The GUILTY era concepts analysis thread!

[Andrenekoi]

Overall guide-lines:

-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.


Other Threads:
NEXT LEVEL
Rock’n’Roll Circus
Love Songs
FIVE
Party Queen
LOVE again
Colours
A one
M(A)DE IN JAPAN

GUILTY (you can download it here)






1. Mirror
2. (don't) Leave me alone
3. talkin' 2 myself
4. decision
5. GUILTY
6. fated
7. Together When...
8. Marionette -prelude-
9. Marionette
10. The Judgement Day
11. glitter
12. MY ALL
13. reBiRTH
14. untitled ~for her~

GUILTY was Ayu's 9th studio album, released in 2008. The album released during the year that celebrated Ayu's 10th anniversary in the industry was rather dark, even in comparation with her own material that never was all that happy. On a year where the delt with her hearing loss, the end of her relationship with Nagase after 7 years and the death of a close friend, the lack of a more "party-ish" release came as a no surprise. GUILTY's biggest hits were Together When..., glitter and MY ALL.


LYRICS (from here, and another take here)

Mirror

Spoiler:

Did I ever imagine
This future?
Did you ever imagine
This future?

Did I ever wish for
This future?
Did you ever wish for
This future?

Is this the beginning?
Is this the end?

Have I given up?
Am I standing firm?

Have I become defiant?
Have I lost hope?

Aren't you the one
Who said to just keep moving forward?

The reason I'm not crying
Is because I've gotten stronger
Or is it...?

(don't) Leave me alone

Spoiler:

If you want to pretend to be nice
Could you do it somewhere else?

What the hell
Do you understand anyway?

When you act like you understand
It gives me a headache

How long
Are you going to keep up this act?

I can see deep in your eyes
And you can't fool me

The pity in your gaze
Makes me sick

I'd rather you tear into me
Til I can't even cry
Then don't accept me
Your hands are cold

I think it's been
Just about long enough

You get it now
Don't you?

That mirthless smile
Works best

I'd rather you push me away
Til I can't even get up again
Don't be so kind
Just please let me be alone

I'd rather you tear into me
Til I can't even cry
Then don't accept me
Your hands are cold

I'd rather you push me away
Til I can't even get up again
Don't be so kind
Just please let me be alone

Let me be alone now

But don't leave me alone

talkin' 2 myself

Spoiler:

What are you wandering in search of?
What do you want to see at the end of your journey?

Just what are you afraid of?
And what are you grieving for?

If you feel like your mind
Is being controlled by what you see
Then listen to your heart

Reality always
Plays tricks on us
But, look, within it all
There's an answer hidden just for you
If you're feeling unfulfilled
It's only something
You've created yourself

Just where do you have to go
To find a real smile?

You pretended to be prepared for the backlash
After your temporary pleasure
But now there's no more escaping reality

This world is overflowing
With information and temptation
And we probably each have
Our own choices to make
You know
That destruction
Gives birth to creation

Reality always
Plays tricks on us
But, look, within it all
There's an answer hidden just for you
If you're feeling unfulfilled
It's only something
You've created yourself

This world is overflowing
With information and temptation
And we probably each have
Our own choices to make
You know
That destruction
Gives birth to creation

decision

Spoiler:

If we talk too much
It will blur the truth

Sometimes words are powerless
And interfere with our feelings

Hey, please don't ask me
Hey, if you were right

Yes, I'm going
No matter how irrational
The future is
Even if the fact
That I have to keep being me
Echoes sorrowfully
In your heart

The road I chose when I was young
Is one I can never turn back from

That was my first and last decision
I shouted at the distant future

Hey, look, the me from that day
Hey, is nodding at my back

Yes, I'm going
Not turning back, not running away
I'll walk with my head up
I wonder if one day
You'll realize
That I have no choice
But to keep being myself

A strong head wind blows
The cold soaks into my skin
My frozen hands now
Reach straight out to the other side

Yes, I'm going
No matter how irrational
The future is
I, too
Have to accept
That I have
To keep being myself

GUILTY

Spoiler:

No matter how hard I try, I can't escape it
My past is always chasing me

I wonder if after it catches up with me
It will eventually overtake me

Forgive me for not telling you

Please stop asking
For now just let me
Keep making these transparent excuses

Don't smile and hide your heart
In the distant depths of your eyes

I'm sure you already know

Don't say anything more
Just let this kind lie live
A little longer, just a while longer

Please stop asking
For now just let me
Keep making excuses

Don't say anything more
Just let this kind lie live
A little longer, just a while longer

fated

Spoiler:

Do you believe in fate?
That moment of meeting
That can change
Everything that's come before

The realization when your eyes meet
The confirmation of touch
But it's then
When people's legs lock up

The wind on my cheeks tells me this is real
It gently whispers
This isn't a dream

I thought my voice wouldn't reach you
I thought this dream wouldn't come true
You are the one before my eyes right now
Not anyone else

I don't know where this road will lead
Or what I'll find along the way
I can try to imagine
But there's no way I'll ever be able to guess

I feel like
The more I want to be strong
The more my heart gets weaker

I cried and screamed your name
I prayed I wouldn't wake if this was a dream
Ah, you were the one before my eyes
Not anyone else

The wind on my cheeks tells me this is real
It gently whispers
This isn't a dream

If the number of times someone told me they loved me
Is the number of times I was loved
If the number of times I said I love you
Is the number of times I've loved

I gave up, knowing my voice wouldn't reach you
I gave up, knowing my dream wouldn't come true
But the truth is, you were the one before my eyes
Not anyone else

Together When...

