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:Never Gonna Give You Up (Mai Kuraki song)

{{for multi|the song by Rick Astley|Never Gonna Give You Up||Never Gonna Give You Up (disambiguation)}}

{{short description|2000 single by Mai Kuraki}}

{{good article}}

{{Infobox song

| name = Never Gonna Give You Up

| cover = Gzca-1034.jpg

| alt = Kuraki posing from her right side.

| type = single

| artist = Mai Kuraki

| album = Delicious Way

| B-side = Trying to Find My Way

| released = {{start date|2000|6|7}}

| recorded = 1999–2000

| studio =

| venue =

| genre = R&B

| length = 4:01

| label = {{hlist|Giza Studio|Giza Inc.|Tent House}}

| writer = {{hlist|Mai Kuraki|Michael Africk}}

| producer = {{hlist|Kanonji| Michael Africk|Miguel Sá Pessoa|Perry Geyer}}

| prev_title = Secret of My Heart

| prev_year = 2000

| next_title = Simply Wonderful

| next_year = 2000

}}

"Never Gonna Give You Up" is a song recorded by Japanese singer Mai Kuraki. It was released on June 7, 2000, in Japan as a CD single and as a 12" vinyl by Giza Studio, Giza Inc., and Tent House as the fourth and final single from her debut studio album, Delicious Way (2000). The track features lyrics in Japanese and English language, written by Kuraki and Michael Africk, respectively. He also served as the single's composer, backing singer and producer, alongside Kanonji, Miguel Sá Pessoa, and Perry Geyer. The CD release of the track included the B-side recording "Trying to Find My Way". Musically, "Never Gonna Give You Up" is an R&B and pop song whose lyrics delve on themes of love and relationships, a common trait on its parent album.

Upon its release, "Never Gonna Give You Up" received a positive review from Alexey Eremenko, who contributed in writing the biography of Kuraki on American website AllMusic; he selected the track among Kuraki's best works. Commercially, the single experienced commercial success in Japan, reaching number two on the Oricon Singles Chart and the Count Down TV chart hosted by Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS). The recording was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) for physical shipments of 400,000 units in that region. In order to promote the single, an accompanying music video was released, with it portraying both Kuraki and Africk in a recording studio. The visual was included on some of the singer's Japanese concert tours and greatest hits compilations.

Background and release

The track features lyrics in Japanese and English language, written by Kuraki and Michael Africk, respectively. He also served as the single's composer, backing singer and producer, alongside Kanonji, Miguel Sá Pessoa, and Perry Geyer.{{cite AV media notes |title=Delicious Way|others=Mai Kuraki|first=Mai|last=Kuraki|year=2000|type=CD Album; Liner notes|publisher=Giza Studio|id=GZCA-1039|location=Japan}} "Never Gonna Give You Up" was one of three songs from Kuraki's debut studio album, Delicious Way (2000), to have not been entirely written by her, and was one of the first tracks recorded for the album. It was originally intended for the singer's debut in the American music market in 1999, but ended being scrapped; it was subsequently featured on the Kuraki's only English language album, Secret of My Heart (2002).{{cite AV media notes |title=Secret of My Heart|others=Mai Kuraki|first=Mai|last=Kuraki|year=2002|type=CD Album; Liner notes|publisher=Giza USA|id=2200100012|location=North America}} Musically, "Never Gonna Give You Up" is an R&B and pop song{{cite news|author=CD Journal Staff|url=http://artist.cdjournal.com/d/delicious-way/3200050761|title=Mai Kuraki – Delicious Way [CD]|work=CD Journal|date=June 28, 2000|access-date=July 15, 2016|language=ja}}{{cite news|author=Tomoyuki, Mori|url=https://www.amazon.co.jp/Delicious-Way-Mai-Kuraki/dp/B00004W9Z5|title=Mai Kuraki – Delicious Way [CD]|work=Amazon Japan|date=June 28, 2000|access-date=July 15, 2016|language=ja}} whose lyrics discuss on themes of love and relationships, a common trait on Delicious Way.{{cite AV media notes |title=Never Gonna Give You Up|others=Mai Kuraki|first=Mai|last=Kuraki|year=2000|type=CD Single; Liner notes|publisher=Giza Studio|id=GZCA-1034|location=Japan}}

