Fly Away (Lead song)

"Fly Away" is Lead's third single and charted in the top ten on the Oricon Singles Chart, taking the number 10 slot for the week and remaining on the charts for seven consecutive weeks.{{cite web|url=http://www.oricon.co.jp:80/prof/artist/304509/ranking/cd_single|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140304161812/http://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/artist/304509/ranking/cd_single|archivedate=2014-03-04|title=ＬｅａｄのCDシングルランキング|accessdate=2017-10-04|work=Oricon Style|language=Japanese|url-status=live}} It became their longest charting single, only being met by their later single Get Wild Life.

"Fly Away" was released as a standard CD, not carrying a CD+DVD counterpart. The CD contained the title track, the b-side "Shining Day" and the corresponding instrumentals for both songs. The single came with one of five possible Lead trading cards, a specialized URL to download a wallpaper and a discount coupon for the 2003 film Boutaoshi!, of which all four members of Lead starred in.{{cite web|url=http://www.allcinema.net/prog/show_c.php?num_c=240829|title=棒たおし！|work=allcinema|accessdate=October 29, 2017}} While the music video was released for syndication to the public upon the single's release, it was not available for the public to purchase until their DVD/VHS release Lead Movies 1 in September of the same year.{{cite web|url=http://kakaku.com/item/D0051832101/|title=Lead MOVIES 1[PCBP-50910][DVD]|work=Kakaku|accessdate=September 18, 2017}}

Both "Fly Away" and "Shining Day" were written and composed by musical composer Yasushi Sasamoto. Yasushi had worked with Lead on their previous singles. The strings arrangement for the a-side was performed by Gen Ittetsu, who is best known for his works with famous Japanese soloist Gackt.{{cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/371046-Gen-Ittetsu|title=Gen Ittetsu Discography|work=Discogs|accessdate=October 29, 2017}} The rap portion of the song was written by KATSU.{{cite web |url= http://j-lyric.net/artist/a005a0e/l001c2e.html |title=Lead FLY AWAY lyrical information |work= J-Lyric |accessdate= October 29, 2017}}

This would be their last single released before their debut studio album Life On Da Beat on April 23, 2003.{{cite web |url= http://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/304509/products/508259/1/ |title= LIFE ON DA BEAT / Lead / Oricon News |work= Oricon |accessdate= September 18, 2017}}

To help promote the single, "Fly Away" was used as the theme song to the movie Boutaoshi!, which the members of Lead also starred in. It was also used as the opening theme for the Tokyo Broadcasting System Television series Count Down TV throughout the month of February.{{cite web|url=http://www.musictvprogram.com/cdtv2003.html|title=CDTV カウントダウン 2003年|work=Music TV|accessdate=October 29, 2017}}

"Fly Away" was utilized as the theme song to the movie Boutaoshi!. The members of Lead were featured in the film, playing different characters.

Boutaoshi! (棒たおし! / Pole Toppling!) is a 2003 Japanese film by director Tetsu Maeda, released on March 21, 2003. Based on the Japanese game bo-taoshi, a capture the flag-like game played during sports days, the film centers around Tsuguo Takayama (Shinya Tanuichi), who has a talent for the sport. The mischievous Isamu Hisanaga (Kyohei Kaneko) sees him and delves a plan to test his skills. Tsuguo is conned into joining the annual competition, but how he fares in an event is something else entirely.{{cite web|url=http://www.kinenote.com/main/public/cinema/detail.aspx?cinema_id=49426|title=棒たおし！ - 作品情報・映画レビュー|work=KINENOTE|accessdate=October 29, 2017}}

The film's screenplay was written by Minoru Matsumoto and directed by Tetsu Maeda. It featured artists from the Pony Canyon record label, including the members of Lead and Flame. Production committee members included those from Pony Canyon, Japan Skyway, Jesus Vision, Tokyo Theaters Company, Inc. and PAL Planning, with distribution being done by Tokyo Theater and PAL Planning.

Boutaoshi! was later released on DVD and VHS on August 20, 2003.{{cite web|url=http://www.yesasia.com/global/boutaoshi-japan-version/1002842345-0-0-0-en/info.html|title=Boutaoshi (Japan Version)|work=YesAsia|accessdate=October 29, 2017}}

• Shinya Tanuichi: Tsuguo Takayama
• Kyohei Kaneko: Isamu Hisanaga
• Akira Kagimoto: Atsushi Tabuchi
• Keita Furuya: Suzumi Manabu
• Hiroki Nakadoi: Toru Akasaka (Nakkan)
• Airi Taira: Sayuri Konno
• Miyuki Matsuda: Yuko Takayama
• Yukari Taki: Miki Takayama
• Tomokazu Miura: Kotaro Ishigaki
• Nanako Takushi: Nurse
• Yu Kitamura: MC
• Katsuya Kobayashi: Classmate

The music video for "Fly Away" was not included with the release of the single; however, it was given a physical release on their Lead Movies 1 compilation VHS and DVD on September 18, 2003.

The music video was shot in what appears to be a shipyard during sunset. Hiroki opens the video as each member is introduced before cutting to the four members break dancing. For the dance segments, the boys don two outfits: a red parka with black clothes and a white parka with white clothing. The rap break in the video utilized the wide-angle lens, which was predominant in late-90s and early-2000s rap and hip-hop music videos.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AaYGCyOtjwMC&q=rap+videos+wide+angle+lens&pg=PT93|title=Experiencing Music Videos: Aesthetics and Cultural Context|page=77|author=Carol Vernallis|date=September 5, 2004|isbn=9780231508452|accessdate=October 29, 2017}}

Lead's official YouTube uploaded the full video on their account on March 11, 2012.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03tKzlp30aA|title=【PV】FLY AWAY / Lead|work=Lead Official YouTube|date=March 11, 2012|accessdate=October 29, 2017}}

{{tracklist

| collapsed =

| headline = CD

| extra_column = Arranger(s)

| total_length = 17:33

| title1 = Fly Away

| note1 =

| lyrics1 = Yasushi Sasamoto • KATSU

| music1 = Yasushi Sasamoto • Gen Ittetsu (strings)

| extra1 = Yasushi Sasamoto

| length1 = 5:06

| title2 = Shining Day

| note2 =

| lyrics2 = Yasushi Sasamoto

| music2 = Yasushi Sasamoto

| extra2 = Yasushi Sasamoto

| length2 = 3:42

| title3 = Fly Away

| note3 = Instrumental

| lyrics3 =

| music3 = Yasushi Sasamoto • Gen Ittetsu (strings)

| extra3 = Yasushi Sasamoto

| length3 = 5:04

| title4 = Shining Day

| note4 = Instrumental

| lyrics4 =

| music4 = Yasushi Sasamoto

| extra4 = Yasushi Sasamoto

| length4 = 3:41

}}

{{reflist|30em}}

• [http://lead.tv Lead Official Site]

{{Lead songs}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fly Away}}

Category:2003 singles

Category:2003 songs

Category:Pony Canyon singles

Category:J-pop songs

Category:Lead (band) songs