Beautiful World

It's only love

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I swear that nothing makes me feel as hopeless and depressive than the closing of Beautiful World (Da Capo Version).

It's a remake of a song of the same name created for a show named Neon Genesis: Evangelion. This Da Capo version was created as a complimentary of One Last Kiss. They were both created for the anime series I mentioned, but the thing is that I've never watched Evangelion, and generally don't like anime at all. The songs here just carry strong emotional implications that I can't let go of.

Throughout the song, Utada gives examples of the tantalizing scenes of emotional closeness that she wants to share with the subject of the song. It creates a mental oasis of an idealised relationship between this close partner, much like Sanctuary / Passion. But even if you didn't know this, I'd wager that you'd be able to feel it in in the vocals and tone of the song.

For example, as seen in the ending of this clip of Passion, Utada can be shown carrying songs solely with their voice, being the prominent or the only instrument conducting the song. During the ending of Beautiful World, she uses this same method to convey her passion for what she's singing about. Though, in Beautiful World, this example happens much more unexpectedly. Shortly after the opening, the listener is conditioned to expect an "answer" for the background phrases "beautiful world" and "beautiful boy". These "answers" are where these emotional pleadings are located, bluntly romanticising the ideas of what she admires about her partner, or justifying her own temperamental behaviour. However, in closing, these phrases go unanswered, almost implying that she has given up on expressing these desires. And her voice, while previously appearing prominent throughout the song, weakens and eventually disappears while self-validating her emotions by repeating "it's only love". She repeats this, gradually fading, being overtaken by an single instrumental solo until the very end.

During the song, Utada is only expressing their unwavering desire to embrace their partner. But there is never a progression of this relationship. These desires end up never being fulfilled during Beautiful World. It ends with that desire remaining a mere yearn. Being silenced, as if everything you've heard up until the end was all for nothing. The passion for the future and precedent that was envisioned - slowly to realise that it has remained silenced, and only a dream. It's exactly what I experience as the vocals cut out, leaving only the instrumentation continuing the vocal melody. It's just like how the world continues to rotate and time moves forward, no matter how life-stopping any event in your life seems to be.

Of course, from what I think I know about Evangelion, I don't believe this is the actual intention, and the song is meant to convey the exact opposite of the undertones than what I presented here. But either way, almost any song I listen to tends to have to have these mental headcanons that have these emotional effects on me, and I also often listen to them in order to supplement a specific emotion or train of thought. Feeling helpless? Beautiful World. Feeling appreciated, or somewhat inspired at a new beginning? One Last Kiss. When I feel like a unhelpful bystander while someone is going through a rough period? BAD モード (BAD Mode).

A similar song to Beautiful World is Chess Galea's production of Al Fïné, used as the main theme in the video game Bayonetta 3.

Huge coincidence that these two songs have Latin musical notations in their name, with "da capo" meaning "from the top", and "al fine" meaning "to the end".

These songs often make me feel helpless. Am I sad for them? This interpretation isn't necessarily related to the context behind the narrative either. Why does music have this effect on me?

Lyrics (Da Capo Version)

Lyrics

English	Japanese
(Beautiful world) (Beautiful boy) (Beautiful world) (Beautiful boy)	(Beautiful world) (Beautiful boy) (Beautiful world) (Beautiful boy)
If I could make just one wish come true I want to be laid to rest, next to you No matter where that may be... (Beautiful world) (Beautiful boy)	もしも願い一つだけ叶うなら 君の側で眠らせて どんな場所でもいいよ (Beautiful world) (Beautiful boy)
If I could make just one wish come true I want to be laid to rest, next to you No matter where that may be... (Beautiful world) I only have eyes for you, no question (Beautiful boy) Unaware of his own beauty It's only love	もしも願い一つだけ叶うなら 君の側で眠らせて どんな場所でもいいよ (Beautiful world) 迷わず君だけを見つめている (Beautiful boy) 自分の美しさまだ知らないの It’s only love
Day in, day out Just comic books and daydreams He doesn't like who he is Not knowing what he wants Just wanting... A lukewarm tear runs down his cheek	寝ても覚めても少年マンガ 夢見てばっか　 自分が好きじゃないの 何が欲しいか分からなくて ただ欲しがって　 ぬるい涙が頬を伝う
There isn't anything I want to say I just want to see you one more time Maybe I'm a coward who can't speak my mind That's fine, but...	言いたいことなんか無い ただもう一度会いたい 言いたいこと言えない 根性無しかもしれない それでいいけど
If I can't see you before my world disappears Let me lay down to rest next to you I don't care where that may be, anywhere is fine (Beautiful world) In the days so fleeting (Beautiful boy) It's only natural to be temperamental (Beautiful world) (Beautiful boy) It’s only love	僕の世界消えるまで会えぬなら 君の側で眠らせて　 どんな場所でも結構 (Beautiful world) 儚く過ぎて行く日々の中で (Beautiful boy) 気分のムラは仕方ないね (Beautiful world) (Beautiful boy) It’s only love
If I could make just one wish come true I want to be laid to rest, next to you (Beautiful world) It's only love (Beautiful boy) It's only love (Beautiful world) It's only love It's only love (Beautiful boy) It's only love (Beautiful world) It's only love (Beautiful boy)	もしも願い一つだけ叶うなら 君の側で眠らせて (Beautiful world) It's only love (Beautiful boy) It's only love (Beautiful world) It's only love It's only love (Beautiful boy) It's only love (Beautiful world) It's only love (Beautiful boy)