Sit! Stay! Wait! Down!/Love Story

{{listen|filename=Love Story - Namie Amuro sample.ogg|left|title="Love Story"|pos=left|description="Love Story is a power ballad with lyrics containing themes of love and heartbreak.|format=Ogg|filename2=Sit!Stay!Wait!Down!.ogg|title2="Sit! Stay! Wait! Down!"|description2="Sit! Stay! Wait! Down!" is an upbeat R&B song that relates Amuro's lover to a dog.}}

This single was released approximately four months after Amuro's previous single "NAKED/Fight Together/Tempest".{{cite AV media notes |title=Naked / Fight Together / Tempest|others=Namie Amuro|first=Namie|last=Amuro|year=2011|type=CD Single; Liner notes|publisher=Avex Trax|id=AVCD-48139|location=Japan}} In addition to the two title tracks, two new songs were included as B-side tracks, making it her first single with four songs.{{cite AV media notes |title=Sit!Stay!Wait!Down! / Love Story|others=Namie Amuro|first=Namie|last=Amuro|year=2011|type=CD Single; Liner notes|publisher=Avex Trax|id=AVCD-48268|location=Japan}} This is also the first time since her 33rd single "Funky Town," released on April 4, 2007, that B-side songs have been included in one of her singles.{{cite AV media notes |title=Funky Town|others=Namie Amuro|first=Namie|last=Amuro|year=2007|type=CD Single; Liner notes|publisher=Avex Trax|id=AVCD-31216|location=Japan}}

"Sit! Stay! Wait! Down!" and "Arigatou" were written by Michico and co-produced by T.kura, "Love Story" was written by Tiger and produced by T-SK, Tesung Kim and Nervo, and Japanese record producer Nao'ymt produced and wrote "Higher". "Love Story" was used as a theme song for the dorama The Reason I Can't Find My Love.{{cite web|url=http://www.fujitv.co.jp/b_hp/wataren/index.html|title=The reason I can't find my love|language=Japanese|accessdate=January 11, 2012}} "Arigatou" was used as the jingle for Kosé's Esprique TV commercial.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zd5hiltBcF8|title=ESPRIQUE – エスプリーク ｜ 安室奈美恵 TVCF 30秒 ｜ 2011 Winter – arigatou篇|website=YouTube |accessdate=June 23, 2024}} On the release date of this song, a free download was also made available on Amuro's own official Facebook page for a limited time until April 2, 2012.{{cite web|url=https://natalie.mu/music/news/60876|title=安室奈美恵Facebookで新曲「arigatou」フリーDL開始|publisher=Natalie|date=December 7, 2011|access-date=June 23, 2024|language=ja}} "Higher" was performed on her Namie Amuro Live Style 2011 Japan arena tour.{{cite AV media notes|title=Namie Amuro Live Style 2011|others=Namie Amuro|date=2011|type=Live DVD|id=AVBD-91885}} It was also broadcast in some areas as the commercial jingle for Coca-Cola Japan's Coca-Cola Zero.{{Cite web |title=Coca-Cola Zero「Higher」篇 / 15秒 TV-CM |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmW4VTfvEoo |access-date=June 23, 2024 |website=youtube.com |language=ja}}

"Sit! Stay! Wait! Down!" is a fast-paced R&B number with a jack-in-the-box structure; the song lyrically relates a significant other to a dog. "Love Story" is a power ballad with lyrics that express gratitude to someone you loved but broke up with. "Higher" is a techno-infused number with a tense electronic sound and powerful vocals. "Arigatou" is a mellow ballad with ethereal string sounds and a soft melody; it expresses gratitude to those who helped with reconstruction efforts after the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.

