fairyland/Alterna

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“fairyland”
Single by Ayumi Hamasaki from the album (miss)understood
B-side	Alterna
Released	August 3, 2005
Format	CD single
Genre	J-pop
Length	31:21
Label	Avex Trax
Writer(s)	Ayumi Hamasaki
Producer	Max Matsuura
Ayumi Hamasaki singles chronology
"Step you/is this Love?" (2005) "fairyland" (2005) "Heaven" (2005)
CD + DVD
CD + DVD Cover

"fairyland" is the 36th single released by Ayumi Hamasaki. It was released on August 3, 2005. It instantly shot to #1 on the Oricon charts where it stayed for the full week. After one week of sales, "fairyland" sold over 172,000 copies, making it her highest sales debut for a single for 2005. "fairyland" is also Hamasaki's first single that featured different covers for both the CD and the CD+DVD. fairyland has been downloaded more than 990,000 times to date.

[edit] Track listing

1. fairyland – 5:17
2. alterna – 5:28
3. Step you (DJ Taki-Shit More Step Up Remix) – 4:16
4. fairyland (Bright Field Remix) – 5:30
5. fairyland (Instrumental) – 5:17
6. alterna (Instrumental) – 5:28

[edit] DVD track listing

1. fairyland (PV)
2. alterna (PV)
3. fairyland ("making of" photo gallery)

[edit] Music Videos

The PV of fairyland was shot in Hawaii and is one of the most expensive music videos in the world, as well as being Japan's most expensive music video in terms of production costs. The PV cost 240 million Yen (2 million in U.S. dollars).

The video begins with the camera zooming in onto a lush tropical island with a mountain, before showing a timber house with a deck under large trees. Ayumi Hamasaki is shown inside the house, resting as she sings the first verse. She wears a white dress, with a bunch of Frangipani flowers on the left side of her hair. Hamasaki is then shown on a white sand beach with her "friends" (dancers), before they break into dance with the first chorus. Then the happy group is shown back at the house, where Ayumi sings while watching her male dancers play with some water spouting from bamboo pipes. A pair of Eclectus Parrots and chameleons are also present in the PV. Ayumi is shown holding one of the chameleons, before the scene changes to that of the deck, where her "friends" engage in more dancing with Ayumi singing in front of them. Then nightfall comes and everyone is still dancing and having a good time. A candle is blown over by the wind and the flame ignites some material, the whole house starts to burn. Ayumi is the first to notice the fire. Images from earlier sequences showing the group having fun are inter sped through this part, before they appear to be burnt as well. When her "friends" finally notice the fire, they rush past her. Another change of scenery, we see Ayumi waist deep in a tropical lagoon which has a waterfall, with hundreds of Frangipani flowers floating around her. Then we see the house being destroyed by the fire, and Ayumi singing solemnly as she watches it burn down. The PV closes as the camera moves away from the burning house. A picture of Ayumi and her "friends" is then shown before it too is burnt.

The PV of Alterna depicts Ayumi as an up-and-coming star who is chased by clowns. ^[1] The video also depicts her as a singing machine; this aspect of the music video (as well as the lyrics of "alterna") is rumored to be Hamasaki's response to either tabloid articles or to her record label's oppressive treatment of her at the time. ^[2]

[edit] Live performances

• June 27, 2005 – Hey! Hey! Hey! Music Champ
• July 15, 2005 – Music Station
• July 30, 2005 – CDTV
• August 1, 2005 – Hey! Hey! Hey! Music Champ
• August 5, 2005 – Music Station
• August 5, 2005 – Music Fighter
• December 31, 2005 – 56th Kouhaku Utagassen

[edit] Charts

Oricon Sales Chart (Japan)

• Total Sales : 316,663 (Japan)
• Total Sales : 388,000 (Avex)

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• fairyland c/w alterna information at Avex Network.
• fairyland c/w alterna CD+DVD information at Avex Network.
• fairyland c/w alterna information at Oricon.