Word (Sakanaction song)

Sakanaction was first formed in 2005 in Sapporo, Hokkaido. The band gained exposure in Hokkaido after winning the audition to perform as a newcomer artist at the Rising Sun Rock Festival in Otaru in August 2006, and after demos of their songs "Mikazuki Sunset" and "Shiranami Top Water" performed well on College Radio Japan Sapporo.{{cite web | url=http://www.oricon.co.jp/news/44829/full/ | title=北海道から全国区へ?新種バンド"サカナクション" | language=Japanese |publisher=Oricon |date=May 22, 2007 | accessdate=February 17, 2015}} The band were signed to major label Victor Entertainment, and released their debut album Go to the Future on May 7, 2007, through Victor's BabeStar Label. The album was primarily promoted with the song "Mikazuki Sunset",{{cite web | url=http://www.shift.jp.org/ja/archives/2008/01/sakanaction.html | title=サカナクション 音楽はアート。|author=Madoka Suzuki |publisher=Shift Japan |year=2008 | accessdate=February 19, 2015}} which was widely promoted on radio stations in Hokkaido in May.{{cite web | url=http://www.hotexpress.co.jp/news/070522_sakana/ | title=話題のバンド サカナクション 北海道FM局オンエア第1位！！ | publisher=Hot Express | language=Japanese | date=May 22, 2007 | accessdate=March 13, 2015 | archive-date=March 4, 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304053244/http://www.hotexpress.co.jp/news/070522_sakana/ | url-status=dead }} On Go to the Future and Night Fishing, Sakanaction based themselves in Sapporo, and recorded their albums there.{{cite web | url=http://www.babestar.net/sakanaction/ | title=サカナクション「NIGHT FISHING」2008.01.23 RELEASE | language=Japanese |publisher=Victor Entertainment |date=April 26, 2007 | accessdate=February 17, 2015 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080525074557/http://www.babestar.net/sakanaction/ |archivedate=May 25, 2008}}{{cite web | url=http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/kemurinokuni/49647122.html | title=ライブとレコーディング。 | language=Japanese |publisher=Ichiro Yamaguchi |date=September 30, 2007 | accessdate=February 17, 2015 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150217042230/http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/kemurinokuni/49647122.html |archivedate=February 17, 2015}}

Due to the response to the band's debut album Go to the Future, Sakanaction's A&R team pushed them to quickly follow this up with a second album.{{cite magazine | url=http://ro69.jp/feat/sakanaction_201109?p=2 | title=特集 サカナクション | language=Japanese | author=Shinji Hyogo | magazine=Rockin' On Japan | year=2011 | accessdate=February 17, 2015 | archive-date=February 17, 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150217175110/http://ro69.jp/feat/sakanaction_201109?p=2 | url-status=dead }} The majority of the songs present on the album were written specifically as an album, as opposed to the compilation-like nature of Go to the Future.{{cite web | url=http://www.sapporolife.com/entertainment/interview/sakanaction/index.asp | title=Artist Interview vol.018 サカナクション | language=Japanese |publisher=Sapporo Life |year=2008 | accessdate=February 21, 2015 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080208120012/http://www.sapporolife.com/entertainment/interview/sakanaction/index.asp |archivedate=February 8, 2008 }}{{cite web | url=http://eonet.jp/music/interview/index_080307.html | title=サカナクション インタビュー | language=Japanese | publisher=K-Opticom Corporation | date=March 7, 2008 | accessdate=February 19, 2015 | archive-date=February 20, 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150220073732/http://eonet.jp/music/interview/index_080307.html | url-status=dead }} The material for the album was created based on the response and criticism for their debut album, and the members realization that they should not be frightened to make bold changes.

The song "Word" was inspired by the pressure the band's A&R team and musical director.{{cite web | url=http://www.hmv.co.jp/en/news/article/802050130 | title=サカナクション 山口一郎『NIGHT FISHING』全曲解説！インタビュー「ワード」 | language=Japanese |publisher=HMV.co.jp |author=Takehiko Hosaka |date=February 8, 2008 | accessdate=February 19, 2015}} The band's vocalist and songwriter Ichiro Yamaguchi found this frustrating, especially during a period of writer's block. In the original version of the song when Yamaguchi was composing it on the guitar, he began with the lyric {{nihongo|kimi ga bokura o tameshiteru na|君が僕らを試してるな||"you are testing us"}}. This was later changed to {{nihongo|yoru ga bokura o tameshiteru na|夜が僕らを試してるな||"the night is testing us"}} in the final version as he felt "you" was too strong a lyric. Yamaguchi created "Word" in response to "Atarashii Sekai" - a song that expressed optimistic feelings of wanting to travel, when he remembered walking with a girl beside a river at night. On "Word" he revisited these memories, instead applying a realistic lens to the event. He wanted to create a song that would make a person cry if they heard it on a winter's night, which was an idea he struggled to actualize until he was inspired by creating the lyric yoru ga bokura o tameshiteru na.

