Cha-La Head-Cha-La
"Cha-La Head-Cha-La" | ||||
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Dragon Ball Z Hit Song Collection | ||||
A-side | "Cha-La Head-Cha-La" | |||
B-side | "Detekoi Tobikiri Zenkai Power!" | |||
Released | May 1, 1989 | |||
Genre | Electronic rock | |||
Length | 3:17 | |||
Label | Columbia | |||
Composer(s) | Chiho Kiyoka | |||
Lyricist(s) | Yukinojo Mori | |||
Hironobu Kageyama singles chronology | ||||
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"Cha-La Head-Cha-La" ( on May 1, 1989. It is coupled with the first Dragon Ball Z closing theme, "Detekoi Tobikiri Zenkai Power!" (でてこいとびきりZENKAIパワー!, Detekoi Tobikiri Zenkai Pawā!) performed by Manna.
"Cha-La Head-Cha-La" opened the first 199 episodes of the television series and the first nine films of the film adaptations. The single has sold 1.7 million copies. It has been re-recorded in many other languages, with an English version performed by Kageyama himself that was released on his third greatest hits album entitled Hironobu Kageyama Best Album 3: Mixture in 1996.[1]
Background and recording
"Cha-La Head-Cha-La"
Hironobu Kageyama received the offer to record the opening theme song to Dragon Ball Z from the director of Columbia Records.[2] With his background in a rock band, Kageyama said this director had previously revitalized his career by choosing him to sing the theme to Dengeki Sentai Changeman when he wanted a rock singer who could sing the upbeat theme songs that were being written for anime in increasing number in the 1980s. This director told Kageyama he would be singing the theme to Dragon Ball Z and wanted him involved from the earliest stage.[2] Kageyama had been reading the Dragon Ball manga in Weekly Shōnen Jump for quite some time and was shocked when he was offered the job.[3]
Kageyama and his band made a demo of the song that the singer described as
Yukinojo Mori received the request to write the lyrics to the theme song from Columbia. He later speculated that they had probably heard the themes he had written for the Kinnikuman anime and knew his methods and approach to writing anime themes.[5] Because of the music's complex chords and structures that can not be played with a single guitar, Mori sensed an atmosphere of progressive rock, which he is a fan of.[5] The lyrics that gave the song its title of "Cha-La Head-Cha-La" are a combination of different Japanese phrases. The first "Cha-La" comes from "chara ni suru" (チャラにする) and means "to pretend nothing happened", while "Head-Cha-La" comes from "hetchara" (ヘッチャラ), which means "It's OK."[5] Mori explained, "A lot of things might have happened in my life up until this point, but once I reset myself it all becomes OK and I'm ready to give things another shot. I tried to write lyrics that expressed that feeling while still rhyming. A lot of people say that emptying your head of thoughts makes you empty inside, but actually it's the opposite. It's a sort of punk attitude that means you can shake it off and empty your mind. It also means that no matter what happens, you're undefeatable.", "That's why we decided to write it as 'HEAD-CHA-LA'".[5] When he first saw the lyrics, Kageyama initially thought it was a joke. But having known Mori since he was a teenager, the singer realized it was just the type of "crazy" thing he would do.[2] He also said that, while most lyricists of the time prioritized showing off their own style through the lyrics, Mori prioritized the singer's enjoyment, "so his way of thinking was undoubtedly rock 'n roll. The thought that doing things that other people are already doing is dull and boring is pretty central to his character as a creator."[2]
"Detekoi Tobikiri Zenkai Power!"
