First Love (Hikaru Utada song)
| "First Love" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 12cm single cover | ||||
| Single by Hikaru Utada | ||||
| from the album First Love | ||||
| Language | Japanese, English | |||
| Released | April 28, 1999 | |||
| Recorded | 1998 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 4:18 | |||
| Label | Toshiba-EMI | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Hikaru Utada | |||
| Producer(s) | Akira Miyake Utada Sking Teruzane | |||
| Hikaru Utada singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "First Love" on YouTube | ||||
"First Love" is a song by the Japanese-American singer-songwriter Hikaru Utada. It was released on April 28, 1999, as the third Japanese language single from her second studio album, First Love, which was issued a month previously. It was certified double platinum for 800,000 copies shipped to stores in Japan.[1]
In a 2009 survey by Oricon, asking respondents what song they wanted to hear with a broken heart, "First Love" was voted in the top 10.[2] "First Love" was performed during Utada's 2010 tour, Utada: In the Flesh 2010. It was also performed during Utada's two-date concert series Wild Life in December 2010.[3] The song and "Hatsukoi" from her 2018 studio album of the same name inspired the 2022 Netflix series First Love.[4] In December 9, 2022, "First Love" was remixed alongside "Hatsukoi" in Dolby Atmos.[5]
Promotion
[edit]The song was used as the theme song for the Japanese drama Majo no Jōken, starring Hideaki Takizawa and Nanako Matsushima.[citation needed] "First Love" is featured in the PlayStation 2 rhythm game Unison, released in 2001.
Track listing
[edit]| No. | Title | Arrangement | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "First Love" | Kei Kawano | 4:18 |
| 2. | "First Love" (Strings Mix) | Kawano | 4:22 |
| 3. | "First Love" (Original Karaoke) | Kawano | 4:21 |
| 4. | "First Love" (John Luongo Mix) | John Luongo | 4:08 |
| Total length: | 17:09 | ||
| No. | Title | Arrangement | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "First Love" | Kawano | 4:18 |
| 2. | "First Love" (featuring David Sanborn) | Kawano | 4:17 |
| 3. | "First Love" (Strings Mix) | Kawano | 4:20 |
| 4. | "First Love" (John Luongo Mix) | Luongo | 4:08 |
| Total length: | 17:13 | ||
Personnel
[edit]- Hironori Akiyama – guitar
- Yuichiro Goto – strings
- Takahiro Iida – synthesizer programming
- Kei Kawano – arrangement, string arrangement, keyboards, programming
- Masayuki Momo – synthesizer programming
- Hikaru Utada – lyrics, music, vocals
- Goh Hotoda - mixing engineer
Charts
[edit]
Weekly charts[edit]
|
Year-end charts[edit]
|
Certifications and sales
[edit]| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Japan (RIAJ)[20] 12 cm version |
2× Platinum | 500,000^ |
| Japan 8 cm version |
— | 303,000[21] |
| Japan (RIAJ)[22] Full-length Ringtone |
Platinum | 250,000* |
| Streaming | ||
| Japan (RIAJ)[23] | 2× Platinum | 200,000,000† |
| Japan (RIAJ)[24] 2014 Remaster |
Gold | 50,000,000† |
|
* Sales figures based on certification alone. | ||
Release history
[edit]| Region | Date | Format(s) | Version | Label | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | April 28, 1999 | Original | [6][7] | ||
| Taiwan | August 2000 | [25] | |||
| Japan | November 19, 2004 |
|
[26] | ||
| Various | December 9, 2022 |
|
2022 Mix | [27] | |
| Japan | "First Love / Hatsukoi" 2022 Remastered |
|
[5] |
Juju version
[edit]| "First Love" | |
|---|---|
| Promotional single by Juju | |
| from the album Request | |
| Released | September 15, 2010 |
| Genre | J-pop, R&B |
| Length | 4:27 |
| Label | Sony |
| Songwriter(s) | Hikaru Utada |
| Producer(s) | Akihisa Matsuura |
"First Love" was covered by the Japanese R&B singer Juju in 2010, on her cover album Request. It was the main promotional single, and was released as a digital download to cellphones on September 15, 2010.[28] Juju performed the song at Hey! Hey! Hey! on September 20.[29]
Charts
[edit]| Chart | Peak position |
|---|---|
| RIAJ Digital Track Chart Top 100[30] | 5 |
Release history
[edit]| Region | Date | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Japan | September 8, 2010[28] | Ringtone |
| September 15, 2010[28] | Cellphone download |
Other cover versions
[edit]- Naoko Terai (1999, violin, album Pure Moment)
- Cao Xue Jing (2004, erhu solo, on the album Koiuta Erhu)
- Sotte Bosse (2007, on the album Innocent View)
- Scott Murphy (Allister) (2008, on the album Guilty Pleasures 3)
- Ryō Nagano (Apogee) (2008, digital single)
- Yasushi Nakanishi (2008, on the album Standards 3)
- Jake Shimabukuro (2008, ukulele solo, DVD Ichigo Ichie)
- Makoto Hirahara (2009, saxophone, on the album Vocalese)
- Sing-O (2009, digital single)
- Starving Trancer feat. Maki (2009, on the album Exit Trance Presents Dramatic Trance Memorial Daiichiwa)
- Hideaki Tokunaga (2010, on the album Vocalist 4)
- Eric Martin (2010, on the album Mr. Vocalist 3)
- Boyz II Men (2010 on the album Covered: Winter)
- May J. (2013, on the album Summer Ballad Covers)
- Zivilia (2017, single, sung in Indonesian)
- Kim Chaewon of LE SSERAFIM (2022, released on SoundCloud)
References
[edit]- ^ "GOLD ALBUM 他認定作品 1999年5月度" [Gold Albums, and other certified works. May 1999 Edition] (PDF). The Record (Bulletin) (in Japanese). 476. Chūō, Tokyo: Recording Industry Association of Japan: 9. July 10, 1999. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 9, 2014. Retrieved January 22, 2014.
