The Poetry of Ayumi Hamasaki

Duty

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"Duty" album release date: Sept 2000

04. End of the World
Lyrics by Ayumi Hamasaki
 

When I see someone worse off than myself

It’s something of a relief.

When I see someone happier than me

I quickly become ungrateful.

But sometimes it hits me just how pitiful I am

And I crash down into reality.

 

What is acceptable for me to think?

What is acceptable for me to say?

You’re the first person to ever try and understand who I am.

 

It must be impossible

To live without hurting a single person.

When I think I’m the victim

I’ll keep playing it until the end

Resigned to the fact that I’ll eventually lose everything.

 

What do you wish for tomorrow?

And why do you have reason to believe

You can get through even the longest, darkest night?

Let me hear it someday.

 

What is acceptable for me to think?

What is acceptable for me to say?

Though I’m envied

Though praised up to the sky

I don’t know if I’m even understood.

 

What is acceptable for me to think?

What is acceptable for me to say?

The only person who understands who I really am

Is you.

07. SURREAL
Lyrics by Ayumi Hamasaki
 

Choosing only the things you love

Can’t be called irresponsible.

Unless you can find something to love

How can you take responsibility?

But the more you resolve to take

The more possibilities are opened to you.

 

If it’s something that is unnecessary

Then compassion is of no use at all.

If it’s something that is truly important

Then you must feel pain along with it.*

Because loneliness is harder to bear

In spite of being with someone

Than when you feel it whilst alone.

 

However deep your loneliness is

Whatever pain you feel

You must not shut your sense to it

Even if you lose all your words.

For even if you say you are nothing

If you stumble on the path

You brace yourself with your own hands.

Things are like that…

 

Ah, the promise we made that day

It’s impossible for me to keep it alone.

Ah, that dream we talked of through the night

It’s impossible for me to realise it alone.

I can’t tell anyone

I want to tell someone

About the person who is most important to me.

 

La la la la~

In a non-existent place

I stand as I am.

Oh you… stay as you are.

That’s how I want you to be.

La la la la~

In a non-existent place

I stand as I am.

Oh you… stay just as you are.

I want you to be that way forever.

 

*NOTE: I think she is talking about a person and not an “it” here, as if to say you should empathize with their pain.

08. AUDIENCE
Lyrics by Ayumi Hamasaki
 

Come on, everyone spread out your arms
and let's go together, clapping our hands.
When you want to start running,
come here, and I'll begin along with you.

 

I don't really feel like
walking in front of everyone.
But then, saying that, it doesn't mean
that I want to walk behind anyone.

 

If someone out of you
were to shout: "YES!", then straight away,
I would get in line and shout: "YES!" along with you.

 

Come on, everyone spread out your arms
and let's go together, clapping our hands.
When you want to start running,
come here, and I'll begin along with you.
You are my pride...

 

Amid the days that appear to be worthless
there's a hidden trick to finding happiness.
It's really something that was made
to be shared with everyone.

 

Even if you can't win skilfully, it's okay.
When that happens,
let's try to make a success of losing.

 

Come on, everyone spread out your arms
and let's go together, clapping our hands.
I can hear all your voices.
I'm not afraid of anything.
I'm not alone anymore.

 

(Repeat chorus 2)

 

NOTE: In case you didn't guess already, "AUDIENCE" is about Ayu's fans. It was around this point in her career when she realised that she had a responsibility to set a good example for the people who follow her. She began to write songs for them, rather than just considering her own feelings.

Buy this album at yesasia.com!