U.Be Love
{{Infobox album
| name = U.Be Love
| type = ep
| artist = Maki Ohguro
| cover = U.Be_Love_jacket.png
| alt =
| released = 10 November 1993
| recorded = 1992–1993
| venue =
| studio =
| length = 31:00
| label = B-Gram
| producer = Daiko Nagato
| prev_title = Da Da Da
| prev_year = 1993
| next_title = Eien no Yume ni Mukatte
| next_year = 1994
| misc = {{Singles
| name = U.Be Love
| type = ep
| single1 = Wakaremashō Watashi Kara Kiemashō Anata Kara
| single1date = 10 February 1993
| single2 = Harlem Night
| single2date = 28 July 1993
}}
}}
U.Be Love is the third studio album and second mini album by Japanese J-pop singer and songwriter Maki Ohguro. It was released on 10 November 1993 under B-Gram Records.
Background
Album consist of two previously released singles, Wakaremashō Watashi Kara Kiemashō Anata Kara and Harlem Night. The coupling song Kimi wo Aisareru Sono tame ni from single Chotto was included in this album as well. Blue Christmas is the first Christmas thematic song written and composed by Maki herself.{{cite web|title=大黒摩季 公式 WEB SITE|url=http://www.maki-ohguro.com/disco/|website=www.maki-ohguro.com|accessdate=27 December 2016}} It has become Nagato's final produce for Ohguro due to his temporarily retirement from the music industry on the same year.{{cite web|title=独占インタビューに成功！伝説の長戸大幸プロデューサーが語る坂井泉水の真実|url=https://entertainmentstation.jp/36195|website=entertainmentstation.jp|access-date=2019-12-21|archive-date=2016-12-04|archive-url=https://archive.today/20161204163330/https://entertainmentstation.jp/36195|url-status=dead}}
Promotion
=Singles=
Wakaremashō Watashi Kara Kiemashō Anata Kara is the fourth single released on 10 February 1993, on the same day as her second studio album Da Da Da. The single has become well known and memorable for its long title along with the B'z "Ai no mama ni Wagamama ni Boku wa Kimi dake o Kizutsukenai".{{cite web|title=日本で最も長いタイトルの楽曲は？|url=https://www.cdjournal.com/main/research/-/5788|website=cdjournal.com|accessdate=27 December 2016}}{{cite web|title=B'zに大黒摩季、槇原敬之も参戦！ 突如勃発したJ-POP「長い曲名戦争」|url=https://www.excite.co.jp/news/article/E1464846122460/|website=excite.co.jp|accessdate=27 December 2016}} The lyrics are based on her own experience with disappointed love relationship.{{cite book |last=Ohguro |first=Maki |date=1998 |title=Arigatou Nante Zettai Iwanai |trans-title=I won't say Thank you |language=Japanese |location=Japan |publisher=Shoudensha (祥伝社) |isbn=978-4-396610876}} It was used as a theme song to a short television-drama series "Neo Drama". The single debut at number 3 on the Oricon Single Weekly Charts and sold over 667k copies. On the 1993 yearly oricon charts, the single remained at number 42. It has been rewarded with the Double Platinum disc by RIAJ.
Harlem Night is the fifth single released on 28 July 1993. It was used as a theme song to the Fuji TV television program "Personal Watching Jab!". The single debut at number 3 on the Oricon Single Weekly Charts and sold over 400k copies. The single was rewarded with the Double Platinum disc by RIAJ.
Chart performance
The album reached No. 2 in its first week on the Oricon Album Weekly chart. The album sold overall 267,640 copies.{{cite web|title=U.Be Love {{!}} 大黒摩季|url=http://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/231947/products/47891/1/|website=ORICON STYLE|accessdate=27 December 2016|language=ja-JP}} In the 1993 Yearly Oricon Ranking Charts, the album stayed at number 59 and in 1994 Yearly Charts, the album stayed at number 62.
Track listing
All tracks arranged by Takeshi Hayama.
{{track listing
| collapsed =
| headline =
| all_music = Maki Ohguro
| all_lyrics = Maki Ohguro
| extra_column = Arrangers
| total_length = 30:41
| title1 = Delight
| length1 = 3:58
| title2 = U.Be Love
| length2 = 4:19
| title3 = {{nihongo|Are Kore Kangaetatte...|アレ・コレ考えたって…}}
| length3 = 3:17
| title4 = {{nihongo|Wakaremashō Watashi Kara Kiemashō Anata Kara|別れましょう私から消えましょうあなたから}}
| length4 = 5:03
| title5 = {{nihongo|Kimi ni Aisareru Sono Tame ni...|君に愛されるそのために}}
| length5 = 4:31
| title6 = Harlem Night
| length6 = 4:06
| title7 = Blue Christmas
| length7 = 5:24
}}
- Note: The track list is taken from the artists official website and production list of staff from the booklet of the album.{{Cite web|url=http://www.maki-ohguro.com/disco/bgch-1011.html|title=U.Be Love (大黒摩季) 1993|website=B Zone|access-date=January 21, 2024}}
Release history
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
! scope="col"| Year ! scope="col"| Format(s) ! scope="col"| Serial number ! scope="col"| Label(s) ! scope="col"| {{abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |
| 1993
| CD | TOCT-8185 | EMi Music Japan | - |
| 1994
| CD | BGCH-1011 | - |
| 2019
| digital download, streaming | - | B Zone |