The single's
After Manna finished recording her vocals, Ike continued to add elements to "turn up the sense of wonder". Wanting a kind of chant that sounded like a magic spell at the beginning of the song, he added backmasked vocals inspired by the technique used to voice the aliens in the 1977 film Star Wars.[6] "First I needed some words to start with, so I decided to record the names of the producers and staff who worked on the song. I recorded it on a 6mm tape and then just flipped it upside down and played it backwards through a 48-channel digital mixer, then pitched it up and added some effects. What I ended up with sounded like some kind of hypnotic, trance-like incantation."[6]
Reception
The single sold 1.7 million copies in Japan.[7] After "Cha-La Head-Cha-La", Kageyama estimated that he went on to sing around 70 songs for the Dragon Ball franchise as of 2021.[2] But he considers the first to be his best work as people are always happy when he sings it.[3] "You could say that I'm not even an anime song singer, I'm literally the "CHA-LA HEAD-CHA-LA" singer! *laughs*"[2] Arukara's 2016 song "Chaohan Music", which is an ending theme of Dragon Ball Super, pays tribute to "Detekoi Tobikiri Zenkai Power!" by including its own backmasked message.[8]
Track listing
No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Arrangement | Length |
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1. | "Cha-La Head-Cha-La" | Kenji Yamamoto | 3:16 | ||
2. | "Detekoi Tobikiri Zenkai Power!" (でてこいとびきりZENKAIパワー! Detekoi Tobikiri Zenkai Pawā!, "Come Out, Incredible Zenkai Power!") | Naruhisa Arakawa | Takeshi Ike | Kenji Yamamoto | 3:29 |
2005 Recording
"Cha-La Head-Cha-La (2005 Ver.)" | ||||
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Single by Hironobu Kageyama | ||||
Released | August 3, 2005 | |||
Genre | Electronic rock | |||
Length | 30:15 | |||
Label | Team Entertainment/Sony | |||
Composer(s) | Chiho Kiyoka | |||
Lyricist(s) | Yukinojo Mori | |||
Hironobu Kageyama singles chronology | ||||
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Kageyama recorded a new version of "Cha-La Head-Cha-La" that was released as a single on August 3, 2005, under the title "Cha-La Head-Cha-La (2005 Ver.)". This version features a completely different composition and is coupled with a new recording of "
The 2005 version of the song peaked at number 118 on the Oricon Singles Chart and charted for two weeks.[10] It served as the theme song of the video game Super Dragon Ball Z, which was released four months later.[11]
Track listing
All lyrics are written by
Cover versions
Since its release, the song has been covered by many artists. In 2001, the Anipara Kids recorded a version for the album Club Ani para presents: Ani para Best & More.[12] In 2004 the compilation album Anime Trance 2 features a version by Tora + R-SEQ.[13] The 2005 Anime Speed compilation and the 2006 Speed Buyuden compilation feature a version by Lee Tairon.[14][15]
The Italian band Highlord recorded a version that appears as a bonus track on the Japanese release of their album Instant Madness.[16] The anime cover band Animetal recorded their take on "Cha-la Head-Cha-la". It first appeared on Animetal Marathon VII as part of the "Jump Into The Fire mini-Marathon" at the end of the disc.[17] The Animetal version also appears on Animetal's 2006 "Decade of Bravehearts" Concert CD/DVD.[18] In 2007 the compilation album Zakkuri! Paratech feature the song as part of a megamix performed by the 777BOYS.[19] They would later team up with Pinpon and produce another version for J-Anime! Hyper Techno & Trance.[20]
The anime adaptation of the
Flow version
"Hero ~Kibō no Uta~ / Cha-La Head-Cha-La" | ||||
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Ki/oon | ||||
Songwriter(s) | Hero (Kibō no Uta): Flow, Takeshi Asakawa Cha-La Head-Cha-La: Yukinojo Mori, Chiho Kiyoka | |||
Flow singles chronology | ||||
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"Hero ~Kibō no Uta~ / Cha-La Head-Cha-La" (HERO ~希望の歌~ / CHA-LA-HEAD-CHA-LA, "Hero -Song of Hope- / Cha-La Head-Cha-La") is the twentieth single by Japanese rock band
Two versions of the single were released, each with different cover art; the standard edition features the members of the band drawn in a Dragon Ball-style, while the first press edition features characters from the film. When the two versions are lined up alongside the film's original soundtrack, the artwork from all three connect to form a single large image.[26] The first press edition includes a special card for the card video game Dragon Ball Heroes.[26]
"Hero ~Kibō no Uta~ / Cha-La Head-Cha-La" reached #24 on the Oricon Singles Chart and charted for five weeks.
