Cover Songs: Complete Best 'Track 3'

Cover Songs: Complete Best 'Track 3' is an album by Japanese musical unit Superfly. Released September 1, 2010, the album was packaged as a 2-CD set with Superfly's single "Wildflower", and compiled Western classic rock songs found on Superfly's singles.

Cover Songs: Complete Best 'Track 3'
iTunes LP cover for Cover Songs: Complete Best 'Track 3'
Compilation album by
Superfly
ReleasedSeptember 1, 2010 (2010-09-01)
Recorded2007—2010
GenrePop, rock
Length59:10
LanguageEnglish
LabelWarner Music Japan
Superfly chronology
Box Emotions
(2009)		 Cover Songs: Complete Best 'Track 3'
(2010)		 Mind Travel
(2011)
Alternative cover
Wildflower & Cover Songs: Complete Best 'Track 3' set cover.
Singles from Cover Songs
  1. "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman"
    Released: March 31, 2010

Background and development

Vocalist Shiho Ochi first heard 1960s and 1970s classic rock songs when she was 18, after meeting band-mate Kōichi Tabo, who used to give her MiniDisc mix-tapes with his favorite songs on them as presents. During Superfly's early days as a musical act in Aichi the band did not have a chance to record covers, but started a cover recording project before their major label debut with Warner. Originally Superfly planned to include these covers as the final tracks on their albums, but instead decided it would be better to include these songs as the third tracks on their single releases.[1]

Ochi found singing in English difficult because she does not speak the language, so spent a lot of time checking pronunciation during her early covers. Often she found that performing the songs as straight covers did not suit her voice, such as on Free's "My Brother Jake". Instead, producer Kōichi Tsutaya suggested they make the recordings as fun as possible.[1][2] For the cover of The Rolling Stones' "Bitch", Superfly collaborated with drummer Kazuyuki Kuhara of the bands Thee Michelle Gun Elephant and The Birthday, as well as trumpeter Tabu Zombie and saxophonist Motoharu of Soil & "Pimp" Sessions.[3]

After a while, Ochi found that recording covers became less fun and more an obligation, so Superfly decided to stop the project and compile these into an album.[1]

Promotion and release

The album compiles the Western cover songs released as B-sides on Superfly's singles between 2007 and 2009, often as the singles' third tracks.[4] In addition, the album includes all of the songs from the iTunes exclusive Live from Tokyo extended play that was released in 2007, as well as the recording of Janis Joplin's "Piece of My Heart" from Superfly's Dancing at Budokan!! video album and three new songs.[4]

Superfly's cover of "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman", originally released on the "Dancing on the Fire" (2009) single, was used as the theme song for the film Tokyo-jima.[4] It was released as a stand-alone digital download on March 31, 2010.[5] Superfly performed "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" at Bokura no Ongaku on April 2, 2010, alongside singers Miho Fukuhara and MiChi.[6] Superfly's cover of Elvin Bishop's 1976 song "Fooled Around and Fell in Love", was used in the drama Gold as an incidental song, alongside the theme song "Wildflower", also performed by Superfly.[4]

On September 15, Wildflower & Cover Songs: Complete Best 'Track 3' was released as an iTunes LP, the first such download released by a Japanese artist.[7]

Critical reception

Hirokazu Koike of Rockin' On Japan described listening to the album like attending a rock festival, and felt that Ochi sung the 1960s and 70s classic rock and soul songs magnificently.[8] CDJournal reviewers felt that "Fooled Around and Fell in Love" was sung with "magnificent presence", that benefited from the "bewitching" horn and "wild" guitar. "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" was praised for its simple "country" arrangement that focused on Ochi's "soulfully shining" vocals. The reviewers felt that Ochi was not as strong vocally as Aretha Franklin, however were impressed with the style of Ochi's vocals, feeling that all impurities had been removed from it.[9][10][11]

For "(Please Not) One More Time", CDJournal reviewers felt that Ochi's "pretending not to know" vocals were fun, and that the piano in "Late for the Sky" was "elegant". They felt that Ochi's vocals in "Late for the Sky" were "contoured" and "calm", and that her final falsetto was "beautiful". For Superfly's Janis Joplin cover, the reviewers praised her "passionate" vocals, feeling that Ochi repeating "come on" left a strong impression at the end.[9][10][11]

