Colors (Utada Hikaru)
- Artist
- Utada Hikaru
- Single
- COLORS
- Released
- 2003.01.29
- Catalog Number
- TOCT-4455
- Price
- ¥1,100
- Tracklist
- COLORS
- Simple and Clean
- Simple and Clean -PLANITb Remix-
- COLORS -Original Karaoke-
- Artist
- Utada Hikaru
- DVD Single
- COLORS
- Released
- 2003.03.12
- Catalog Number
- TOBF-5200
- Price
- ¥2,800
- Tracklist
- Making of COLORS
- COLORS (PV)
- 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.
Contents
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 that implements strings and piano.
- COLORS (Budokan Live)
- Found on Utada Hikaru in Budokan 2004 - Hikaru no 5 DVD concert as track 14, and uses electric guitar in place of the synth.
- 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, and it a much slower, acoustic version of the song.
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 |
Total Reported Sales: 900,790
External Links
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