Spoiler:

Leaving the same scars
In our hearts
We quietly and strongly began to walk
With our backs turned, not looking back

We believed we'd found
One thing that wouldn't change
And as we felt it change
We took one step apart
Eventually we took another step
So we wouldn't get hurt

I wanted to say thank you
I couldn't say thank you
Because that would feel like an eternal farewell
And be too sad
Someday I'll be reborn as myself again
And I'll probably go on a journey to find you

Suddenly one day
When I found myself doubting
The new and unfamiliar territory
I'd chosen
A gentle breeze blew through
That felt just like you

I wanted to say I love you
I couldn't say I love you
But I feel like that was
My biggest lie and yet the truth
Someday I'll be reborn as myself again
And I'll probably go on a journey to find you

I wanted to say thank you
I couldn't say thank you
Because that would feel like an eternal farewell
And be too sad

I wanted to say I love you
I couldn't say I love you
But I feel like that was
My biggest lie and yet the truth
Even if I'm reborn as someone else
I'll go on a journey to find you

Marionette

Spoiler:

Memories always
Appear beautiful
To everyone

But we
Know the truth
That that's not all

Please don't forget
She and I and you

We weren't born
To live like this
Faking appearances
To hide our dead faces

The reason we can look back
Is because we made it through
We stopped and started moving forward again

Please remember
She and I and you

We're hurt
We've lost the light
And given up so many times
But we're still here

Now don't do this for someone else
Take your own hands

And stand up without fear
And rip your mask off

We weren't born
To live like this
Faking appearances
To hide our dead faces

glitter

Spoiler:

This sumer we're gonna shine more than ever
Just treasure this time

(Wow wow wow
No no no
Wow wow wow
Yeah yeah yeah)

I remember this time last year
And this time long ago
In the end, what I want hasn't changed
Yes! Still believe in love!!

I still remember so clearly
That night when I cried alone
But I don't regret it
Yes! 'Coz believe in love!!

Wow wow wow
Have I grown up?
No no no
Unfortunately not
Wow wow wow
I still haven't stopped
Speeding up

This sumer we're gonna shine more than ever
I can feel my heart pounding in my chest
No matter where our future's headed
Just treasure this time

(Wow wow wow
Wow wow wow)

What on Earth has changed?
That I can't cry when I'm sad anymore?
That I don't cry when I'm sad anymore?
So... I'll be with you!!

Wow wow wow
What's important
Yeah yeah yeah
Is your smile
Wow wow wow
For that
I can even fly

We're starting a new journey this summer
I can hear a faint panic in the distance
Today let's search
For the road that leads to the place we dreamed of

'Cause, hey, I think I understand
"The reason for your smile"
And "the meaning of your words"...

This sumer we're gonna shine more than ever
I can feel my heart pounding in my chest
No matter where our future's headed
Just treasure this time

(Wow wow wow
Wow wow wow
Wow wow wow
Yeah yeah yeah)

MY ALL

Spoiler:

How much time
Have we spent together now?

How far
Have we come together?

We’ve left so much behind us
It may not have been perfect, but it shone

Our crystal is now shining here
Proudly

To be honest, I can’t say
That everything
Has been fun and happy
But I was never alone

I want to give you a dream
One that won’t end, won’t disappear
I want you to have that kind of dream
That’s my wish

I want to protect you
Even if something happens
I’ll keep protecting you
With everything I have

I can say now
That there isn’t a single thing I regret

We’ve always fought things to the finish
With everything we’ve got

To be honest, there have been
Hard nights
And days when I felt like I couldn’t do it
But I was never alone

I can see your smile
It’s endearing and bright
I want to see your smile
Today, again, I am alive

I feel your love
It’s strong and warm
I feel that invincible love
With my whole body

I want to give you a dream
One that won’t end, won’t disappear
I want you to have that kind of dream
That’s my wish

I want to protect you
Even if something happens
I’ll keep protecting you
With everything I have

untitled ~for her~

Spoiler:

We walked holding hands
Laughing and crying at the little things

We shone so innocently then

If I could have just one wish now
I'd like to see you again

That day you decided
To walk alone
On that long journey
To that place above the clouds

Leaving me behind
With so many things I want to tell you

We let go of each other's hands as we walked
Clashing and being stubborn over the little things

Even the stupid fights seem precious now

If I could have just one wish now
I'd like to see you again

If someday everyone goes
On that long journey
To that place above the clouds
Just wait for me

And then we'll talk
Over the countless memories

Can you see me from where you are?
Are you watching over me?

These may just be common words
But you always live on
In my heart
Just as you were

No matter how many seasons pass
Our days won't fade

We walked holding hands
Laughing and crying at the little things

BOOKLET (from here)

Spoiler:

PV's

Spoiler:

ASIA TOUR 2008 ~10th Anniversary~ (you can download it here)