Shijō no Jinsei

"Shijō no Jinsei" (Japanese: 至上の人生, "A Life Supreme") is a song by Japanese musician Ringo Sheena. Used as the theme song for the drama Marumaru-zuma, it was released as a single on January 28, 2015.

"Shijō no Jinsei"
A snowy street at night-time
Single by Ringo Sheena
from the album Sandokushi
ReleasedJanuary 28, 2015 (2015-01-28)
Recorded2014
Genrerock
Length4:11
LabelEMI Music Japan
Songwriter(s)Ringo Sheena
Producer(s)Ringo Sheena
Ringo Sheena singles chronology
"Nippon"
(2014)		 "Shijō no Jinsei"
(2015)		 "Saihate ga Mitai"
(2015)

Background and development

On November 5, 2014, Ringo Sheena released her fifth studio album Hi Izuru Tokoro, her first after parting with her band Tokyo Jihen. Four of the songs featured on the album were used as Japanese television drama theme songs: "Ariamaru Tomi" for Smile (2009), "Carnation" for the morning drama Carnation (2011), "Jiyū e Michizure" for Ataru (2012) and "Irohanihoheto" for Kamo, Kyōto e Iku.: Shinise Ryokan no Okami Nikki.

Before the same time of the release of "Shijō no Jinsei", Sheena was also commissioned to write a song for boyband SMAP, "Karei Naru Gyakushū" (華麗なる逆襲, "Magnificent Counterattack"), which was used as the theme song for the drama Zeni no Sensō, a Japanese remake of the South Korean drama War of Money (2007) starring SMAP member Tsuyoshi Kusanagi. The song was released as a part of SMAP's single "Karei Naru Gyakushū" / "Humor Shichau yo" on February 18, 2015.[1]

The song was written as a tribute to Marumaru-zuma screenwriter Kazuhiko Yukawa and the drama's production staff. Sheena considered the "light" of leading actress Kō Shibasaki as she created the song, and how Shibasaki's presence would affect the song. Sheena was inspired to write about how love reveals the true self.[2] The phrase Shijō no Jinsei was a lyric originally found in her previous single "Nippon".[3]

Promotion and release

The song started airing as Marumaru-zuma's theme song from January 14, 2015 onwards.[2] As the drama's theme song, it was used in promotional activities related to the drama. The physical single was released on February 25, a month before the video release of Sheena's concert tour Ringo-haku '14: Toshi Onna no Gyakushū.[4] The song was performed at Music Station on February 27, and at Count Down TV on February 28.[5][6]

Music video

A music video was recorded for the song, directed by Takumi Shiga.[7] It was a video that incorporated both "Shijō no Jinsei" and the single's B-side "Donzoko Made", and featured Sheena and a band performing the songs in grayscale.[4][8]

Critical reception

Shoichi Miyake of Rockin' On Japan felt the song's medium-tempo rock sound was reminiscent of songs from her debut era, such as "Mellow" (2000), and felt the song's chord progression, arrangement and earnestness was analogous to Radiohead's "Creep" (1992). Miyake noted that while the song was tailored for the drama Marumaru-zuma by Sheena, he felt it would become an essential part of her next original album, much like "Ariamaru Tomi" (2009), which had been written for the drama Smile, had become integral to Sheena's fifth studio album Hi Izuru Tokoro (2014).[3] Yūichi Hirayama of EMTG called the song an "extremely heavy medium rock with an overwhelming energetic vocal performance by Ringo", praising the breathy vocals of the second chorus. He noted that the song was larger-than-life, however felt that such a song fit well with an also larger-than-life drama.[9]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Ringo Sheena

Digital download
No.TitleLength
1."Shijō no Jinsei"4:11
Total length:4:11

All tracks are written by Ringo Sheena

CD single & digital EP
No.TitleLength
1."Shijō no Jinsei"4:12
2."Donzoko Made" (どん底まで, "To Rock Bottom")2:48
Total length:7:00

