what's its form? Where did you (written with the kanji for female, so she's referring to women) buy it?) no longer believing in the illusion of the charming prince who would have woken her up from her sleep, according to mama's words, she feels the depression of the reality. That's what I think

[sitara]

Originally Posted by Delirium-Zer0

Well, and alot of the mixing and studio work is not good. That's just the truth.

1) The processing on Timmy's bg vocals is not great about half the time you hear him, and they very nearly ruin Return Road. They didn't multi-track him enough or add enough reverb or something. In BRILLANTE he sounded epic & operatic but in Return Road he sounds synthesized and cheesy.

2) The sound effects in ESM are distracting. I understand the thought behind them - in moderation they could have added to the song in a clever way, but they were overdone and mixed too loud. They sound cartoony, and not in an effective way.

HOWEVER. If you look at the lyrics - I mean REALLY look at them - she's talking about alcoholism, post-traumatic stress, loneliness, the meaninglessness of the more outwardly fun aspects of her life. It's a great examination of the shallow versus the deep, and the fact that even though Ayu has come to terms with her past self, there is still a sharp division between the product Hamasaki Ayumi and the person Ayu, and she's not sure "Hamasaki Ayumi" isn't winning - the shallow Hamasaki Ayumi persona is getting bigger, and she's not sure where the product ends and the real person "ayu" begins. You can hear this in songs like "Letter" and "Tell me why" where it sounds like she's singing to herself.

And most of the arrangement choices on the album have a point - NaNaNa is a clear tribute to Keiko after Ayu almost lost her to that hemorrhage, for example. More honest songs have more real, non-synth instruments (call, Letter, reminds me); songs that are more sarcastic & whose lyrics deliberately hide pain have more shiny & colorful arrangements (Party Queen, Shake It <3); the songs that are saddest are more often in a minor key (reminds me, Tell me why).

And then there's the very end of the "how beautiful you are" PV, which is part of the whole thing. She seems like this angel who's guiding everyone, but at the end she's fighting against the same wind they are.

Aside from that video, most of the visual parts of the "Party Queen" product don't really work that well. The original SUPER AYU shoot being used for the booklet was a better choice thematically than the original shots - which ended up in the final SUPER AYU book - but because they weren't taken SPECIFICALLY for the album, they don't QUITE do the job. Ayu chose the photos to depict the messy, lonely, empty room after a party the night before - lamps are turned over, there's booze on the table with breakfast. She was hoping to show a self-destructive pattern in that booklet but the photos were taken with a more sexy, fun, kinda trashy attitude in mind, not a tragic one. So her facial expressions don't contribute to the real theme of the album. The PVs are the same way - we only see fun, from the outside. The tragic consequences aren't emphasized enough, if they're shown at all.

So musically, for the most part, yeah I think the album is great. I just think the visuals made it hard to understand what she was doing.

I really like your analysis of the album, a very accurate observation and an interesting read. Thank you

makes me wish masa would continue writing essays, although I read there is no desire to expand on the existing ones, there would be so much material to recap on now.