:Merry-Go-Round (Ayumi Hamasaki song)

On October 24, 2013, it was confirmed through Japanese publication Natalie that Hamasaki would release a double A-side single titled "Feel the Love"/"Merry-Go-Round", and would serve as the singer's first physical release in three years since her EP–single L (2010). It was also her first double A-side single, alongside the track "Feel the Love", since "Moon" and "Blossom" that same year.{{cite news|author=Natalie Staff|url=http://natalie.mu/music/news/102039|title=浜崎あゆみシングル制作陣にDJ Hello Kitty、小室、m-flo|work=Natalie.mu|date=October 23, 2013|access-date=August 5, 2016|language=Japanese}}{{cite AV media notes |title=L|others=Ayumi Hamasaki|first=Ayumi|last=Hamasaki|year=2010|type=CD Single; Liner notes|publisher=Avex Trax|id=AVCD-31938|location=Japan}}{{cite AV media notes |title=L|others=Ayumi Hamasaki|first=Ayumi|last=Hamasaki|year=2010|type=CD Single; Liner notes|publisher=Avex Trax|id=AVCD-31891|location=Japan}} The recording was written by Hamasaki, whilst production was handled by Japanese musician and long-time collaborator Max Matsuura with the assistance of Japanese group M-Flo; this marks Hamasaki's first single to be produced with another producer instead of a sole production by Matsuura.{{cite AV media notes |title=Feel the Love/Merry-Go-Round|others=Ayumi Hamasaki|first=Ayumi|last=Hamasaki|year=2013|type=CD Single; Liner notes|publisher=Avex Trax|id=AVCD-48776|location=Japan}} Musically, "Merry-Go-Round" is an electronic dance song.{{cite news|author=CD Journal Staff|url=http://artist.cdjournal.com/d/feel-the-lovemerry-go-round/4113101778|title=Feel the Love/Merry-Go-Round – Ayumi Hamasaki|work=CD Journal|date=December 25, 2013|access-date=August 2, 2016|language=Japanese}} It was composed by Japanese musicians Jeb, Unico, alongside M-Flo, and featured backing vocals by Japanese vocalist Yuta Nakano; it also features synthesizers, acoustic and electric guitars, and keyboards in its instrumentation. "Merry-Go-Round" was one of the only tracks on Hamasaki's fifteenth studio album Colours to have been recorded in Japanese language, containing minor phrases in English.{{cite AV media notes |title=Colours|others=Ayumi Hamasaki|first=Ayumi|last=Hamasaki|year=2014|type=CD Album; Liner notes|publisher=Avex Trax|id=AVCD-38967|location=Japan}}

"Feel the Love"/"Merry-Go-Round" was released in six different formats on December 25, 2013 by Avex Trax, Avex Taiwan, and Avex Entertainment Inc. worldwide, and served as the lead single and double A-side release from her album Colours. The CD release featured the two original recordings and the original instrumental versions, plus a remix for "Feel the Love" by DJ Hello Kitty and Blasterjaxx. The CD and DVD format incorporated the same track list, but also included the video clips to "Feel the Love" and "Merry-Go-Round".{{cite AV media notes |title=Feel the Love/Merry-Go-Round|others=Ayumi Hamasaki|first=Ayumi|last=Hamasaki|year=2013|type=CD and DVD Single; Liner notes|publisher=Avex Trax|id=AVCD-48775/B|location=Japan}} A limited edition CD and DVD format was distributed through Hamasaki's fan club website TeamAyu, and included the same track list on both discs alongside a bonus interview with Hamasaki on the latter DVD disc.{{cite AV media notes |title=Feel the Love/Merry-Go-Round|others=Ayumi Hamasaki|first=Ayumi|last=Hamasaki|year=2013|type=TeamAyu CD and DVD Single; Liner notes|publisher=Avex Trax|id=AVC1-48886/B|location=Japan}} The digital EP incorporates the same tracks.{{cite news|url=https://music.apple.com/jp/album/feel-the-love-merry-go-round/771754141|title=Feel the Love/Merry-Go-Round – EP – by Ayumi Hamasaki|publisher=iTunes Store (Japan)|date=December 25, 2013|access-date=August 5, 2016}} To promote the single's release date on Christmas Day and during Hamasaki's Countdown live tour for New Year's Day in 2014, Avex Trax distributed three music cards featuring the same content; the first was a promotional shot from the single's photoshoot, whilst the latter two celebrated Christmas and New Years with her signature AyuPan character design.{{cite AV media notes |title=Feel the Love/Merry-Go-Round|others=Ayumi Hamasaki|first=Ayumi|last=Hamasaki|year=2013|type=Music Card 1 Single; Liner notes|publisher=Avex Trax|id=AQZ1-76128|location=Japan}}{{cite AV media notes |title=Feel the Love/Merry-Go-Round|others=Ayumi Hamasaki|first=Ayumi|last=Hamasaki|year=2013|type=Music Card 2 Single; Liner notes|publisher=Avex Trax|id=AQZ1-76129|location=Japan}}{{cite AV media notes |title=Feel the Love/Merry-Go-Round|others=Ayumi Hamasaki|first=Ayumi|last=Hamasaki|year=2013|type=Music Card 3 Single; Liner notes|publisher=Avex Trax|id=AQZ1-76130|location=Japan}}