Personnel

Personnel details were sourced from "Shijō no Jinsei"'s liner notes booklet.[10]

  • Uni Inoue – manipulator
  • Masayuki Hiizumi – synthesizer
  • Yukio Nagoshi – guitar
  • Ringo Sheena – vocals, manipulator
  • Tom Tamada – drums
  • Ukigumo – vocals (#2)
  • Hitoshi Watanabe – bass

Chart rankings
Charts (2015) Peak
position
Japan Billboard Adult Contemporary Airplay[11] 9
Japan Billboard Japan Hot 100[12] 8
Japan Oricon daily singles[13] 8
Japan Oricon weekly singles[14] 12

Sales
Chart Amount
Oricon physical sales[14] 11,000

Release history
Region Date Format Distributing Label Catalogue codes
Japan January 14, 2015 (2015-01-14)[15] Ringtone EMI Music Japan
January 28, 2015 (2015-01-28)[16][17] digital download
South Korea Universal Music Korea
Japan February 25, 2015 (2015-02-25)[18][19][20] CD single, digital download (EP), rental CD EMI Music Japan TYCT-30039
South Korea digital download (EP) Universal Music Korea

References
  1. "SMAP新曲「華麗なる逆襲」で林檎とタッグ、PVは児玉裕一" (in Japanese). Natalie. January 5, 2015. Retrieved February 14, 2015.
  2. "2015年リリース第一弾 ニューシングル「至上の人生」！" (in Japanese). Kronekodow. January 28, 2015. Retrieved February 14, 2015.
  3. "結ばれない愛を生き抜くために". Rockin' On Japan (in Japanese). February 25, 2015. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
  4. "椎名林檎、 ニューシングル「至上の人生」のMV公開" (in Japanese). Barks. February 12, 2015. Retrieved February 14, 2015.
  5. "来週「Mステ」にももクロ vs KISS、椎名林檎、AKB48ら" (in Japanese). Natalie. February 20, 2015. Retrieved February 20, 2015.
  6. "椎名林檎と東方神起、週末「CDTV」でライブ" (in Japanese). Natalie. February 24, 2015. Retrieved February 20, 2015.
  7. "至上の人生" (in Japanese). Space Shower. Retrieved February 13, 2015.
  8. "椎名林檎、2つの世界を描く「至上の人生」PV" (in Japanese). Natalie. February 12, 2015. Retrieved February 14, 2015.
  9. Yūichi Hirayama (November 28, 2011). "レビュー" (in Japanese). EMTG. Retrieved April 16, 2015.
  10. Shijō no Jinsei (Media notes) (in Japanese). Ringo Sheena. Tokyo, Japan: EMI R. 2015.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  11. "Japan Billboard Adult Contemporary Airplay". Billboard (in Japanese). March 4, 2015. Retrieved March 4, 2015.
  12. "Japan Billboard Hot 100". Billboard (in Japanese). March 4, 2015. Retrieved March 4, 2015.
  13. "デイリー CDシングルランキング 2015年02月25日付" [Daily CD Single Ranking 2015.02.25] (in Japanese). Oricon. February 26, 2015. Archived from the original on February 26, 2015. Retrieved February 26, 2015.
  14. "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 March 3, 2015.
  15. "日テレ系 新水曜ドラマ「○○妻」主題歌 シングル発売決定！！". Universal. January 8, 2015. Retrieved February 2, 2015.
  16. "話題沸騰のドラマ「○○妻」主題歌、椎名林檎の新曲「至上の人生」先行配信を本日より開始！". Universal. January 28, 2015. Retrieved February 2, 2015.
  17. "A Life Supreme" (in Korean). Bugs. Retrieved February 12, 2015.
  18. "至上の人生". Tower Records. Retrieved February 12, 2015.
  19. 至上の人生 (in Japanese). Tsutaya. Retrieved February 12, 2015.
  20. "A Life Supreme" (in Korean). Bugs. Retrieved February 26, 2015.
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