Sweet 19 Blues (song)

"Sweet 19 Blues" (stylized as "SWEET 19 BLUES") is a song recorded by Japanese recording artist Namie Amuro. The song was composed, written and arranged by Tetsuya Komuro for her same titled debut album. A month after its release, her label Avex Trax released the song as a recut single due to popular demand. The song's subject and the album was about the melancholic passing of another sweet year of youth, which is a particularly Japanese obsession.

"Sweet 19 Blues"
Single by Namie Amuro
from the album Sweet 19 Blues
B-side	"Joy"
Released	August 21, 1996 (1996-08-21)
Recorded	1995
Genre	Pop dance R&B
Length	5:35
Label	Avex Trax
Songwriter(s)	Tetsuya Komuro
Producer(s)	Tetsuya Komuro
Namie Amuro singles chronology
"You're My Sunshine" (1996) "Sweet 19 Blues" (1996) "A Walk in the Park" (1996)

It did not achieve the success of her previous records but debut at No. 2 with over 100,000 copies sold in its first week and sold about 500,000 units,[1] a great feat for a post-album single.[2] The single was certified platinum by the RIAJ for 400,000 copies shipped to stores.[3]

The song was later served as the ending theme song for the 1996 comedy That's Cunning! Shijo Saidai no Sakusen?, in which she also starred.[4] Marked the first and only time she used a track to promote theatrically. Miliyah Kato's "19 Memories" later sampled the song.[5]

The new version of the song marked 18 years since its original release in 2014.[6]

Composition

The song carries its album's title, which according to Ted Mills from AllMusic, was a reflection of a "melancholic passing of another sweet year of youth" and a "particular Japanese obsession".[7]

Release

The song "Joy", which features vocals by M.C.A.T., is in fact a shortened version to what appears on the CD single of "Sweet 19 Blues"; two additional remixes appeared on it, whilst an original mix was featured on his single "Thunder Party".[8][9] "Joy" was originally on m.c.A.T's fifth studio album Crossover.

Music video

The new version of the video was directed by Kanji Suto.[10]

Live performances and usage in media

Track listing

CD single / Digital download EP[4]

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Sweet 19 Blues" (Straight Run)	5:35
2.	"Sweet 19 Blues" (KC Dub Mix)	5:37
3.	"Joy" (Straight Run)	3:58
4.	"Joy" (Extended Summertime Mix)	4:12

Credits and personnel

Credits are taken from the CD single's liner notes.[8]

• Tetsuya Komuro – production, composition, writing, arrangement (1), (2)
• Randy Waldman - strings arrangement (1), (2)
• Akio Togashi - composition, arrangement; writing, rapping (as m.c.A.T) (3), (4)
• Keith "KC" Cohen - mixing (3), (4)

TV Performances

• ?, 1996 – Fun
• August 23, 1996 – Music Station
• August 24, 1996 – Mega Hit Night
• August 31, 1996 – PopJam
• August 31, 1996 – CDTV
• September 16, 1996 – Hey! Hey! Hey! Music Champ Special
• October 4, 1996 – Music Station Special
• October 29, 1996 – Utaban
• October 4, 1996 – Music Station Special
• November 2, 1996 – 27 hours TV
• November 26, 1996 – P-Stock
• December 14, 1996 – 29th All Japan Request Awards
• May 21, 1997 – TK Groove Museum HongKong
• May 27, 1997 – TK Pan-Pacific Tour

Charts

Oricon Sales Chart (Japan)

Release	Chart	Peak Position	First Week Sales	Sales Total	Chart Run
August 21, 1996	Oricon Daily Singles Chart
	Oricon Weekly Singles Chart	2	102,000	452,890	13 weeks
	Oricon Yearly Singles Chart	64

References

1. Sweet 19 Blues single informations. Members.tripod.com. Retrieved on November 29, 2011.
2. Sweet 19 blues single opening sales. Musictvprogram.com. Retrieved on November 29, 2011.
3. "GOLD ALBUM 他認定作品 1996年10月度" [Gold Albums, and other certified works. October 1996 Edition] (PDF). The Record (Bulletin) (in Japanese). Chūō, Tokyo: Recording Industry Association of Japan. 446: 5. December 10, 1997. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 4, 2014. Retrieved June 4, 2014.
4. "SWEET 19 BLUES". Amuro's official website (in Japanese). Retrieved July 8, 2016.
5. CD Journal staff(s) (February 6, 2008). "安室奈美恵「SWEET 19 BLUES」をモチーフにした、加藤ミリヤの新作が登場！". CD Journal (in Japanese). Retrieved July 5, 2016.
6. RBB Today staff(s) (May 28, 2014). "安室奈美恵、「SWEET 19 BLUES」の新MVで18年前の自分と"共演"". RBB Today (in Japanese). Retrieved July 8, 2016.
7. Mills, Ted (July 22, 1996). "Namie Amuro – Sweet 19 Blues (album review)". AllMusic. Retrieved June 20, 2017.
8. Sweet 19 Blues (CD liner). Namie Amuro. Avex Trax. 1996. p. 1.CS1 maint: others (link)
9. Thunder Party (CD single; Liner notes). M.C.A.T. Avex Trax. 1996. AVDD-20159.CS1 maint: others (link)
10. 安室奈美恵「SWEET 19 BLUES」MV (from BEST AL「Ballada」） on P.I.C.S. Studio