Dear Friend (Akina Nakamori song)

"Dear Friend"
Single by Akina Nakamori
from the album Best III
LanguageJapanese
B-side"Caribbean"
ReleasedJuly 17, 1990 (1990-07-17)
RecordedMay–June 1990
StudioThe Hit Factory
Genre
Length4:35
LabelReprise Records
Composer(s)Kazuya Izumi
Lyricist(s)Mayumi Itō
Akina Nakamori singles chronology
"Liar"
(1989) 		"Dear Friend"
(1990) 		"Mizu ni Sashita Hana"
(1990)
Music videos
"Dear Friend" on YouTube

"Dear Friend" (ディア・フレンド, Dia Furendo) is the 24th single by Japanese entertainer Akina Nakamori. Written by Mayumi Itō and Kazuya Izumi, the single was released on July 17, 1990, by Warner Pioneer through the Reprise label. It was also the lead single from her fifth compilation album Best III.[1][2]

Background

"Dear Friend" marked Nakamori's return to the music charts one year after her suicide attempt.[3][4] According to Warner Pioneer chief producer Katsumi Fujikura, the song was selected as Nakamori's next single because it "gives courage, energy, and makes people who listen to it brighter." Nakamori recorded the song at The Hit Factory in New York City. At the same time, she traveled to the Bahamas to shoot the music video, as well as have photographs taken for her photo book My Life 1990: A-K-I-N-A Nakamori.

Chart performance

"Dear Friend" became Nakamori's 21st No. 1 on Oricon's weekly singles chart and sold over 547,900 copies.[5][6] It was also certified Platinum by the RIAJ.[7]

Track listing

All music is composed by Kazuya Izumi

Original release
No.TitleLyricsArrangementLength
1."Dear Friend"Mayumi Itō
  • Izumi
  • Kei Wakakusa
4:41
2."Caribbean"Miho OnishiIzumi4:35
Total length:9:16
1998 reissue bonus track
No.TitleLyricsLength
3."Dear Friend" (Live Version)Itō 

Charts

Chart (1990) Peak
position
Japan (Oricon)[5] 1

Certification

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Japan (RIAJ)[7] Platinum 400,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Year Format(s) Serial number Label(s) Ref.
1990 8cm CD, CT WPDL-4173, WPSL-4173 Warner Pioneer [8]
1998 12cm CD WPC6-8681 Warner Pioneer [9]
2008 Digital download - Warner Pioneer [10]
2014 Digital download - remaster - Warner Pioneer [11]

References

  1. ^ "中森明菜(なかもりあきな)ディスコグラフィ". Idol.ne.jp. Retrieved 2022-08-23.
  2. ^ "Dear Friend | 中森明菜". Mora. Retrieved 2022-08-23.
  3. ^ "Scandal Recap: On the Infamous "Golden Screen" Event". Arama! Japan. Retrieved 2022-08-22.
  4. ^ "Pop diva Nakamori idled by health". The Japan Times. 2010-10-30. Retrieved 2022-08-22.
  5. ^ a b "Dear Friend | 中森明菜". Oricon. Retrieved 2022-08-23.
  6. ^ "中森明菜". Yamachan Land. Archived from the original on 2011-05-24. Retrieved 2022-08-23.
  7. ^ a b "Japanese single certifications – 中森 明菜 – Dear Friend" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved 2022-08-23. Select 1990年8月 on the drop-down menu
  8. ^ "7inchシングル Dear Friend 中森明菜". surugaya.co.jp (in Japanese). Surugaya. Retrieved October 31, 2023.
  9. ^ "中森明菜 / Dear Friend CD" (in Japanese). WMJ. Retrieved October 31, 2023.
  10. ^ "中森明菜 / Dear Friend Digital Purchase-Archived". listen.jp (in Japanese). listen japan. Archived from the original on August 2, 2011. Retrieved October 31, 2023.
  11. ^ "Dear Friend (+3) [2014 Remaster]". mora.jp (in Japanese). Mora. Retrieved October 31, 2023.