The recording was made available for consumption as the fourth and final single from the album on June 7, 2000 in Japan as a CD single through Giza Studio. The physical release included the original album track, its instrumental and a remix produced by Me-ya under his alias It's Tonight, alongside B-side track "Trying to Find My Way". The instrumental of the remixed version was later featured on a 12" vinyl distributed by Tent House—a subsidiary label owned by Giza Studios—two days later.{{cite AV media notes |title=Never Gonna Give You Up|others=Mai Kuraki|first=Mai|last=Kuraki|year=2000|type=12" Vinyl; Liner notes|publisher=Trent House|id=TJR-003|location=Japan}} On November 12, 2014, "Never Gonna Give You Up" was re-released digitally in Japan through Amazon and iTunes Store.{{cite news|url=https://www.amazon.co.jp/Delicious-Way/dp/B00P8UJ7EC/ref=sr_1_1?s=dmusic&ie=UTF8&qid=1469513012&sr=1-1&keywords=Mai+Kuraki+Delicious+Way|title=Mai Kuraki – Never Gonna Give You Up|work=Amazon.com|date=November 12, 2014|access-date=July 26, 2016|language=ja}}{{efn|group=upper-alpha|"Never Gonna Give You Up" was digitally re-released in 2014 in conjunction with her compilation album, Mai Kuraki: Best 151A (Love and Hope), which was made available for consumption in the same year.{{cite AV media notes |title=Mai Kuraki: Best 151A (Love and Hope)|others=Mai Kuraki|first=Mai|last=Kuraki|year=2014|type=CD Compilation; Liner notes|publisher=Giza Studio|id=B00P8UI5KY|location=Japan}}}}

Reception

"Never Gonna Give You Up" received a positive review from Alexey Eremenko, who contributed in writing the biography of Kuraki on American website AllMusic; he selected the track among Kuraki's best works.{{cite news|author=Eremenko, Alexey|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/mai-kuraki-mn0000371093/songs|title=Mai Kuraki – Songs|work=AllMusic|date=June 28, 2000|access-date=July 15, 2016}} Commercially, the single experienced commercial success in Japan. It debuted at number two on the Oricon Singles Chart with first-week sales of 284,780 copies, being only stalled from the top position by Ayumi Hamasaki's "Seasons" (2000).{{cite news|url=http://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/230196/products/119880/1/|title=Mai Kuraki – Never Gonna Give You Up|work=Oricon Style|date=June 7, 2000|access-date=July 26, 2016|language=ja}} It spent seven weeks within the top 200. Likewise, "Never Gonna Give You Up" made its opening at the sophomore position of the Count Down TV chart hosted by Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS), where it stayed for another consecutive week.{{cite web|url=http://www.tbs.co.jp/cdtv/cddb/countdown20000617-j.html|title=CDTV PowerWeb! Ranking Singles Chart|work=Count Down TV; published through Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS)|date=June 17, 2000|access-date=July 26, 2016|language=ja|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060619221359/http://www.tbs.co.jp/cdtv/cddb/countdown20000617-j.html|archive-date=June 19, 2006 }} The recording was present in the chart for seven weeks.{{cite web|url=http://www.tbs.co.jp/cdtv/songdb/song4851-j.html|title=CDTV PowerWeb! Mai Kuraki – Never Gonna Give You Up|work=Count Down TV; published through Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS)|access-date=July 26, 2016|language=ja|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060624000121/http://www.tbs.co.jp/cdtv/songdb/song4851-j.html|archive-date=June 24, 2006 }}

