Carnation (song)

"Carnation" (Japanese: カーネーション, Hepburn: Kānēshon), also known by its French title L'œillet[1] ("The Carnation" in English), is a song by Japanese musician Ringo Sheena. It was released on November 2, 2011, two years after her previous solo single "Ariamaru Tomi" (2009), during a period where she primarily worked with her band Tokyo Jihen.[2] The song was the eponymous theme song for the morning Asadora drama Carnation, starring Machiko Ono.

For the Jam song of the same name, see The Gift (The Jam album).
"Carnation"
Single by Ringo Sheena
from the album Hi Izuru Tokoro
B-side
  • "Watashi no Aisuru Hito"
  • "Jinsei wa Omoidōri"
ReleasedOctober 21, 2011 (2011-10-21)
Recorded2011
GenreTorch song, waltz, pop
Length3:00
LabelEMI Music Japan
Songwriter(s)Ringo Sheena
Producer(s)Ringo Sheena
Ringo Sheena singles chronology
"Ariamaru Tomi"
(2009)		 "Carnation"
(2011)		 "Jiyū e Michizure"
(2012)

Background and development

In 2009, Sheena released the solo single "Ariamaru Tomi" and the album Sanmon Gossip after mostly focusing on her band, Tokyo Jihen. Since then, Tokyo Jihen released their fourth studio album, Sports, the single "Sora ga Natteiru" / "Onna no Ko wa Dare Demo" (2011) and their fifth studio album Dai Hakken (2011).

The project began when Shin Yasui, music supervisor for the film Sakuran that Sheena had worked together with, recommended her for the team working on Carnation.[3]

Writing and production

Originally, Sheena was asked to create an upbeat song for the drama. As the drama was set in Kansai, Sheena decided to similarly give the song a Kansai feel, and created the song "Jinsei wa Omoidōri." However, after reading the script and watching the stop-motion sequence Koichiro Tsujikawa created for the opening, she decided an entirely different song with a universal feel would be better suited. This led to the creation of "Carnation."[3]

When she first created the melody, she added a harp backing to the demo. This lead her to ask her frequent collaborator, conductor Neko Saito to work on the song as well.[3] The song was recorded with a 40-person orchestra, led by Saito and concert master Great Eida.[4] Even though she was asked as a soloist to create the theme song, Sheena wanted to include her band Tokyo Jihen in the process. Hence, Sheena invited the members to perform the backing tracks and instruments for the songs on the single.[3] Sheena had wanted the song to be released as a single by the band, however the staff involved with the drama specifically requested the song be under her solo stage name.[5] The lyrics were completed at the very end of the song creating process, after the song arrangement.[3]

The B-side "Jinsei wa Omoidōri," as it was a candidate song to be used in the drama, was inspired by fashion designer Ayako Koshino, the subject of Carnation. Sheena wrote the song about the strength of a mother.[3] The other B-side, "Watashi no Aisuru Hito," was a song Sheena had already thought of before working on the single. She added it to the single as she wanted "a different hook" to those of "Carnation" and "Jinsei wa Omoidōri."[3] "Watashi no Aisuru Hito" was recorded with a 34-person orchestra, and "Jinsei wa Omoidōri" with a team of 11 other than Tokyo Jihen.[4] The B-sides, like "Carnation," were also given French titles by Sheena. "Watashi no Aisuru Hito" became "Mon Amour" ("My Love"), while "Jinsei wa Omoidōri" became "Le monde est à moi" ("The World Is Mine").[1]

Promotion and release

The song was performed three times on television. The first was at Count Down TV on October 29, followed by Music Station on November 11.[6] At the 62nd NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen on December 31, 2011, Sheena performed "Carnation" in a medley with the Tokyo Jihen song "Onna no Ko wa Dare Demo,"[7] along with the other members of Tokyo Jihen.

The song was performed during Tokyo Jihen's 22 date tour Discovery, which was held between September and December in 2010. An instrumental of "Carnation" was performed during Tokyo Jihen's Bon Voyage farewell tour in 2012. During Sheena's Tōtaikai solo concerts in November 2013, Sheena performed the song again.[8]

Music video

The Yuichi Kodama-directed music video was first released on October 21, 2011.[6] It features a starry night motif, where an orchestra performs the song with Sheena. Her Tokyo Jihen band members also make an appearance in the video.[9]

Critical reception

Reception by critics was positive for "Carnation." Takahashi Tomokita from Rockin' On praised the song for its simple and pure melody.[10] CDJournal reviewers agreed, stating that three aspects, the song's "retro world view," Sheena's "whisper-like mysterious voice" and the "calm strings" came together to create a "beautiful waltz."[11] Haruna Takekawa from Hot Express enjoyed the "magnificent orchestra sound" and Sheena's vocals that had the ability to "change expressions" during the song.[12]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Ringo Sheena.