"Sit! Stay! Wait! Down!/Love Story" received positive reviews from most music critics. David Cirone from J-Generation labelled the first single "sexy" and "tongue-in-cheek", while he commented on the latter single ""Love Story" are great ballads, featuring flawless and sincere vocals, just as memorable as some of the greats on Best Fiction." Cirone highlighted "Love Story" as a stand out from Uncontrolled.{{cite web|author=|first=|date=September 13, 2012|title=Namie Amuro – Uncontrolled (Review)|url=https://j-generation.com/2012/09/namie-amuro-uncontrolled-review/|accessdate=2020-06-12|website=J-Generation|publisher=}} CDJournal.com praised the first two singles for its composition, calling "Sit! Stay! Wait! Down!" full of tension and "humorous" and liking Amuro's painful and sad vocals on "Love Story". The website also commended the latter two tracks, labelling "Higher" "full of tension" and a "thrilling electropop song" while calling "Arigatou" "beautiful".{{cite web |url=http://artist.cdjournal.com/d/sit-stay-wait-downlove-story/4111100391 |title=Namie Amuro / Sit! Stay! Wait! Down!/Love Story |publisher=CDJournal.com |accessdate=June 30, 2015}}

However, Michael McCarthy from Otakudx.com had overall criticized the album's musical direction and lyrical content, but criticized the lyrics of "Sit! Stay! Wait! Down!" for its sexual innuendos and references to doggy style; he deemed it "ridiculous" and said "if a guy sang this song, talking to a girl like she was a dog, people would be outraged. But since Namie is a female we're supposed to take it as some brilliant role reversal or otherwise be turned on by it? Sorry, I just found it slightly disturbing and extremely boring."{{cite web |author=McCarthy, Michael |url=http://www.otakudx.com/musicreview/namie-amuro-uncontrolled |title=Namie Amuro – Uncontrolled (Review) |publisher=Otakudx.com |accessdate=June 30, 2015}} Random J from his online blog commended the first single's title for sounding "ridiculously cool and straight to the point." However, he pointed out the song's composition by stating "It sounds like shit we've all heard before and the chorus just sounds like a droned out mess until "Sit! Stay! Wait! Down!" gets chanted."{{cite web |author=Random J |url=http://randomjpop.blogspot.co.uk/2011/12/single-review-namie-amuro-sit-stay-wait.html |title=Single review: Namie Amuro – Sit! Stay! Wait! Down! / Love story |publisher=Random J Pop |accessdate=June 30, 2015}} He also praised the track "Higher" for its "high energy" and having a "stronger melody", but criticized "Love Story" and "Arigatou" for being boring. He awarded three stars out of ten, highlighting "Higher" as the best song but said the EP was one of her weakest singles in her career.

"Sit! Stay! Wait! Down!/Love Story" charted as a single on the Oricon Singles Chart and peaked at number three, selling 77,758 copies in its first week.{{cite web|author=Oricon Style Staff|url=http://www.geocities.jp/object_ori/111219.html|title=Oricon Singles Chart – Chart Week December 19, 2011|work=Oricon; published through Yahoo! GeoCities|date=December 19, 2011|access-date=May 25, 2024|language=ja|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190331131840/http://www.geocities.jp/object_ori/111219.html|archive-date=March 31, 2019|url-status=dead}} It dropped to number four the next week, selling 28,384 copies.{{cite web|author=Oricon Style Staff|url=http://www.geocities.jp/object_ori/111226.html|title=Oricon Singles Chart – Chart Week December 26, 2011|work=Oricon; published through Yahoo! GeoCities|date=December 26, 2011|access-date=May 25, 2024|language=ja|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190331132006/http://www.geocities.jp/object_ori/111226.html|archive-date=March 31, 2019|url-status=dead}} The single stayed in the top ten one last week, ranking at number five and selling 21,110 copies.{{cite web|author=Oricon Style Staff|url=http://www.geocities.jp/object_ori/120102.html|title=Oricon Singles Chart – Chart Week January 2, 2012|work=Oricon; published through Yahoo! GeoCities|date=January 2, 2012|access-date=May 25, 2024|language=ja|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190331131928/http://www.geocities.jp/object_ori/120102.html|archive-date=March 31, 2019|url-status=dead}} "Sit! Stay! Wait! Down!/Love Story" stayed in the singles charts for twenty weeks, becoming Amuro's longest charting single since "60s 70s 80s" in 2008 with twenty weeks.{{efn|group=upper-alpha|Although "Sit! Stay! Wait! Down!/Love Story" is recognized as an extended play with over four original songs and three additional instrumental tracks, it is registered as a single by Oricon.}} The single sold over 162,000 units in Japan, her highest selling single since "60s 70s 80s" and remains her highest inside the 2010s.{{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 |language=Japanese | work=Oricon |url-access=subscription | accessdate=May 21, 2014}}{{efn|group=upper-alpha|Sales provided by Oricon database and are rounded to the nearest thousand copies.}} "Sit! Stay! Wait! Down!/Love Story" was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) for exceeding 100,000 shipments in Japan.{{cite web|url=http://www.riaj.or.jp/data/others/gold/201112.html|title=ゴールド等認定作品一覧　2011年12月|publisher=Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ)|language=Japanese|accessdate=June 7, 2024|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120118091811/http://www.riaj.or.jp/data/others/gold/201112.html|archivedate=January 18, 2012}}

