Namida no Niji/Save Me

"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
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)

Overview

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"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

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"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

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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

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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

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

References

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  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.
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