is the fourth studio album from the
J-pop
J-pop (often stylized in all caps; an abbreviated form of "Japanese popular music"), natively known simply as , is the name for a form of popular music that entered the musical mainstream of Japan in the 1990s. Modern J-pop has its roots in trad ...
idol group
Morning Musume
, formerly and commonly known as and colloquially referred to as , is a Japanese girl group, holding the second highest overall single sales (of a female group) on the Oricon, Oricon charts as of February 2012, with the Oricon record of most to ...
and was released on March 27, 2002.
Release
The song was released July 25, 2001. It sold a total of 682,320 copies and reached number one on the
Oricon Charts
, established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan and Western music. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in N ...
. This song is also a personal favorite of ex-
Morning Musume
, formerly and commonly known as and colloquially referred to as , is a Japanese girl group, holding the second highest overall single sales (of a female group) on the Oricon, Oricon charts as of February 2012, with the Oricon record of most to ...
member,
Rika Ishikawa
, is a Japanese actress and model associated with Hello! Project and best known as a former member of the pop group Morning Musume. She was the leader of the Japanese pop idol trio V-u-den until June 2008. She has performed as a solo singer, a ...
, as the monologue spoken by her towards the end of the song became one of her favorite moments of being in
Morning Musume
, formerly and commonly known as and colloquially referred to as , is a Japanese girl group, holding the second highest overall single sales (of a female group) on the Oricon, Oricon charts as of February 2012, with the Oricon record of most to ...
. The single version (later preserved on the ''
Best! Morning Musume 2'' anthology) contains a fade-out, suggesting to the listener that the song's multiple
false ending
A false ending is a device in film and music that can be used to trick the audience into thinking that the work has ended, before it continues.
The presence of a false ending can be anticipated through a number of ways. The medium itself might bet ...
s continued infinitely. The version heard on the album ''
4th Ikimashoi!'' is billed as the "Complete Version" and does not fade out, instead coming to a stop several seconds beyond the single version's fadeout.
The next single, , was released October 31, 2001. It sold a total of 513,340 copies and reached number one on the
Oricon Charts
, established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan and Western music. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in N ...
. This single also marked the debut of the fifth generation members
Ai Takahashi
(born September 14, 1986) is a Japanese singer and actress formerly associated with the Hello! Project and is best known as the leader of Morning Musume and Hello! Project until 2011. She is also a former member of its popular subgroup Mini Mon ...
,
Risa Niigaki
is a Japanese actress and singer. She was a fifth-generation member of the Japanese pop group Morning Musume. She joined Morning Musume in 2001 along with 3 others- Ai Takahashi, Asami Konno and Makoto Ogawa. She grew up in Yokohama after mo ...
,
Makoto Ogawa
is a Japanese singer and actress, best known as a former member of Japanese girl group Morning Musume. She joined the group in August 2001 along with fellow fifth generation members Ai Takahashi, Risa Niigaki, and Asami Konno. On March 31, 200 ...
, and
Asami Konno
, known by her birth name
is a Japanese television presenter and former singer and actress.
She debuted in August 2001 with the girl group Morning Musume and participated in musical projects within Hello! Project. After leaving the group on M ...
. The song exhibits heavy swing-style music influence, and the video featured the group dressed in outfits reminiscent of
swing's peak era. Lead vocals are
Hitomi Yoshizawa
is a Japanese former singer and actress. In 2000, Yoshizawa debuted as a 4th generation member of the idol girl group Morning Musume and became their leader in 2005 until leaving the group in 2007. Following her departure, Yoshizawa continued to ...
,
Maki Goto
is a Japanese singer, lyricist, and former actress. Born and raised in Edogawa, Tokyo, Goto began her musical career in 1999 when she joined Morning Musume as the only third generation member. Her first single with the group, "Love Machine (Mo ...
, and
Natsumi Abe
is a Japanese singer and actress, a former member of Morning Musume, and a member of Dream Morning Musume.
Biography
She was born in Muroran, Hokkaidō, Japan.
Career
On August 13, 2003, she released her first single, "22 Sai no Watash ...
. Inspiration for the
cross-dressing
Cross-dressing is the act of wearing clothes traditionally or stereotypically associated with a different gender. From as early as pre-modern history, cross-dressing has been practiced in order to disguise, comfort, entertain, and express onesel ...
costumes, theatrical style, and trademark staircase dancing appears to have been taken from Japan's
Takarazuka Revue
The is a Japanese all-female musical theatre troupe based in Takarazuka, Hyōgo, Takarazuka, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. Women play all roles in lavish, Broadway theatre, Broadway-style productions of musicals and stories adapted from films, nov ...
