Umi (song)

Umi (海 / Ocean) is the thirteenth single released by the Japanese hip-hop group Lead on July 18, 2007. The single failed to chart in the top twenty on the Oricon Singles Charts, reaching #27 for the weekly ranking and only remaining on the charts for two consecutive weeks.[1] Limited copies of the single housed one of five possible photographs.[2]

The single was only released as a limited CD+DVD combo pack.[3] The CD featured the title track with its corresponding instrumental, and the coupling tracks "Sora no Kanata e" (空の彼方へ / Beyond the Sky) and "Kimi wa Nanika ga Dekiru" (君は何かが出来る / You Can Do Something). The DVD harbored the music video for "Umi", along with the video's behind-the-scenes making.

"Umi" was written and composed by the Japanese rock band MJ.[4] The musical arrangement was done by Seiji Motoyama, who had worked with Lead with prior songs ("Summer Madness", "Drive Alive") and would continue to work with the group in the future.[5] "Sore no Kanata e" was written and composed by Japanese musical composer Gajin (Masato Nakamura), who has also worked with the likes of KinKi Kids and AKB48.[6] The music was performed by Seiji Motoyama, like the title track.[7] "Kimi wa Nanika ga Dekiru," originally by the Japanese band 99Harmony,[8] was composed by Toshiyuki Kimori and arranged by Akira Sasaki. The lyrical portion was written by Michio Yamagami.[9]

To help promote the single, both "Umi" and the coupling tracks, "Sora no Kanata e" and "Kimi wa Nanika ga Dekiru", had promotional tie-ins.

"Umi" was utilized as the ending theme to the Japanese television series We Have Muscle! (いただきマッスル! / Itadaki Massuru) throughout the month of July.[10]

"Kimi wa Nanika ga Dekiru" was the theme song to the film Captain, which was based on the manga of the same name.[11] The song was originally performed by the band 99Harmony for the anime adaptation, which aired in the 1980s.[12] "Sora no Kanata e" was also used as a tie-in for the film and played during one of the scenes.

• Lead Official Site