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Ai wa Katsu
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Wikipedia article
is a song composed and recorded by Japanese singer-songwriter Kan, released as the artist's eighth single in September 1990. It was initially featured on his album 'Yaky Senshu ga Yume datta', issued a month before the single came out. The song became the performer's first charting hit and the most successful single with sales of over 2 million copies, and has been regarded as his signature song.
Song Information
Release and reception
"Ai wa Katsu" is the lead-off track of 'Yakyu Senshu ga Yume datta', the composer's fifth studio album which was released on July 25, 1990. Inspired by one of his most respected American singer Billy Joel, KAN wanted to compose a song that had similar upbeat like Billy Joel's Uptown Girl. The whole song was quartered and has many transpositions. It was difficult, and it required multiple recordings in the studio to complete.
It was used as the opening theme of a quiz show aired on TV Asahi during summer 1990, and released as the second single from the album.
Kan had previously released seven singles at the time, but none of them entered the chart. Polydor Records had not anticipated it would be a big hit, and issued only 10,000 copies of CD singles at the first pressing. Therefore, "Ai wa Katsu" had not attained immediate chart success upon its release.
To promote his new album, "Ai wa Katsu" first obtained intensive airplay on radio stations of the Kansai district. The song had gradually captured more attention in the country's other regions, providing the artist with the first chart entry. It was also featured on the popular variety show 'Yamada Katsutenai TV' aired on Fuji Television, lifting the single to the summit of the Japanese Oricon sales chart by the end of 1990.
"Ai wa Katsu" spent 8 weeks atop on the Oricon chart, ranking at number three on the country's best-selling singles list of 1991. Sales of the single surpassed 2 million during its chart stay of 52 weeks.
Cover Versions
*On August 28, 1991, Hong Kong singer Jacky Cheung covered the song under the name (An Aspiring Sun) for his album (An Unwavering Heart)
*On October 6, 2010, voice actor Shintar Asanuma covered it as a Character song for "kami-san to Shichinin no Nakamatachi Character Song Album Otogi Songs Best 10".
*On May 25, 2011, voice actor Jun Fukuyama covered it for his third studio album "'Fukuyama Jun, Ai wo Utau!'".
Other Media
*The song was performed by the main character Jiro Suzuki during episode 6 of 19941995 anime (Karaoke Senshi Mike Jirou).
*On May 6, 2020, Japanese teachers and staffs from a local prefecture Suruga-ku, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Gakuen Junior and Senior High School joined forces and performed the song altogether as a form of inspiration to 'let's overcome the Coronavirus together' for their students. The video has been uploaded to its official YouTube channel.
Track listing
All songs composed by KAN
Personnel
Credits adapted from 'Yaky Senshu ga Yume datta' album sleeve notes.
*KAN: lead vocals
*Shingo Kobayashi: Piano, synthesizer
*Eiji Shimamura: Drums
*Tsuyoshi Kon: guitar
*Kenji Takamizu: bass
*Wornell Jones: chorus
*J.T. Jamm: chorus
Accolades
Japan Record Awards
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| style="width:35px; text-align:center;" rowspan="2"| 1991 ||rowspan="2"| "Ai wa Katsu" || Japan Record Award Pop/Rock ||
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|Gold Disc Prize Pop/Rock ||
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Japan Gold Disc Awards
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| width="35" align="center"|1991|| "Ai wa Katsu" || The Best 5 Singles of Year ||
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Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
All-time charts
Certifications
References
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