When the song was first performed in concert, the band originally gave the song the temporary title {{nihongo|"Techno Word"|テクノワード|Tekuno Wādo}}, and was written as a song to give to former Judy and Mary vocalist Yuki, however plans did not come to fruition.{{cite web | url=http://www.tfm.co.jp/lock/sakana/index.php?blogid=4&archive=2015-2-12 | title=サカナクション初期3作品の再発、アナログ盤リリース | language=Japanese |author=Ichiro Yamaguchi |publisher=Tokyo FM |date=February 12, 2015 | accessdate=February 24, 2015 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150224090502/http://www.tfm.co.jp/lock/sakana/index.php?blogid=4&archive=2015-2-12 |archivedate=February 24, 2015}}{{cite web | url=http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/kemurinokuni/47632222.html | title=凡人でございます。 | language=Japanese |publisher=Ichiro Yamaguchi |date=June 14, 2007 | accessdate=February 17, 2015 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150217041615/http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/kemurinokuni/47632222.html |archivedate=February 17, 2015}}

On December 5, the songs "Word" and "Sample" were released as a two-track single to iTunes.{{cite web | url=http://www.babestar.net/babestar/-/Information/A020936.html | title=News | language=Japanese |publisher=Victor Entertainment | accessdate=February 17, 2015 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080119060845/http://www.babestar.net/babestar/-/Information/A020936.html |archivedate=January 19, 2008}} "Word" began to receive airplay in mid-January, peaking at number 41 on the Sapporo Hot 100 mixed airplay and sales chart.{{cite web |title=SAPPORO HOT 100 vol. 759 |url=http://www.fmnorth.co.jp/CHARTFILE/hot100_vol758.pdf|language=Japanese |location=Sapporo |publisher=FM North Wave |date=February 3, 2008 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150220054814/http://www.fmnorth.co.jp/CHARTFILE/hot100_vol758.pdf |archivedate=February 20, 2015 |accessdate=November 22, 2015}} This, however, was dwarfed by the success of "Sample", which reached number five on the same chart.{{cite web |title=SAPPORO HOT 100 vol. 759 |url=http://www.fmnorth.co.jp/CHARTFILE/hot100_vol759.pdf|language=Japanese |location=Sapporo |publisher=FM North Wave |date=February 10, 2008 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150220054647/http://www.fmnorth.co.jp/CHARTFILE/hot100_vol759.pdf |archivedate=February 20, 2015 |accessdate=February 20, 2015}} "Word" was used as the ending theme song for the NHK FM radio program Music Square.{{cite web | url=http://artist.cdjournal.com/d/night-fishing/4107110675 | title=サカナクション / NIGHT FISHING | language=Japanese |publisher=CDJournal | accessdate=February 19, 2015}} The song has been performed twice during Sakanaction's live tours: during the 2nd Album Tour 2008 Night Fishing Is Good tour,{{cite web | url=http://www.hmv.co.jp/en/news/article/805190140/ | title=サカナクションライブレポート | language=Japanese |publisher=HMV |date=May 19, 2008 | accessdate=November 22, 2015}} and once again during Sakanaquarium 2011 Zepp Alive.{{cite web | url=http://natalie.mu/music/news/52143 | title=サカナクション超満員Zeppをエンタメ空間に変えた一夜 | language=Japanese |publisher=Natalie |date=July 29, 2011 | accessdate=November 22, 2015}} Neither performance has been released by the band digitally or on a video album.

The music video for the song was directed by Hiroshi Kondō,{{cite web |url=http://www.spaceshowertv.com/search/detail.cgi?mu=0066092&ch=0 |title=サカナクション ワード |publisher=Space Shower |accessdate=January 22, 2014}} which was recorded in a studio in Tokyo on December 25.{{cite web | url=http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/kemurinokuni/51021498.html | title=空に沈む。 | language=Japanese |publisher=Ichiro Yamaguchi |date=December 26, 2007 | accessdate=February 17, 2015 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150217043457/http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/kemurinokuni/51021498.html |archivedate=February 17, 2015}}{{cite web | url=http://www.spaceshowertv.com/search/detail.cgi?mu=0066092&ch=0 | title=ワード | language=Japanese | publisher=Space Shower | accessdate=February 17, 2015}} Kondō had previously directed the video for Sakanaction's song "Shiranami Top Water" earlier in 2007.{{cite web |url=http://www.spaceshowertv.com/search/detail.cgi?mu=0060224&ch=0 |title=サカナクション 白波トップウォーター |publisher=Space Shower |accessdate=January 22, 2014}} It features Yamaguchi by himself in a studio, singing and dancing to the song against a projected back-drop of sky and water images. During the song's bass solo, the video changes to show footage of the band performing a concert together.

Atsushi Sasaki of Invitation thought highly of "Word"'s style, likening it to the works of Kenji Ozawa.{{cite journal |title=内と外から見る「J」時評 J-POP IN OUT |author=Atsushi Sasaki |author-link=:ja:佐々木敦 | journal=Invitation |language=Japanese |location=Shibuya, Tokyo |publisher=Pia Corporation |publication-date=January 24, 2008 |issue=March 2008 No. 60 |page=117}}

{{track listing

| headline = "Word" / "Sample" digital download

| all_writing = Ichiro Yamaguchi

| total_length = 9:13

| title1 = Word

| length1 = 4:32

| title2 = Sample

| note2 = {{nihongo2|サンプル}} Sanpuru

| length2 = 4:41

}}

Personnel details were sourced from Night Fishing's liner notes booklet.{{cite AV media notes |title=Night Fishing |others=Sakanaction |year=2008 |language=Japanese |publisher=Victor Entertainment |location=Tokyo, Japan}}

Sakanaction

{{div col}}

• All members – arrangement, production
• Keiichi Ejima – drums
• Motoharu Iwadera – guitar
• Ami Kusakari – bass guitar
• Emi Okazaki – keyboards
• Ichiro Yamaguchi – vocals, guitar, songwriting

{{div col end}}

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{{Sakanaction}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Word Sakanaction song}}

Category:2007 singles

Category:2007 songs

Category:Songs in Japanese

Category:Sakanaction songs

Category:Songs written by Ichiro Yamaguchi

Category:Victor Entertainment singles