-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.
1. Wake me up
2. Song 4 u
3. Missing
4. SAKURA
5. Melody
6. task'n'bass
7. Bye-bye darling
8. snowy kiss
9. Sweet scar
10. petal
11. glasses
12. untitled for her... story 2
13. Gloria
14. Ivy
15. You & Me
LOVE again was Ayu's 14th studio album, released in 2013 as the 4th of 5 monthly releases to celebrate her 15th anniversary in the industry. LOVE again has a strong 90's jpop influence and was released under controverse among the fandom due to having all the studio tracks from the 2 EPs released before it ("LOVE" and "again") and the relationship with the dancer Maro. LOVE again's biggest hit is You & Me, A Summer Best's promotional track.
With a thirsty throat
The vacant memories
Remain like yesterday, yet crumble even more
Like my hair and make-up
As I collect the scattered pieces
And within my calm cold mind
Finish up the puzzle
I gotta let you go
I gotta let you go go go
There is everything, yet there is nothing
That is the law of this sandcastle
Now wake up wake up
Yes wake up wake up
oh wake up wake up
I can still be in time
wake up wake up
Look wake up wake up
While the wounds still remain shallow
That girl and that guy (and you too)
Are saying whatever they like
But because every single one of them
Make a point, I cannot make a rebuttal
I gotta let you go
I gotta let you go go go
Anyone can enter, yet nobody can enter
That is the fate of the sandcastle
I know get up get up
Just get up get up
oh get up get up
I’m not crying
get up get up
yeah get up get up
This is my castle of sand
Hey, so just leave it alone
I gotta let you go go go go go
wake up wake up
yeah wake up wake up
yeah wake up wake up
get up get up
yeah get up get up
yeah get up get up
wake up wake up
yeah wake up wake up
yeah wake up wake up
get up get up
yeah get up get up
yeah get up get up
There is everything, yet there is nothing
That is the law of this sandcastle
Anyone can enter, yet nobody can enter
That is the fate of the sandcastle
Now wake up wake up
Yes wake up wake up
oh wake up wake up
I can still be in time
wake up wake up
Look wake up wake up
While the wounds still remain shallow
get up get up
Just get up get up
oh get up get up
I’m not crying
get up get up
yeah get up get up
This is my castle of sand
Song 4 u
Spoiler:
“See you tomorrow”
Without a second thought
I said with a smile
“See you tomorrow”
I realized how you were there
Replying back to me
Let’s say
If I ever
Start to doubt myself
In that moment, look
The moon and sun can’t shine anymore
Because at the end
Of this outstretched hand
Beyond the light
There is the yearned-for future
I can hear it, I can feel it
As you cried, as you were there
Just by that, you’ve reached me
I’ve received it, it’s resonating in me
As the person I am
I will embrace your all, even your sorrow
I do not have
That confidence now
There are times when I can’t step out
“What if I make a mistake?
What if I repeat that mistake?
What will I do?”
If I don’t make a choice
There’ll be no anxiety
But it also means that
Nothing will change
When was it? What happened?
That time, I thought that I can’t do it anymore
That it’s all over
What was it? Who was it?
Even so, I thought to just somehow
Try once again to move forward
2 u, yeah
I believe, I can believe
4 u, yeah
I can fly to the sky
As long as it’s for you
Missing
Spoiler:
Saying “I want to see you” when I wanted to see you
Saying “I’m lonely” when I was lonely
I was able to speak so honestly then, but now
The moment I stopped believing in you
You stopped believing in me as well
The moment I stopped being able to understand you
You stopped being able to understand me as well
Just pressing on forward
No matter how many times I’ll get hurt
No matter how many times I’ll get denied
I can’t go back anymore
Saying “I want to see you” when I wanted to see you
I was able to speak so honestly then, but now
Something other than my own convenience takes precedence over my emotions
Saying “I’m lonely” when I was lonely
Right after I cried so honestly
Someone else’s wish takes control of my emotions
The pain hidden within your strength
When I found it, I felt like embracing you
The truth mixed within your jokes
When I felt it, I found that I couldn’t leave you
But I’ll press on forward
Picking up the pieces
Even if my hands become filled up
I won’t give up
Saying “I’m happy” when I was happy
I could innocently have fun because
I knew right from the start that this was my last true self
Saying “I’m having fun” when I was having fun
Right after we joked about it so innocently
I realized right from the start that this was my last true love
Saying “I want to see you” when I wanted to see you
Saying “I’m lonely” when I was lonely
Saying “I want to see you” when I wanted to see you
I was able to speak so honestly then, but now
Something other than my own convenience takes precedence over my emotions
Saying “I’m lonely” when I was lonely
Right after I cried so honestly
Someone else’s wish once again takes control of my emotions
SAKURA
Spoiler:
The clear cool breeze stings my cheeks
You are always, without fail, the one who granted me such nights
Alone, I read your messages over and over again
Just what were you feeling when you wrote them?
Why is life so full of sorrow?
Why is life so full of joy?
