Never End (song)

"Never End"
Single by Namie Amuro
from the album Break the Rules
Released	July 12, 2000
Format	CD Single
Recorded	The Hit Factory TRUE Kiss Disc Record One ajima studio On Air Azabu Studio Guillaume Tell Stanley House
Genre	J-Pop
Length	25:04
Label	Avex Trax
Writer(s)	Tetsuya Komuro
Producer(s)	Tetsuya Komuro
Namie Amuro singles chronology
"Love 2000" (2000) "Never End" (2000) "Please Smile Again" (2000)
Music sample "Never End"

"Never End" is Namie Amuro's 16th single on the Avex Trax label. The single was made specifically for the G8 Summit that took place in Okinawa, Japan that year. Released in July, the song debuted at #2 becoming Amuro's 16th consecutive top 10 solo single. This was Namie's last single to debut with over 100,000 copies in sales until 60s 70s 80s in 2008. It was certified double platinum for 800,000 copies shipped to stores.^[1]

Overview

The song was commissioned by late Prime Minister of Japan, Keizo Obuchi, who personally asked Tetsuya Komuro to write it for the event. Obuchi stated to Komuro "I want you to write a song that will be loved by many people, a song that gives us a vision of harmony and interaction in the world in the 21st century" . Komuro agreed to do the song and began a process to get to know Okinawa and its music visiting the country time and time again.

In an interview with Time Asia, Amuro stated that she had been asked to sing at the summit by Obuchi at a party during November or December which had occurred after Komuro had already been asked to write the song. As the song itself, Amuro stated in the same interview that she felt the song had many meanings and that people would have their own interpretations of it.

G8 Summit

"Never End" was used as the theme song to the Kyushu-Okinawa Summit 2000. On July 22, 2000, Amuro and Komuro performed the song at a reception for the event in front of several world leaders including Bill Clinton, at that time the President of the United States.

Humanitarianism

A portion of the proceeds from the sales of the single were donated to the Japanese chapter of UNICEF.

Accolades

• Millennium Award (33rd Japan Cable Awards (Nihon Yuusen Taishou))
• Special Prize (42nd Japan Record Awards)

Track listing

1. "Never End (Radio Edit)" (Tetsuya Komuro) – 6:26
2. "Never End (Original Mix)" (Tetsuya Komuro) – 6:26
3. "Never End (Chanpuru Mix)" (Tetsuya Komuro) – 6:08
4. "Never End (Acapella)" (Tetsuya Komuro) – 6:04

Personnel

• Namie Amuro – vocals
• Wurasoe Shonenshoko Gashodan – background vocals
• Andy Caine – background vocals
• Jennifer Carr – background vocals
• Juliet Roberts – background vocals
• Tetsuya Komuro – piano
• Sadao China – sanshin
• Keiko Higa – taiko
• Nenes – hayashi

Production

• Producer – Tetsuya Komuro
• Arranger – Tetsuya Komuro
• Mixing – Dave Ford, Tetsuya Komuro
• Mastering – Ian Cooper
• Programing – Akihisa Murakami, Toshihide Iwasa
• Engineering – Eishin Kitajima, Dave Ford, Toshihiro Wako
• Direction – Tetsuya Komuro, Kenji Sano, Kotaro Takada
• Art Direction & Design – Tycoon Graphics
• Photography – Shoji Uchida
• Styling – Kyoko Tsunoda
• Hair & Make-Up – Akemi Nakano

Charts

Oricon Sales Chart (Japan)

Oricon Sales Chart (Japan)

TV performances

• December 31, 2000 – Kōhaku Uta Gassen

References

1. ↑ "GOLD ALBUM 他認定作品 2000年7月度" [Gold Albums, and other certified works. September 2000 Edition] (PDF). The Record (Bulletin) (in Japanese). Chūō, Tokyo: Recording Industry Association of Japan. 490: 8. September 10, 2000. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 22, 2014. Retrieved January 22, 2014. 

• ^ Kyushu-Okinawa Summit 2000 Reference Materials
• ^ There Were Times I Nearly Gave Up: Japanese pop diva Namie Amuro grows up
• ^ NEVER END: Summit Theme Song's Singer and Producer pay Courtesy Call to G8 Chairman