No.TitleArrangerLength
1."Carnation"Neko Saito3:00
2."Watashi no Aisuru Hito" (私の愛するひと, "My Love")Ringo Sheena3:01
3."Jinsei wa Omoidōri" (人生は思い通り, "Life Is How I Want It to Be")Neko Saito4:28
Total length:10:30

Personnel

Personnel details were sourced from "Carnation"'s liner notes booklet.[4]

Tokyo Jihen

Other performers

Technical and production

Chart rankings
Charts (2011) Peak
position
Japan Billboard Adult Contemporary Airplay[13] 9
Japan Billboard Japan Hot 100[14] 5
Japan Oricon weekly singles[15] 5
Japan RIAJ Digital Track Chart[16] 38

Sales and certifications
Chart Amount
Oricon physical sales[17] 35,000

Release history
Region Date Format Distributing Label Catalogue codes
Japan October 3, 2011 (2011-10-03)[18] Ringtone EMI Music Japan
October 21, 2011 (2011-10-21)[19] Cellphone download
France October 28, 2011 (2011-10-28)[20][21][22] Digital download
Germany
United Kingdom
Japan November 2, 2011 (2011-11-02)[2][23] CD, PC download TOCT-45045
Taiwan November 4, 2011 (2011-11-04)[24] CD Gold Typhoon I5245
Japan November 19, 2011 (2011-11-19)[25] Rental CD EMI Music Japan TOCT-45045
South Korea December 19, 2011 (2011-12-19)[26] Digital download Universal Music Korea

References
  1. "L' œillet / SHEENA RINGO". Kronekodow. Retrieved April 21, 2014.
  2. "カーネーション [Single, Maxi]". Amazon.co.jp. Retrieved April 21, 2014.
  3. 椎名林檎　『カーネーション』　オフィシャルインタビュー (in Japanese). EMI Music Japan. Archived from the original on December 6, 2011. Retrieved April 21, 2014.
  4. Carnation (Media notes) (in Japanese). Ringo Sheena. Tokyo, Japan: EMI Music Japan. 2011.CS1 maint: others (link)
  5. チャンネルガイド-東京事変オフィシャルブック- [Channel Guide: Tokyo Jihen Official Book] (in Japanese). Tokyo: Kronekodow. February 29, 2012. pp. 159–164. ISBN 4884182987.
  6. "事変メンバーも出演、椎名林檎新曲PVは壮大な宇宙演奏会" (in Japanese). Natalie. October 21, 2011. Retrieved April 21, 2014.
  7. ＜紅白本番＞椎名林檎、初めての紅白に「おじゃましております」 (in Japanese). MDPR. December 31, 2011. Retrieved April 21, 2014.
  8. 党大会　平成二十五年神山町大会 (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved April 10, 2014.
  9. "椎名林檎、ドラマ主題歌の新曲「カーネーション」MV視聴開始！" (in Japanese). EMI Music Japan. October 21, 2011. Archived from the original on November 9, 2011. Retrieved April 21, 2014.
  10. Takahashi Tomokita (November 5, 2011). 根源的三分間 (in Japanese). Rockin' On. Retrieved April 21, 2014.
  11. ミニ・レビュー (in Japanese). CDJournal. Retrieved April 21, 2014.
  12. Haruna Takekawa (November 5, 2011). "Archived copy" カーネーション (in Japanese). Hot Express. Archived from the original on April 22, 2014. Retrieved April 21, 2014.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  13. "Adult Contemporary Airplay 2011/11/14". Billboard (in Japanese). November 14, 2011. Retrieved January 27, 2014.
  14. "Japan Billboard Hot 100 2011/11/14". Billboard (in Japanese). November 14, 2011. Retrieved January 27, 2014.
  15. 「カーネーション」 椎名林檎 (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved April 21, 2014.
  16. "レコード協会調べ 2011年10月19日～2011年10月25日 ＜略称：レコ協チャート（「着うたフル(R)」）＞" [Record Association Investigation: October 19, 2011 to October 25, 2011 (For Short: Recokyō Chart (Chaku-uta Full))]. RIAJ (in Japanese). October 28, 2011. Archived from the original on May 7, 2012. Retrieved January 27, 2014.
  17. "オリコンランキング情報サービス「you大樹」" [Oricon Ranking Information Service 'You Big Tree']. Oricon. Retrieved April 21, 2014.
  18. 椎名林檎ドラマ主題歌の新曲「カーネーション」着うた®先行配信本日開始！ (in Japanese). EMI Music Japan. October 3, 2011. Archived from the original on November 9, 2011. Retrieved April 21, 2014.
  19. "ドラマ主題歌の新曲「カーネーション」着うたフル(R)先行配信中！" (in Japanese). EMI Music Japan. October 21, 2011. Archived from the original on November 9, 2011. Retrieved April 21, 2014.
  20. "carnation -L'?illet-" (in French). Amazon.fr. Retrieved April 21, 2014.
  21. "carnation -L'?illet-" (in German). Amazon.de. Archived from the original on April 21, 2014. Retrieved April 21, 2014.
  22. "carnation -L'?illet-". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved April 21, 2014.
  23. "ニューシングル『カーネーション』PC配信、モバイル映像配信開始！中！" (in Japanese). EMI Music Japan. November 2, 2011. Archived from the original on November 9, 2011. Retrieved April 21, 2014.
  24. 椎名林檎/ 康乃馨 (in Chinese). G-Music. Retrieved April 21, 2014.
  25. カーネーション (in Japanese). Tsutaya. Retrieved April 21, 2014.
  26. "Shena Ringo Carnation -Loeillet-" (in Korean). Bugs. Retrieved April 21, 2014.
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