"For You" is a song by Japanese-American musician Hikaru Utada. It was released as a double A-side single with the song "Time Limit" on June 30, 2000.[1]
Background and development
In 1999, Utada released her debut album First Love, which was the most commercially successful album of all time in Japan.[2] After this success, she released two follow-up singles, "Addicted to You" (1999) and "Wait & See (Risk)" (2000), which were both produced by American production team Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.[3][4] "For You" was a continuation of Utada's collaboration with arranger Kei Kawano, who had previously worked with Utada on First Love (1999) (including the single "First Love") and the coupling tracks on her single "Wait & See (Risk)". The song was recorded at Toshiba EMI's Studio Terra in Tokyo.[5]
The "For You" / "Time Limit" single was released right before Bohemian Summer 2000, her first wide-scale tour of Japan,[6] and on the same day as the DVD single release of her previous single, "Wait & See (Risk)".
Promotion and release
The song was first unveiled on June 19, 2000, when a 60-second preview of "For You" was previewed on Japan FM Network radio stations, a week after "Time Limit" was previewed. To promote the single, Utada appeared in magazines released in June and July, such as Pati Pati, What's In?, Pia, Tokyo Walker and Popteen.[7] On June 23, 2000, Utada performed the song live at Music Station,[8] and on the June 29 episode of Utaban performed both "For You" and "Time Limit".[9]
Music video
A music video was created for the song, featuring footage from her secret live performance at the Shibuya On Air East on June 26, 2000, just before the start of her Bohemian Summer 2000 tour.[10][11]
Covers
In 2014, singer Miliyah Kato recorded "For You" for Utada Hikaru no Uta, a tribute album celebrating 15 years since Utada's debut.[12] The cover sampled the original recording of the song by Utada, and also incorporated "Give Me a Reason" from Utada's debut album First Love (1999).
Critical reception
Sato of OngakuDB.com felt that "For You" explored solitude similar to Osamu Dazai's 1948 novel No Longer Human, however expressed this in the "direct words of a 17 year old" instead of "spitting out the words of an adult".[6] CDJournal reviewers felt that the song "[did not] have an instantly gripping sound and doesn't feel like something flat out, but her Japanese-style taste moves the bottom line with her heavy kicks and expert harmonies." The reviewers further remarked that the song had Utada's signature vocal sound and a high level of perfection.[13]
The "For You" / "Time Limit" single was successful enough to win a Song of the Year award at the 15th Japan Gold Disc Awards.[14]
^"『First Love』発売から15年、宇多田ヒカルの色あせない輝き" [15 years since the release of First Love, Hikaru Utada's unfaded radiance]. Oricon. March 7, 2014. Retrieved August 29, 2014.
^ abFor You/Time Limit (Media notes) (in Japanese). Hikaru Utada. Tokyo, Japan: Toshiba EMI. 2000.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^ abSato of OngakuDB.com. For You/タイム・リミット (in Japanese). Yahoo! Japan. Archived from the original on September 21, 2004. Retrieved December 19, 2014.
^"News" (in Japanese). Toshiba EMI. June 13, 2000. Archived from the original on June 18, 2000. Retrieved December 18, 2014.
^EMI Music Japan. "宇多田ヒカル - For You" (in Japanese). Youtube. Archived from the original on December 19, 2014. Retrieved December 19, 2014.
^EMI Music Japan. "Biography 2000" (in Japanese). Universal. Archived from the original on August 24, 2014. Retrieved December 19, 2014.
^『宇多田ヒカルのうた』全貌明らかに。井上陽水、椎名林檎、浜崎あゆみ、吉井和哉ら参加アーティストコメント [All details revealed for Utada Hikaru no Uta, comments from contributing artists such as Yosui Inoue, Ringo Sheena, Ayumi Hamasaki and Kazuya Yoshii.] (in Japanese). Barks. December 3, 2014. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
^宇多田ヒカルのシングル売り上げランキング [Hikaru Utada single sales ranking] (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on November 11, 2013. Retrieved December 18, 2014.
