Lips (KAT-TUN song)

Infobox Single
Name = Lips


Artist = KAT-TUN
from Album = KAT-TUN III -Queen of Pirates-
A-side = Lips
B-side = Love
Message for You (first press edition only)
Released = February 26, 2008 (Japan)
Format = CD
Recorded = 2008
Genre = J-Pop, J-Rock
Length = 4:21
Label = J-One Records JACA-5082~5083 (CD & DVD Limited Edition) JACA-5084 (First Press Limited Edition) JACA-5085 (Regular Edition)
Writer = Axel-G, JOKER, Yukihide "YT" Takiyama
Last single = "Keep the faith" (2007)
This single = "LIPS"
(2008)
Next single = "DON'T U EVER STOP" (2008)
Misc =

"Lips" is the sixth single by Japanese boy band, KAT-TUN, and the third and last song to be commercially released from their third studio album, "KAT-TUN III -Queen of Pirates-". The single was released in three editions and as such, there are three different covers; the regular edition contains the title track, the B-side and its instrumental tracks, the first press edition came with a bonus track entitled "Message for You" and its instrumental version and the second limited edition was packaged with a DVD with the music video and a short film about the making of the PV. [http://wiki.theppn.org/Lips LIPS] , Wiki.theppn; retrieved on July 29, 2008.]

The single was released on February 26 2008 and became KAT-TUN's sixth consecutive number 1 single on the Oricon weekly singles charts.

ong information

"Lips" was written by Axel-G, who penned "She Said..." for the group's debut album. The music and arrangement was composed by Yukihide "YT" Takiyama whilst Koki Tanaka wrote his own rap verses under his pen name, JOKER. Described by co-lead vocalist Kazuya Kamenashi as the most intense hard rock song the group had ever done [Hey! Hey! Hey! Music Champ, February 4 2008 appearance and performance] , the song speaks of an obsession with a girl's "dyed red lips" and the difficult relationship they share. The lyrics go on to urge the girl not to take on all the blame for the couple's troubles and to not "let go of [his] hand". Though not present in the studio version, Kamenashi usually screams after he sings the introductory verse during live performances. The song is also the theme song for Kamenashi's television drama, "1 Pound no Fukuin", which aired on NTV. [http://wiki.d-addicts.com/1_Pound_no_Fukuin 1 Pound no Fukuin] , Wiki.d-addicts; retrieved on July 29, 2008.]

Promotion

KAT-TUN performed the song on television for the first time on their own variety show "Cartoon KAT-TUN" on January 12 2008. The group also sung on "Music Station" on February 1 and February 8 2008, Fuji TV's "Hey! Hey! Hey! Music Champ" on February 4 and on NTV's "Music Fighter" on February 8.

Chart performance

In its first week of release, "Lips" made its bow at number one on the Oricon singles chart knocking off Thelma Aoyama's "Soba ni Iru ne" from the top spot with 351,254 copies sold. It is the group's sixth consecutive chart-topper since their debut. The song spent 15 weeks on the chart and has reportedly sold over 421,902 copies to date. The song debuted at number 10 on the United World Chart before dropping to number 23 in the second week. [ [http://www.mediatraffic.de/tracks-week08-2008.htm week 08 / 2008 - February 23] , United World Chart; retrieved on September 27, 2008.] [ [http://www.mediatraffic.de/tracks-week09-2008.htm week 09 / 2008 - March 1] , United World Chart; retrieved on September 27, 2008.] It was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of Japan in February 2008. [(Japanese) [http://www.riaj.or.jp/data/others/gold/200802.html Recording Industry of Association: February 2008] ; retrieved on August 7, 2008.]

Track listings

* Normal Edition Track listingTracklist
writing_credits = yes
title1 = LIPS
writer1 = Axel-G, JOKER, Yukihide "YT" Takiyama
length1 = 4:21
title2 = LOVE
writer2 = Axel-G, JOKER, Erik Lidbom, Yukihide "YT" Takiyama
length2 = 3:15
title3 = LIPS (Instrumental)
writer3 =
length3 = 4:21
title4 = LOVE (Instrumental)
writer4 =
length4 = 3:15
* First Press edition track listingTracklist
writing_credits = yes
title1 = LIPS
writer1 = Axel-G, JOKER, Yukihide "YT" Takiyama
length1 = 4:21
title2 = LOVE
writer2 = Axel-G, JOKER, Erik Lidbom, Yukihide "YT" Takiyama
length2 = 3:15
title3 = MESSAGE FOR YOU
writer3 = soba, Erik Lidbom
length3 = 4:32
title4 = LIPS (Instrumental)
writer4 =
length4 = 4:21
title5 = LOVE (Instrumental)
writer5 =
length5 = 3:15
title6 = MESSAGE FOR YOU (Instrumental)
writer6 =
length6 = 4:32
* DVD track listTracklist
writing_credits = no
title1 = LIPS (music video)
length1 = 4:30
title2 = LIPS (making of PV)
length2 =

References