Upon its release, "Merry-Go-Round" received favorable reviews from music critics. A staff member of Japanese music magazine CD Journal complimented M-Flo's contribution towards the single, and praised the overall production of the track. Alongside this, a separate review for her album Colours selected it as one of the best tracks.{{cite news|author=CD Journal Staff|url=http://artist.cdjournal.com/d/colours/4114050881|title=Colours – Ayumi Hamasaki|work=CD Journal|date=July 2, 2014|access-date=August 2, 2016|language=Japanese}} Dato from KKbox.com was generally positive towards the composition by Tetsuya Komuro, but criticized the generic and "brainwashing" production for portraying an electronic sound. However, he selected it as one of his recommended tracks from the album.{{cite news|author=Dato|url=https://www.kkbox.com/tw/tc/column/reviews-46-1977-1.html|script-title=zh:等待濱崎步蛻變後的璀璨，聽【Colours 濱紛】|work=KKbox.com|date=August 12, 2014|access-date=August 2, 2016|language=Chinese}} Similarly, a member from Mojim.com praised the "charming" and "dance floor"-inspired production and commended its overall composition; the review also complimented Verbal's vocal performance.{{cite news|author=Mojim Staff|url=https://mojim.com/tw100408x73.htm|script-title=zh:Feel the love / Merry-go-round 日文|work=Mojim.com|date=December 25, 2013|access-date=August 2, 2016|language=Chinese}}

Charting together with "Feel the Love", the track underperformed in Japan. It debuted at number five on the Oricon Singles Chart, selling 30,385 units in its first week. It became her first single to miss the top spot since her recording "Daybreak" twelve years earlier, and one of her lowest first-week sales in her career.{{cite web|url=http://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/js/w/2014-01-06/|title=Oricon Singles Chart|work=Oricon Style|date=January 6, 2014|access-date=August 5, 2016|language=Japanese}}{{cite web|url=http://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/artist/246497/products/music/473136/1/|title=Ayumi Hamasaki – Daybreak|work=Oricon Style|date=March 6, 2003|access-date=August 5, 2016|language=Japanese|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120925191939/http://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/artist/246497/products/music/473136/1/|archive-date=September 25, 2012}} It fell to number 16 the following week, selling 4,704 units, and eventually lasted for six weeks on the chart. By the end of 2014, it sold 37,366 units.{{cite web|url=http://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/js/w/2014-01-13/|title=Oricon Singles Chart|work=Oricon Style|date=January 13, 2014|access-date=August 5, 2016|language=Japanese}}{{cite web | script-title=ja:オリコンランキング情報サービス「you大樹」 |trans-title=Oricon Ranking Information Service 'You Big Tree' | url=http://ranking.oricon.co.jp |language=Japanese | work=Oricon |url-access=subscription | access-date=May 21, 2014}} Both singles reached number seven on the Billboard Hot Singles Sales chart in Japan, and stayed there for three weeks.{{cite web|url=http://www.billboard-japan.com/charts/detail?a=sales&year=2014&month=01&day=13|title=Billboard Hot Single Sales Chart|work=Billboard|date=January 13, 2014|access-date=August 5, 2016|language=Japanese}}

Two music videos were shot for the single by Luis Hernandez and Satoru Yokoyama, respectively. Hernandez's version opens with busy streets and the dawn of Los Angeles, California. Hamasaki begins singing the song on top of a skyscraper, whilst several intercut scenes of people walking around Los Angeles during a time lapse are shown. She is then seen painting a picture of an unidentified man, who raps Verbal's part. It then shows intercut scenes of traffic, a carousel and couple standing near a bridge. Several parts of these scenes are revised throughout the entire video, which ends with Hamasaki again on top of the skyscraper.{{cite news|author=Hernandez, Luis (director)|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSt-r3SuLpI|title=Merry-Go-Round / Ayumi Hamasaki (short music video)|publisher=YouTube|date=December 9, 2013|access-date=August 6, 2016|language=Japanese}} For Yokoyama's video, only shots featuring Verbal were only filmed, alongside scenes of him walking through a city in Japan, and residing in a neon-lit club. Parts of Hernandez's version, with the scenes of Hamasaki painting a man and scenes of Los Angeles city and public, were removed in order to merge the first video and Verbal's appearance together.{{cite news|author=Yokoyama, Satoru (director)|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXYIs-QLipo|title=Merry-Go-Round / Ayumi Hamasaki (Appearance with Verbal version)|publisher=YouTube|date=June 24, 2013|access-date=August 6, 2016|language=Japanese}} This version premiered one week before the album's release on July 2, and was included on the DVD and Blu-Ray versions of Colours.{{cite AV media notes |title=Colours|others=Ayumi Hamasaki|first=Ayumi|last=Hamasaki|year=2014|type=CD and DVD Album; Liner notes|publisher=Avex Trax|id=AVCD-38965/B|location=Japan}}{{cite AV media notes |title=Colours|others=Ayumi Hamasaki|first=Ayumi|last=Hamasaki|year=2014|type=CD and Blu-Ray Album; Liner notes|publisher=Avex Trax|id=AVCD-38966/B|location=Japan}}

