Can't Wait 'Til Christmas Explained

Can't Wait 'Til Christmas
Type:song
Artist:Hikaru Utada
Album:Utada Hikaru Single Collection Vol. 2
Language:Japanese
Genre:Pop, Christmas
Length:3:44
Label:EMI Music Japan
Producer:Hikaru Utada

"Can't Wait 'Til Christmas" is a song by Japanese singer-songwriter Hikaru Utada. It was released on Utada's second Japanese compilation album, Utada Hikaru Single Collection Vol. 2, on November 24, 2010.[1]

Composition and inspiration

The song was written by Hikaru Utada, and is the first Christmas song she has written. The song is a piano backed slow-paced ballad, sung in a higher register to the majority of Utada's songs. Other than piano, subtle background sounds are occasionally added into the instrument backing, such as occasional cymbal sounds. The lyrics describe a person in winter on Christmas Eve, who cannot wait for Christmas Day, however, they ask why people want to chase after tomorrow instead of cherishing what they have now. The protagonist of the song has days filled with nothing to do at Christmas time, and feels that she wants to be close to her lover. She chides her lover for trying to act cool in front of her, but feels the distance between them growing less. She wants her lover to not promise her things for the future, and instead to listen to what she feels right in that moment.[2]

The song was written for fans who expressed an interest in a Hikaru Utada-written Christmas song.[3] Utada felt the shiest about this song being released out of the new songs written for Utada Hikaru Single Collection Vol. 2, as she had been trying to write a Christmas song for 1–2 years, but could not find the proper inspiration.[4] Utada believed that the writing style used in "Can't Wait 'Til Christmas" is different from that of the rest of the new songs.[5]

Promotion

The song was used in an advertising commercial campaign for Pepsi Nex, her second successive Pepsi Nex commercial, after "Hymne à l'amour (Ai no Anthem)" in October.[6] [7] This is the first time Pepsi has used an original song in its recent advertisement campaign in Japan, as all of the other songs have been covers of Western songs.[3] The commercials began airing from December 4 onwards.[6] The commercials feature Utada singing the song in an outdoor wintery landscape, lying against an oversized Pepsi Nex bottle.[3]

The song was performed during Utada's two date concert series Wild Life in December 2010.[8]

Charts

Chart performance for "Can't Wait 'Til Christmas"!Chart !Peak
position
Japan (Japan Hot 100)[9] 2
Japan Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[10] 3
Japan Digital Track (RIAJ)[11] 1

Certifications

Certifications for "Can't Wait 'Til Christmas"!Chart !Amount
RIAJ full-length cellphone downloads[12] Gold (100,000)
RIAJ PC downloads[13] Gold (100,000)

Notes and References

  1. Web site: New Release . EMI . Japanese . November 26, 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20101029230708/http://www.emimusic.jp/hikki/release/index_j.htm . October 29, 2010 . dead .
  2. Web site: Can't Wait 'Til Christmas – 宇多田ヒカル 歌詞情報 – goo 音楽 . Goo Ongaku . Japanese . December 17, 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110101065650/http://music.goo.ne.jp/lyric/LYRUTND103879/index.html . January 1, 2011 . dead .
  3. Web site: 宇多田ヒカル、自身初のXmasソングをCMで披露 . Oricon Style . Japanese . November 30, 2010 . December 17, 2010.
  4. Web site: http://www.oricon.co.jp/news/confidence/82492/full/ . ja:宇多田ヒカル、"人間活動"で運転免許取得へ 老後は「日本にいたい」 . Oricon Style . Japanese . November 28, 2010 . December 17, 2010.
  5. Web site: http://www.oricon.co.jp/music/interview/2010/hikki1117/index.html . ja:宇多田ヒカル『自分の音楽を愛してくれた人たちへの感謝の気持ちが詰まったベスト盤』 . Oricon Style . Japanese . November 17, 2010 . November 18, 2010.
  6. Web site: 宇多田ヒカル、「ペプシネックス」新TV-CMの「クリスマス」篇に出演! . CDJournal . Japanese . November 30, 2010 . December 17, 2010.
  7. Web site: 宇多田ヒカル、5年ぶりにCM出演! "人間活動専念"控え 「最初で最後の飲みカットかも」 . Oricon . Japanese . September 28, 2010 . October 15, 2010.
  8. Web site: 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 . Natalie . Japanese . December 13, 2010 . December 17, 2010.
  9. Web site: Japan Billboard Hot 100 . Billboard Japan . December 29, 2010 . December 29, 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20101123034213/http://www.billboard-japan.com/system/jp_charts/hot100/ . November 23, 2010 . dead .
  10. Adult Contemporary Airplay . Billboard . December 29, 2010 . Japanese . December 29, 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100929232526/http://www.billboard-japan.com/system/jp_charts/adult_airplay/11-50 . September 29, 2010 . dead .
  11. Web site: レコード協会調べ 2010年12月15日~2010年12月21日<略称:レコ協チャート(「着うたフル(R)」)> . December 24, 2010 . . December 24, 2010 . Japanese . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140827022836/http://satsuki.musicdb.gr.jp/all_info/ranking_weekly/WeeklyRankingAction.do?term=2010s&weeklyCd=20101221&rankKbn=50 . August 27, 2014 .
  12. Web site: ja:レコード協会調べ 12月度有料音楽配信認定 <略称:12月度認定> . http://www.riaj.or.jp/data/others/chart/w110120.html . . Japanese . January 20, 2011 . January 20, 2011.
  13. Web site: ja:レコード協会調べ 3月度有料音楽配信認定<略称:3月度認定> . Record Association report: March digital music download certifications (Abbreviation: March Certifications) . http://www.riaj.or.jp/data/others/chart/w110420.html . . Japanese . April 20, 2011 . April 20, 2011.