Harman Patil (Editor)

Stem (Ringo Sheena song)

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Format
  
CD Single

Writer(s)
  
Ringo Sheena

Length
  
11:44

Producer(s)
  
Uni Inoue

Released
  
January 22, 2003 (2003-01-22)

Label
  
Toshiba EMI / Virgin Music

"Stem," also known by its Japanese translated title "Kuki" () is a song written by Japanese singer Ringo Sheena and released in several versions.

Contents

Background

It was first released as a single in 2003, as "Stem (Daimyō Asobi-hen)" (茎(STEM)~大名遊ビ編~, "The Daimyō's fun version") as her 8th single and it was released on January 22, 2003 by Toshiba EMI / Virgin Music. The single version is sung in English, and was orchestrated by Toshiyuki Mori. The B-sides "Meisai" and "Ishiki" were arranged by Bakeneko Killer, a production team Sheena and Inoue formed. Nobuyoshi Araki, the prominent photographer, took the album cover.

The version featured on the album Kalk Samen Kuri no Hana, "Kuki," () is sung in Japanese and arranged by Bakeneko Killer. A further version found on the vinyl edition of Kalk Samen Kuri no Hana called "Stem," (茎(STEM)) featured the album arrangement with English lyrics. It was also featured on the film Casshern's official album Our Last Day: Casshern Official Album. An English language version of "Stem" also appears on Sheena's 2007 soundtrack Heisei Fūzoku, orchestrated by Neko Saito.

The song was used as the theme song for Sheena's short film Hyakuiro Megane (百色眼鏡, "Kaleidoscope"), released in January 2003. It was also the theme song for the stage play Lens that was based on the film, which was held at the Sunshine Theater from July 5 to July 11 at Tokyo, and at the Theater Drama City from July 24 to July 25 in Osaka.

Track listing

All tracks written by Ringo Sheena. Track 2 is translated into English by Robbie Clark.

Personnel

M2 / Ōoku Kinen Orchestra (大奥記念オーケストラ, Ōoku Memorial Orchestra): orchestra

  • Conductor: Goto Yuichiro
  • M1, 3 / Himitsu Butai (秘密部隊, Secret Corps): rock band

  • Vocals, Percussion: Ringo Sheena
  • Electric guitars (Fender Telecaster): Ryosuke Nagaoka (Ukigumo)
  • Drums: Ahito Inazawa (from Vola and the Oriental Machine, ex-Number Girl)
  • Electric bass guitars, Contrabass: Hitoshi Watanabe
  • Shinobue: Hideyo Takakuwa
  • Violin: Neko Saito
  • Didgeridoo: Tab Zombie (from Soil & "Pimp" Sessions)
  • Music video cast

    Kuki (STEM)

  • Actress - Kaede Katsuragi: Koyuki (actress)
  • Student aspiring novelist - Amagi: Kentaro Kobayashi (actor)
  • Detective - Komagata: Nao Omori (actor)
  • A woman: Ringo Sheena
  • Meisai

  • Maid & singer: Ringo Sheena
  • Student: Kazuki Yamaguchi (Toshiba-EMI director)
  • Aristocrat: Ryosuke Nagaoka
  • Aristocrat: Ahito Inazawa
  • Aristocrat: Neko Saito
  • Aristocrat: Hitoshi Watanabe
  • Aristocrat: Atsuhide Tsukuda (music planning company BEA)
  • Fake Ringo Sheena: Keiko Yokomachi (actress)
  • References

    Stem (Ringo Sheena song) Wikipedia