Koe o Kikasete (Shizuka Kudo song)

"Koe o Kikasete" (声（こえ）を聴（き）かせて, lit. "Let Me Hear Your Voice") is a song recorded by Japanese singer Shizuka Kudo. It was released as a single through Pony Canyon on August 21, 1992. The song was featured on the AX television series Kyōshi Natsuyasumi Monogatari.[2] It made its first album appearance on the compilation album, Best of Ballade: Empathy, released later that same year.

"Koe o Kikasete"
Single by Shizuka Kudo
Released	August 21, 1992
Genre	Pop gospel[1]
Length	6:36
Label	Pony Canyon
Songwriter(s)	Gorō Matsui Tsugutoshi Gotō
Producer(s)	Tsugutoshi Gotō
Shizuka Kudo singles chronology
"Urahara" (1992) "Koe o Kikasete" (1992) "Dōkoku" (1993)
Audio sample
"Koe o Kikasete" file help

Background

"Koe o Kikasete" was written by Gorō Matsui and composed and produced by Tsugutoshi Gotō, marking the fourth consecutive single of Kudo to have resulted from a collaboration between the two. Lyrically, the song describes a narrator trying to persuade her listeners to overcome their fears and cowardice, imploring them to speak up and not "close your heart off anymore". The song is noted for its use of a gospel choir.[1] Kudo was praised for her presence on the record; she received acclaim for delivering vocals befitting of the genre with ease and critics noted that she was never drowned out by the "grand" backing orchestra of the Southern gospel-influenced track.[1] In 2017, during a retrospective talk show on Yahoo! Japan's GyaO, held in celebration of her 30th anniversary, Kudo stated that "Koe o Kikasete" is one of the few songs whose recording she approached with a conscious desire to make her voice appear bigger and bolder, to match the intensity of the song.[3]

Chart performance

The single debuted at number five on the Oricon Singles Chart, selling 61,000 copies in its first week.[4] It stayed in the top ten for the following two weeks.[5][6] The single hovered around the top 20 for the next six weeks before dropping to number 41 on its tenth charting week. It spent a total of 12 weeks in the top 100 and ranked at number 61 on the year-end Oricon Singles Chart.[7]

Track listing

All music is composed by Tsugutoshi Gotō.

No.	Title	Lyrics	Arranger(s)	Length
1.	"Koe o Kikasete" (声を聴かせて, "Let Me Hear Your Voice")	Gorō Matsui	Gotō	6:36
2.	"Minamikaze!! Fuku Mae ni..." (南風!!吹く前に…, "Before!! the Southern Wind Blows...")	Aeri	Gotō	4:28
3.	"Koe o Kikasete" (Original Karaoke)		Gotō	6:36
Total length:				17:41

Charts

Chart (1992)	Peak position
Japan Weekly Singles (Oricon)[8]	5
Japan Monthly Singles (Oricon)[9]	10
Japan Yearly Singles (Oricon)[7]	61

Certification

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Japan (RIAJ)[10]	Gold	200,000^^
^^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

1. "工藤静香 / ミレニアム・ベスト". CDJournal. Retrieved December 17, 2017.
2. "工藤静香「声を聴かせて」-『Shizuka Kudo 20th Anniversary the Best(通常盤)』収録". Recochoku. Retrieved December 17, 2017.
3. "「慟哭」明るく歌った工藤静香　「歌手、女として葛藤」". Asahi Shimbun. December 1, 2017. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
4. "1992年8月31日付 CDシングル/アルバムランキング". Retrieved December 17, 2017.
5. "1992年9月7日付 CDシングル/アルバムランキング". Retrieved December 17, 2017.
6. "1992年9月14日付 CDシングル/アルバムランキング". Retrieved December 17, 2017.
7. "オリコン 1992年TOP100". Retrieved December 17, 2017.
8. "声を聴かせて 工藤静香". Oricon. Retrieved December 17, 2017.
9. "オリコン(oricon)「1992年09月」の月間シングルCDランキング". Retrieved January 18, 2018.
10. "Japanese single certifications – 工藤 静香 – 声を聴かせて" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved February 2, 2021. Select 1992年9月 on the drop-down menu