To promote the single, Hamasaki performed the track on her 2013–2014 A Countdown Live show at the Yoyogi National Gymnasium in Yoyogi Park, Tokyo. It was included on the track list for the live DVD, released on April 30, 2014.{{cite AV media notes |title=Countdown Live 2013-2014 A|others=Ayumi Hamasaki|first=Ayumi|last=Hamasaki|year=2014|type=Live DVD; Liner notes|publisher=Avex Trax|id=AVBD-92110|location=Japan}} On June 18, 2014, weeks prior to the release of Colours, Hamasaki released a non-stop megamix album entitled EDMA, which included the track and other songs from Colours.{{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/jp/album/edma-ep/888205209|title=EDMA – Album – by Ayumi Hamasaki|publisher=iTunes Store (Japan)|date=June 18, 2014|access-date=August 3, 2016}}

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• CD single

1. "Feel the Love" (Original mix) – 5:22
2. "Merry-Go-Round" (Original mix) – 5:09
3. "Feel the Love" (DJ Hello Kitty Remix) – 5:25
4. "Feel the Love" (Blasterjaxx Remix) – 5:30
5. "Feel the Love" (Original mix) [Instrumental] – 5:22
6. "Merry-Go-Round" (Original mix) [Instrumental] – 5:09

• CD and DVD single

1. "Feel the Love" (Original mix) – 5:22
2. "Merry-Go-Round" (Original mix) – 5:09
3. "Feel the Love" (DJ Hello Kitty Remix) – 5:25
4. "Feel the Love" (Blasterjaxx Remix) – 5:30
5. "Feel the Love" (Original mix) [Instrumental] – 5:22
6. "Merry-Go-Round" (Original mix) [Instrumental] – 5:09
7. "Feel the Love" (Music video)
8. "Merry-Go-Round" (Music video)

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• Music Cards

1. "Feel the Love" (Original mix) – 5:22
2. "Merry-Go-Round" (Original mix) – 5:09
3. "Feel the Love" (DJ Hello Kitty Remix) – 5:25
4. "Feel the Love" (Blasterjaxx Remix) – 5:30
5. "Feel the Love" (Original mix) [Instrumental] – 5:22
6. "Merry-Go-Round" (Original mix) [Instrumental] – 5:09

• Digital EP

1. "Feel the Love" (Original mix) – 5:22
2. "Merry-Go-Round" (Original mix) – 5:09
3. "Feel the Love" (DJ Hello Kitty Remix) – 5:25
4. "Feel the Love" (Blasterjaxx Remix) – 5:30
5. "Feel the Love" (Original mix) [Instrumental] – 5:22
6. "Merry-Go-Round" (Original mix) [Instrumental] – 5:09

• US digital single{{cite news|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/feel-love-merry-go-round-single/775752938|title=Feel the Love/Merry-Go-Round – Single – by Ayumi Hamasaki|publisher=iTunes Store (United States)|date=December 25, 2013|access-date=August 5, 2016}}

1. "Feel the Love" (Original mix) – 5:22
2. "Merry-Go-Round" (Original mix) – 5:09

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Credits adapted from the CD liner notes of "Feel the Love"/"Merry-Go-Round".

;Recording and management

• Recorded and mixed at Record Plant Studios, Los Angeles, California in 2013. Management by Avex Trax.

;Credits

• Ayumi Hamasaki – vocals, songwriting, backing vocals
• Yuta Nakano – backing vocals
• Mitsunori Ikeda – arrangement, programming
• Tachytelic – arrangement, programming
• Jaycen Joshua – mixing
• Jeb – composition
• Unico – composition
• M-Flo – composition, production
• Verbal – rapping, songwriting
• Gori Kumamoto – photography
• Max Matsuura – production
• Luis Hernandez – music video director
• Satoru Yokoyama – music video director

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{{reflist|2}}

• [http://www.avex.jp/ayu/discography/detail.php?id=1006202 "Feel the Love"/"Merry-Go-Round"] at Ayumi Hamasaki's official website. {{in lang|ja}}

{{Ayumi Hamasaki}}

{{Ayumi Hamasaki singles}}

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Category:2013 singles

Category:2013 songs

Category:Ayumi Hamasaki songs

Category:Avex Trax singles

Category:Songs written by Ayumi Hamasaki