Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence

I read somewhere about the song Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence, so yesterday I checked it out on Youtube. I thought it was a Christmas song but it wasn't.

It is a soundtrack or theme song composed by Sakamoto Ryuichi for a 1983 movie of the same title. More information about the movie can be found here.

I was blown away when I heard the piano and strings version below.




(Youtube uploaded by teijao, Dec 23, 2005)


It is SO romantic and beautiful!!! ^^//

I had goosebumps when I first heard it and I've been replaying it over and over since. I'm listening to it right now even as I'm posting this.

I just had to learn how to play it and I found the piano sheets for this song posted by compleckz. (Just click the info on the right and there are links there to the piano sheets.)

The notes are quite easy but my sight-reading is quite rusty and my fingerings' all bad. Nevertheless, I enjoyed playing it yesterday so much so that for the whole day today the melody is stuck in my brain, even at work.

The original version of the soundtrack found in the movie is this.




(Youtube uploaded by twilightpoetaster, Dec 7, 2007)


Hikaru Utada, the famous Japanese singer-songwriter, remixed the song and sang it in a different version. I like her catchy number too and it is also addictive.

Then again, although I like Utada's funky upbeat modern version, I totally cringe at her tacky lyrics. Her lyrics have done great injustice to the beautiful song! What a bummer...




(Youtube uploaded by Yuunie, March 9, 2009)


I am definitely sticking to the instrumental version. Since this is such a beautiful song, I will make it a point to find the movie and watch it.

Update on May 27, 7.39 p.m.:
Oh, no! I just can't stop listening to Utada's version. The rhythm's just too catchy and nice, though I still find the lyrics lame. So, yeah, now I like both versions.