Spending All My Time

"Spending All My Time"
Single by Perfume
from the album Level3
B-side ポイント (Point)
Hurly Burly
Released August 15, 2012
Format CD single, digital download
Recorded 2012
Genre J-pop, dance-pop, electropop, electro
Length 3:53
Label Universal J
Writer(s) Yasutaka Nakata
Producer(s) Yasutaka Nakata
Perfume singles chronology
"Spring of Life"
(2012)		 "Spending All My Time"
(2012)		 "Mirai no Museum"
(2013)

"Spending All My Time" (stylized as "Spending all my time") is a song by Japanese girl group Perfume from her fourth studio album Level 3 (2013). The song was released as the album's second single on 15 August 2012. It was written, composed and produced by Yasutaka Nakata. The song is a dance pop and techno track, which features instrumentation of synthesizers and keyboards. It is the groups first English-language single, and their second English effort since their 2008 track "Take Me, Take Me" from their debut album Game.

"Spending All My Time" received favorable reviews from music critics, who commended the groups English-language attempt and praised the production values and composition. The song became their seventh consecutive single to stall at number two in Japan. The track became their first charting single in Taiwan. Yusuke Tanaka commissioned the accompanying music video for the single, which shows Perfume dancing and making dance-inspired gestures in a room. Perfume have performed the song through live performances throughout Japan.

Background and composition

Japanese girl group Perfume have released three studio albums. All three albums, Game (2008), Triangle (2009) and JPN peaked at number one in Japan.[1] The albums were certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) with shipments of 250,000 units; the first was awarded double platinum.[2][3][4] While working on their third album, Perfume departed from Tokuma Japan Communications and signed a deal with Universal Music Japan in order to release their work through global markets.[5] They begun work on their fourth studio album shortly after.

As with the rest of Level 3, Japanese producer and Capsule musician Yasutaka Nakata had written, arranged and composed the song.[6] Nakata has collaborated with all of Perfume's records and songs from 2003 onwards.[7] It was recorded in Tokyo, Japan and was mixed and mastered by Nakata.[6] It is a dance and techno,[8][9] and incorporates instrumentation of a synthesizer and keyboards.[6] Writing for Land of Rising, Alex Shenmue noted "[Spending all my Time (album-mix)] brings back the techno sounds after the dreaming atmosphere of Sleeping Beauty, [...]"[9] "Spending All My Time" is the groups first English-language single to date, and their second overall.[lower-alpha 1]

A writer from CDJournal had compared the song to works by French disc jockey David Guetta and Swedish House Mafia, but called the composition "a little different," to their previous work.[11]

Perfume had found that recording English lyrics hard, where member Kashiyuka explained "[Spending all my time] is completely in English so I struggled really hard with the pronunciation. When I’m singing along to the melody, my accent becomes more Japanese – like katakana-speak, so I’m wondering what people outside Japan will think when they hear it [...] Also, it’s not a particular word, but I’m interested to know which genre people will classify us in as artists."[12]

Reception

"Spending All My Time" received favorable reviews from most music critics. Shenmue wrote that the new mix for the album "fits the albums concept."[9] Selective Hearing's writer Nia felt she could see the song alongside "Enter the Sphere" and "Party Maker" "blasting in a club, but there are also some surprisingly calm tracks on the album. It’s kind of like a series of crescendos and decrescendos."[13] Ian Martin, who had written their extended biography at Allmusic, had highlighted the song as an album standout and career standout.[14] Patrick St. Michael, writing for The Japan Times, said the composition wasn't an "improvement" but commented that it was "simple, catchy pop."[8] A writer from CDJournal had favored the production and composition, comparing it to Western music.[11]

The song charted in both Japan and Taiwan. Reaching number two on the Oricon Singles Chart,[1] it became the groups eighth consecutive single to stall at number two. The following single "Mirai no Museum" peaked at number two, while "Magic of Love" reached number three.[1] "Magic of Love" broke the groups number-two peak streak. The song also reached number two on Japan's Hot 100 chart.[15] The song reached number eight in Taiwan, becoming their first charting single in that country.[16][upper-alpha 1] In August 2012, "Spending All My Time" was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) for shipments of 100,000 physical units.[17]

Release and promotion

Selected as the second single of Level 3, the song was released as a stand-alone digital download on 15 August of that year.[18] Two CD singles were issued; a standalone CD with which included the b-sides "Point" and "Hurly Burly", and a bonus DVD version.[19] The first B-side "Point" was used as the commercial song for "KIRIN Chu-hi Hyoketsu Yasashii Kajitsu no 3%".[20] The second B-side, "Hurly Burly" was used as the commercial song for "KIRIN Chu-hi Hyoketsu".[20]

The official music video was directed by Japanese director Yusuke Tanaka and premiered on Perfume's Youtube channel in June 2013. It features Perfume in school uniforms and shows them making dance moves and hand-and-feet gestures towards each other in a room.[21] The group are based inside a lock room, as member A-chan tries to open the door unsuccessfully.[21] The video is the groups eleventh highest viewed music video on Youtube as of April 2015.[22]

Credits and personnel

Details adapted from the liner notes of the "Spending All My Time" CD single.[6]

Song credits

Visual credits

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Yasutaka Nakata. 