"Love Story" was made available as a ringtone on November 2, 2011, and together with "Sit! Stay! Wait! Down!," it was the first song in the history of Recochoku to top the charts for two consecutive weeks,{{cite web|url=https://natalie.mu/music/news/57824|title=安室奈美恵、新曲は14年9カ月ぶりの月9主題歌|publisher=Natalie|date=October 10, 2011|access-date=June 22, 2024|language=ja}}{{cite web|url=https://www.barks.jp/news/?id=1000075306|title=安室奈美恵、レコチョク史上初の着うた（R）ランキング2週連続1位2位独占|publisher=Bark News|date=December 2, 2011|access-date=June 22, 2024|language=ja}} and it was ranked first place in the single download charts for the following year.{{cite web|url=https://recochoku.jp/corporate/pdf/n_20121207.pdf|page=1 |title=レコチョク年間ランキング2012を発表|website=Recochoku|format=PDF|date=December 7, 2012|language=ja|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130116091309/https://recochoku.jp/corporate/pdf/n_20121207.pdf|archive-date=January 16, 2013|url-status=dead}} It also ranked first for the year in the ringtone song and ringtone movie categories.{{cite magazine |date=December 4, 2012 |title=安室奈美恵 人気バラードが3部門で年間1位に |url=https://www.billboard-japan.com/d_news/detail/8770|language=ja |magazine=Billboard |access-date=June 22, 2024}} "Love Story" was ranked number one for three consecutive months from December 2011 to February 2012 in the "LISMO Award Music Playback Ranking," which recognizes the most played songs on LISMO-compatible au mobile phones and smartphones that month. Amuro is the third to top the charts for three consecutive months in the history of the LISMO Award Music Playback Ranking.{{cite web|url=http://www.musicman-net.com/business/15902.html |script-title=ja:2月「LISMO Award」安室奈美恵「Love Story」が3連覇|publisher=musicman-net.com|access-date=June 22, 2024|language=ja|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120518042059/http://www.musicman-net.com/business/15902.html|archive-date=May 18, 2012}} "Love Story" is the biggest-selling song she has released in the 2010s.

