Free (Mao Abe song)
Encyclopedia
is a song by Mao Abe
. It was released as the main promotional track from her debut album, Free
, in January 2009. Free is an upbeat pop rock
song. In the lyrics, the protagonist expresses her feelings about how free she feels, and how she 'isn't the good girl she was yesterday.'
January 2009 opening theme song (though interestingly did not chart in the CDTV top 100), the music show Mashup! Musico's January ending theme song and the Glico Pocky
commercial for special air on music video channel Space Shower.
The song was released to radio stations in late 2008 (it began charting on the Tokio Hot 100 chart in the first week of December). However, the song gained its most popularity in late January. Then, it reached #1 on the combined physical sales/airplay-based Billboard
chart Japan Hot 100
.
. Later, Abe performs the song with her band against the Kobe
skyline. These two scenes are interspersed with shots of Abe singing the song in front of a wall of Marshall
amplifiers.
As of April 20, 2010 the music video for Free has been viewed over 1,010,000 times on popular video-sharing website YouTube
.
Mao Abe
is a Japanese singer-songwriter. She debuted in 2009 with the album Free.- Biography :Abe started learning the piano from age three, and from junior high school she had begun to want to be a singer. She stopped learning the piano in favour of the guitar, wanting to be an acoustic pop...
. It was released as the main promotional track from her debut album, Free
Free (Mao Abe album)
-DVD Tracklist:-Japan Sales Rankings:- Various charts :-Personnel:*Mao Abe - acoustic guitar , arranger , songwriter*Masakazu Andō - arranger , producer*Kozo Fujita - art direction, photography...
, in January 2009. Free is an upbeat pop rock
Pop rock
Pop rock is a music genre which mixes a catchy pop style and light lyrics in its guitar-based rock songs. There are varying definitions of the term, ranging from a slower and mellower form of rock music to a subgenre of pop music...
song. In the lyrics, the protagonist expresses her feelings about how free she feels, and how she 'isn't the good girl she was yesterday.'
Release, promotion
The song had three tie-ups: it was used as the music countdown show CDTVCount Down TV
is a Japanese late night music television show, originally broadcast on TBS from 1993 onwards. The program is shown weekly, and features a Japanese music video hit chart countdown, live performances from musicians and music information...
January 2009 opening theme song (though interestingly did not chart in the CDTV top 100), the music show Mashup! Musico's January ending theme song and the Glico Pocky
Pocky
is a Japanese snack food produced by the Ezaki Glico Company of Japan.-History:Pocky was first sold in 1966, and consists of a biscuit stick coated with chocolate. It was named after the Japanese onomatopoetic word for the sound Pocky makes when bitten, pokkin . The original was followed by...
commercial for special air on music video channel Space Shower.
The song was released to radio stations in late 2008 (it began charting on the Tokio Hot 100 chart in the first week of December). However, the song gained its most popularity in late January. Then, it reached #1 on the combined physical sales/airplay-based Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
chart Japan Hot 100
Japan Hot 100
The Japan Hot 100 is a music singles chart in Japan. It is compiled by Billboard and Hanshin Contents Link ever since February 2008. The chart is updated every Wednesday at billboard-japan.com and every Thursday at billboard.com ....
.
Music video
The music video was shot by director Masaki Ohkita, and shot in one day on the 22nd of November, 2008. The video begins showing Abe drawing spirals and patterns in the air with her finger (such as stars, or the song's name), before dawn at the Port of KobePort of Kobe
The Port of Kobe is a Japanese maritime port in Kobe, Hyōgo in the greater Osaka area, backgrounded by the Hanshin Industrial Region.Located at a foothill of the range of Mount Rokkō, flat lands are limited and constructions of artificial islands have carried out, to make Port Island, Rokko...
. Later, Abe performs the song with her band against the Kobe
Kobe
, pronounced , is the fifth-largest city in Japan and is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture on the southern side of the main island of Honshū, approximately west of Osaka...
skyline. These two scenes are interspersed with shots of Abe singing the song in front of a wall of Marshall
Marshall Amplification
Marshall Amplification is a British company, founded by drummer Jim Marshall, that designs and manufactures music amplifiers, brands personal headphones/earphones , and, after acquiring Natal Drums, drums and bongos. Marshall amplifiers, and specifically their guitar amplifiers, are among the most...
amplifiers.
As of April 20, 2010 the music video for Free has been viewed over 1,010,000 times on popular video-sharing website YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
.
Personnel
- Mao Abe - acoustic guitar, songwriter
- Teppei Kawasaki - bass
- N.O.B.U!!! - background vocals
- Noriyuki Kisou - recording, mixing
- Yūichi Komori - arranger
- Tsuyoshi Miyagawa - drums
- Junko Sugawara - electric guitar
Chart rankings
| Chart | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... Japan Hot 100 Japan Hot 100 The Japan Hot 100 is a music singles chart in Japan. It is compiled by Billboard and Hanshin Contents Link ever since February 2008. The chart is updated every Wednesday at billboard-japan.com and every Thursday at billboard.com .... |
1 |