Unknown Mother-Goose
{{Short description|2017 song by wowaka}}
{{unreliable sources|date=December 2024}}
{{Infobox single
| name = {{Nihongo|Unknown Mother-Goose|アンノウン・マザーグース}}
| cover = Wowaka - Unknown Mother Goose illustration.jpg
| caption = Illustration for the official music video, designed by wowaka.
| type = song
| language = Japanese
| released = {{Start date|2017|08|22}} (vocaloid)
{{Start date|2017|10|22}} (hitorie)
| studio = Studio Greenbird, Studio RLN, Studio Megane
| genre = * Japanese rock
| length = {{Duration|m=4|s=44}}
| label = U&R records (vocaloid)
Hinichijou Records, Sony Music Entertainment Japan (hitorie)
| producer = wowaka
| misc = {{Extra album cover|cover=Hitorie Unknown Mother-Goose.jpg|caption=Cover for hitorie's version of Unknown Mother-Goose.}}
}}
{{Nihongo|Unknown Mother-Goose|アンノウン・マザーグース}} is a song by vocaloid producer wowaka. It was released on August 22, 2017 and was wowaka's final vocaloid song before his passing in 2019. A cover version by his band, Hitorie, featuring his vocals was released 2 months later, on October 22, and was the lead single for their third mini album, Ai/SOlate.{{Cite web |date=30 October 2017 |title=ヒトリエ、"アンノウン・マザーグース"のセルフカバー含むミニアルバム発売－rockinon.com｜https://rockinon.com/news/detail/168928 |trans-title=Hitorie releases mini album including self-cover of “Unknown Mother Goose” |url=https://rockinon.com/news/detail/168928 |access-date=2025-01-08 |website=rockinon.com |language=ja}} The cover version is also included in Hitorie's fourth album, 4.
History
After releasing his debut studio album Unhappy Refrain, Wowaka fell into a six-month period of seclusion due to his anxiety about stagnating in the Vocaloid community and his frustration over the lack of recognition for his contributions. Realizing that only his own voice could save him from his impending breakdown, he decided to leave the Vocaloid scene and formed the band Hitorie to pursue a career in live music. Five years later, Wowaka received an invitation to contribute to Re:Start, a compilation album commemorating the 10th anniversary of Hatsune Miku. The person who reached out to him had previously supported Wowaka in many ways, and their passionate conversation during their meeting deeply moved him. After accepting the offer, Wowaka spent three months composing a new track, driven by the question, "What can I do with Hatsune Miku now?" Much like his earlier work Prism Cube from six years prior, Wowaka once again provided backing vocals for Hatsune Miku in this song.{{Cite web |title=初音ミクの10年～彼女が見せた新しい景色～｜wowaka（ヒトリエ）×DECO*27対談 ボカロシーンの牽引者たちが語る「あの頃、何が起こったのか」 - 音楽ナタリー 特集・インタビュー |url=https://natalie.mu/music/pp/wowaka_deco27 |access-date=2025-01-18 |website=音楽ナタリー |publisher=Natasha, Inc. |language=ja}}{{Cite news |title=wowaka (@wowaka) on X |url=https://twitter.com/wowaka/status/900747444283097089 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20241227220605/https://twitter.com/wowaka/status/900747444283097089 |archive-date=2024-12-27 |access-date=2025-01-18 |work=X (formerly Twitter) |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=HATSUNE MIKU 10th Anniversary Album 「Re:Start」 by Various Artists |url=https://genius.com/albums/Various-artists/Hatsune-miku-10th-anniversary-album-re-start |access-date=2025-01-18 |website=Genius |language=en}}
On April 1, 2023, the song reaches 10 million views on Niconico and included in VOCALOID Mythological Song.{{Cite web |date=2017-08-23 |title=wowaka『アンノウン・マザーグース』feat. 初音ミク (sm31791630) [動画記事] |url=https://dic.nicovideo.jp/v/sm31791630 |access-date=2025-01-18 |website=ニコニコ大百科 |language=ja}}{{Cite web |title=人気の「VOCALOID神話入り」動画 25本 |url=https://www.nicovideo.jp/tag/VOCALOID%E7%A5%9E%E8%A9%B1%E5%85%A5%E3%82%8A |access-date=2025-01-18 |website=ニコニコ動画 |language=en-us}}
