Moon (EP)

Moon (stylized as MOON) is the fortieth single released by Japanese singer-songwriter Koda Kumi. Much like her past summer single "Freaky" and "4 Hot Wave", Moon carried four songs. It charted at No. 2 on Oricon and stayed on the charts for nineteen weeks.[1] It was released in CD and CD+DVD editions, with the limited editions of both versions carrying an alternate rendition of "Moon Crying".[2]

"Moon"
Single by Koda Kumi featuring Fergie
from the album Trick
B-side"Lady Go!, Once Again"
ReleasedJune 11, 2008
Recorded2008
Genre
LabelRhythm Zone
Koda Kumi singles chronology
"Anytime"
(2008)		 "Moon"
(2008)		 "Taboo"
(2008)
Fergie singles chronology
"Labels or Love"
(2008)		 "That Ain't Cool"
(2008)		 "Just Stand Up!"
(2008)

Information

Moon is Japanese singer-songwriter Kumi Koda's fortieth single. It charted at No. 2 on the weekly Oricon Singles Charts and remained on the charts for nineteen weeks.

The single became Kumi's first to be released after the controversy in late January of that same year. On January 30, Kumi made an inflammatory statement on All Night Nippon when asked about whether or not she wanted her then-manager to have children, whereas her manager had just gotten married. She had responded, "When women turn 35, their amniotic fluid goes rotten, so I hope they have a child before then."[3][4] Her website had been shut down with a letter from Kumi posted on the page, apologizing for her remark. Due to the controversy, it was speculated that any following singles would not chart well, if she chose to continue releasing music.

Kumi had gone to say how the song's lyrics and overall tone were written as an apology and to reflect how much she had regretted the statement.

The single continued on with the theme of releasing a summer single with four songs, following "4 Hot Wave" (2006) and "Freaky" (2007). However, although the single carried four different musical tracks, it was only a double A-side with music videos only being released for "Moon Crying" and "That Ain't Cool".

For "Moon Crying", Kumi worked closely with musical composer h-wonder. The two had worked together several times in the past, beginning with her debut single Take Back in 2000.

"That Ain't Cool" featured American singer-songwriter Fergie from the hip hop/pop group Black Eyed Peas. Although both Kumi and Fergie were listed as the writers for the song, the song was mainly written by Fergie, who presented the song as a gift to Kumi upon meeting the artist.[5]

Moon is certified Gold by RIAJ for shipment of 100,000 copies. It is her last single to pass the 100,000 mark in Oricon sales to date. Moon Crying was certified triple platinum for 750,000 downloads in January 2014.[6]

Promotional Advertisements

"Moon Crying" was used as the theme song for the TV Asahi drama Puzzle (パズル / PAZURU).[7]

"Lady Go!" was used as the promotional song for KOSE's "Glamorous Hunter" under the Visée line.[8][9]

Packaging

Moon was released in both CD and CD+DVD, with limited editions of both.

  • CD: contains eight musical tracks.
  • CD [Limited Edition]: contains nine musical tracks.
  • CD+DVD: contains eight musical tracks, two music videos and two making videos.
  • CD+DVD [Limited Edition]: contains nine musical tracks, two music videos, two making videos and the "live version" of Moon Crying.

Limited editions contained an alternate piano arrangements of "Moon Crying" on the CD and a live version of "Moon Crying," which was performed on May 15, 2008, during her Kingdom tour performance at Yoyogi National Gymnasium.

Post Controversy and KODA REKI

"It’s scary to talk in front of people. It’s scary to stand on stage. I want to quit being Koda Kumi."

— Koda Kumi, KODA REKI

In KODA REKI, Kumi's published biography, she said how she still cries when she thinks about the comment on All Night Nippon and hurting "many Japanese women." She goes on to say how it was that moment in her career when she realized how immature and unprofessional she was, not realizing how many people listened to her words due to her fame. She admitted how she had cancelled several rehearsals for Kingdom's corresponding tour, Live Tour 2008 ~Kingdom~, due to the severe anxiety she would get when she believed that she would walk out onto the stage to perform, only to have an empty arena.[10]

Music videos

"Moon Crying" carried a very somber tone about missing a deceased loved one and not knowing how to move on. In the video, Kumi's departed lover comes to her as a spirit, trying to tell her it's okay to move on. She becomes angry, but ultimately accepts his death.

