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I Have Never Seen

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"I Have Never Seen" is the twelfth single by Japanese singer Namie Amuro. It was released by Avex Trax on December 23, 1998, as the lead single to her fourth studio album Genius 2000 (2000). The song was written and composed solely by Tetsuya Komuro. It was the first single released after Amuro's return from her yearlong maternity leave, and was released approximately one week before her well-publicized official comeback at the 49th NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen. Musically, the song is a melancholic power ballad.

"I Have Never Seen"
CD and streaming cover
Single by Namie Amuro
from the album Genius 2000
ReleasedDecember 23, 1998
Recorded1998
StudioTrue Kiss Disc
The Hit Factory
Audio Resource
Genre
Length4:46
LabelAvex Trax
Songwriter(s)Tetsuya Komuro
Producer(s)Tetsuya Komuro
Namie Amuro singles chronology
"Dreaming I Was Dreaming"
(1997) 		"I Have Never Seen"
(1998) 		"Respect the Power of Love"
(1999)

Music critics gave the song favorable reviews, praising Amuro's mellow vocals with some praising it as one of Amuro's best works. "I Have Never Seen" was a commercial success, becoming her ninth number one single on the Oricon Singles Chart, and was her last until 2008's "60s 70s 80s". It earned a double platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) for selling over 800,000 copies nationwide.

Masashi Mutō directed the music video for the single, which appeared on her video albums Filmography (2001) and Best Clips (2002). The song also served as the theme song of the dorama Yonige-ya Honpo, which aired on the channel Nippon TV. The song has been reworked and re-recorded for Amuro's second greatest hits album, Love Enhanced Single Collection, released in 2002, as well as her final greatest hits album, Finally (2017).

Background and composition

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"I Have Never Seen"
A 24-second sample of "I Have Never Seen" (Single Mix)
Problems playing this file? See media help.

On October 22, 1997, Amuro announced that she had married Masaharu "Sam" Maruyama, a member of the group TRF, and was three months pregnant. She also said she planned to take a one-year hiatus in order to focus on starting a family.[1][2] In the meantime, two releases were made: a re-issue of her "Can You Celebrate?" single,[3] and her first greatest hits album, entitled 181920.[4] On May 19, 1998, her son was born at Maruyama Memorial General Hospital in Saitama.[5]

In September 1998, Komuro received an order to produce a song, and at first he had in mind a flashy and glamorous song, but he took into account both Amuro's positions as "a private wife and mother" and "Amuro as a singer." Because she was expected to express "huge love as a mother," she was the first to express sad themes such as "broken heart," and as Komuro said, the production was as difficult as "putting her through the eye of a needle." He spent the next three months struggling with the concept, and at one point thought about running away,[6] but he spent two weeks in Hawaii working on it so that the sound would not lean toward the Japanese market. The song's lyrics were written on the plane to Narita. Komuro said, "The title includes the meaning of 'experiencing things that ordinary people have never experienced'" and "it has the feeling of a journey."[7] Musically, it is a mellow power ballad track with a melancholic melody that speaks about experiencing things that ordinary people have never experienced.[8][9][10][11] "I Have Never Seen" was released one week before her comeback at the 49th NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen.[12]

Release and promotion

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Avex Trax released "I Have Never Seen" on December 23, 1998, as the lead single from Genius 2000.[13] It was released as a mini CD single with a remix by Urban Soul.[13] The standard CD was released in Hong Kong and Taiwan.[14][15]

Masashi Mutō directed a music video showcasing Amuro preparing herself in a dressing room with several people. "I Have Never Seen" was used as the ending theme to the Nippon TV dorama, Yonige-ya Honpo (KIKU translation given as Flight By Night when it aired in Hawaii.)[16] Maki Goto sang this song for an audition before becoming a part of Morning Musume.

Reception

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Music critics gave "I Have Never Seen" positive reviews. AllMusic cited the song as a standout from Amuro's discography.[17] Animefringe writer Diana Kou ousted the song as one of the album's highlights, comparing it to Tomomi Kahala and praising amuro's soft vocals.[8] The song's inclusion in Love Enhanced Single Collection was praised for its subdued, whispering vocals, accompanied by a shimmering sound.[11]

Commercial performance

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"I Have Never Seen" debuted at number one on the Oricon Singles Chart, with 333,210 copies sold in its first week,[18] making it Amuro's ninth chart-topper. The single slid to number two the following week, selling 77,930 copies.[19] On its third week it dropped to number four on the chart, selling 85,570 copies.[20] "I Have Never Seen" ranked in the top ten for five weeks and ranked in the top 100 of the chart for thirteen weeks,[21] selling a reported total of 772,130 copies. "I Have Never Seen" ranked at number 29 on the year-end Oricon Singles Chart for 1999, with 657,250 copies sold throughout the fiscal year.[22] The single was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) for 800,000 copies shipped to stores.[23]

