Genre Pop
soul
jazz Label Ariola | Length 5:06 | |
Released 25 November 2015 (2015-11-25) Format CD single
digital download Recorded 23 August 2015 (2015-08-23) at Rhythmedia Studio (Tokyo) | ||
"Orphans no Namida" (オルフェンズの涙, "Tears of Orphans") is a song by Japanese singer Misia. It was released on 25 November 2015 by Ariola Japan as the fifth single from Misia's twelfth studio album, Love Bebop (2016). Misia wrote the lyrics and Shiro Sagisu composed, arranged and produced the track. "Orphans no Namida" serves as the first ending theme of the 2015 Anime series Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans. The song is a pop ballad with soul and jazz influences, and lyrics descriptive of the series' plot. The album version runs 36-seconds longer than the single version and includes newly recorded ad-libs at the end of the song.
Contents
In commemoration of the 70th postwar broadcast, Misia performed "Orphans no Namida" at the 66th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen live from the Nagasaki Peace Park.
Writing and composition
"Orphans no Namida" was written by Misia and Shiro Sagisu and produced by the latter. The backing track was recorded in June 2014 at Eastcote Studios, London and Sony Music Studios Tokyo, Tokyo. Additionally, the strings were recorded at Abbey Road Studios. The vocals were recorded over a year later on 23 August 2015 at Rhythmedia Studio, Tokyo.
"Orphans no Namida" is written in the key of B-flat minor and follows a tempo of 76 beats per minute. Misia's vocals span from G♯3 to D5 in the single version and G♯3 to F♯5 in the album version.
Release
"Orphans no Namida" was performed for the first time during the first date on the Misia Candle Night 2015 tour in Fujikawaguchiko on 21 September 2015. On 11 October, the short edit of the song played at the end of the second episode of Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans. The full version premiered on 20 October on Misia's radio show Misia: Hoshizora no Radio on NHK FM Broadcast.
"Orphans no Namida" was released for download and as Misia's thirty-second CD single simultaneously on 25 November 2015. The CD single was issued in standard and limited editions, the latter including an exclusive remix of Misia's "Edge of This World". The song "Hana", written by singer-songwriter Rica, was included in the release as B-side. The standard edition was released in high-resolution (24bit) on Mora and HD-Music.info.
Commercial performance
"Orphans no Namida" debuted at number 18 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The CD single entered at number 23 on both the Oricon Weekly Singles and Billboard Top Singles Sales charts. On digital outlets, the single entered at the top of the Mora Weekly Albums chart with the high-resolution release and number 4 with the standard lossy release. The song itself debuted at number 5 on the Mora Weekly Singles chart and number 10 on the Recochoku Weekly Singles chart.
"Orphans no Namida" entered at number 6 on the Billboard Japan Hot Animation chart, marking Misia's first entry on the chart.