Oh, I love Play Ball :). It's one of my favorites on that album <3

Not fair. I love kingdom hearts. It's what got me into utada in the first place.
However when I go to the concert. I will silence forever anyone who requests that she sings simiple & clean. Yes it's an amazing song but it's getting old really fast.

And I love play ball. one of my favorite tracks off of deep river. but my fave off it is sakura drops. so visually stunning and the song is so beautiful it sounds like strawberry fields forever in some parts.

And what songs are on the exodus vinyl that we don't have? Lucky! I only have her automatic and fly me to the moon vinyls. :eviltongu

^excuse me?

She is going to sing Simple And Clean, and I'm 100% sure of it. I would be extremely dissapointed if she didn't, being it that Hikari (an thus this one which is almost the same), it's her biggest masterpiece and she herself has said that it's her favorite song of hers.

It's the song that introduced me to her and to all this crap, so you silenting anyone who requests it would be really mean on your side. It doesn't gets old because it's the best song out there, and I say it seriously. I am really biased on this xDDDDD

Lucky you that we are not attending the same show, because if I'm there and anyone silents someome requesting S&C, I will punch that someone on the face. Literally.

You just don't mess up with some things... xDDD

I'm not a big fan of Simple and Clean but KH is my favorite series ever. Hikari is also one of my favorite songs :yes

Man, I have been soooooo sick of Simple & Clean/Hikari forever (I'm sorry, it's not even top twenty best Hikaru songs, to me >_<), and even more sick of Passion/Sanctuary (God, that has awful lyrics and flow, the English version x_X). And it seems that anybody I've ever talked to who knew Hikaru BEFORE those songs feels the same way about those songs.... But I understand how you guys feel. I think the main reason I like Automatic as much as I do is because it was the first song I heard from her, and one of the only ones I loved from her for a while (until Distance came out). I guess I'd be more tolerant of the KH themes if it was my first........and if I didn't hate that series, lol. :X

^Well that's not completely true...I love Automatic even though that song is like dirt old and I only started getting into her older stuff like last year...I guess its's just a matter of taste and what not...I HATED Sanctuary (well actually I still kinda do) and Passion when they first came out with KHII but after watching the Passion PV more and seeing her doing the live....and then listening to all the details in the song...Passion is one of my favorite songs...

About Kingdom Hearts... I was sure that the creator of the game (what's his name?) stated a few years ago in an interview that KH3 would be the final installment? Maybe I'm wrong-- but I am pretty sure of that.

About Simple and Clean... I love that song so much and I'll be really sad if she doesn't sing it. :P But I understand how KH makes it annoying for some people. But it's definitely one of my most favorites. It was the first song I heard this year too! :O

I'm glad you guys like Play Ball! I was always under the impression it was one of her more underrated songs, guess not!

Congrats to Hikki for getting #46 on the charts! :D I hope they start promoting it now and I hope to hear it on the radio since everyone and their mom got a chance to hear CBTM except me. XD

^Tetsuya Nomura, one of my lifelong idols. :) I hardly find Simple and Clean annoying at all. It's just Hikari is a million times better and I'd rather hear that.

Simple and Clean was one of the reasons why the KH ending made me tear up >.>
and all you can hear is Utada, Man I cried. Was too much to handle XD First game to make me cry.

I loved Simple and Clean the remix when I first heard it...then I heard the Japanese versions.

The English versions are awful. She totally ruined Passion with Sanctuary ew.

There is no doubt in my mind that she will sing those songs...I wanted to be optimistic and hope she'd sing them in Japanese...but fat chance that is.

@Deep River: that's how I feel about her older stuff too. And honestly, I love R&B and pop, but her R&B is not some of my favorite in Japan at all lol

I think her ethereal pop is more creative and interesting anyway. It just seems more personal to me...but all of her music is really unique.

I absolutely agree. It's a masterpiece.

It's one of the very, VERY few songs in the entire history of music (lol) that I actually NEVER get tired of.

Other examples being "M" (ayu) and Beautiful World.

[all in my opinion of course :)]

am i the only one who thinks Simple and Clean > Hikari AND Sanctuary < Passion ???

I don't know about other people.. but I think:

Simple and Clean = Hikari (I love them both equally)
Passion >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Sanctuary (hate sanctuary!)

So.. I almost agree with you :)

For me its...

Passion>Hikari>Simple and Clean>Sanctuary

I agree with you.

She messed up with the lyrics on Sanctuary... I don't think the melody fits English very well... tho I like the rock bridge, and that's why I have it on my iTunes. The version of Passion that is featured on the KHII opening (with the rock bridge) is better than the original one imo. My heart's a battleground...

Apart from the sentimental value that I have for Simple And Clean, I must say it's just perfect, and I prefer it over Hikari (tho I also love it.) From the English lyrics, to the composition, the melody, the arrangement, her own voice singing it, all the emotion... everything, is 10 out of 10. I don't think she could have made it better on that song, and I'm convinced that she reached her peak on her musical artistry with that. Even the acoustic live version is awesome, and so are the orchestra versions found on Kingdom Hearts soundtrack (thanks Yoko Shimomura! That's another amazing artist.)

It's just a perfect melody if you ask me.

^I think it's interesting that you say (and I agree) that the lyrics of Sanctuary dont fit the music very well since she wrote Sanctuary before writing Passion. It does sound really off...I don't really have the same problem with Simple and Clean since she changed the melody in that one

Sanctuary>Passion>Simple and Clean>Hikari

and don't worry hpg if you punch me in the face. I give really good **** punts and they're free.
That's like saying evolution never gets old. and it's Hikari that is her favorite, not simple and clean, difference.

^Yup, that "And you-uuuuu and I-iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii xDDD" its like she's stretching the vowels to fit the melody, but fails xD

It's so beautiful. The lyrics depict a sanctuary. angels in flight. music ties, fears and lies melt away. I actually got an A for submitting in the lyrics in my english class a few years ago. she saved my ass. >>

And the melody is almost exactly the same for both songs so I don't see what the problem is. I think it really shows off her vocal ability. Of course it doens't have the complex background vocals as passion does, but I think she makes up for it with her singing range in the main part.

Passion
Before I loved you
I was a child born in winter
Sometimes, I have doubts about
the things that started in the past
Oh I will never ever forget
the picture you attached to that New Year’s card
It’s the things that we can’t do
that we long for so much

What the hell is she singing about? is that her idea of passion in a relationship?

That's called plagiarism. :grumpy Anyhow, I don't completely hate Sanctuary necessarily...it's still a very beautiful piece...just Passion resonates more with me I guess. All this talk is making me more excited to see her in concert! Only 16 more days until that happens!!!! Though winter break ends tomorrow :( But Disneyland on Tues! :)