"Nirai Kanai" (ニライカナイ) is a song by Japanese singer-songwriter Cocco, that was released as the lead single for her seventh original album, Emerald on June 9, 2010.[1]
| "Nirai Kanai" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Cocco | ||||
| from the album Emerald | ||||
| B-side | "Yagi no Sanpo" | |||
| Released | June 9, 2010 | |||
| Genre | J-pop, pop rock | |||
| Length | 5:09 | |||
| Label | Speedstar Records | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Cocco | |||
| Producer(s) | Takamune Negishi, Cocco | |||
| Cocco singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Writing edit
The song is a mid-tempo rock song, backed with Okinawan festival taiko drums.[1] Nirai Kanai is a reference to the mythical utopia/origin of life in Ryukyuan religion.[1] The song's lyrics reference this place, in the context of an Okinawan festival. The Dragon God of the sea is referenced, and the song also talks about how if good people exist in the world, bad people must also exist (in the lines "If there are praying people, there are also burning people" and "the rain also falls on criminals"). Other than "Nirai Kanai," several Okinawan phrases are in the lyrics: kana (愛, "love"), nuchi dou takara (命どう 宝, "treasure this life"), tiichi taachi (てぃーち たーち, "one, two") and a sentence in Okinawan: ayami wa tunganin nu uin fuyun (雨は罪人の上にも降る, "the rain also falls on criminals").[2]
Cocco wrote the B-side, "Yagi no Sanpo," as a Christmas present to film director Ryūgo Nakamura, after he wrote her a letter expressing how much he enjoyed her music.[1]
Promotion edit
"Nirai Kanai" was used as the ending theme song for the TV Tokyo music show Japan Countdown.[3] "Yagi no Sanpo" was used as the theme song of then 14-year-old director Ryūgo Nakamura's debut feature-length film Yagi no Bōken.[1]
Track listing edit
All tracks are written by Cocco
| No. | Title | Arranger | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Nirai Kanai" (ニライカナイ) | Takamune Negishi, Cocco | 5:09 |
| 2. | "Yagi no Sanpo" (やぎの散歩 "Goat Walk") | Takamune Negishi, Cocco | 4:00 |
| Total length: | 9:09 | ||
Chart rankings edit
| Chart | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Billboard Japan Hot 100[4] | 4 |
| Billboard Adult Contemporary Airplay[5] | 6 |
| Oricon Weekly singles[6] | 20 |
Reported sales edit
| Chart | Amount |
|---|---|
| Oricon physical sales[7] | 12,000 |
References edit
- ^ a b c d e "Cocco 『ニライカナイ』" (in Japanese). Victor Entertainment. Retrieved September 12, 2010.
- ^ ""ニライカナイ Cocco 歌詞情報 - goo 音楽"" (in Japanese). Goo Ongaku. Retrieved September 12, 2010.
- ^ "JBOOK：ニライカナイ：Ｃｏｃｃｏ：CD" (in Japanese). JBook. Retrieved September 12, 2010.
- ^ "Japan Billboard Hot 100". Billboard Japan. June 21, 2010. Archived from the original on March 23, 2012. Retrieved September 12, 2010.
- ^ "Japan Billboard Adult Contemporary Airplay". Billboard Japan. June 21, 2010. Archived from the original on March 23, 2012. Retrieved September 12, 2010.
- ^ "ニライカナイ - Ｃｏｃｃｏ ／ オリコンランキング情報サービス「you大樹」" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved September 12, 2010.
- ^ "オリコンランキング情報サービス「you大樹」". Oricon. Retrieved September 12, 2010. (subscription only)
External links edit
- Victor "Nirai Kanai" product profile (in Japanese)