Sometimes, there’s just that one song that perfectly explains something you’ve felt or experienced. Whether the feeling is happiness or sadness or something in between, whether it’s the lyrics or the music, it brings tears to your eyes or that shiver down your spine.

My example is Utada Hikaru’s First Love.

I really, really love this song, and while I knew the translation of the lyrics, I didn’t really get it because my Japanese wasn’t so great and I’d never experienced that kind of love and loss. I hadn’t listened to this song in a while, but it recently popped up while I had my iPod on shuffle. To my surprise, by the time the song was halfway through, I had tears streaming down my face. This song in its simplicity truly explains that feeling of saying painful goodbyes, of bittersweet memories, of not wanting to let go but knowing that you have to. I’m really happy I rediscovered this gem.