Ah, what I can do for you right now
Is to wipe away these tears and smile
The never-changing, trifling conversations
I feel the cracks between, a helpless reality
Harsher on me than anyone else, you are also stronger
Words cannot dictate these feelings
Life is so precious
Life is so ephemeral
Ah, the only thing I can do for you
Yes, is to stay together as “us” no matter what
Life is so precious
Life is
To stay together as “us”
Melody
Spoiler:
The moment when the sun sets
I’ve always disliked watching that sky
It’s just too beautiful
As if bringing on the end of everything
Again, that day which I spent with you
That time had come yet again
For some reason, my tears wouldn’t stop
Silently, you stood by my side
And wiped my tears away
Sending it out to you, my melody
Someday, we’ll play it out together
Sending it out to you, my melody
It’s not perfect, but it’s alright
I wish that it’ll play on forever
Slowly, it becomes like air
Like the flowing of wind
Watching the scenery while standing on your left side, like it’s my special place
Even if we do not exchange any words, it’s alright
I just need to peek at your eyes, and I’ll know it all
Being able to stay just as I am
I’ve never known this comfort before
Always reaching out to you, this melody
Shall we play it together, bit by bit?
Always reaching out to you, this melody
Moving along at our own pace
Just like this, from now onwards
Even if nothing good ever happens
Even if you can’t hear anything but a sorrowful melody
No matter if you’re like this, no matter how you’ll be
You’ll always be my beloved
You and I, our melody of happiness
We’ll nurture it together, protect it gently and strongly
You and I, our last melody
Let’s hope that it will be a calming and gentle sound
Sending it out to you, my melody
Always reaching out to you, this melody
Bye-bye darling
Spoiler:
What is this feeling?
When you feel so far away
Slowly becoming blurred
I can’t feel you at all
Slowly closing my eyes
Then slowly opening them again
If I continue to do this
You may just disappear
I have no excuse
No glossing over the facts
The one who made the choice, even if it was a mistake
Is none other than myself
I had let go again
Of the things I believed deep in my heart
I thought you were my forever
The only one on this Earth
Why did I let go
Of the things I wanted to believe deep in my heart?
When you were the only light
Left on this Earth
Can I smile from my heart?
Can not I go back yet?
“Shall I go to fetch you?”
I hear such a voice
I have nowhere to return to
Nowhere I want to fall asleep
Ever since the day I lost the exit
I don’t even know where I am now
I won’t go back anymore
No matter how much my heart wants to be saved
No matter where I go in this world
No matter if I am left all alone
I won’t feel regret anymore
No matter how much my heart screams
No matter where I go in this world
Even if it spells my end
The sun will not rise again
This long night will never see dawn
I had let go again
Of the things I believed deep in my heart
I thought you were my forever
The only one on this Earth
Why did I let go
Of the things I wanted to believe deep in my heart?
When you were the only light
Left on this Earth
I know that it hurts
When the moon is left alone
snowy kiss
Spoiler:
Goodbye to the one who loved me, the one I loved
Goodbye to the one who loved me, the one I loved
Gazing at the sinking Sun
“Please somehow don’t leave me
In the night’s darkness just yet”
But the more I prayed, the faster it sunk
It will go to shine on the next lost soul
So that girl could at least give a smile
And because the moonlight is too beautiful
I’m afraid it will reveal our wounds
Because I don’t need gentle lies
So if you are going to lie, then tell me a true lie
After being embraced by your words
Your actions sliced sharply into my heart
We’ve embraced, held hands, walked together, but
Hey, today we walk separated, without exchanging a word
I reached out a hand at your crying back
Yet you donned a smiling mask and turned around
Just until when and where will we keep repeating this
Time after time again as we stop moving on?
The Sun is shining on us again
As if nothing had happened
I’ve always seen the Sun there with you
But in the end, there is nothing nowhere
To continue to send out these feelings
Means to continue feeling them
I know, I know, but
I can’t stop it, I don’t know how
Because I don’t need gentle lies
So if you are going to lie, then tell me a true lie
Goodbye to the one who loved me, the one I loved
Goodbye to the one who loved me, the one I loved
Just looking at your eyes, I know that you can’t speak
So I kiss your cheek as you sleep
After that, I will leave without leaving even footprints
And when this snow melts, forget everything about us
The you who loved me, the you I loved
The me whom you loved, the me who loved you
Snow, don’t stop, just continue to fall and pile up
Until the path we’ve walked together can’t be seen anymore
Sweet scar
Spoiler:
I want to become gentle and strong as I hold you tight
Before we knew it, the colours of the city had changed
That dazzling season had already passed us by
We’ve been through lots of nights
We’ve cried and we’ve laughed
Just like that, we’ve somehow pulled through, but
We’ve continued walking to this day
I want to become gentle and strong as I hold you tight
I want to keep telling you that “It’s alright” until you smile
The cold wind has brought us closer
We’ve been smiling so much more since that time
Because we can say “Good morning” everyday
And “Goodnight” is no longer sorrowful
Even now, we’re somehow pulling through, but
We’ve lived through today together
When I felt the separation of our hands, which used to be connected
I came to understand the meaning of “I love you” just a little
I want to become gentle and strong as I hold you tight
I want to keep telling you that “It’s alright” until you smile
When I felt the separation of our hands, which used to be connected
I came to understand the meaning of “I love you” just a little
petal
Spoiler:
Along the usual never-changing
Road towards home
I met with a single
Unfamiliar flower
Its colour, shape, and all else
There was nothing I really liked about it, but
I couldn’t help
But be captivated by it
Loves me, loves me not, loves me, loves me not
Plucking off the petals one by one
The last remaining petal
If only it can land on “he loves me”
When I woke up this morning
The flower was here with me
It had bloomed
Without showing even a sliver of fear
That must surely be why
I had been captivated by it
Carefully giving it some water
Let’s do that
Loves me, loves me not, loves me, loves me not
Plucking off the petals one by one
The last remaining petal
Can I entrust myself to its fate?
