"New Season" (ニューシーズン, Nyū Shīzun) is the debut single by Japanese singer Chisato Moritaka. Written by HIRO and Hideo Saitō, the single was released by Warner Pioneer on March 25, 1987. The song was used as the theme song of the 1987 Toho film Aitsu ni Koishite, which also featured Moritaka's acting debut. It was also featured in the Fuji TV drama special Gakuen Jōhōbu H.I.P. (ガクエン情報部H.I.P., School Information Department H.I.P.), also starring Moritaka.[1][2][3][4]

"New Season"
Single by Chisato Moritaka
from the album New Season
LanguageJapanese
B-sidePeriod (EP/CT)
Overheat Night (CD)
ReleasedMay 25, 1987 (1987-05-25) (EP/CT)
March 25, 1988 (1988-03-25) (CD)
Recorded1987
Genre
Length4:41
LabelWarner Pioneer
Composer(s)Hideo Saitō
Lyricist(s)HIRO
Producer(s)Yūzō Shimada
Chisato Moritaka singles chronology
"New Season"
(1987)
"Overheat Night"
(1987)
Music video
New Season on YouTube

Background edit

Shortly after winning the first Pocari Sweat Image Girl Contest in 1986, Moritaka moved from Kumamoto to Tokyo to begin her entertainment career. A team of songwriters led by Hiromasa Ijichi (using the pseudonym "HIRO") and Hideo Saitō were brought in to compose materials for her debut album (also titled New Season), as she had not yet experimented on writing her own songs.[5][2][4]

In the music video, as well as earlier live performances, Moritaka played percussion and the keyboard solo; she has since focused only on vocals on the song.

The single was re-released on mini CD format on March 25, 1988, with "Overheat Night" replacing "Period" as the B-side.[6]

Chart performance edit

"New Season" peaked at No. 23 on Oricon's singles chart and sold 44,000 copies.[3][7]

Other versions edit

"New Season" was remixed for the 1989 greatest hits album Moritaka Land.

Moritaka re-recorded the song on vocals and drums and uploaded the video on her YouTube channel on December 22, 2012.[8] This version is also included in Moritaka's 2013 self-covers DVD album Love Vol. 3.[9]

Track listing edit

All lyrics are written by HIRO, except where indicated; all music is composed and arranged by Hideo Saitō.

7-inch vinyl
No.TitleLength
1."New Season"4:41
2."Period" (Piriodo (ピリオド))4:04
Cassette
No.TitleLength
1."New Season"4:41
2."Period"4:04
3."New Season" (Karaoke)4:41
4."Period" (Karaoke)4:04
8 cm CD
No.TitleLyricsLength
1."New Season" 4:41
2."Overheat Night" (Ōbāhīto Naito (オーバーヒート・ナイト))Hiromasa Ijichi4:53

Personnel edit

  • Chisato Moritaka – vocals, keyboard
  • Hideo Saitō – guitar, backing vocals
  • Nobita Tsukada – keyboards
  • Yasuhiko Fukuda – keyboards
  • Chiharu Mikuzugi – bass
  • Reuben Tsujino – drums
  • Yukari Fujio – backing vocals

Chart positions edit

Charts (1987) Peak
position
Japanese Oricon Singles Chart[3] 23

References edit

  1. ^ "「NEW SEASON」 (CT/EP)". Chisato Moritaka Official Website. Up-Front Group. Retrieved 2020-03-30.
  2. ^ a b "Biography". Chisato Moritaka Official Website. Up-Front Group. Retrieved 2020-03-30.
  3. ^ a b c "NEW SEASON/森高千里". Oricon. Retrieved 2020-03-30.
  4. ^ a b "森高千里『NEW SEASON』". Idol.ne.jp. Retrieved 2020-03-30.
  5. ^ Moritaka, Chisato (2012-06-23). 『NEW SEASON』 セルフライナーノート. YouTube. Retrieved 2020-03-30.
  6. ^ "「NEW SEASON/OVERHEAT.NIGHT」(CD)". Chisato Moritaka Official Website. Up-Front Group. Retrieved 2020-03-30.
  7. ^ "森高千里(シングル)". Yamachan Land (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2011-05-24. Retrieved 2021-08-16.
  8. ^ Moritaka, Chisato (2012-12-22). 森高千里 『NEW SEASON』 【セルフカヴァー】. YouTube. Retrieved 2020-03-30.
  9. ^ "「デビュー25周年企画 森高千里 セルフカバーシリーズ "LOVE" Vol.3」". Chisato Moritaka Official Website. Up-Front Group. Retrieved 2020-03-28.

External links edit