Arguably the most famous song written by Japanese
R&B superstar
Utada Hikaru; also the name of her first album. "First Love" was released in 1999. Like most of Utada's songs, it is sung in
Japanese with a few lines in
English. Filipina singer
Jessa Zaragoza recorded an English version of the song.
The lyrics in romanized Japanese:
Saigo no kisu wa
Tabako no flavor ga shita
Nigakute setsu nai kaori
Ashita no imakoro ni wa
Anata wa doko ni irun darou
Dare wo omotterun darou
You are always gonna be my love
Itsu ka dare ka to mata koi ni ochite mo
I'll remember to love - you taught me how
You are always gonna be the one
Ima wa mada kanashii love song
Atarashii uta utaeru made
Tachi tomaru jikan ga
Ugoki dasou to shiteru
Wasuretakunai koto bakari
Ashita no imakoro ni wa
Watashi wa kitto naite iru
Anata wo omotterun darou
You will always be inside my heart
Itsu mo anata dake no basho ga aru kara
I hope that I have a place in your heart too
Now and forever you are still the one
Ima wa mada kanashii love song
Atarashii uta utaeru made
You are always gonna be my love
Itsu ka dare ka to mata koi ni ochite mo
I'll remember to love - you taught me how
You are always gonna be the one
Ima wa mada kanashii love song
Atarashii uta utaeru made
As sung in English by Jessa Zaragoza:
Once in a while you are on my mind
I think about the days that we had
And I dream if this would all come back to me
If only you knew every moment in time
Love lingers on in my heart just like your memories
How I want here to be with you once more
You are always gonna be the one
And you should know how I wish I could have never let you go
Come into my life again, oh don't say no
You are always gonna be the one in my life
So true and I believe that I can never find
Somebody like you, my first love
Once in a while you are in my dreams
I can feel the warmth of your embrace
And I pray that one day you'd come back to me
If only you knew every moment in time
Love lingers on in my heart just like your memories
How I long here to be with you once more
You will always be inside my heart
And you should know how I wish I could have never let you go
Come into my life again, please don't say no
Now and forever you are still the one in my heart
So true I believe I can never find
Somebody like you, my first love
You are always gonna be the one
And you should know how I wish I could have never let you go
Come into my life again, oh don't say no
You are always gonna be the one
So true and I believe that I can never find
Now and forever, love
The lyrics are difficult to translate well (even though it is said that Utada originally wrote the song in English and translated it into Japanese), but the general idea is that a person's first love always stays with them, no matter how many times they fall in love again. I translate the song like this, so you can sing it and still get the jist of the original Japanese. Ideas that were particularly kick-ass in the original are highlighted.
So close your eyes for a final kiss
That tastes of want and bitterness
Our last kiss like a smoldering cigarette
So at this time tomorrow, I know
Would you be off in your world all alone
And who would be in your heart for you to hold?
You are always gonna be my love
And one day if I see another like you I know what to say
I'll remember to love, you taught me how
You are always gonna be the one
In my mind as I sing to you the saddest of saddest love songs
Till another one will come, and give me a new one
Time like a cloud standing still
I'm askin' if it's gonna move, and it will
Leave me with the things I don't wanna lose
So at this time tomorrow I'll cry
You will be far as the stars in the sky
And so far away, and I'll be crying here for you
You will always be inside my heart
Always know that you'll have a little place for yourself in it, so
I hope that I have a place in your heart too
Now and forever you are still the one
In my mind as I sing to you the saddest of saddest love songs
Till another one will come, and give me a new one
You are always gonna be my love
And one day if I see another like you I know what to say
I'll remember to love, you taught me how
You are always gonna be the one
In my mind as I sing to you the saddest of saddest love songs
Till another one will come, and give me a new one
And now, the album:
- Automatic
- Movin' on without you
- In My Room
- First Love
- 甘いワナ Amai wa na
- Time Will Tell
- Never Let Go
- B&C
- Another Chance
- Interlude
- Give Me A Reason