Both "Sit! Stay! Wait! Down!" and "Love Story" charted individually on the Japan Hot 100 and the RIAJ Digital Track Chart. "Sit! Stay! Wait! Down!" peaked at number three on the Japan Hot 100 chart and sixteen on the Japan Hot Airplay Chart, while "Love Story" reached number two and seven respectively.{{cite web|url=http://www.billboard-japan.com/system/d_news/detail/7834|title=■安室奈美恵■ 両A面シングル「Sit! Stay! Wait! Down!/Love Story」が、リリースと共に2位、3位を独占！|archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/64W1b0NwX?url=http://www.billboard-japan.com/system/d_news/detail/7834|archivedate=January 7, 2012|date=December 14, 2011|work=Billboard Japan|publisher=Prometheus Global Media|language=Japanese|accessdate=January 7, 2011}} Both songs peaked at number one on the RIAJ Digital Track Chart, making Amuro the first artist to have both double a-side singles reach the top spot.{{cite web|url=http://www.riaj.or.jp/data/others/weekly_chart/2011s.html|script-title=ja:一般社団法人 日本レコード協会｜各種情報|format=Select 2011/11/14~2011/12/20 from the dropdown list and click Go.|language=Japanese|publisher=Recording Industry Association of Japan|accessdate=January 7, 2011}}{{cite web|url=http://www.riaj.or.jp/data/others/weekly_chart/2011s.html|script-title=ja:一般社団法人 日本レコード協会｜各種情報|format=Select 2011/11/30~2011/12/06 from the dropdown list and click Go.|language=Japanese|publisher=Recording Industry Association of Japan|accessdate=January 7, 2011}} "Sit! Stay! Wait! Down!" was certified platinum by RIAJ for digital sales of 250,000 units.{{cite web|url=http://www.riaj.or.jp/data/others/chart/w140228.html|title=レコード協会調べ　1月度有料音楽配信認定＜略称：1月度認定＞|publisher=Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ)|language=Japanese|accessdate=June 7, 2024|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140305015635/http://www.riaj.or.jp/data/others/chart/w140228.html|archivedate=March 5, 2014}} "Love Story" was certified million for cell phone ringtone and digital shipments of one million units; this tallied to total sales of 3.6 million units including the physical shipment.{{cite web|url=http://www.riaj.or.jp/data/others/chart/w131018.html|title=レコード協会調べ　9月度有料音楽配信認定＜略称：9月度認定＞|publisher=Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ)|language=Japanese|accessdate=June 7, 2024|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140326115659/http://www.riaj.or.jp/data/others/chart/w131018.html|archivedate=March 26, 2014}} "Love Story" became Amuro's first million-selling single since her 2007 single "Baby Don't Cry".{{cite web|url=http://www.riaj.or.jp/data/others/chart/w070620_3.html|title=レコード協会調べ　5月度有料音楽配信認定＜略称：5月度認定＞|publisher=Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ)|language=Japanese|accessdate=June 7, 2024|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070627101011/http://www.riaj.or.jp/data/others/chart/w070620_3.html|archivedate=June 27, 2007}}{{efn|group=upper-alpha|"Love Story" was certified million for both ringtone and digital downloads; her last singles to reach million status for each format was "Baby Don't Cry" (ringtone), "How to Be a Girl" (physical) and "Love Story" being her first single to sell over one million digital units.{{cite journal |title=GOLD ALBUM 他認定作品 1997年6月度 |trans-title=Gold Albums, and other certified works. June 1997 Edition |url=http://www.riaj.or.jp/issue/record/1997/199708.pdf | journal=The Record |type=Bulletin |language=Japanese |location=Chūō, Tokyo |publisher=Recording Industry Association of Japan |publication-date=August 10, 1997 |volume=454 |page=9 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131103051739/http://www.riaj.or.jp/issue/record/1997/199708.pdf |archivedate=November 3, 2013 |accessdate=April 27, 2014}}}}

"Love Story" received many forms of recognition: LISMO, an online music player provided by the cell phone company au, selected "Love Story" as the winner of LISMO Award; the karaoke company Daiichi Kosho announced that the song is the most popular Valentine's Day song for a female artist, along with Exile's "Lovers Again",{{cite news | url=http://www.japantoday.com/category/entertainment/view/songs-by-namie-amuro-exile-most-popular-for-valentines-day | title=Songs by Namie Amuro, EXILE most popular for Valentine's Day | date= February 10, 2012 | newspaper= Japan Today | accessdate= February 18, 2012}} while the song won "Song of the Year by Download" and second place for the Top 5 Downloaded songs at the annual 27th Japan Gold Disc Awards.{{cite news | url=https://www.riaj.or.jp/e/data/gdisc/2013.html | title=Japan Gold Disc Award 2013 | work=Recording Industry Association of Japan | accessdate= July 4, 2015}} On June 23, 2012, the video for "Love Story" won the "Best Female Video" award at the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards Japan; Amuro also won the "Best Collaboration Video" award for "Make It Happen" (a song from the best collaboration album Checkmate!).{{Cite news|url= https://www.rising-pro.jp/news/news_archives/1206251730_amuro.html |title = 安室奈美恵:"MTV VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN 2012"で2冠達成!|access-date=June 23, 2024|language=ja}}