By the end of 2000, "Never Gonna Give You Up" was ranked at number 58 on Oricon's year-end chart, having brought total sales of 434,000 units as her fourth entry there.{{cite news|url=http://www.musictvprogram.com/corner-ranking-2000.html|title=Oricon Yearly Chart – Singles, Albums, and DVD Releases of 20000|work=Music TV Program Japan|date=December 2000|access-date=July 16, 2016|language=ja}} Similarly, it reached number 59 on TBS's annual ranking chart.{{cite web|url=http://www.tbs.co.jp/cdtv/cddb/countdown2000total-j.html|title=CDTV PowerWeb! 2000 Annual Singles Chart|work=Count Down TV; published through Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS)|date=2000|access-date=July 26, 2016|language=ja|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060916021345/http://www.tbs.co.jp/cdtv/cddb/countdown2000total-j.html|archive-date=September 16, 2006 }} The single was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) for physical shipments of 400,000 units in that region.{{cite journal |title=GOLD ALBUM 他認定作品 2000年8月度 |trans-title=Gold Albums, and other certified works. August 2000 Edition |url=http://www.riaj.or.jp/issue/record/2000/200008.pdf | journal=The Record |type=Bulletin |language=ja |location=Chūō, Tokyo |publisher=Recording Industry Association of Japan |date=August 2000 |volume=489 |page=8 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140117092718/http://www.riaj.or.jp/issue/record/2000/200008.pdf|archive-date=January 17, 2014 |access-date=September 4, 2014}} As of July 2016, it is Kuraki's seventh best-selling single in Japan based on Oricon's sales data base.{{cite news|url=http://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/230196/rank/single/|title=Mai Kuraki's Single Rankings|work=Oricon Style|access-date=July 26, 2016|language=ja}}

Music video and promotion

In order to promote the single, an accompanying music video was released, with it featuring both Kuraki and Africk in a recording studio. The visual was included on Kuraki's video compilation First Cut (2002).{{cite AV media notes |title=First Cut|others=Mai Kuraki|first=Mai|last=Kuraki|year=2000|type=Video Compilation; Liner notes|publisher=Giza Studio|id=BMBD-7001|location=Japan}} During 2000 and 2001, the song was used for Japanese television MFTV's music show I'm a Music Freak.{{cite news|url=https://www.amazon.co.jp/Never-Gonna-Give-You-Up/dp/B00004UFX7/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1469512387&sr=1-1&keywords=Mai+Kuraki+Never+Gonna+Give+You+Up|title=Mai Kuraki – Never Gonna Give You Up|work=Amazon Japan|date=June 7, 2000|access-date=July 26, 2016|language=ja}} "Never Gonna Give You Up" has been performed on various concert tours conducted by Kuraki, including her 2001 Experience tour, her 2001 Loving You tour, her 5th Japan Anniversary tour, her 2007 Brilliant Cut tour, her 10th Anniversary tour, and her 2010 Happy Halloween tour in Japan.The list below includes the concert tours that featured "Never Gonna Give You Up";

