"Namida no Niji/Save Me" (涙の虹/SAVE ME, lit. "Rainbow of Tears/Save Me") is the fifteenth single by Japanese recording artist Aya Ueto. It was released on May 30, 2007.
| "Namida no Niji/Save Me" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Aya Ueto | ||||
| from the album Happy Magic: Smile Project | ||||
| Released | May 30, 2007 | |||
| Recorded | March 2007 | |||
| Genre | Pop, pop rock | |||
| Length | 4:22 ("Namida no Niji") 5:31 ("Save Me") | |||
| Label | Flight Master | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Aya Ueto, Izumi Sakaki, Yoo, Hiroaki Hayama | |||
| Producer(s) | Akihisa Matzura, Hayama | |||
| Aya Ueto singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Overview
edit"Namida no Niji" was included on the standard edition of Ueto's fifth studio album Happy Magic: Smile Project. It served as theme song for the TV Asahi drama Hotelier, starring Ueto herself.[1] The song, which she co-wrote with singer-songwriter Izumi Sakaki, marks Ueto's first foray into songwriting.[1]
In a press release, Ueto commented, "The song was composed by a Korean producer. We couldn't quite find the right Japanese lyrics to go with the music, so I decided that perhaps I should write the words myself."[2] About the title of the song, she commented, "When it's raining, people's faces are hidden by their umbrellas. Without an umbrella, you get to experience a world that no one else at that moment can."[2]
Ueto explained in an interview with Oricon Style her reasons for not writing her own lyrics before "Namida no Niji":
I had always said I would never write the lyrics to my songs because it would feel like people were peeping into my heart, but after deciding on the theme for the song and once I started writing, I realized it wasn't so bad after all. I worked with Izumi Sakaki on this song, she took my lyrics and polished them. I'm happy it turned out so well.[3]
The second A-side, "Save Me," was written, composed, and produced by Tourbillon keyboardist Hiroaki Hayama. It was used in the TBS sports program J Spo. Despite being an A-side, "Save Me" was not included in Ueto's succeeding studio album Happy Magic: Smile Project.
Chart performance
edit"Namida no Niji/Save Me" debuted on the Oricon Daily Singles chart at number 12 on May 29, 2007 and climbed to number 11 the following day.[4][5] It peaked at number 17 on the Oricon Weekly Singles chart, with 8,904 copies sold in its first week.[6] The single charted for five weeks and has sold a total of 14,858 copies.[7][8]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Arranger(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Namida no Niji" (涙の虹 "Rainbow of Tears") | Aya Ueto, Izumi Sakaki | Yoo | Akihisa Matzura | 4:22 |
| 2. | "Save Me" | Hiroaki Hayama | Hayama | Hayama | 5:31 |
| 3. | "Way to Heaven (100db Mix)" | Shoko | Shōichirō Hirata | Hirata | 4:41 |
| 4. | "Namida no Niji (Instrumental)" | Yoo | Matzura | 4:21 | |
| 5. | "Save Me (Instrumental)" | Hayama | Hayama | 5:32 | |
| Total length: | 24:43 | ||||
Charts
edit| Chart (2007) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Oricon Daily Singles[4] | 11 |
| Oricon Weekly Singles[6] | 17 |
| SoundScan Japan Weekly Singles[9] | 18 |
| Taiwan Five Music J-pop/K-pop Chart[10] | 20 |
Release history
edit| Region | Date | Format | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japan[11] | May 30, 2007 | CD, digital download | Pony Canyon |
| Taiwan[12] | June 1, 2007 | CD |
References
edit- ^ a b 上戸彩 作詞を手がけたニューシングル発売. Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. 2007-04-10. Retrieved 2011-07-23.
- ^ a b 上戸彩ついに"処女作"登場…作詞初挑戦のワケ. Zakzak (in Japanese). Sankei Sports. 2007-05-29. Retrieved 2011-07-23.
- ^ 上戸彩『作詞初挑戦の今作は、胸に響く切ないバラード』 (in Japanese). Oricon. 2007-05-23. Retrieved 2011-07-23.
- ^ a b "L'Arc～en～Cielがデイリー1位発進☆5/29付 シングルデイリー" (in Japanese). 2007-05-30. Archived from the original on 2012-03-22. Retrieved 2011-07-23.
- ^ 鬼束ちひろ、2年7ヵ月ぶりシングル好調☆5/30付 シングルデイリー (in Japanese). 2007-05-31. Archived from the original on 2012-03-22. Retrieved 2011-07-23.
- ^ a b 2007年06月第2週の邦楽シングルランキング情報 (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 2011-07-23.
- ^ 涙の虹／ＳＡＶＥ ＭＥ. Oricon (in Japanese). Oricon Research. Retrieved 2011-07-23.
- ^ ポニーキャニオン＠売上データ補完スレ (in Japanese). 2011-01-21. Archived from the original on 2012-03-09. Retrieved 2011-07-23.
- ^ "週間 CDソフト TOP20" (in Japanese). SoundScan Japan. Retrieved 2011-07-23.
- ^ "Five Music - 五大唱片(5大唱片) -五大金榜" (in Chinese). Five Music. Retrieved 2011-07-23.
- ^ 涙の虹／ＳＡＶＥ ＭＥ【イベント参加券封入】 (in Japanese). JBooks Corporation. Retrieved 2011-07-23.
- ^ 淚的彩虹 (in Chinese). Five Music. Retrieved 2011-07-23.