"Yume ga Chikara" (夢がチカラ, Dreams Are Strength) is Kokia's 12th single, released on June 23, 2004.[1] It was the lead single from Kokia's fourth studio album Uta ga Chikara, and was used as the official cheering song for the Japan team at the 2004 Summer Olympics.[1]
"Yume ga Chikara" was one of two singles released after Kokia's commercially successful third album, Remember Me.[2] During this stage of her career, Kokia had releases that generally charted in the low end of the top 40.[2]
Kokia's involvement with the games was first announced in a press conference on March 3, 2004, along with Akira Senju's involvement as the sound producer.[3] The song took two months for completion, and was officially announced and first performed at a press conference on May 11.[5] The song was often performed or played at official Japanese Olympic events, such as the end of the torch relay,[6] the Japanese Olympic Concert 2004 held on June 20,[7] the unveiling of the official Olympic poster competition,[8] and the farewell party for the Japanese delegation.[9] Both "Yume ga Chikara" and Kokia's studio album Uta ga Chikara were released earlier than the Olympics, with the album being released less than a month earlier, and the single almost two months.[10][11] Kokia visited the Olympic village during the games, encouraging athletes such as female wrestler Kyoko Hamaguchi, singing the song a cappella and creating a hi no maru flag of encouragement.[12]
Along with official Olympic promotion, Kokia was featured in many music-related and fashion-related magazines in June 2004, such as "CD Data," "Gekkan Piano," "Gekkan Songs," "Weekly Oricon," "What's In?" and "Zappy."[13] "Yume ga Chikara" ringtones were released free of charge to Japanese Vodafone customers between July 1 and September 30.[13] The music video for the song was available for streaming on the Yahoo! Japan top page until August the 30th.[13]
Compositionedit
"Yume ga Chikara"
The standard Akira Senju-arranged version of the song.
"Yume ga Chikara (Acoustic Version)"
The acoustic Senju-arranged version, featured as a bonus track on Uta ga Chikara.
"Yume ga Chikara" is a pop song, with an orchestral and standard band backing, with extended instrumental sections. The song's vocal sections have a structure of two verses and a chorus, repeated twice, followed by a final extended and elaborated chorus. The song's lyrics begin by telling people that dreams have to be built up from somewhere. The first chorus makes the statement that "everyone can dream freely," and that "dreams come true, not by magic, but through your own strength." Further lyrics expand on this theme, also telling people to "not forget that they aren't alone."[14]
Kokia wrote the song "not as just a song to encourage [the Japanese Olympic] athletes, but a song to empower everybody with bravery in the same way that athletes use all of their effort."[15]
Re-recordingsedit
The song has been re-recorded by Kokia two times in her discography. "Yume ga Chikara (Acoustic Version)," a rearrangement by Akira Senju (the arranger for the original) was featured as a bonus track on Kokia's 2004 album Uta ga Chikara.[10] Instead of the standard band arrangement, the acoustic version was backed by a string orchestra and piano. "Yume ga Chikara / Brave Warrior," is a version of the song that appears on Kokia's 2006 greatest hits album Pearl: The Best Collection,[16] and features a guitar-based arrangement created by Kokia herself. This version features a new introduction section, with the lyrics "Brave warrior, habatake" (Brave warrior羽ばたけ, brave warrior, fly your wings).
Music videoedit
The music video was directed by Jun Hara (原淳).[17] It centres around two different scenes, Kokia performing the song in a massive wooden indoor stadium with an orchestra surrounding her, and also scenes of Kokia performing the song against the single cover art as a background.