, an all-female musical theater troupe famous for its
gender-bending performances. In 2002, an English-language cover ("Mr. Moonlight") was recorded by
Elisa Fiorillo
Elisa Fiorillo (born February 28, 1969, Philadelphia) is an American singer, best known for appearing on the 1987 Jellybean song "Who Found Who", which reached number 10 on the UK Singles Chart.
Personal life
Fiorillo was born into a musical ...
for the album ''Cover Morning Musume Hello! Project!''.
Overview
It is currently their second highest selling album, with a total of 515,400 copies sold. Since their last album (with new material)
3rd: Love Paradise, two more generations of members had joined, which might have contributed to the album's overall success. The album contained such popular singles as "The Peace!" and "
Ren'ai Revolution 21
is Morning Musume's 11th single, and was released December 13, 2000. It sold a total of 986,040 copies and peaked at number two on the Oricon Charts. The lead vocals of this single are Natsumi Abe and Maki Goto. This single also marks the last w ...
." The first pressing edition of the album came in special packaging, with a B3-sized folded poster.
This album has received a platinum award for 250,000 copies sold.
Track listing
Members at the time of Album
*1st generation:
Kaori Iida
is a Japanese pop singer and actress, associated with Hello! Project and best known as a founding member of the girl band Morning Musume. She has also recorded with the Morning Musume side project band Tanpopo and is currently a solo artist. ...
,
Natsumi Abe
is a Japanese singer and actress, a former member of Morning Musume, and a member of Dream Morning Musume.
Biography
She was born in Muroran, Hokkaidō, Japan.
Career
On August 13, 2003, she released her first single, "22 Sai no Watash ...
*2nd generation:
Kei Yasuda
is a Japanese singer, musician and actress under the Hello! Project. She was a member and co-leader of the Japanese girl group Morning Musume. Yasuda, along with Mari Yaguchi and Sayaka Ichii, were the second generation of singers to be recru ...
,
Mari Yaguchi
is a Japanese singer, actress, and television personality. She joined the girl group Morning Musume in 1998 as a second generation member and was the leader of subgroups within Hello! Project, such as Mini-Moni, Morning Musume Sakuragumi, and ZY ...
*3rd generation:
Maki Goto
is a Japanese singer, lyricist, and former actress. Born and raised in Edogawa, Tokyo, Goto began her musical career in 1999 when she joined Morning Musume as the only third generation member. Her first single with the group, "Love Machine (Mo ...
*4th generation:
Rika Ishikawa
, is a Japanese actress and model associated with Hello! Project and best known as a former member of the pop group Morning Musume. She was the leader of the Japanese pop idol trio V-u-den until June 2008. She has performed as a solo singer, a ...
,
Hitomi Yoshizawa
is a Japanese former singer and actress. In 2000, Yoshizawa debuted as a 4th generation member of the idol girl group Morning Musume and became their leader in 2005 until leaving the group in 2007. Following her departure, Yoshizawa continued to ...
,
Nozomi Tsuji
, known professionally by her birth name (born June 17, 1987) is a Japanese media personality, singer, and blogger. In 2000, she began her career as a singer for Japanese girl band Morning Musume. Tsuji later found success with related groups ...
,
Ai Kago
is a Japanese actress and singer. In 2000, Kago debuted as a 4th generation member of the idol girl group Morning Musume. During her time in the group, she was also part of Mini-Moni and other Hello! Project sub-groups. In 2004, Kago depart ...
*5th generation:
Ai Takahashi
(born September 14, 1986) is a Japanese singer and actress formerly associated with the Hello! Project and is best known as the leader of Morning Musume and Hello! Project until 2011. She is also a former member of its popular subgroup Mini Mon ...
,
Asami Konno
, known by her birth name
is a Japanese television presenter and former singer and actress.
She debuted in August 2001 with the girl group Morning Musume and participated in musical projects within Hello! Project. After leaving the group on M ...
,
Makoto Ogawa
is a Japanese singer and actress, best known as a former member of Japanese girl group Morning Musume. She joined the group in August 2001 along with fellow fifth generation members Ai Takahashi, Risa Niigaki, and Asami Konno. On March 31, 200 ...
,
Risa Niigaki
is a Japanese actress and singer. She was a fifth-generation member of the Japanese pop group Morning Musume. She joined Morning Musume in 2001 along with 3 others- Ai Takahashi, Asami Konno and Makoto Ogawa. She grew up in Yokohama after mo ...
References
External links
4th Ikimasshoi!entry on the Up-Front Works official website
Morning Musume albums
Zetima albums
2002 albums
{{Hello!Project-stub