"That Ain't Cool feat. Fergie" was directed by music video director and choreographer Fatima Robinson and was shot in Atlanta, Georgia. It premiered on MTV Japan on May 29, 2008, and carried a theme of two women (played by Kumi and Fergie) finding out that their lovers had been cheating on them.

An "album version" was placed on Kumi's seventh studio album, Trick, and featured a complete story line with Kumi and Fergie seeking retribution on the man that had been dating both of them without either woman realizing.

Track listing
CD
No.TitleLyricsMusicArranger(s)Length
1."Moon Crying"Koda KumiMiwa Furuseh-wonder • Jun Abe5:45
2."That Ain't Cool feat. Fergie"Koda Kumi • Fergie • Keith HarrisKeith Harris 3:31
3."Once Again"PushimPUSHIM • Shunya MoriPUSHIM • Shunya Mori4:41
4."Lady Go!"Koda KumiKousuke MorimotoYusuke Tanaka4:54
5."Moon Crying" (Piano Version)Koda Kumi h-wonder • Jun Abe5:48
6."Moon Crying" (Instrumental) Miwa Furuseh-wonder • Jun Abe5:45
7."That Ain't Cool" (Instrumental) Koda Kumi • Fergie • Keith HarrisKeith Harris3:32
8."Once Again" (Instrumental) PUSHIM • Shunya MoriPUSHIM • Shunya Mori4:40
9."Lady Go!" (Instrumental) Kousuke MorimotoYusuke Tanaka4:52
DVD: Music videos
No.TitleLength
1."Moon Crying" (Music Video) 
2."That Ain't Cool feat. Fergie" (Music Video) 
3."Moon Crying" (Making Video) 
4."That Ain't Cool feat. Fergie" (Making Video) 
5."Moon Crying" (from 「Live Tour 2008 ～Kingdom～」 2008.5.15 @Yoyogi National Gymnasium) 

Alternate Versions

Moon Crying

  1. Moon Crying: Found on the single (2008) and corresponding album TRICK (2009)
  2. Moon Crying [Piano Version]: Found on the single (2008)
  3. Moon Crying [Instrumental]: Found on the single (2008)
  4. Moon Crying [GTS SH Club Mix]: Found on Koda Kumi Driving Hit's 3 (2011)

Lady Go!

  1. Lady Go!: Found on the single (2008)
  2. Lady Go! [Instrumental]: Found on the single (2008)
  3. Lady Go! [DJ KOMORI Remix]: Found on Koda Kumi Driving Hit's 6 (2014)

References
  1. "MOON / KODA KUMI / ORICON STYLE". Oricon. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
  2. "Moon (SINGLE+DVD)(Japan Version)". YesAsia. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
  3. "All Night Nippon". univasian.com (in Japanese). Archived from the original on February 5, 2013. Retrieved September 1, 2012.
  4. "Kumi Koda comment goes rotten". TokyoGraph. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
  5. "Customer Reviews – Moon (SINGLE+DVD)(Japan Version)". YesAsia. Retrieved September 15, 2016.
  6. レコード協会調べ　1月度有料音楽配信認定 [Record Association Investigation: January Digital Music Download Certifications]. RIAJ (in Japanese). February 28, 2014. Retrieved March 4, 2014.
  7. "KODA KUMI / MOON[DVD JACKET A]". Suruga. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
  8. "Kose Visee Fall 2008 Collection". Makeup for Life. Archived from the original on February 1, 2016. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
  9. "Pub Visee♫Lady Go♫". DailyMotion. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
  10. "Year 2008: I mustn't forget it". Koda Reki. Archived from the original on December 31, 2016. Retrieved June 13, 2016.
  11. "検索結果-ORICON STYLE アーティスト/CD検索". Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved November 1, 2010.
  12. ゴールド等認定作品一覧　2008年06月 (in Japanese). RIAJ. Retrieved November 1, 2010.
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