Free Planet

"Free Planet" is a song by Japanese musical act Superfly. Released as one of the songs on "Wildflower" & Cover Songs: Complete Best 'Track 3', a four-song extended play featuring a cover album as a bonus disc in September 2010, it was used in a high-profile commercial campaign for Sony Ericsson cellphones.

"Free Planet"
"Wildflower" single cover
Song by Superfly
from the album Mind Travel
LanguageJapanese
ReleasedSeptember 8, 2010 (2010-09-08)
Recorded2010
Genrerock and roll
Length4:53
LabelWarner Music Japan
Songwriter(s)Shiho Ochi, Kōichi Tabo
Producer(s)Kōichi Tsutaya

Background and development

In September 2009, Superfly released the act's second studio album Box Emotions, their second release in a row to reach number one on Oricon's album chart.[1] This was followed by a single, "Dancing on the Fire", Superfly's second upbeat dance song to be used in commercials for Canon's Digital IXUS range of cameras.[2]

On June 18, Superfly released the song "Tamashii Revolution", a song used as the theme song of the NHK broadcast of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, played during relay clips and highlight shows.[3] It became one of Superfly's biggest commercial successes, eventually becoming certified platinum twice by the RIAJ.[4][5] In July, Superfly's song "Wildflower" started airing as the theme song for the drama Boss.[6]

The single's jacket features vocalist Shiho Ochi holding a different object representing each song on the single: a dahlia flower for "Wildflower", a djembe drum for "Tamashii Revolution", a globe for "Free Planet" and on the back cover a rainbow for "Roll Over the Rainbow".

The song was written as a message song by vocalist Shiho Ochi, about how if a person does not make any barriers, they can go anywhere.[7] It was recorded in a live take, with musicians such as drummer Tatsuya Nakamura and former Tokyo Jihen member Mikio Hirama.[8][9]

Promotion and release

"Free Planet" was one of the four tracks found on the "Wildflower" single, a special release commemorating Superfly's 10th single since their debut.[10] Each song featured a different style of rock, and a different commercial tie-up.[8] The single came packaged with Cover Songs: Best 'Track 3', a compilation album compiling Superfly's English language cover songs that were featured on the B-sides of her singles.[8]

The song was used in commercials for Sony Ericsson phones in 2010, including the Bravia Phone S004, and was specifically written for the commercial.[8] As one of the four A-sides of the "Wildflower" single and Cover Songs: Complete Best 'Track 3' set, it reached number one on the Oricon albums chart in 2010.[11][12]

The song was later featured on the album Mind Travel (2011). It was first performed live during Rock'N'Roll Muncher, a special live with a group called the Lemon Bats formed by Superfly in November 2010. The performance was featured on the DVD of the "Beep!!" / "Sunshine Sunshine" single in March 2011.[13] The song was performed again during the Mind Travel Release Commemorative Free Live at the Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse on June 15, 2011, footage of which was shown on the "Ai o Kurae" (2011) single's DVD. The song was performed during Superfly's 2011 arena tour Shout in the Rainbow!!, and during the Live Force tour in 2012.

Music video

A music video was released for the song, directed by Shuichi Banba.[14] It is made up of recording studio footage, altered to look like a video taken in the 1960s, with additional effects such as lasers, pencil-drawn triangle art and space imagery.

Critical reception

CDJournal reviewers felt the song's simple beat created a "striking" rock'n' roll-style song. They praised Ochi's "refreshing", "attacking" and varying vocals, in particular the chorus. Many of the instruments were also praised, including the "dancing" guitars and hammond organ, however Tatsuya Nakamura's drums were singled out as "wild and tight", and what pull the song together. The reviewers further noted the contrasting of long tone melodies were a fun part of the song.[15][16][17]

Track listing
"Wildflower" single
No.TitleLyricsMusicArranger(s)Length
1."Wildflower"Shiho OchiKōichi TaboKōichi Tsutaya, K. Tabo4:26
2."Tamashii Revolution" (タマシイレボリューション Tamashii Reboryūshon)S. OchiS. OchiK. Tsutaya3:46
3."Free Planet"S. OchiK. TaboK. Tsutaya, K. Tabo3:23
4."Roll Over the Rainbow"S. Ochi, JamK. TaboK. Tsutaya, K. Tabo4:53
Total length:16:26

Personnel

Personnel details were sourced from the liner notes booklet of Mind Travel.[9]

  • Mikio Hirama – electric guitar
  • Tatsuya Nakamura – drums
  • Shiho Ochi – lead and background vocals
  • Takeshi Taneda – bass
  • Shunsuke Tsuri – additional arrangement
  • Kōichi Tsutaya – hammond B-3
  • Yoshiyuki Yatsuhashi – electric guitar

Release history
Region Date Format Distributing Label
Japan September 7, 2010 (2010-09-07)[18] digital download Warner Music Japan
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References
  1. "Superfly、1stから2作連続首位　女性ソロ6年ぶり快挙". Oricon (in Japanese). September 8, 2009. Retrieved September 8, 2009.
  2. "Superfly早くも新作！恒例カバーはキャロル・キングのあの曲" (in Japanese). Natalie. October 2, 2010. Retrieved January 30, 2015.
  3. "18:10～「MUSIC JAPAN」出演決定！" (in Japanese). Warner Music Japan. June 16, 2010. Archived from the original on September 1, 2010. Retrieved September 3, 2010.
  4. レコード協会調べ　7月度有料音楽配信認定 [Record Association Investigation: July Digital Music Download Certifications] (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. August 20, 2011. Retrieved January 26, 2014.
  5. レコード協会調べ　6月度有料音楽配信認定 [Record Association Investigation: June Digital Music Download Certifications] (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. July 20, 2012. Retrieved October 10, 2014.
  6. "Superfly新曲「Wildflower」で視聴率女王とタッグふたたび". Natalie. June 15, 2010. Retrieved February 7, 2015.
  7. 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.
  8. "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.
  9. Mind Travel (Media notes) (in Japanese). Superfly. Tokyo, Japan: Victor Music Japan. 2011.CS1 maint: others (link)
  10. "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.
  11. "Superfly、ベスト盤に収録される新曲「Bi-Li-Li Emotion」のMVを公開" [Music video for Superfly's new song "Bi-Li-Li Emotion" from her best album released.] (in Japanese). Rockin' On. September 3, 2013. Retrieved October 10, 2014.
  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. "「Beep!! / Sunshine Sunshine」初回特典DVD収録内容、カップリング曲決定！" (in Japanese). Warner Music Japan. January 31, 2011. Archived from the original on January 30, 2015. Retrieved January 30, 2015.
  14. "Free Planet" (in Japanese). Space Shower. Retrieved October 11, 2014.
  15. "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.
  16. "Superfly / Mind Travel [デジパック仕様] [CD+DVD] [限定]" (in Japanese). CDJournal. Retrieved January 30, 2015.
  17. "Superfly / Superfly BEST [デジパック仕様] [2CD]" (in Japanese). CDJournal. Retrieved January 30, 2015.
  18. "Free Planet - Single" (in Japanese). Apple. Retrieved February 7, 2015.
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