Kimi wa Bara yori Utsukushī
| "Kimi wa Bara yori Utsukushī" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Akira Fuse | ||||
| from the album Survival, Ai Aru Kagiri Kimi wa Utsukushī | ||||
| Language | Japanese | |||
| B-side | "C'est la Vie (Jinsei Nante Sonna Mono sa)" | |||
| Released | January 17, 1979 | |||
| Length | 3:42 | |||
| Label | King | |||
| Songwriter(s) |
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| Akira Fuse singles chronology | ||||
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| Official audio | ||||
| "Kimi wa Bara yori Utsukushī" on YouTube | ||||
"Kimi wa Bara yori Utsukushī" (Japanese: 君は薔薇より美しい, lit. "You're More Beautiful Than a Rose") is a song by Japanese singer Akira Fuse from his ninth studio album, Survival, Ai Aru Kagiri Kimi wa Utsukushī (1979). Written by lyricist Kenji Kadoya and composer Mickie Yoshino, it was released through King Records on January 17, 1979, as Fuse's 42nd single. A light ballad, its lyrics are set from the perspective of a man who meets a woman he observes has changed to be more beautiful than a rose.
Background and release
[edit]Akira Fuse was inspired to become a singer by the twin vocal group the Peanuts. As a high schooler, Fuse gave a passing audition on the television program Aji no Moto Hoihoi Music School and was subsequently scouted by Watanabe Productions, who were also managing the Peanuts. He made his solo debut through King Records with the single "Kimi ni Namida to Hohoemi o" in 1975, a Japanese version of the Italian "Se piangi, se ridi" (1965). In the following years, he saw success with hit songs including "Kiri no Mashūko" (1966), "Koi" (1967), "Ai wa Fushichō" (1970), and "Tsumiki no Heya" (1976).[1][2]
"Kimi wa Bara yori Utsukushī" was released by King Records on January 17, 1979.[3] The song was composed by Godiego band leader Mickie Yoshino and lyricized by Kenji Kadoya. Fellow Godiego member Takami Asano arranged the B-side "C'est la Vie (Jinsei Nante Sonna Mono sa)", which features lyrics and composition written by Fuse.[4] Musically, "Kimi wa Bara yori Utsukushī" is a light and cheerful ballad; lyrically, it presents the perspective of a man who meets a woman he hasn't seen for a long time, and finds that she has changed into something more beautiful than a rose.[5] The song was used as a jingle for a spring commercial campaign by make-up company Kanebo Cosmetics. The commercials starred the British-Argentine actress Olivia Hussey, who had gained recognition in Japan for her role in Romeo and Juliet (1968). After the record's release, Fuse and Hussey began dating upon the latter's visit to Japan. They married in 1980, but divorced in 1989.[5]
"Kimi wa Bara yori Utsukushī" was commercially successful, selling circa 400,000 copies in Japan according to Sports Nippon and reaching number eight on the Oricon Singles Chart, Fuse's first top ten entry since the number-one "Ochiba ga Yuki ni" (1976).[3][5] In the 2010s, the song saw moderate success on radio airplay, charting three weeks on Billboard Japan's adult contemporary chart throughout 2013, with a peak at number 80.[6]
Track listing
[edit]| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Kimi wa Bara yori Utsukushī" (君は薔薇より美しい, lit. "You're More Beautiful Than a Rose") |
| 3:42 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2. | "C'est la Vie (Jinsei Nante Sonna Mono sa)" (セ・ラ・ヴィ～人生なんてそんなものさ～, Se Ra Vī (Jinsei Nante Sonna Mono sa), lit. "C'est la Vie (That's Life)") |
| 3:54 |
| Total length: | 7:36 | ||
Charts
[edit]| Chart (1979) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Japan (Oricon)[3] | 8 |
| Chart (2013) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Japanese Adult Contemporary (Billboard Japan)[6] | 80 |
References
[edit]- ^ "布施明 — プロフィール" [Akira Fuse — Profile] (in Japanese). HMV Japan. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
- ^ Fuse, Akira (October 2022). "物語が始まる — Vol.23 布施 明さん" [The Story Begins — Vol. 23: Akira Fuse]. Kobecco (Interview) (in Japanese). Interviewed by Totsui, Yasuyuki. Archived from the original on April 15, 2024. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
- ^ a b c "布施明のシングル売上TOP20作品" [Akira Fuse's Top 20 Singles by Sales] (in Japanese). Oricon. n.d. Archived from the original on January 16, 2024. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
- ^ Fuse, Akira (January 17, 1979). 君は薔薇より美しい (vinyl liner notes) (in Japanese). Japan: King Records. GK-280.
- ^ a b c "【1979年４月】君は薔薇より美しい / 瞬く間に恋に落ちた布施明と美人女優の結末は..." [(April 1979) You're More Beautiful Than a Rose / The Final Result of the Immediate Love Between Akira Fuse and a Beauty Actress...]. Sports Nippon (in Japanese). April 10, 2011. Archived from the original on August 3, 2024. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
- ^ a b "Billboard Japan Adult Contemporary Airplay — 2013/04/24". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). April 24, 2013. Archived from the original on August 3, 2024. Retrieved August 2, 2024.