M (song)

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"M" is the 19th single released by Ayumi Hamasaki on December 13, 2000, and is the first single from her studio album I am.... One of Hamasaki's most popular songs, this single sold 1,319,000 units in total, becoming Hamasaki's fourth million-seller as well as her third best-selling single, behind only "A" and "Seasons." This is the first song that she composed, under the pseudonym "CREA". Unlike the other singles "A," " H", and " &" which are only the titles of their respective singles and are not actually songs, "M" is a song.

[edit] Lyrical Content

Throughout the course of the song, Hamasaki addresses "Maria,"^[1] presumably whom the "M" stands for. Who "Maria" is has yet to be confirmed by Hamasaki herself, although people have speculated that "Maria" refers to the Virgin Mary, or alternatively, Mary Magdalene.

[edit] Commercial endorsments

The original version of M and a remix of the song were both used in ad campaigns for the TU-KA mobile phones. The first ad features M as the theme song and is promoting the "TT03Z A Model"^[2] a limited cell phone designed by Ayumi herself.^[3] The second CM features the remix and is promoting the TU-KA funstyle mobile phone.^[4]

[edit] Track listing

1. M "Original Mix"
2. M "Dub's Hard Pop Remix"
3. SEASONS "Yuta's weather report mix"
4. M "nicely nice winter parade remix"
5. Far away "Laugh & Peace Mix"
6. M "Rewired Mix"
7. M "Smokers Mix"
8. M "Rank-M Mix"
9. M "Neurotic Eye's Mix"
10. M "Original Mix -Instrumental-"

[edit] Music Video

The music video for "M," released in December of 2000 and directed by Wateru Takeishi^[5], depicts Hamasaki inside a church, wearing a white gown. Later scenes in the video show Hamasaki and her musicians performing outside the church.^[6]

[edit] Credits

• Vocals: Ayumi Hamasaki
• Melodic Composition: Ayumi Hamasaki
• Arrangement: HΛL
• Mixing: Koji Morimoto

[edit] European version

In 2003, "M" was also released in Europe as a trance single. Although it was not promoted much and was not able to enter the main charts, the single did manage to enter the trance and dance charts in Germany, Spain and Belgium. In Germany it even stayed in the top 10 for three weeks.

The Above & Beyond Typhoon edit was partly written by the UK trance-trio on a Powerbook while they were stuck in Japan waiting for a flight home after a typhoon hit the country.

1. M (Above & Beyond edit)
2. M (Van Eyden VS Morph remix edit)
3. M (Tectonic shift VS andre visior remix)
4. M (Above & Beyond vocal dub mix)
5. M (Above & Beyond typhoon dub mix)
6. M (Above & Beyond vocal mix)

[edit] Live performances

• December 7, 2000 - FNS Music Festival
• December 8, 2000 - Music Station
• December 20, 2000 - Utatte Odotte Christmas
• December 23, 2000 - Pop Jam
• December 23, 2000 - CountDown TV
• December 25, 2000 - Hey!Hey!Hey! Christmas Special
• December 29, 2000 - Music Station Special
• December 30, 2000 - CountDown TV Special Live 2000-2001
• January 1, 2001 - Great Live 2001
• March 14, 2001 - Japan Gold Disc Awards
• March 30, 2001 - Music Station Special
• December 24, 2001 - Yume no Christmas
• December 23, 2003 - Happy Christmas Show
• November 26, 2004 - Asia Song Festival (In Korea)
• December 11, 2004 - Music Fair 21

[edit] Charts

Oricon Sales Chart (Japan)

• Total Sales : 1,319,070 (Japan)
• "M" is Hamasaki's third highest selling single.
• "M" is the first single that Hamasaki composed herself under the name "CREA".

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• M information at Avex Network.
• M information at Oricon.