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A salute to nostalgia, featuring: Simple and Clean

Posted by on April 10, 2019

Simple and Clean is the English version of the song Hikari originally composed by Utada Hikaru. The original Japanese version Hikari was recorded for her third Japanese album Deep River. Simple and Clean is known most famously for its appearance in the first Kingdom Hearts game which released in the United States September 17, 2002.

The instrumentation is limited, composed of mostly keyboards and acoustic guitar. As a result, Hikaru’s voice is amplified, serving as the melody within the piece. The tempo of the song is steady, constant, and moderately slow, which are qualities that best reflect the title of the song. Less instruments clutter the piece, lending credence to the clean part of the title. The slow melody is what enhances the simplicity of the piece.

Simple and Clean as a title evokes a sense of nostalgia, a time of life where things were not as complicated. The slow tempo is a soothing balm that causes one to reminiscence of times gone by. Another aspect of the slower tempo is that the lyrics are given time to settle within the listener, allowing for the formation of emotional responses to the piece.

The lyrics themselves paint an image of a reluctant parting. A pair of people who want the ability to return to a simpler time. Overall, the tone is one of wistful remembrance, with an optimistic view towards the future.

Simple and Clean was created by Utada Hikaru to help promote the non-Japanese versions of the game. The original song Hikari was re-recorded and made with a different melody. Due to the lyrics being originally in Japanese, the melody had to be altered for the transition to English. The original melody would not work in English and was a point of frustration for Utada Hikaru.

Simple and Clean entered my life at the young age of eight, when everything amazed me. This song evoked the powerful emotion of joy and happiness when I realized that I beat the game. Simple and Clean moved me to tears with the impact of the story being concluded.

The plot of the game had me watch as the main character Sora struggled his way through many trials just to be able to reunite with his friends. Thus, the line “Oh baby, don’t go” slammed into my young self when I realized that for all his struggles, Sora had to reluctantly separate once more from his friend Kairi. There is a parallel to the scene in which this song plays and the lyrics portraying a reluctant parting.

Whenever I hear this song, or see anything Kingdom Hearts related, I can only look back fondly at that precise moment. Simple and Clean is the embodiment of nostalgia and youth for me and being older, I can better appreciate its simplicity. The bizarre mish-match of Disney and Final Fantasy characters interacting was the initial premise that drew me into the Kingdom Hearts franchise. With nostalgia in mind I can definitively say that simple and clean is the way that this song made me feel that night.

Lyrics

When you walk away

You don’t hear me say please

Oh baby, don’t go

Simple and clean is the way that you’re making me feel tonight

It’s hard to let it go

 

You’re giving me too many things lately

You’re all I need

You smiled at me, and said

 

Don’t get me wrong I love you

But does that mean I have to meet your father?

When we are older you’ll understand

What I meant when I said “No,

I don’t think life is quite that simple”

 

When you walk away

You don’t hear me say please

Oh baby, don’t go

Simple and clean is the way that you’re making me feel tonight

It’s hard to let it go

 

The daily things that keep us all busy

Are confusing me

That’s when you came to me and said

 

Wish I could prove I love you

But does that mean I have to walk on water?

When we are older you’ll understand

It’s enough when I say so

And maybe some things are that simple

When you walk away

You don’t hear me say please

Oh baby, don’t go

Simple and clean is the way that you’re making me feel tonight

It’s hard to let it go

 

Hold me

Whatever lies beyond this morning

Is a little later on

Regardless of warnings the future doesn’t scare me at all

Nothing’s like before

 

When you walk away

You don’t hear me say please

Oh baby, don’t go

Simple and clean is the way that you’re making me feel tonight

It’s hard to let it go

 

Hold me

Whatever lies beyond this morning

Is a little later on

Regardless of warnings the future doesn’t scare me at all

Nothing’s like before

Hold me

Whatever lies beyond this morning

Is a little later on

Regardless of warnings the future doesn’t scare me at all

Nothing’s like before

 

3 Responses to A salute to nostalgia, featuring: Simple and Clean

  1. 7ator

    While I did not have the fortune of playing Kingdom Hearts growing up, I’ve still developed a strong liking of the series as a whole, and especially this song. I also did not know how different the original Japanese lyrics were from the English and how much she had to change them. I also like your observation on the parallels of Kairi leaving Sora to the lyrics. While I can’t say that this song invokes nostalgia in me, I can agree it was a perfect choice for this game, as well as the credits scene.

  2. Matthew

    Watching this video wants me to play the game because it looks fun and this song is really catchy and good.

  3. Nao

    Utada Hikaru is one of famous artists in Japan. This song is my favorite song. I didn’t know that she was born in the U.S. and there was English version, which is also amazing. It really matches the game “Kingdom hearts” and reminds me of the time when I was playing that game, too.

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