Track listing
Cover Songs: Complete Best 'Track 3' album
No.TitleWriter(s)Originating releaseLength
1."Fooled Around and Fell in Love" (by Elvin Bishop)E. Bishop 3:49
2."(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" (by Aretha Franklin)Jerry Wexler/Carole King/Gerry Goffin"Dancing on the Fire" (2009)3:19
3."Hot 'n' Nasty" (by Humble Pie)Steve Marriott"Hello Hello" (2007)3:32
4."(Please Not) One More Time" (by Roger McGuinn)Al Kooper"Manifesto" (2007)3:26
5."Rhiannon" (by Fleetwood Mac)Stevie Nicks"Ai o Komete Hanataba o" (2008)5:03
6."Honky Tonk Women (Live)" (by the Rolling Stones)Keith RichardsLive from Tokyo (2007) & "Hi-Five" (2008)3:19
7."Bad, Bad Leroy Brown (Live)" (by Jim Croce)J. CroceLive from Tokyo (2007) & "Hi-Five" (2008)3:11
8."Heart of Gold (Live)" (by Neil Young)N. YoungLive from Tokyo (2007)3:25
9."Desperado (Live)" (by the Eagles)Don HenleyLive from Tokyo (2007) & "Hi-Five" (2008)3:36
10."My Brother Jake" (by Free)Paul Rodgers"How Do I Survive?" (2008)3:19
11."Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo" (by Rick Derringer)R. Derringer"My Best of My Life" (2009)3:41
12."Late for the Sky" (by Jackson Browne)J. Browne"Koisuru Hitomi wa Utsukushii" / "Yasashii Kimochi de" (2009)5:35
13."Piece of My Heart (Live)" (by Janis Joplin)Bert BernsDancing at Budokan!! (2010)4:38
14."Bitch" (by the Rolling Stones)K. Richards 4:25
15."The Water Is Wide" (by Karla Bonoff)Pete Seeger 5:00
Total length:59:10
Bonus CD
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Fooled Around and Fell in Love (Acoustic Ver.)"E. Bishop3:38
Total length:3:38

Chart rankings

All positions and sales refer to the album as a part of the Wildflower & Cover Songs: Complete Best 'Track 3' set.

Charts (2010) Peak
position
Japan Oricon weekly albums[12] 1

Sales and certifications
Chart Amount
Oricon physical sales[13] 369,000
RIAJ physical certification[14] Platinum (250,000+)

Release history
Region Date Format Distributing Label Catalog codes
Japan September 1, 2010 (2010-09-01)[15][16] 2CD, 3CD Warner Music Japan WPCL-10855, WPCL-10858
September 15, 2010 (2010-09-15)[7] digital download
September 18, 2010 (2010-09-18)[17] Rental CD WPCL-10858
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References
  1. Tomoko Imai (August 20, 2010). "Superflyナタリー初登場！濃厚シングル＆カバー集を解剖". Natalie. Retrieved February 7, 2015.
  2. Tomoko Imai (August 20, 2010). "Superflyナタリー初登場！濃厚シングル＆カバー集を解剖". Natalie. Retrieved February 7, 2015.
  3. "Superfly洋楽カバーベストにクハラ、SOILメンバー参加". Natalie. July 15, 2010. Retrieved February 7, 2015.
  4. "Superfly、最新シングルは新曲＆洋楽カバーの全19曲". Barks. July 15, 2010. Retrieved February 7, 2015.
  5. "You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman - Single" (in Japanese). Apple. Retrieved February 7, 2015.
  6. "#300（10/04/02）僕らの音楽 300回記念コンサート 生放送". Fuji Television. April 2, 2010. Retrieved February 7, 2015.
  7. "日本人アーティスト初のiTunes LP、Superfly『Wildflower ＆ Cover Songs: Complete Best 'TRACK 3'』配信開始". Barks. September 15, 2010. Retrieved February 7, 2015.
  8. Hirokazu Koike. "現代日本で求められるロマンの形" (in Japanese). Rockin' On Japan. Retrieved January 30, 2015.
  9. "Superfly / Wildflower&Cover Songs:Complete Best'TRACK 3' [デジパック仕様] [3CD] [限定]" (in Japanese). CDJournal. Retrieved January 30, 2015.
  10. "Superfly / Dancing On The Fire" (in Japanese). CDJournal. Retrieved January 30, 2015.
  11. "Superfly / 恋する瞳は美しい / やさしい気持ちで [デジパック仕様]" (in Japanese). CDJournal. Retrieved January 30, 2015.
  12. Superfly、1stから3作連続アルバム首位 中島美嘉以来6年10ヶ月ぶり快挙 (in Japanese). Oricon. September 7, 2010. Retrieved February 7, 2015.
  13. "オリコンランキング情報サービス「you大樹」" [Oricon Ranking Information Service 'You Big Tree']. Oricon. Retrieved December 18, 2014.
  14. ゴールド等認定作品一覧　2013年9月 [Works Receiving Certifications List (Gold, etc) (September 2013)] (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. October 10, 2013. Retrieved December 14, 2013.
  15. "Wildflower & Cover Songs ; Complete Best 'TRACK 3'＜初回限定盤＞". Tower Records Japan. Retrieved January 30, 2015.
  16. "Wildflower & Cover Songs ; Complete Best 'TRACK 3'＜通常盤＞". Tower Records Japan. Retrieved January 30, 2015.
  17. "Ｗｉｌｄｆｌｏｗｅｒ＆Ｃｏｖｅｒ　Ｓｏｎｇｓ：Ｃｏｍｐｌｅｔｅ　Ｂｅｓｔ'ＴＲＡＣＫ　３'" (in Japanese). Tsutaya. Retrieved February 7, 2015.
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