Colors (Utada Hikaru)

CD Art

Artist

Utada Hikaru

Single

COLORS

Released

2003.01.29

Catalog Number

TOCT-4455

Price

¥1,100

Tracklist

1. COLORS
2. Simple and Clean
3. Simple and Clean -PLANITb Remix-
4. COLORS -Original Karaoke-

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Cover

Artist

Utada Hikaru

DVD Single

COLORS

Released

2003.03.12

Catalog Number

TOBF-5200

Price

¥2,800

Tracklist

1. Making of COLORS
2. COLORS (PV)
3. Kanzou-sensei Report (DVD EDITION) (肝臓先生 Report) (Bonus Track)

Information

COLORS is Utada Hikaru's 12th single. COLORS was used as the Toyota WiSH CM song. This is the third single of Utada's to have a DVD Single as well. The b-side, Simple and Clean, is the English version of the Kingdom Hearts theme, Hikari. Included as CD-Extras on this single was a multimedia section containing 13 exclusive screensavers and 13 exclusive wallpapers. A special feature on the COLORS DVD Single is the "Kanzou-sensei Report", which is a mini-documentary showing the production that went into the DVD, as well as behind-the-scenes shots of Utada working. This single reached #1 on Oricon charts and charted for 45 weeks, her longest charting single ever. Though Kiriya Kazuaki was behind the art direction for the single, he did not take an active part as usual, with the single photography going to Izima Kaoru and the PV directing going to Donald Cameron. On the cover and the inside covers, there are drawings done by Utada herself (some designs include musical notation, the word 'yes' and a drawing of The Vatican). This single became the #3 single of 2003 in Japan. COLORS had an extremely long performance season, which included 11 performances spanning over two months (except for the last performance, which was a special). This single reached #27 on World Charts for single airplay, and reached #6 for sales. The most recent figures (May 25, 2006) show that the singe sold 893,790 units in total.

Song Information

Lyrics

Utada Hikaru

Music

Utada Hikaru

Other Information

Arrangement: Utada Hikaru and Kawano Kei

Keyboards and Programming: Kawano Kei

Basic Programming: Utada Hikaru

Synthesizer Programming: Tsunemi Kazuhide

Violin Section: Great Eida Group

Cello Section: Abe Masahi Group

All Vocals: Utada Hikaru

Recording: Matsui Atsushi

Mixing: Goh Hotoda

COLORS is a frequently fan mixed song. This is ironic, as there are no officially released remixes of this song. However, a remix by Godson was created and used for an advertising campaign (as such, the remix does not feature on any Utada product) The PV for COLORS was not directed by Utada Hikaru's husband Kiriya Kazuaki as usual, and was directed by Australian director Donald Cameron.

Disambiguation

There are seven versions of COLORS to be found in Utada's discography (listed chronologically). These different versions are:

COLORS

Found on COLORS single as track one, as track #15 on Utada Hikaru SINGLE COLLECTION VOL.1 and on ULTRA BLUE album as track #7. This is the version set to the PV, and also appears as track two of the COLORS DVD single.

COLORS -Original Karaoke-

Found on COLORS single as track four. This is the same version as the normal one but without Utada's vocals. There are absolutely no vocals in this track (including background vocals)

COLORS (Live Streaming)

Found on UH Live Streaming 20 Dai wa Ikeike! DVD as track one after all the talking has stopped. This version is a live acoustic of COLORS.

COLORS (Budokan Live)

Found on Utada Hikaru in Budokan 2004 - Hikaru no 5 DVD concert as track 14.

COLORS -Orchestra Version-

Found on Beautiful Drivin' Classic - Wish CD as track one. This has no vocals.

COLORS (Harmony Orchestra)

Found once on the HARMONY~J-pop Meets Classics~for slow life collection; track #13 of the 3rd CD (Dinner Time) on the second boxed set. This has no vocals, and is performed by The Warsaw National Philharmonic Orchestra.

COLORS (Utada United Live)

Found on Utada United 2006 DVD as track #14.

Lyrics

It is said that the song was written by Utada on her honeymoon in France, and is inspired by the French flag. 'White flag' is a reference to a flag of surrender. The mentioning of fluorescent lights is a cultural reference, as many Japanese people have strong distaste for them and are not able to stand them. Utada has also stated her dislike for fluorescent lights. Usually Utada's songs have secret English unlisted lyrics that are sung in the background or during breaks in stanzas; however COLORS does not have any of these secret lyrics.

TV Performances

• [2003.01.12] CDTV
• [2003.01.29] Viewsic
• [2003.01.31] Music Station
• [2003.02.05] Sokuhou Uta no Daijiten
• [2003.02.06] AX Music TV
• [2003.02.08] Pop Jam
• [2003.02.08] CDTV
• [2003.02.13] Utaban
• [2003.02.17] HEY!HEY!HEY!
• [2003.03.03] SMAPxSMAP
• [2003.12.17] Asahi Special

Oricon Chart Positions

Date	Week Rank	Week Sales	Total Sales
2003.02.10	1	437,903	437,903
2003.02.17	1	139,829	577,732
2003.02.24	3	98,677	676,409
2003.03.03	7	55,051	731,460
2003.03.10	7	33,950	765,410
2003.03.17	7	30,893	796,303
2003.03.24	11	22,718	819,021
2003.03.31	14	14,321	833,342
2003.04.07	22	10,572	843,914
2003.04.14	30	7,133	851,047
2003.04.21	22	5,203	856,250
2003.04.28	32	4,042	860,292
2003.05.05	56	2,824	863,116
2003.05.12	60	2,789	865,905
2003.05.19	63	2,137	868,042
2003.05.26	72	1,621	869,663
2003.06.02	117	1,634	871,297
2003.06.09	130	1,095	872,392
2003.06.16	135	820	873,212
2003.06.23	154	696	873,908
2003.06.30	141	752	874,660
2003.07.07	152	886	875,546
2003.07.14	136	793	876,339
2003.07.21	154	663	877,002
2003.07.28	164	692	877,694
2003.08.25	185	580	878,274
2003.10.13	173	543	878,817
2003.10.20	148	605	879,422
2003.10.27	158	507	879,929
2003.11.03	168	529	880,458
2003.11.10	192	455	880,913
2003.11.24	186	435	881,348
2003.12.22	157	593	881,941
2003.12.29	118	1,075	883,016
2004.01.05+12	96	2,511	885,527
2004.01.19	74	1,596	887,123
2004.01.26	62	1,631	888,754
2004.02.02	109	1,117	889,871
2004.02.09	145	770	890,641
2004.02.16	152	701	891,342
2004.02.23	158	660	892,002
2004.03.01	183	496	892,498
2004.03.08	175	718	893,216
2004.03.15	194	574	893,790

External Links

• Oricon Profile