Track listing

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  1. "I Have Never Seen (Single Mix)" (Tetsuya Komuro) – 4:46
  2. "I Have Never Seen (With Her Soul Mix)" (Remixed by Urban Soul) – 5:34
  3. "I Have Never Seen (Instrumental)" (Tetsuya Komuro) – 4:43

Personnel

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  • Namie Amuro – vocals
  • Kazuhiro Matsuo – guitar
  • Yuko Kawai – background vocals
  • David Lawson – background vocals
  • Minako Obata – background vocals
  • Kenji Sano – background vocals

Production

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  • Producer – Tetsuya Komuro
  • Arrangement – Tetsuya Komuro
  • Mixing – Ken Kessie
  • Remixing – Urban Soul

Charts

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Certification and sales

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
Japan (RIAJ)[27] 2× Platinum 772,130[26]

References

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  1. ^ Kashiwase, Haruna (July 2002). "Shotgun Weddings a Sign of the Times in Japan". Population Reference Bureau. Retrieved April 27, 2016.[permanent dead link‍]
  2. ^ Seno, Alexandra A. (November 7, 1997). "Lightning Strikes Once". AsiaWeek. Archived from the original on March 13, 2006. Retrieved September 3, 2009.
  3. ^ Amuro, Namie (1997). CAN YOU CELEBRATE? (Liner notes). Namie Amuro. Japan: Avex Trax, Avex Taiwan. AVCD-30041.
  4. ^ 181920 (CD Album). Namie Amuro. 1998. AVCD-11624.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  5. ^ Japan Times Staff (August 4, 2002). "Can you celebrate? Not yet, Amuro-chan". The Japan Times. Archived from the original on October 18, 2012. Retrieved April 27, 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  6. ^ Chikada, Haruo (2001). 考えるヒット 2. Bungeishunjū. ISBN 9784167107093. pages 353-354
  7. ^ Nikkei Entertainment! February 1999 issue, p. 122.
  8. ^ a b Kou, Diana (June 2000). "Namie Amuro - Genius 2000". ANIMEfringe. p. 14. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
  9. ^ "Namie Amuro / Genius 2000". CDJournal (in Japanese). Japan. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
  10. ^ "Namie Amuro / Something 'Bout the Kiss". CDJournal (in Japanese). Japan. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
  11. ^ a b "Namie Amuro / Love Enhanced Single Collection". CDJournal (in Japanese). Japan. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
  12. ^ "安室奈美恵　NHKが狙う「最後の紅白」と「視聴率60％」". news-postseven.com (in Japanese). September 25, 2017. Retrieved November 18, 2023.
  13. ^ a b Amuro, Namie (1998). I Have Never Seen (CD: liner notes). Japan: Avex Trax. AVDD-20301.
  14. ^ Amuro, Namie (1998). I Have Never Seen (CD: liner notes). Hong Kong: Avex Trax. AVTCDS-154.
  15. ^ Amuro, Namie (1998). I Have Never Seen (CD: liner notes). Taiwan: Avex Trax. AVJSG40001.
  16. ^ "Flight by Night program page". Archived from the original on October 24, 2007. Retrieved 2007-10-09.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link). KIKU-TV. Retrieved March 27, 2009
  17. ^ "Namie Amuro Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More". AllMusic. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
  18. ^ "オリコン 1999.1.11". Archived from the original on March 31, 2019. Retrieved February 24, 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  19. ^ "オリコン 1999.1.18". Archived from the original on March 31, 2019. Retrieved February 24, 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  20. ^ "オリコン 1999.1.25". Archived from the original on March 31, 2019. Retrieved February 24, 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  21. ^ a b "I HAVE NEVER SEEN 安室奈美恵". Oricon. Retrieved February 24, 2018.
  22. ^ a b "Orikon 1999-nen TOP100" オリコン 1999年TOP100 [Oricon 1999 TOP 100]. Archived from the original on March 31, 2019. Retrieved February 24, 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  23. ^ "GOLD ALBUM 他認定作品 1999年1月度" [Gold Albums, and other certified works. January 1999 Edition] (PDF). The Record (Bulletin) (in Japanese). 472. Chūō, Tokyo: Recording Industry Association of Japan: 9. March 10, 1999. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 28, 2013. Retrieved January 23, 2014.
  24. ^ "Taiwan Top 10 Singles" (in Chinese). IFPI Taiwan. January 10, 1999. Archived from the original on December 22, 1999. Retrieved April 5, 2024.
  25. ^ "オリコン(oricon)「1999年01月」の月間シングルCDランキング". Retrieved November 18, 2023.
  26. ^ オリコンランキング情報サービス「you大樹」 [Oricon Ranking Information Service 'You Taiju']. Oricon. Retrieved February 23, 2024.
  27. ^ "Japanese single certifications – 安室奈美恵 – I HAVE NEVER SEEN" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Select 1999年01月 on the drop-down menu
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