Namida no Niji/Save Me

"Namida no Niji/Save Me"
Single by Aya Ueto
from the album Happy Magic: Smile Project
ReleasedMay 30, 2007
RecordedMarch 2007
GenrePop, pop rock
Length4:22 ("Namida no Niji")
5:31 ("Save Me")
LabelFlight Master
Songwriter(s)Aya Ueto, Izumi Sakaki, Yoo, Hiroaki Hayama
Producer(s)Akihisa Matzura, Hayama
Aya Ueto singles chronology
"Way to Heaven"
(2007) 		"Namida no Niji/Save Me"
(2007) 		"Smile for.../Mō Ichido Dake"
(2009)

"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.

Overview

"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]

"Namida no Niji"
A 30-second sample of "Namida no Niji."
"Save Me"
A 30-second sample of "Save Me."
Problems playing these files? See media help.

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

"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

No.TitleLyricsMusicArranger(s)Length
1."Namida no Niji" (涙の虹 "Rainbow of Tears")Aya Ueto, Izumi SakakiYooAkihisa Matzura4:22
2."Save Me"Hiroaki HayamaHayamaHayama5:31
3."Way to Heaven (100db Mix)"ShokoShōichirō HirataHirata4:41
4."Namida no Niji (Instrumental)" YooMatzura4:21
5."Save Me (Instrumental)" HayamaHayama5:32
Total length:24:43

Charts

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

Region Date Format Label
Japan[11] May 30, 2007 CD, digital download Pony Canyon
Taiwan[12] June 1, 2007 CD

References

  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ 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.
  3. ^ 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.
  4. ^ 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.
  5. ^ 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.
  6. ^ 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.
  7. ^ 涙の虹／ＳＡＶＥ ＭＥ. Oricon (in Japanese). Oricon Research. Retrieved 2011-07-23.
  8. ^ 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.
  9. ^ "週間 CDソフト TOP20" (in Japanese). SoundScan Japan. Retrieved 2011-07-23.
  10. ^ "Five Music - 五大唱片(5大唱片) -五大金榜" (in Chinese). Five Music. Retrieved 2011-07-23.
  11. ^ 涙の虹／ＳＡＶＥ ＭＥ【イベント参加券封入】 (in Japanese). JBooks Corporation. Retrieved 2011-07-23.
  12. ^ 淚的彩虹 (in Chinese). Five Music. Retrieved 2011-07-23.