Comments on: Music that Doesn’t Suck: Utada’s “Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence – FYI”

By: lee

lee — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 13:41:34 +0000

Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence is the title of the main soundtrack from the movie with the same title and starred by David Bowie and by the composer himself, Ryuichi Sakamoto. This song was also used by David Sylvian’s Forbidden Colors (the vocal version), Indonesia’s Anggun, Watergate’s Heart of Asia and now Utada.

By: lee

lee — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 13:41:00 +0000

By: Phở Kinh Yue

Phở Kinh Yue — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 23:39:30 +0000

Ya I know Utada and Ne-Yo have worked together, but when I mention Ne-Yo as a producer that is meaning having input on the entire album not just one single. But then again, perhaps Utada is looking at a different direction with her music than what is popular in the mainstream today.

There actually has been success for Asians in music, but most of the artists are either not the lead or are not really noticed as “Asians”.

By: Phở Kinh Yue

Phở Kinh Yue — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 23:39:00 +0000

There actually has been success for Asians in music, but most of the artists are either not the lead or are not really noticed as “Asians”.

By: Tunah

Tunah — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 13:53:18 +0000

Both WaterGate and Utada Hikaru samples Ryuichi Sakamoto’s piano piece Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence, actually.

In reply to the previous comment, Utada Hikaru has worked with Ne-Yo, resulting in a duet released only internationally for Ne-Yo’s latest album.

Even with the upcoming wave of asian musical artists this year in the US, I doubt there will be much mainstream success until further in the future. Even pop princess BoA settled for a small stage performance in LA just recently.

I just stumbled on this blog today.
It’s a good read.

By: Tunah

Tunah — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 13:53:00 +0000

Both WaterGate and Utada Hikaru samples Ryuichi Sakamoto’s piano piece Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence, actually.

In reply to the previous comment, Utada Hikaru has worked with Ne-Yo, resulting in a duet released only internationally for Ne-Yo’s latest album.

I just stumbled on this blog today.
It’s a good read.

By: Phở Kinh Yue

Phở Kinh Yue — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 08:26:22 +0000

I’ve heard that beat used in several songs, just never really took the time to research that is was by WaterGate.

I think that Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence song would have been a better first single to release. Up-tempo/dance/club songs have always been a good choice as a first single for a while now when it comes to mainstream. However, for Utada and other Asian artists I still have yet to hear any songs that really have that catch.

I think this possibly could be due to their producers. If I was an Asian artist that had a choice to pick any producer to collaborate with, I’d probably choose either Akon or Ne-Yo. They have made a lot of hits already.

Also I’m not quite sure how Utada popular is even now, even with Asian-Americans.

By: Phở Kinh Yue

Phở Kinh Yue — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 08:26:00 +0000

I’ve heard that beat used in several songs, just never really took the time to research that is was by WaterGate.

Also I’m not quite sure how Utada popular is even now, even with Asian-Americans.