Loves me, loves me not, loves me, loves me not
Plucking off the petals one by one
The last remaining petal
If only it can land on “he loves me”
Goodbye, goodbye
Plucking off the petals one by one
The last remaining petal
If it lands on “he loves me not”…
untitled for her... story 2
Spoiler:
It’s alright, I’ve overcome it
That was your expression
It’s been 5 years since that day
Days and nights had passed
Even now, my wish
Has not changed
Just once, just once is enough
I want to see you
Holding hands and walking on
The two of us cried and laughed
Over the smallest things
From the place you have chosen to be
Looking down at the me now
Hey, how do I look?
At the place you have chosen to be
There is not a single thing
That will bring you pain
That’s what I pray for
Until that someday comes, please wait
Far from disappearing from here
I still wish for you to hear
Of the stories increasing incessantly
In my everyday
Someday, when I get to see you
For one more time
Can I hold you so tight
That it hurts?
Gloria
Spoiler:
Somehow, we forget things really quickly
Like when this started, or where
Or the kind of winds which blew then
Somehow, we get used to things easily
Like being stung by wounds, or being unable to smile
And everything else
The reality right here, and all the love in my arms
I embrace them tightly
What you see with your eyes and touch with your hands, believe in them
There may be outbursts of emotions, and piercing words, but
Don’t give up, look, it’ll become a cheer for tomorrow
Somehow, we have become greedy
Just how much is enough, we have lost sight
Of even that
The reality right here, and the future that is coming
Noone is to blame for them
Choosing, deciding, taking it on, we do so with our own hands
Spread open a pure white piece of paper and draw your own map
The scenery which only you can see from where you are
Please just treasure it
Nobody is that strong, not you, not anyone
So I won’t leave you alone
The reality right here, and all the love in my arms
I embrace them tightly
What you see with your eyes and touch with your hands, believe in them
There may be outbursts of emotions, and piercing words, but
Don’t give up, look, it’ll become a cheer for tomorrow
Yes, it’ll become a cheer for tomorrow
Ivy
Spoiler:
So many things have happened
So many mornings I’ve welcomed
So many loves I’ve met
So many forms they had
So many sins I’ve committed
So many people I’ve hurt
So many mistakes I’ve made
So many things I’ve learnt
Through that, I’m here now
Ahh, now I look back briefly at the past
Then, nodding, I waved it goodbye heartily
Ahh, I face forward again, looking at the future
Looking straight only at the future with you
Am I still being hated?
Am I still not forgiven?
Am I still misunderstood?
Will I be trusted again?
I just wish for you to understand
Ahh, I saw that dear girl today
Looking for her own path, she moved onward
Ahh, I sent a cheer with all my might
At her retreating back, until I couldn’t see her anymore
So many smiles I’ve seen
So many tears too
So many crossroads
So many things, so many things
Ahh, unable to achieve happiness myself
Just who can I bring happiness to?
Ahh, beside me, looking in the same direction
This publicized love with you fills my heart
Ahh, in this limited time we have
I don’t wish to regret a single moment of it
Ahh, in this short span we call life
Just how much can we really smile from the bottom of our hearts?
In the end, I just wish to see your smile
You & Me
Spoiler:
The memories from that summer are still vivid even now
Always, when I remember them, being with you is great
The memories from that summer are still vivid even now
Always, when I remember them, being with you is great
on friday nite, our eyes met
on saturday, we got close
on tuesday, we made it real
on friday nite, it repeated
The memories from that summer are still vivid even now
Always, when I remember them, being with you is great
We were in a dream, in love. And there, we really loved
I wanted to believe that it was fate
uh morning, you were a little shy
uh lunch time, you were so cute
uh sunset, it was so sorrowful
uh midnite uh- lalala
That summer, we went all out, our suntanned skins pressed close
Even if we screamed or cried, we just wanted to reach the other
There were nights when it hurts and I couldn’t sleep, but
Just because I was with you, it was great
Let’s try to slowly forget some things this summer
And then, let’s slowly look forward to something new
lalalalala…..
That summer, we went all out, our suntanned skins pressed close
Even if we screamed or cried, we just wanted to reach the other
As we didn't really got a proper tour for LOVE again, I took the concert where she performed the most tracks of it and followed it's aesthetic closer: Countdown Live 2012-2013 A: Wake Me Up (you can download it here)
8th July 2014, 07:51 PM
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