"" (ゆう, lit. "Gentle") is a song recorded by Japanese singer Shizuka Kudo, released as a single through Pony Canyon on June 5, 1996. It featured as the theme song on the ninth and penultimate installment of the Gokudō no Onna-tachi Yakuza film series, Gokudō no Onna-tachi: Kiken na Kake (1996),[1] starring Kudo herself.[2]

"Yū"
Single by Shizuka Kudo
ReleasedJune 5, 1996 (1996-06-05)
Genre
Length4:54
LabelPony Canyon
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Shizuka Kudo
  • Hideya Nagazaki
Shizuka Kudo singles chronology
"Chō"
(1996)
""
(1996)
"Gekijō"
(1996)
Audio sample
"Yū"

The coupling song "Luna (Tsuki no Megami)", which was first included on Kudo's album, Doing, a month prior, is the theme song to the film Bakusō! Moon Angel: Kita e (1996), starring Kudo as a female truck driver in her first cinematic role since Future Memories: Last Christmas.[3] The song was recut as a B-side to "Yū" to promote the film.

"Yū" is the third and last in a consecutive trilogy of singles with one-character titles: "Yū" is preceded by "Chō" and "7".

Background

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"Yū" is a ballad co-written by Kudo, under the pseudonym Aeri,[4] and Hideya Nagazaki. It is written in the key of C-sharp minor and set to a tempo of 70 beats per minute.[5] Kudo's vocals span one octave, from B3 to B4. The song represents Kudo's heartfelt ode to her mother.[6] Lyrically, it describes the strength of a mother and the greatness she brings to the narrator's life.[6]

Critical reception

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Kudo sings about needing her love and wanting to learn the workings of her mother's heart.[6] Kudo was praised for her emotional vocal performance.[6] TV personality Ayako Nishikawa has listed the song as one of her personal favorites.

Chart performance

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The single debuted at number 26 on the Oricon Singles Chart with 20,000 copies sold in its first week, becoming Kudo's first single to peak outside of the top 20.[7] It stayed in the top 100 for a total of seven weeks.[8]

Track listing

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All lyrics are written by Aeri

No.TitleMusicArranger(s)Length
1."Yū" (, "Gentle")
  • Hideya Nagazaki
  • Nagazaki
4:54
2."Luna (Tsuki no Megami)" (ルナ -月の女神-, Runa, "Luna (Moon Goddess)")
  • Taisuke Sawachika
4:48
3."Yū" (Original Karaoke)
  • Nagazaki
  • Nagazaki
4:54
Total length:14:36

Charts

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Chart (1996) Peak
position
Sales
Japan Weekly Singles (Oricon)[9] 26 73,000[8]

References

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  1. ^ "優 (工藤静香) 音楽ダウンロードはドワンゴジェイピー". Dwango. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
  2. ^ "極道の妻(おんな)たち 危険な賭け". Natalie. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
  3. ^ "未来の想い出 Last Christmas". MovieWalker. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
  4. ^ "工藤静香25周年アルバムBOXが発売". Musicman. October 25, 2012. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
  5. ^ "優 楽譜:メロディ譜 工藤 静香". @Elise. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
  6. ^ a b c d "工藤静香 / Shizuka Kudo 20th Anniversary the Best [2CD]". CDJournal. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
  7. ^ "1987.08.31 工藤静香 アイドル・ポップ・データベース". Retrieved December 20, 2017.
  8. ^ a b "工藤静香 - アーティスト別シングル売上補完". @wiki. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
  9. ^ "優 工藤静香". Oricon. Retrieved December 20, 2017.