- ^ 失恋した時に聴きたい曲、男性はミスチル 女性はプリプリ. Oricon (in Japanese). March 11, 2009. Retrieved September 24, 2010.
- ^ "宇多田ヒカル一時休止前ラスト公演で感涙＆Ust新記録樹立" (in Japanese). Natalie. December 13, 2010. Retrieved December 17, 2010.
- ^ "満島ひかり×佐藤健の"10代の頃"を八木莉可子×木戸大聖が演じる『First Love 初恋』" (in Japanese). ORICON NEWS. November 10, 2022. Retrieved November 19, 2022.
- ^ a b "宇多田ヒカル、デビュー記念日に「First Love」「初恋」のドルビーアトモス版＆7inchアナログリリース" [Hikaru Utada to Release Dolby Atmos & Vinyl Version of "First Love" and "Hatsukoi" on Debut Anniversary]. 音楽ナタリー (in Japanese). Retrieved December 9, 2022.
- ^ a b "First Love - 宇多田ヒカル／ オリコンランキング情報サービス「you大樹」" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved September 24, 2010.
- ^ a b "First Love - 宇多田ヒカル／ オリコンランキング情報サービス「you大樹」" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved September 24, 2010.
- ^ "Taiwan Top 10 Singles" (in Chinese). IFPI Taiwan. July 11, 1999. Archived from the original on December 24, 1999. Retrieved September 1, 2024.
- ^ "レコード協会調べ 2009年09月02日～2009年09月08日 ＜略称：レコ協チャート（「着うたフル(R)」）＞" (in Japanese). RIAJ. September 11, 2009. Archived from the original on April 22, 2012. Retrieved September 24, 2010.
- ^ "Billboard Japan Hot 100 – Week of March 24, 2014". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved February 29, 2024.
- ^ "Hikaru Utada Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
- ^ "Hikaru Utada Chart History (Hong Kong Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
- ^ "Billboard Japan Hot 100 – Week of December 21, 2022". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved December 21, 2022.
- ^ First Love/初恋 – Oricon Oricon News. Retrieved December 14, 2022.
- ^ "Oricon Top 50 Combined Singles: 2022-12-19" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
- ^ "Oricon Top 50 Combined Singles: 2022-12-19" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
- ^ "RIAS Top Charts Week 50 (9 - 15 Dec 2022)". RIAS. Archived from the original on December 20, 2022. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
- ^ "Hikaru Utada Chart History (Taiwan Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
- ^ "Billboard Japan Hot 100 Year End". Billboard JAPAN. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
- ^ "Japanese single certifications – Hikaru Utada – First Love" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved December 26, 2023. Select 2018年6月 on the drop-down menu
- ^ オリコンランキング情報サービス「you大樹」 (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved September 24, 2010.
- ^ "Japanese ringtone certifications – Hikaru Utada – First Love" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved December 26, 2023. Select 2009年8月 on the drop-down menu
- ^ "Japanese single streaming certifications – Hikaru Utada – First Love" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved March 28, 2024. Select 2024年2月 on the drop-down menu
- ^ "Japanese single streaming certifications – Hikaru Utada – First Love (2014 Remaster)" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved February 29, 2024. Select 2023年2月 on the drop-down menu
- ^ "First Love (Overseas Ver.)". Yesasia. Retrieved September 24, 2010.
- ^ レコード協会調べ 8月度有料音楽配信認定 ＜略称：8月度認定＞. RIAJ (in Japanese). September 20, 2009. Retrieved September 24, 2010.
- ^ "宇多田ヒカルのアナログ盤「First Love / 初恋」発売記念ポップアップ企画開催、DJイベントあり" [DJ Event to Commemorative Hikaru Utada's Vinyl Release of "First Love / Hatsukoi"]. 音楽ナタリー (in Japanese). Retrieved December 9, 2022.
- ^ a b c "JUJU インフォメーション" (in Japanese). Sony. Archived from the original on April 29, 2011. Retrieved September 24, 2010.
- ^ "今聴きたい！名曲HEY！HEY！HEY！伝説的アイドルの祭典！史上最多30人大集結スペシャル！！" (in Japanese). Fuji TV. September 20, 2010. Retrieved September 24, 2010.
- ^ "レコード協会調べ 2010年09月15日～2010年09月21日 ＜略称：レコ協チャート（「着うたフル(R)」）＞" (in Japanese). RIAJ. September 24, 2009. Archived from the original on December 28, 2014. Retrieved September 24, 2010.
