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Colors (Utada Hikaru)

CD Cover
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-



DVD 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, and her third DVD single. A remix of "COLORS" was used as the "Toyota WiSH" CM song. The b-side, "Simple and Clean", is the English version of the Kingdom Hearts theme, "Hikari". Included as a CD-Extra on the single was a multimedia section containing 13 exclusive screensavers and 13 exclusive wallpapers. A special feature on the DVD Single was the "Kanzou-sensei Report", which was a mini-documentary showing the production that went into the DVD, as well as behind-the-scenes shots of Utada working. 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). The single reached #1 on Oricon charts and charted for 45 weeks, her longest charting single ever. It became the #3 single of 2003 in Japan. "COLORS" also had an extremely long performance season, which included 11 performances spanning over two months (except for the last performance, which was a special). The single reached #27 on World Charts for single airplay, and reached #6 for sales.

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

Music Video

The PV for "COLORS" was directed by Australian director Donald Cameron.

Lyrics

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.

Disambiguation

There are six versions of "COLORS" to be found in Utada's discography. These different versions are:

COLORS
Found on the "COLORS" single as track #1, ULTRA BLUE as track #7, and Utada Hikaru SINGLE COLLECTION VOL.1 as track #15.
COLORS -Original Karaoke-
Found on the "COLORS" single as track #4. This is the standard version of the without any of Utada's vocals.
COLORS (Godson Mix)
Featured in the "Toyota WiSH" CM. It is an upbeat remix of "COLORS", and was not released in any form.
COLORS (Live Streaming)
Found on UH Live Streaming 20 Dai wa Ikeike! as track #1 after the questions and interviews. 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 as track #14. The arrangement was tweaked for the live band, and an electric guitar was used in place of the main synth.
COLORS (Utada United Live)
Found on UTADA UNITED 2006 DVD as track #14. For the performance, the song was re-arranged into an acoustic ballad with a slower tempo.

TV Performances

Oricon Chart Positions

Hikaru Utada promoting the single
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: 893,790

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