First Love (Utada Hikaru song)

"First Love" is a song by Japanese-American singer-songwriter Utada Hikaru. It was released as her third Japanese language single on April 28, 1999, a month after the release of her debut album, First Love. It was certified double platinum for 800,000 copies shipped to stores across Japan.[1]

"First Love"
Cover of the 12cm version of the single
Single by Utada Hikaru
from the album First Love
ReleasedApril 28, 1999 (1999-04-28)
Recorded1998
Genre
Length4:18
LabelToshiba-EMI
Songwriter(s)Utada Hikaru
Producer(s)Kei Kawano
Utada Hikaru singles chronology
"Movin' on Without You"
(1999)		 "First Love"
(1999)		 "Addicted to You"
(1999)
Alternative cover
8cm version cover
Music video
"First Love" on YouTube

In a 2009 survey by Oricon, asking respondents what song they want 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]

Promotion

The song was used as the theme song for the Japanese drama Majo no Jōken, starring Hideaki Takizawa and Nanako Matsushima. "First Love" is featured in the PlayStation 2 rhythm game Unison, released in 2001.

Track listing
8cm version
No.TitleArrangerLength
1."First Love"Kei Kawano4:18
2."First Love" (Strings Mix)Kawano4:22
3."First Love" (Original Karaoke)Kawano4:21
4."First Love" (John Luongo Mix)John Luongo4:08
Total length:17:09
12cm version
No.TitleArrangerLength
1."First Love"Kawano4:18
2."First Love" (featuring David Sanborn)Kawano4:17
3."First Love" (Strings Mix)Kawano4:20
4."First Love" (John Luongo Mix)Luongo4:08
Total length:17:13

Personnel
  • 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

Charts
Chart (1999) Peak
position
Oricon weekly singles[4]
  • 12 cm version
 2
Oricon weekly singles[5]
  • 8 cm version
 6
Chart (2009) Peak
position
RIAJ Digital Track Chart Top 100[6] 89

Certifications and sales
Chart Amount
Oricon physical sales[7]
  • 12 cm version
 501,000
Oricon physical sales[7]
  • 8 cm version
 303,000
RIAJ full-length cellphone downloads[8] 500,000+

Release history
Region Date Format
Japan April 28, 1999[4][5] 12 cm single, 8 cm single
Taiwan August 2000[9] 8 cm single
Japan November 19, 2004[8] Cellphone full-length digital download

Juju version
"First Love"
Promotional single by Juju
from the album Request
ReleasedSeptember 15, 2010 (2010-09-15)
GenreJ-pop, R&B
Length4:27
LabelSony
Songwriter(s)Utada Hikaru
Producer(s)Akihisa Matsuura

"First Love" was covered by Japanese R&B singer Juju in 2010, on her cover album Request. The song was the main promotional single, and released as a digital download to cellphones on September 15, 2010.[10] Juju performed the song at Hey! Hey! Hey! on September 20.[11]

Charts
Chart Peak
position
RIAJ Digital Track Chart Top 100[12] 5

Release history
Region Date Format
Japan September 8, 2010 (2010-09-08)[10] Ringtone
September 15, 2010 (2010-09-15)[10] Cellphone download

Other cover versions
  • Naoko Terai (1999, violin, album Pure Moment)
  • Jessa Zaragoza (2000, on the album Siya Ba Ang Dahilan?)
  • Cao Xue Jing (2004, erhu solo, on the album Koiuta Erhu)
  • Toni Gonzaga (2006, on the album You Complete Me). Sampled the song for "We Belong"
  • 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)

References
  1. "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). Chūō, Tokyo: Recording Industry Association of Japan. 476: 9. July 10, 1999. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 9, 2014. Retrieved January 22, 2014.
  2. 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). 2009-03-11. Retrieved 2010-09-24.
  3. "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.
  4. "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 2010-09-24.
  5. "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 2010-09-24.
  6. "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. 2009-09-11. Archived from the original on 2012-04-22. Retrieved 2010-09-24.
  7. "オリコンランキング情報サービス「you大樹」". Oricon. Retrieved 2010-09-24. (subscription only)
  8. 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). 2009-09-20. Retrieved 2010-09-24.
  9. "First Love (Overseas Ver.)". Yesasia. Retrieved 2010-09-24.
  10. "JUJU インフォメーション" (in Japanese). Sony. Archived from the original on September 24, 2010. Retrieved September 24, 2010.
  11. "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.
  12. "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. 2009-09-24. Archived from the original on 2014-12-28. Retrieved 2010-09-24.
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