Kyōshinshō

"Kyōshinshō"
Single by Radwimps
from the album Zettai Zetsumei
Released February 9, 2011 (2011-02-09)
(see release history)
Format CD single, digital download, rental CD
Recorded 2010
Genre Alternative rock, psychedelic rock[1]
Length 6:50
Label EMI Music Japan
Writer(s) Yojiro Noda
Radwimps singles chronology
"Dada"
(2011)		 "Kyōshinshō"
(2011)		 "Sprechchor"
(2012)

"Kyōshinshō" (狭心症, "Heart Attack") is a song by Japanese rock band Radwimps, released on February 9, 2011 as the second of two singles preceding the band's sixth album, Zettai Zetsumei.[2]

Composition and writing

The song is a slow tempo rock song. It begins with a sparse arrangement of electric guitar and drums set to the same beat, along with Yojiro Noda's vocals. The song gradually adds more complex arrangements of drums, guitars and bass instruments, and reprises the sparse arrangement at the end of the song.

The lyrics of the song are a discourse by Noda, who states that it is good that he only has two eyes, as otherwise he could not keep living if he had to see all of the "grief of the world." In the chorus, he urges people to "carry a thread and needle" to sew up their eyes, so they can no longer see such grief and remain innocent. The lyrics further mention the Russian folk character Ivan the Fool.[3]

The song took half a year to write by Yojiro Noda, and was pieced together from guitar chords and lyrics in his head.[4]

Promotion

Yojiro Noda appeared by himself on Tokyo FM radio program School of Lock! on February 2, 2011, as a revival of the band's Radlocks! radio show.[4] The band were also interviewed in Rockin' On Japan's March issue to promote the single, as well as "Dada."[5]

Music video

The band performing the song amongst the pile of bodies, while Noda stands with the girl in a wheelchair in the music video.

The music video was directed by Kensaku Kakimoto[6] who had previously not worked with the band on a music video before.

The video depicts the Yojiro Noda at night time in a playground, as he pushes a girl with a blindfold and headphones in a wheelchair through the park. The girl holds a flash light as they move. Through the park, the pair pass a facially deformed man and men who are fighting. Further through the park is a makeshift slum, where they pas a man on fire. The sky begins to dawn, and the people around Noda and the girl are shot. A man sets a car on fire, and is later shot down by a group of men with guns. Near the end of the song, the pair come up to a pile of bodies and severed limbs, along with people crying over their bodies. The rest of the band members perform the song in this scene. Noda leaves the girl to close the eyes of a dead boy, and covers him with his jacket. The girl gets up from her wheelchair, and drops her flash light. She screams, removing her headphones and blindfold to reveal that her eyes have been sewn shut.

Since the video was uploaded by Radwimps' official YouTube channel on February 7, 2011, the video has been viewed approximately 3,100,000 times (as of June 2011).[7]

Critical reception

Japanese critics saw the song positively, with many focusing on how important they saw the lyrics. Shin Furukawa of Rockin' On Japan felt the song, along with "Dada," contrasted with the easy to listen to nature of the band's 2010 singles, "Manifesto" and "Keitai Denwa." He felt like the song's strength was like "unprotected hazardous goods."[8] CDJournal's listening review described the song as having "a band sound that wears grief," and the lyrics as describing "the impatience of not being able to do anything."[9]

Hot Express reviewer Jun Yamamoto praised the strength of the lyrical content, stating that the band's message was stronger due to the straightforwardness of the lyrics used in previous songs.[10] Mikio Yanagisawa of What's In? compared the "heavy and psychedelic roaring rock" sound of the song being similar to the 1970s works of John Lennon, and felt it was a "signature song that runs through cold, with a concealed, piercing motive."[1]

Commercial performance

In the single's first week it debuted at number two on Oricon's single charts with 68,000 copies sold - 33,000 less than the single at the number one position, Exile's "Each Other's Way (Tabi no Tochū)."[11] This figure was 22,000 less copies than the band's previous single "Dada," but is the band's third highest debut week sales total.[12][13] The song has sold a total of 85,000 copies in 2011, and by the half way point for the year was the 43rd most sold single on Oricon's charts.[14]

The song was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of Japan for an excess of 100,000 physical shipped copies,[15] the second Radwimps single and only one of three to receive this certification. The song is one of ten Radwimps songs to receive a certification from the RIAJ.

The B-side of the single, "Jugemu," was popular enough digitally to chart at number 27 on the RIAJ Digital Track Chart during the single's release week.[16]

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Yojiro Noda. 

