Yeah, it's definitely not a negative song. To me, it feels like one is at peace or just accepting of a situation and moving on, or even a rebirth. It's a pretty interesting metaphysical approach.

Utada giving me the feels.

I'm 100% sure that Zahara posted it on this forum so all you have to do is go through their posts. Zahara has only 480ish so it won't be so bad :P

Edit: found it!
http://www.ahsforum.com/forum/showpo...&postcount=106

I really think you should expand this Zahara, with any further insights you have. It would be a very interesting read all over again lol

Oh wow! Thanks for finding that, I didn't realize I wrote that post up so long ago. I might just listen to HS again and expand on that.

I always loved the Take 5 -> Boku wa Kuma theories. They're always so interesting and shows Utada's craft.

I also loved your explanation on Beautiful World; because that song finally clicked with me after watching Rebuild of Evangelion.

These are the moments that makes Utada an exeptional artist in JPOP world. She's more than just a singer/arranger. I love it when she applies poetry and art to her songs.

Anyone her love the opening narration on Deep River MV? I love it to death. Sometimes i have to wonder if Hikki's a deep person or just someone happy with a kuma by her side LOL

I love that opening too. It's beautiful.

Now that I think about it, I think k&c kind of is hurried. The lyrics are all over a place, and it reminds me how we're kind of rushing throughout the day that we don't take time to actually talk and relax.

But I'm kind of not sober, so lalala!

Yaas drag k&c! I'm still angry that the hot verses where utada 'raps' or whatever only happens twice and she wastes the midsection and after that the song is just repetitive.

Maybe this is on purpose? Contrasting songs

Kiss & Cry is honestly one of my least-favorite Utada songs. The bass is killer but like idk; there's nothing that really catches my attention. I love the self-sample but like idk LOL I just don't like that song at all.

^I concur. I almost always skip. Can't believe it's one of my faves fave. Then again, her favorite Ultra Blue track is the worse one as well.

I remember before HEART STATION came out and Utada was updating us on her progress via her blog and she mentioned how she was really digging this funky song she made and bopping her head to it. That song was Kiss & Cry.

Oh my god! I never knew that's what that part was! I always heard it though even in the vocal track. How could you discern that? I'm all excited and don't even know why lol. I love this.

It definitely feels like it was done that way on purpose.

OMG I used to hate it because of that bass. But I adore the verses in their kind of ironic somewhat uplifting way of mocking monotony. The chorus is a joy to sing too, as her voice is so hopeful despite the reality of the situation. Those somewhat retro-esque synthesizers are heaven too.

I listen to it now and it's strange how much I initially loathed the song. For me, it is one of my favs and what I consider on of her bests.

Also, if you actually like the ballad version of Flavor of life then all your opinions on what constitutes good are null and void.

I always wondered. Does kiss and cry sample some old 1940's/50's jazz swing song, or is it just made to sound like it samples an old song?

Is it the case that it sampled a song?

Random thought: Isn't Uso Mitai Na I love you's chorus like THE EXACT COPY OF Simple and Clean's one?

The other day I listened to it for the first time and when the chorus kicked in I was like "Wait, did I switch to simple and clean?"

Utada actually used the chorus from Uso Mitai Ni for Simple and Clean lol can't recall why but I think she really liked that melody and it fit better in English for Simple and Clean.

Oh okay so she did it on purpose! Thanks for the explanation. I couldn't get over how similar they were, was going crazy XD

I recall her saying how some of the melody for Hikari was difficult to translate into Simple and Clean, so for the chorus she took that piece of Uso Mitai Ni chorus and substituted Hikari's chorus. It made it easier to sing in English.

I thought it was the other way around. Simple and Clean made first, then when she wrote the Japanese lyrics, it didn't fit with the melody. So she re-composed the chorus for Hikari. In the end she used the original melody to create Uso mitai na I Love You...

Hmmmn.. I need to check. :P

Edit: I found both explanations online. So I dunno. I just remember she talked about that in 2003 when releasing COLORS...