Receptionedit
Commercially, the song debuted at #30 in its first week, selling over 4,500 copies.[2] It spent one further week in the top 100, and three further weeks placing between 100 and 200.[2] By the end of its chart run, the single had sold 8,300 copies.[2] Compared with other Kokia singles, "Yume ga Chikara" was relatively one of her more commercially successful releases.[2]
Critically, CDJournal praised the song for its ability to quietly push people forward with its "gentle melody and Kokia's phosphorescent singing voice."[18] Music critic Kenji Ueda believed the song was "appropriately grand" for use as the Olympic team encouragement song. He described the song as "truly refreshing," praising the string section that he felt was like "[water] streaming past," Kokia's voice as being "without even a spot of haze" and the song's melody as "overflowing with liveliness."[18]
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Yume ga Chikara 夢がチカラ Dreams Are Strength is Kokia s 12th single released on June 23 2004 1 It was the lead single from Kokia s fourth studio album Uta ga Chikara and was used as the official cheering song for the Japan team at the 2004 Summer Olympics 1 Yume ga Chikara Single by Kokiafrom the album Uta ga ChikaraReleasedJune 23 2004 2004 06 23 GenreJ popLength4 11LabelVictor EntertainmentSongwriter s KokiaProducer s Akira SenjuKokia singles chronology So Much Love for You 2004 Yume ga Chikara 2004 Dandelion 2005 Contents 1 Background 2 Promotion 3 Composition 4 Re recordings 5 Music video 6 Reception 7 Track listing 8 Japan Sales Rankings 2 9 Personnel 10 References 11 External linksBackground edit Yume ga Chikara was one of two singles released after Kokia s commercially successful third album Remember Me 2 During this stage of her career Kokia had releases that generally charted in the low end of the top 40 2 This song was the second official encouragement song picked by the Japanese Olympic Committee after Sui Riku Sora Mugendai by Japanese band 19 was used for the 2000 Summer Olympics 3 4 Promotion editKokia s involvement with the games was first announced in a press conference on March 3 2004 along with Akira Senju s involvement as the sound producer 3 The song took two months for completion and was officially announced and first performed at a press conference on May 11 5 The song was often performed or played at official Japanese Olympic events such as the end of the torch relay 6 the Japanese Olympic Concert 2004 held on June 20 7 the unveiling of the official Olympic poster competition 8 and the farewell party for the Japanese delegation 9 Both Yume ga Chikara and Kokia s studio album Uta ga Chikara were released earlier than the Olympics with the album being released less than a month earlier and the single almost two months 10 11 Kokia visited the Olympic village during the games encouraging athletes such as female wrestler Kyoko Hamaguchi singing the song a cappella and creating a hi no maru flag of encouragement 12 Along with official Olympic promotion Kokia was featured in many music related and fashion related magazines in June 2004 such as CD Data Gekkan Piano Gekkan Songs Weekly Oricon What s In and Zappy 13 Yume ga Chikara ringtones were released free of charge to Japanese Vodafone customers between July 1 and September 30 13 The music video for the song was available for streaming on the Yahoo Japan top page until August the 30th 13 Composition edit nbsp Yume ga Chikara source source The standard Akira Senju arranged version of the song Yume ga Chikara Acoustic Version source source The acoustic Senju arranged version featured as a bonus track on Uta ga Chikara Yume ga Chikara Brave Warrior source source The guitar acoustic version arranged by Kokia featured on Pearl The Best Collection Problems playing these files See media help Yume ga Chikara is a pop song with an orchestral and standard band backing with extended instrumental sections The song s vocal sections have a structure of two verses and a chorus repeated twice followed by a final extended and elaborated chorus The song s lyrics begin by telling people that dreams have to be built up from somewhere The first chorus makes the statement that everyone can dream freely and that dreams come true not by magic but through your own strength Further lyrics expand on this theme also telling people to not forget that they aren t alone 14 Kokia wrote the song not as just a song to encourage the Japanese Olympic athletes but a song to empower everybody with bravery in the same way that athletes use all of their effort 15 Re recordings editThe song has been re recorded by Kokia two times in her discography Yume ga Chikara Acoustic Version a rearrangement by Akira Senju the arranger for the original was featured as a bonus track on Kokia s 2004 album