CD
No. Title Length
1. "Spending all my time"   3:53
2. "Point" (ポイント) 3:47
3. "Hurly Burly"   5:13
4. "Spending all my time" (Original Instrumental) 3:53
5. "Point" (Original Instrumental) 3:47
6. "Hurly Burly" (Original Instrumental) 5:13
Total length:
 24:26

Charts, peaks and positions

Weekly charts

Chart (2000) Peak
position
Japan (Oricon)[1] 2
Japan (Billboard)[15] 2
Japan Hot Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[23] 4
Japan Hot Airplay (Billboard)[24] 4
Japan Hot Single Sales (Billboard)[25] 2
Taiwan (G-Music)[16] 8

Certification

Region Certification Shipments
Japan (RIAJ)[17] Gold 100,000

Release history

Country Date Format Label Ref.
Japan 15 August 2012 CD single Universal Music Japan, Perfume Records [6]
CD/DVD [26]
Taiwan [26]
Japan Digital download [18]
United States [27]
Australia [28]
New Zealand [29]
Canada [30]
United Kingdom [31]

Notes

  1. ↑ Week references for G-Music: JPN 2012 week 15, "Spending All My Time" 2012 week 35, Love the World 2012 week 41, "Mirai no Museum" 2013 week 10, "Magic of Love" and Perfume World Tour 1st 2013 week 21, Level3 2013 week 40, "Sweet Refrain" 2013 week 48, "Cling Cling" 2014 week 30, Perfume 3rd Tour JPN and Perfume 4th Tour in Dome: Level3 2014 week 44.
  1. ↑ "Spending All My Time" is the groups first English-language single, but their second overall English song. The first was "Take Me, Take Me" which was on the groups 2008 album Game.[10]

    References

    1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Perfumeの作品 [Perfume Products]. Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved January 5, 2015.
    2. ↑ "ゴールド等認定作品一覧　2009年3月" [Works Receiving Certifications List (Gold, etc) (March 2009)] (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. April 10, 2009. Retrieved January 1, 2014.
    3. ↑ "ゴールド等認定作品一覧　2009年7月" [Works Receiving Certifications List (Gold, etc) (July 2009)] (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. August 10, 2009. Retrieved January 1, 2014.
    4. ↑ "ゴールド等認定作品一覧　2011年11月" [Works Receiving Certifications List (Gold, etc) (November 2011)] (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. December 10, 2011. Retrieved February 13, 2014.
    5. ↑ "Perfume世界展開に向けレーベル移籍！今春CM曲リリース" (in Japanese). Natalie. February 29, 2012. Retrieved January 7, 2015.
    6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 "Level 3" (Album). Perfume. Universal Music Japan; Universal J; Perfume Records. 2013.
    7. ↑ "Perfume" (in Japanese). Tokuma Japan Communications. Archived from the original on March 16, 2007. Retrieved January 7, 2015.
    8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 St. Michael, Patrick (22 October 2015). "Perfume "Level 3"". The Japan Times. Retrieved 18 April 2015.
    9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Shenmue, Alex (29 October 2014). "Perfume - Level 3 album review". Land of Rising. Retrieved 18 April 2015.
    10. ↑ Game (Album). Perfume. Tokuma Japan Communications. 2008. TKCA-73325.
    11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Unknown, author. "Perfume / Spending all my time [CD]". CDJournal. Retrieved 21 April 2015.
    12. ↑ Unknown author. "Interview with Japanese pop sensation Perfume". Embassy of Japan in the United Kingdom. Retrieved 21 April 2015.
    13. ↑ Nia (29 November 2013). "Perfume - Level 3 album review". Selective Hearing. Retrieved 18 April 2015.
    14. ↑ Martin, Ian (29 November 2013). "Perfume - Songs, Highlights, Awards and Credits". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 21 April 2015.
    15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 "Japan Billboard Hot 100". Billboard (in Japanese). August 22, 2012. Retrieved January 7, 2015.
    16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 "G-Music J-Pop Chart" (in Chinese). G-Music. Retrieved April 9, 2014.
    17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 "ゴールド等認定作品一覧　2012年8月" [Works Receiving Certifications List (Gold, etc) (August 2012)] (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. September 10, 2012. Retrieved February 8, 2014.
    18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 "Spending All My Time - Single - Perfume". iTunes Store (JP). 15 August 2012. Retrieved 21 April 2015.
    19. ↑ Spending all my time (CD and DVD edition). Perfume. Universal Music Japan. 2012.
    20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 "KIRIN キリン 氷結". Kirin. Retrieved 2013-10-20.
    21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 "[MV] Perfume「Spending All My Time」". Youtube.com. 18 June 2013. Retrieved 21 April 2015.
    22. ↑ "Perfume - Click the 'Most Popular' button on top-right". Youtube.com. 18 June 2013. Retrieved 18 April 2015.
    23. ↑ "Japan Billboard Hot Airplay". Billboard (in Japanese). August 27, 2013. Retrieved April 21, 2015.
    24. ↑ "Japan Billboard Hot Airplay". Billboard (in Japanese). August 27, 2013. Retrieved April 21, 2015.
    25. ↑ "Japan Billboard Hot Airplay". Billboard (in Japanese). August 27, 2013. Retrieved April 21, 2015.
    26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 "Spending All My Time" (CD and DVD single). Perfume. Universal Music Japan; Universal J; Perfume Records. 2012.
    27. ↑ "Spending All My Time - Single - Perfume". iTunes Store (US). 15 August 2012. Retrieved 21 April 2015.
    28. ↑ "Spending All My Time - Single - Perfume". iTunes Store (AU). 15 August 2012. Retrieved 21 April 2015.
    29. ↑ "Spending All My Time - Single - Perfume". iTunes Store (NZ). 15 August 2012. Retrieved 21 April 2015.
    30. ↑ "Spending All My Time - Single - Perfume". iTunes Store (CA). 15 August 2012. Retrieved 21 April 2015.
    31. ↑ "Spending All My Time - Single - Perfume". iTunes Store (GB). 15 August 2012. Retrieved 21 April 2015.


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