  • {{cite AV media notes |title=Experience First Live Tour 2001|others=Mai Kuraki|first=Mai|last=Kuraki|year=2001|type=Live DVD; Liner notes|publisher=Giza Studio|id=BMVR-7002|location=Japan}}
  • {{cite AV media notes |title=Loving You: Tour 2002 Final 2.27 Yokohama Arena|others=Mai Kuraki|first=Mai|last=Kuraki|year=2002|type=Live DVD; Liner notes|publisher=Giza Studio|id=BMBD-7006|location=Japan}}
  • {{cite AV media notes |title=5th Anniversary Edition Grow, Step by Step|others=Mai Kuraki|first=Mai|last=Kuraki|year=2005|type=Live DVD; Liner notes|id=OMBD-7046|location=Japan}}
  • {{cite AV media notes |title=Brilliant Cut: Mai Kuraki Live & Document|others=Mai Kuraki|first=Mai|last=Kuraki|year=2007|type=Live DVD; Liner notes|id=VNBM-7001/4|location=Japan}}
  • {{cite AV media notes |title=10th Anniversary Mai Kuraki Live Tour|others=Mai Kuraki|first=Mai|last=Kuraki|year=2009|type=Live DVD; Liner notes|id=VNBM-7006/9|location=Japan}}
  • {{cite AV media notes |title=Happy Happy Halloween Live 2010|others=Mai Kuraki|first=Mai|last=Kuraki|year=2009|type=Live DVD; Liner notes|id=VNBM-7010/11|location=Japan}} The single has also been featured on several greatest hits compilation albums released by the singer, including Wish You the Best (2004),{{cite AV media notes |title=Wish You the Best|others=Mai Kuraki|first=Mai|last=Kuraki|year=2004|type=CD Compilation; Liner notes|publisher=Giza Studio|id=GZCA-5047|location=Japan}} All My Best (2009),{{cite AV media notes |title=Wish You the Best|others=Mai Kuraki|first=Mai|last=Kuraki|year=2004|type=CD Compilation; Liner notes|publisher=Giza Studio|id=VNCM-9009~10|location=Japan}} and Mai Kuraki: Best 151A (Love and Hope) (2014).

Track listing

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

  • CD single
  1. "Never Gonna Give You Up" – 4:01
  2. "Trying to Find My Way" – 3:33
  3. "Never Gonna Give You Up" (It's Tonight remix) – 5:04
  4. "Never Gonna Give You Up" (Instrumental) – 4:01

{{col-2}}

  • Digital download
  1. "Never Gonna Give You Up" – 4:01
  • 12" vinyl
  1. "Never Gonna Give You Up" – 4:01
  2. "Never Gonna Give You Up" (It's Tonight remix) – 5:04
  3. "Never Gonna Give You Up" (It's Tonight remix) [Instrumental] – 5:04

{{col-end}}

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the CD liner notes of "Never Gonna Give You Up".

Recording

Credits

  • Mai Kuraki – songwriting, vocals, background vocals
  • Michael Africk – songwriting, background vocals, composing, producing, keyboards, arranging
  • Miguel Sá Pessoa – composing, producing, arranging, keyboards
  • Perry Geyer – composing, arranging, producing
  • DJ Me-Ya – remixing (track {{Numero|3}})
  • Kanonji – producing, executive producing

Charts

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

=Weekly charts=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

!Chart (2000)

!Peak
position

scope="row"|Japan (Count Down TV)

| style="text-align:center;"|2

scope="row"|Japan (Oricon)

| style="text-align:center;"|2

{{col-2}}

=Yearly chart=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

!Chart (2000)

!Peak
position

scope="row"|Japan (Count Down TV)

| style="text-align:center;"|58

scope="row"|Japan (Oricon)

| style="text-align:center;"|59

{{col-end}}

Certification

{{Certification Table Top}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Japan (RIAJ)|award=Platinum|certref=|salesamount=434,250|salesref={{cite web | title=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 | work=Oricon |url-access=subscription | access-date=August 26, 2014}}|certyear=2000}}

{{table end}}

Release history

class="wikitable unsortable plainrowheaders"
scope="col"|Region

!scope="col"|Date

!scope="col"|Format

!scope="col"|Label

scope="row" rowspan="3"|Japan

|June 7, 2000

|CD single

|{{hlist|Giza Studio|Giza Inc.}}

June 9, 2000

|12" vinyl

|Tent House

November 12, 2014

|Digital download

|{{hlist|Giza Studio|Giza Inc.|Northern Music}}

Notes

{{notelist-ua}}

References

{{reflist|2}}

External links

  • [http://www.mai-kuraki.com/discography/04sg.html "Never Gonna Give You Up"] at Mai Kuraki's website. {{in lang|ja}}

{{Mai Kuraki}}

{{authority control}}

Category:2000 singles

Category:Mai Kuraki songs

Category:2000 songs

Category:Giza Studio singles

Category:B Zone singles

Category:Song recordings produced by Daiko Nagato