No. Title Length
1. "Kyōshinshō"   6:51
2. "Jugemu" (寿限夢 "Jugemu") 3:48
Total length:
 10:39

Chart rankings

"Kyōshinshō"
A sample from a verse and the beginning of the chorus of "Kyōshinshō."
Problems playing this file? See media help.
Charts (2011) Peak
position
Billboard Adult Contemporary Airplay[17] 34
Billboard Japan Hot 100[18] 2
Oricon daily singles[19] 1
Oricon weekly singles[20] 2
Oricon monthly singles[21] 9
RIAJ Digital Track Chart Top 100[16] 8

Sales and certifications

Chart Amount
Oricon physical sales[13] 85,000
RIAJ physical shipping certification[15] Gold (100,000+)

Release history

Region Date Format Distributing Label
Japan January 26, 2011[22] Ringtone EMI Music Japan
February 9, 2011[2][23] CD, digital download, Rental CD

References

  1. 1 2 Miki (February 9, 2011). "Disc Review 狭心症" (in Japanese). What's In?. Retrieved June 22, 2011.
  2. 1 2 "[CD] 狭心症 / RADWIMPS". Neowing (in Japanese). Retrieved June 1, 2011.
  3. ↑ "狭心症 - RADWIMPS". Goo Music (in Japanese). Retrieved June 22, 2011.
  4. 1 2 "2/2 「狭心症」" [2/2 "Kyōshinshō"]. Tokyo FM (in Japanese). February 2, 2011. Retrieved June 22, 2011.
  5. ↑ ロッキングオンジャパン３月号［桑田佳祐、堂々帰還！］. JBook (in Japanese). Retrieved May 18, 2011.
  6. ↑ "アーティスト名 RADWIMPS 楽曲名 狭心症" [Artist Name: Radwimps. Song Name: "Kyōshinshō"]. Space Shower (in Japanese). Retrieved February 6, 2011.
  7. ↑ "狭心症 RADWIMPS MV". Radwimps Staff (in Japanese). February 7, 2011. Retrieved June 22, 2011.
  8. ↑ Shin Furukawa (February 8, 2011). "言葉に選ばれる歌、歌に選ばれる真実 RADWIMPS 『狭心症』" [A song with chosen words, a truth with chosen songs] (in Japanese). Rockin' On Japan. Retrieved June 22, 2011.
  9. ↑ "RADWIMPS / 狭心症 試聴記コメント" [RADWIMPS / Kyōshinshō listening comment] (in Japanese). CDJournal. Retrieved June 22, 2011.
  10. ↑ Jun Yamamoto. レビュー 狭心症 (in Japanese). Hot Express. Retrieved June 22, 2011.
  11. ↑ 2011年02月第3週の邦楽シングルランキング情報 [February 2011 Week 3 Single Ranking Information] (in Japanese). Oricon. February 18, 2011. Retrieved June 22, 2011.
  12. ↑ ＲＡＤＷＩＭＰＳのシングル売り上げランキング [Radwimps single sales ranking]. Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved May 15, 2011.
  13. 1 2 "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 June 1, 2011. (subscription only)
  14. ↑ "上半期ランキング特集 シングル TOP 50" [Half-year ranking special report: Single top 50] (in Japanese). Oricon. June 22, 2011. Retrieved June 22, 2011.
  15. 1 2 ゴールド等認定作品一覧　2011年2月 [Works Receiving Certifications List (Gold, etc) (February 2011)]. RIAJ (in Japanese). March 10, 2011. Retrieved March 10, 2011.
  16. 1 2 "レコード協会調べ 2011年02月09日～2011年02月15日 ＜略称：レコ協チャート（「着うたフル(R)」）＞" [Record Association Analysis: February 9, 2011—February 15, 2011 (Abbreviated: RIAJ Chart ('Full-length Cellphone Downloads')]. RIAJ (in Japanese). February 18, 2011. Retrieved May 15, 2011.
  17. ↑ "Adult Contemporary Airplay". Billboard Japan. February 23, 2011. Archived from the original on June 1, 2011. Retrieved June 1, 2011.
  18. ↑ "Japan Billboard Hot 100". Billboard Japan. February 16, 2011. Archived from the original on June 1, 2011. Retrieved June 1, 2011.
  19. ↑ "シングル デイリーランキング-ORICON STYLE ランキング" [Single Daily Ranking - Oricon Style Ranking] (in Japanese). Oricon. February 12, 2011. Archived from the original on February 12, 2011. Retrieved June 1, 2011.
  20. ↑ "狭心症 - RADWIMPS" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved June 1, 2011.
  21. ↑ シングル月間ランキング [Single Monthly Ranking]. Oricon (in Japanese). February 1, 2011. Archived from the original on June 1, 2011. Retrieved June 1, 2011.
  22. ↑ "RADWIMPS、新曲「狭心症」「寿限夢」の着うた（R）・RBTが先行配信スタート!" [Radwimps, new songs "Kyōshinshō," "Jugemu," ringtones preceding release started!]. CDJournal (in Japanese). January 26, 2011. Retrieved June 1, 2011.
  23. ↑ "狭心症／ＲＡＤＷＩＭＰＳ". Tsutaya. 2011. Retrieved June 1, 2011.
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