Eternally (Hikaru Utada song)

For the song from the Charlie Chaplin movie "Limelight", see Eternally (1952 song).
"Eternally"
Song by Hikaru Utada
from the album Distance
ReleasedMarch 10, 2008 (2008-03-10)
Recorded2000
GenreJ-pop
Length4:45
4:49 (Drama Mix)
LabelEMI Music Japan
Songwriter(s)Hikaru Utada
Producer(s)
  • Shinichirō Murayama
  • Kei Kawano (strings)

"Eternally" is a song by Japanese musician Hikaru Utada, from their 2001 album Distance. It was re-arranged in 2008 as "Eternally (Drama Mix)" for use in the Maki Horikita starring Fuji TV drama Innocent Love.[1] It was released as a digital single on October 31, 2008,[2] and eventually released onto CD in March 2009, on an EMI compilation album I: Zutto, Zutto, Aishiteru (i(アイ)～ずっと、ずっと、愛してる～).[3]

Innocent Love director Toshiyuki Nakano originally decided that Utada's voice would suit the themes of the drama well. Hearing "Eternally", he felt the song was a perfect choice for the drama, as the song's melody, lyrics and title fitted, in his opinion, as if the song had been specifically commissioned for the drama.[1]

Writing

The song is a R&B ballad featuring an arrangement of strings, background percussion and guitar. The lyrics describe a person addressing their lover, describing how much they treasure a single moment they are sharing with this person. They believe that even if they cannot stay with their lover forever, at least "the feeling (they) have now will last forever" (今の気持ちだけはずっと永遠, ima no kimochi dake wa zutto eien).[4]

The drama mix of the song features a different take of Utada's vocals during the recording sessions of Distance in 2001, however it was given a new mix in 2008.[1] The new version is very similar in structure to the original, however with more prominent strings during the chorus.

Charts

Chart Peak
position
Billboard Japan Hot 100[5]
  • Drama Mix
 36
RIAJ Reco-kyō ringtones Top 100[6] 50
RIAJ Reco-kyō ringtones Top 100[6]
  • Drama Mix
 7

Certifications

Chart Amount
RIAJ full-length cellphone downloads[7] 100,000+
RIAJ full-length cellphone downloads[2]
  • Drama Mix
 100,000+
RIAJ PC downloads[8]
  • Drama Mix
 100,000+

Release history

"Eternally"
A sample from the chorus of the original version.
"Eternally (Drama Mix)"
A sample from the version used for Innocent Love.
Problems playing these files? See media help.
Region Date Format
Japan March 10, 2008[7] Digital download (original version)
March 31, 2008[2] Digital download (Drama Mix)

References

  1. ^ a b c 宇多田ヒカル"隠れた名曲"の新ヴァージョンが月9主題歌に. Barks (in Japanese). 2008-09-29. Archived from the original on 2021-06-14. Retrieved 2010-09-17.
  2. ^ a b c レコード協会調べ 11月度有料音楽配信認定 ＜略称：11月度認定＞. RIAJ (in Japanese). 2008-12-20. Archived from the original on 2011-06-23. Retrieved 2010-09-17.
  3. ^ "[CD] i(アイ)～ずっと、ずっと、愛してる～ / オムニバス". Neowing (in Japanese). Archived from the original on March 3, 2009. Retrieved September 17, 2010.
  4. ^ "Eternally - 宇多田ヒカル". Goo Music (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2011-06-14. Retrieved 2010-09-17.
  5. ^ "Japan Billboard Hot 100". Billboard Japan. November 3, 2008. Archived from the original on March 23, 2012. Retrieved September 17, 2010.
  6. ^ a b "レコード協会調べ 10月度有料音楽配信チャート（「着うた（R）」）＜略称：10月度レコ協チャート（「着うた（R）」）＞" (in Japanese). RIAJ. 2008-11-20. Archived from the original on 2014-08-27. Retrieved 2010-09-17.
  7. ^ a b レコード協会調べ 12月度有料音楽配信認定 ＜略称：12月度認定＞. RIAJ (in Japanese). 2009-01-20. Archived from the original on 2011-06-23. Retrieved 2010-09-17.
  8. ^ レコード協会調べ 11月度有料音楽配信認定 ＜略称：11月度認定＞. RIAJ (in Japanese). 2009-12-20. Archived from the original on 2015-09-24. Retrieved 2010-09-17.