Uta ga Chikara 10 Instead of the standard band arrangement the acoustic version was backed by a string orchestra and piano Yume ga Chikara Brave Warrior is a version of the song that appears on Kokia s 2006 greatest hits album Pearl The Best Collection 16 and features a guitar based arrangement created by Kokia herself This version features a new introduction section with the lyrics Brave warrior habatake Brave warrior羽ばたけ brave warrior fly your wings Music video editThe music video was directed by Jun Hara 原淳 17 It centres around two different scenes Kokia performing the song in a massive wooden indoor stadium with an orchestra surrounding her and also scenes of Kokia performing the song against the single cover art as a background Reception editCommercially the song debuted at 30 in its first week selling over 4 500 copies 2 It spent one further week in the top 100 and three further weeks placing between 100 and 200 2 By the end of its chart run the single had sold 8 300 copies 2 Compared with other Kokia singles Yume ga Chikara was relatively one of her more commercially successful releases 2 Critically CDJournal praised the song for its ability to quietly push people forward with its gentle melody and Kokia s phosphorescent singing voice 18 Music critic Kenji Ueda believed the song was appropriately grand for use as the Olympic team encouragement song He described the song as truly refreshing praising the string section that he felt was like water streaming past Kokia s voice as being without even a spot of haze and the song s melody as overflowing with liveliness 18 Track listing editNo TitleWriter s Arranger s Length1 Yume ga Chikara KokiaAkira Senju4 112 Ningyo no Yume 人魚の夢 A Mermaid s Dream KokiaSenju4 053 Yume ga Chikara Instrumental Version KokiaSenju4 11Total length 12 33Japan Sales Rankings 2 editRelease Chart Peak Position First Week Sales Sales Total Chart RunJune 23 2004 2004 06 23 Oricon daily singles chartOricon weekly singles chart 30 4 500 8 300 5 weeksOricon yearly singles chartPersonnel editKiyotsugu Amano acoustic guitar Shoji Kobayashi score copyist Kokia arranger Brave Warrior chorus work song writing vocals Fumiaki Miyamoto oboe standard and acoustic Hajime Mizoguchi cello standard and acoustic Masayoshi Ookawa recording mixing standard and acoustic Akira Senju arranger conductor keyboards standard and acoustic Takeshi Sennoo piano standard and acoustic Setsuko Sugita strings gallery music leader standard and acoustic Yoji Sugiyama coordinator Witch Craft standard and acoustic Takefumi Wada manipulatorReferences edit a b KOKIA 夢がチカラ Victor Entertainment in Japanese Victor Entertainment Retrieved 2010 06 06 a b c d e f g オリコンランキング情報サービス you大樹 Oricon Retrieved 2010 06 06 subscription only a b ｱﾃﾈｵﾘﾝﾋﾟｯｸ日本代表選手団 公式応援ｿﾝｸﾞ制作発表記者会見 in Japanese Japanese Olympic Committee 2004 03 04 Archived from the original on 2010 02 16 Retrieved 2010 06 08 JOC News 1999 第27回オリンピック競技大会 2000 シドニー 日本代表選手団 公式応援ソング発表 水 陸 そら 無限大 in Japanese Japanese Olympic Committee 2000 06 09 Retrieved 2010 06 08 ｱﾃﾈｵﾘﾝﾋﾟｯｸ日本代表選手団公式応援ソング完成発表 in Japanese Japanese Olympic Committee 2004 05 13 Archived from the original on 2010 02 16 Retrieved 2010 06 08 2004アテネオリンピック聖火リレー 雨の中 聖火が東京を走りました in Japanese Japanese Olympic Committee 2004 06 10 Archived from the original on 2011 08 16 Retrieved 2010 06 08 オリンピックコンサート2004開催 in Japanese Japanese Olympic Committee 2004 06 22 Archived from the original on 2010 02 16 Retrieved 2010 06 08 巨匠が描いたオリンピックポスター展 6月30日いよいよ開催 in Japanese Japanese Olympic Committee 2004 06 30 Archived from the original on 2010 02 16 Retrieved 2010 06 08 アテネオリンピック日本代表選手団結団式 壮行会開催 in Japanese Japanese Olympic Committee 2004 07 26 Archived from the original on 2010 02 16 Retrieved 2010 06 08 a b KOKIA 歌がチカラ Victor Entertainment in Japanese Victor Entertainment Retrieved 2010 03 21 Athens 2004 International Olympic Committee www olympic org Retrieved 2008 01 19 KOKIAさん 選手村で浜口京子選手を激励 in Japanese Japanese Olympic Committee 2004 08 17 Archived from the original on 2010 02 16 Retrieved 2010 06 08 a b c KOKIA OFFICIAL WEB SITE INFORMATION Mother Land in Japanese 2006 Archived from the original on 2010 03 30 Retrieved 2010 06 06 夢がチカラ KOKIA 歌詞情報 goo 音楽 in Japanese Goo Ongaku Archived from the original on 2011 06 14 Retrieved 2010 06 09 KOKIAが歌うオリンピック公式応援ソング 夢がチカラ VCが期間限定で無料公開に in Japanese RBB Today 2004 06 24 Retrieved 2010 06 08 KOKIA 初のベストアルバム pearl Victor Entertainment Archived from the original on February 19 2006 Retrieved May 5 2010 KOKIA 楽曲名 夢がチカラ Space Shower in Japanese Retrieved 2010 04 15 a b KOKIA 夢がチカラ CD シングル CDJournal in Japanese Retrieved 2010 06 09 External links editVictor Yume ga Chikara profile in Japanese Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Yume ga Chikara amp oldid 1147270486, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
