Please (Shizuka Kudo song)

"Please" is a song recorded by Japanese singer Shizuka Kudo. It was originally intended to be included on Kudo's sixth studio album, Mind Universe, but was dropped at the last minute. The song was released as a single by Pony Canyon shortly thereafter on May 15, 1991. It made its first album appearance on the compilation album Intimate.

"Please"
Single by Shizuka Kudo
Released	May 15, 1991
Genre	Pop
Length	4:17
Label	Pony Canyon
Songwriter(s)	Yoshiko Miura Tsugutoshi Gotō
Producer(s)	Tsugutoshi Gotō
Shizuka Kudo singles chronology
"Boya Boya Dekinai" (1991) "Please" (1991) "Metamorphose" (1991)
Audio sample
"Please" file help

Background

"Please" was written by Yoshiko Miura and Tsugutoshi Gotō, who also produced the track, marking the first collaboration between Miura and Kudo on a single since "Arashi no Sugao".[1] Lyrically, it involves a protagonist pleading with her lover not to end their relationship yet. Gotō was praised for contributing the "freaky" opening bass solo and for arranging the song and Kudo's vocals, which features sections of scat singing, with unison.[2]

Chart performance

"Please" debuted at number-one on the Oricon Singles Chart with 82,000 copies sold in its first week, becoming Kudo's first single to top the chart since "Watashi ni Tsuite".[3] It charted in the top 100 for a total of 14 weeks and was ranked number 83 on the year-end Oricon Singles Chart, selling a reported total of 191,000 copies.[4]

Track listing

All music is composed by Tsugutoshi Gotō.

No.	Title	Lyrics	Arranger(s)	Length
1.	"Please"	Yoshiko Miura	Gotō	4:17
2.	"Manatsu no Shinkirō" (真夏の蜃気楼, "A Midsummer Mirage")	Aeri	Gotō	4:48
Total length:				9:05

Charts

Chart (1991)	Peak position
Japan Weekly Singles (Oricon)[5]	1
Japan Monthly Singles (Oricon)[6]	12
Japan Yearly Singles (Oricon)[4]	83

Certification

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Japan (RIAJ)[7]	Gold	200,000*[7]

References

1. "Please 工藤静香 歌詞情報 - うたまっぷ 歌詞無料検索". Utamap. Retrieved December 16, 2017.
2. "工藤静香 / 工藤静香ベスト". CDJournal. Retrieved December 16, 2017.
3. "1991年5月27日付 CDシングル/アルバムランキング". Retrieved December 16, 2017.
4. "オリコン 1991年TOP100". Archived from the original on November 15, 2017. Retrieved December 16, 2017.
5. "Please 工藤静香". Oricon. Retrieved December 16, 2017.
6. "オリコン(oricon)「1991年05月」の月間シングルCDランキング". Retrieved January 18, 2018.
7. ゴールドディスク認定 [Gold Disc Certifications] (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. May 1991. Retrieved December 18, 2017. Select 1991年5月 on the drop-down menu