"Love Story" received a music video and was directed by Kensuke Kawamura.{{cite web|url=http://www.spaceshowertv.com/search/detail.cgi?mu=0088196&ch=0|title=Love Story: ミュージックビデオサーチ|language=Japanese|publisher=Space Shower TV. Space Shower Network Ltd|accessdate=June 14, 2014|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714205820/http://www.spaceshowertv.com/search/detail.cgi?mu=0088196&ch=0|archivedate=July 14, 2014}} The video was shot in London and features scenes of Amuro walking down a street, sitting outside a café and inside a café.{{cite web|url=https://www.barks.jp/news/?id=1000075383|title=安室奈美恵、「Love Story」初披露ライヴで「月9も見てね！」と笑顔をみせる|publisher=Bark News|date=December 6, 2011|access-date=June 23, 2024|language=ja}} A teaser video was uploaded on Amuro's YouTube channel on March 18, 2012.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYb7dtMq7Sc|title=Love Story / Namie Amuro (安室奈美恵)|website=YouTube |accessdate=July 4, 2015}} The music video was featured on the DVD version of the single.

{{track listing

| total_length = 29:08

| headline =

| title1 = Sit! Stay! Wait! Down!

| note1 =

| lyrics1 = Michico

| music1 = T.kura, Michico

| length1 = 3:16

| title2 = Love Story

| note2 =

| lyrics2 = Tiger

| music2 = T-SK, Tesung Kim, Olivia Nervo, Miriam Nervo

| length2 = 4:45

| title3 = Higher

| note3 =

| lyrics3 = Nao'ymt

| music3 = Nao'ymt

| length3 = 4:29

| title4 = Arigatou

| note4 = thank the world for LOVE... gift song for 2011

| lyrics4 = Michico

| music4 = T.kura, Michico

| length4 = 4:14

| title5 = Sit! Stay! Wait! Down!

| note5 = Instrumental

| music5 = T.kura, Michico

| length5 = 3:15

| title6 = Love Story

| note6 = Instrumental

| music6 = T-SK, Tesung Kim, Olivia Nervo, Miriam Nervo

| length6 = 4:45

| title7 = Higher

| note7 = Instrumental

| music7 = Nao'ymt

| length7 = 4:27

}}

{{track listing

| headline = DVD

| title1 = Love Story

| note1 = Music video

}}

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{{Certification Table Entry |region=Japan |artist=安室 奈美恵 |title=Sit! Stay! Wait! Down!/Love Story |type=single |award=Gold |refname="RIAJ-dec2011"|certyear=2011|certmonth=12 |relyear=2011 |note=CD version.}}

{{Certification Table Entry |region=Japan |artist=安室 奈美恵 |title=Sit! Stay! Wait! Down! |type=single |award=Platinum |refname="RIAJ-jan2014digi" |certyear=2014|certmonth=1|digital=true|relyear=2011 |note=Sit! Stay! Wait! Down! (digital)}}

{{Certification Table Entry |region=Japan |artist=安室 奈美恵 |title=Love Story|type=single |award=Million |certref=|certyear=2014|certmonth=1|digital=true|relyear=2011 |note=Love Story (digital)}}

{{Certification Table Entry |region=Japan |artist=安室 奈美恵 |title=Love Story|type=ringtone |award=Million |refname="RIAJ-sep2013digi"|certyear=2013|certmonth=9 |relyear=2011 |note=Love Story (ringtone)}}

{{Certification Table Bottom}}

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{{Reflist|30em}}

{{Namie Amuro singles}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Sit! Stay! Wait! Down! Love Story}}

Category:2011 singles

Category:Songs in Japanese

Category:Namie Amuro songs

Category:Japanese television drama theme songs

Category:RIAJ Digital Track Chart number-one singles