Final Distance

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

“Final Distance”
“Final Distance” cover
Single by Hikaru Utada
from the album Deep River
Released July 25, 2001
Format CD, Maxi Single
Recorded —
Genre Pop
Length 5:27
Label EMI Music Japan
Writer(s) Hikaru Utada
Producer Hikaru Utada
Hikaru Utada singles chronology
"Can You Keep a Secret?"
(2001)		 "Final Distance"
(2001)		 "traveling"
(2001)

"Final Distance" is Hikaru Utada's 8th Japanese-language single (10th overall) and the 1st single on her Deep River album. "Final Distance" is the first song that Hikaru Utada's ex-husband Kazuaki Kiriya filmed the music video to. This is also the first time that Hikaru Utada has worked with m-flo. The song debuted at #2 on the Oricon charts with 225,860 in its first week. It had a tie-in as the DoCoMo M-stage CM song.

Contents

[edit] Song history

"Distance" originally appeared in the Distance album, and was planned to be released as a single. However, Utada heard of a school stabbing rampage in which schoolgirl Rena Yamashita (山下玲奈) had died. Rena had previously won an essay competition; writing about how she wanted to become a singer just like Utada. Utada decided to change the song entirely, creating the song "Final Distance". The Japanese Ministry of Education decided to incorporate Hikaru Utada's ballad "Final Distance" in the high school music textbook starting spring semester 2001, which was announced on 8th of April. In order to pass the proposal, they needed 313 points. The proposal was passed with 319 points. They will be targeting high school students in their second year to test the new curriculum. According to the publisher of arts in education, the song was chosen because it is closely familiar with high school students.

[edit] Critical and commercial response

The single sold 582,000 units in Japan, making it #2 in Oricon charts. It charted for 13 weeks. The single was the #24 single of 2001 in Japan. This single, as well as "Hikari" and "Sakura Drops / Letters", strangely did not chart in the world charts airplay charts or sales charts.

[edit] Track listing

  1. Final Distance
  2. Distance (Planitb Remix)
  3. Distance (m-flo remix produced by Taku) (m-flo)
  4. Distance
  5. Distance (Original Karaoke)
  6. Final Distance (instrumental)

[edit] Charts

"Final Distance" - Oricon Sales Chart (Japan)

Release Chart Peak Position Sales Total Chart Run
July 25, 2001 Oricon Daily Singles Chart
July 25, 2001 Oricon Weekly Singles Chart #2 582,120 13
July 25, 2001 Oricon Yearly Singles Chart #24

[edit] External links

v • d • e
Hikaru Utada
Japanese studio albums
English studio albums
Compilations
Singles
Related articles
Languages