On April 26, 2024, Hitorie performed the song on the YouTube channel THE FIRST TAKE.{{Cite web |date=26 April 2024 |title=ヒトリエが「THE FIRST TAKE」登場 故wowaka作詞作曲、初音ミクがコーチェラで歌唱した曲披露（コメントあり） |url=https://natalie.mu/music/news/571148 |access-date=2024-11-23 |website=Natalie |language=ja}}
Composition
The song runs for 3 minutes and 49 seconds, 222 BPM, and has a vocal range between F♯3 (mid1F♯) and C♯6 (hihiC♯), with the Hitorie version one octave lower.{{Cite web |last=vocal_range |date=2022-07-20 |title=『アンノウン・マザーグース』( ヒトリエ )の音域 - J-POP 音域の沼 |url=https://vocal-range.com/archives/post-7379.html |access-date=2025-04-11 |website=vocal-range.com |language=ja}} The song was composed by Wowaka, arranged by Hitorie, and used the Vocaloid vocal library "Hatsune Miku" to synthesize the main vocals, with Wowaka singing the harmonies. The Hitorie's version used Wowaka as the main vocals and Hatsune Miku as chorus vocals. This track embodies the characteristic fast tempo and high vocal range typical of the Vocaloid genre, while incorporating a trap music-inspired approach in its B-melody section. {{Cite web |title=【知りたい】wowakaの6年ぶりボカロ曲"アンノウン・マザーグース"までを貫く世界観とは？－rockinon.com｜https://rockinon.com/news/detail/166353 |url=https://rockinon.com/news/detail/166353 |access-date=2025-01-19 |website=rockinon.com |language=ja}}{{Cite web |author=リアルサウンド |date=2020-10-11 |title= |script-title=ja:ボカロ曲の流行の変遷と「ボカロっぽさ」についての考察（6）syudouと煮ル果実の功績、YouTube発ヒット曲の定着 |url=https://lp.p.pia.jp/shared/cnt-s/cnt-s-11-02_2_1e0598dd-19c8-4647-aaf8-b6842d37c7b5.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221120101114/https://lp.p.pia.jp/shared/cnt-s/cnt-s-11-02_2_1e0598dd-19c8-4647-aaf8-b6842d37c7b5.html |archive-date=2022-11-20 |access-date=2022-11-20 |website=ぴあ |language=ja}}
Release
The song is a part of Hatsune Miku's 10th anniversary compilation album Re:Start.{{Cite web |title=【知りたい】wowakaの6年ぶりボカロ曲"アンノウン・マザーグース"までを貫く世界観とは？ |url=https://rockinon.com/news/detail/166353 |access-date=2024-11-23 |website=rockinon.com |language=ja}} The music video for this song, which was released on August 22, 2017, is a still grayscale image with lyrics subtitles, drawn and produced by Wowaka. The pattern in this video is heart-shaped like Unhappy Refrain, but it is composed of fragments. A cover version by his band, Hitorie, featuring his vocals was released 2 months later, on October 22, and was the lead single for their third mini album, Ai/SOlate.
Charts
Personnel
Personnel list adapted from wowaka's official X (formerly Twitter) post and the song's music video description.{{Cite web |date=22 August 2017 |title=Post by wowaka |url=https://x.com/wowaka/status/899978371353911297/photo/1 |access-date=8 January 2025 |website=X(formerly Twitter)}}{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_CSdxSGfaA |title=wowaka 『アンノウン・マザーグース』feat. 初音ミク / wowaka - Unknown Mother-Goose (Official Video) ft. Hatsune Miku |date=2017-08-22 |last=ヒトリエ / wowaka |access-date=2025-01-08 |via=YouTube}}{{Div col|content=*wowaka – composition, lyrics, production, electric guitar, mixing, illustration & cover art, vocals (hitorie version), backing vocals (vocaloid version)
- Hatsune Miku (初音ミク) – vocals (vocaloid version), backing vocals (hitorie version)
- Shinoda (シノダ) – electric guitar
- ygarshy (イガラシ) – bass guitar
- Yumao (ゆまーお) – drums
- Shinjiro "Megane" Hirai (平井信二郎) – mixing, mastering}}Recorded at Studio Greenbird, Tokyo. Mixed at Studio RLN, mastered at Studio Megane, Fukuoka.