No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Length |
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1. | "Hero ~Kibō no Uta~" (HERO ~希望の歌~) | Flow | Takeshi Asakawa | 3:37 |
2. | "Cha-La Head-Cha-La" | Yukinojo Mori | Chiho Kiyoka | 3:20 |
3. | "Rising Dragon -DJ Dragon Remix-" | Kohshi, Keigo | Take | 3:29 |
4. | "Cha-La Head-Cha-La -Official English Ver.-" | Yukinojo Mori, Joe Inoue, Chie Oishi | Chiho Kiyoka | 3:22 |
5. | "Hero ~Kibō no Uta~ -Instrumental-" (HERO ~希望の歌~ -Instrumental-) | Takeshi Asakawa | 3:36 | |
6. | "Cha-La Head-Cha-La -Instrumental-" | Chiho Kiyoka | 3:18 |
References
- ^ "Hironobu Kageyama Best Album 3: Mixture" (in Japanese). Yahoo Music Japan. Archived from the original on July 15, 2012. Retrieved September 11, 2008.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j ""I Even Tried Rapping!" Hironobu Kageyama Shares What He Learnt from His Dragon Ball "Music Training"". Dragon Ball Official Site. Shueisha. 2021-09-28. Archived from the original on 2021-09-28. Retrieved 2023-08-25.
- ^ a b Patrick W. Galbraith (January 28, 2010). "Otaku2 Interview: Kageyama Hironobu". Akihabara: Otaku2. Archived from the original on February 11, 2010. Retrieved February 18, 2010.
Even after I became an adult, before I sang for the "Dragon Ball Z" anime, I was reading the manga in "Shonen Jump." I was so shocked when that job came to me!
- ^ a b "ラップもやった。影山ヒロノブがドラゴンボールの「音楽修業」で身につけたモノ". Dragon Ball Official Site (in Japanese). Shueisha. 2021-09-28. Archived from the original on 2021-09-28. Retrieved 2023-08-24.
- ^ a b c d "No Matter What Happens, You're Undefeatable! – Lyricist of "CHA-LA HEAD-CHA-LA" Yukinojo Mori's Outlook on Life". Dragon Ball Official Site. Shueisha. 2023-08-24. Archived from the original on 2023-08-25. Retrieved 2023-08-25.
- ^ a b c d e f g ""I Wanted to Make a Mystical Song" │ Composer Takeshi Ike Tells All About the Creation of "Detekoi Tobikiri ZENKAI Power!"". Dragon Ball Official Site. Shueisha. 2022-04-21. Archived from the original on 2022-04-21. Retrieved 2023-08-25.
- ISBN 4-87758-126-X.
- ^ "『ドラゴンボール』シリーズ主題歌はなぜ愛され続ける? 歴代ソングが残した功績から解説". Real Sound (in Japanese). 2018-02-28. Retrieved 2023-09-17.
- ^ "iTunes Preview Cha-La Head-Cha-La (2005 Version) [Self Cover] - EP Hironobu Kageyama". Apple Inc. 2005-08-03. Retrieved 2010-02-16.
- ^ "CHA-LA HEAD-CHA-LA(2005 ver.)" (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on 2008-12-06. Retrieved 2023-09-17.
- ^ Crafts & Meister (December 22, 2005). Super Dragon Ball Z (Arcade PlayStation 2) (in Japanese). Bandai.
- ^ Mori, Yukinojo (2001). "Cha-La Head-Cha-La". Club Ani para presents: Ani para Best & More (CD) (in Japanese). Anipara Kids. Japan: Warner Music Japan. WPC7-10066.
- ^ Mori, Yukinojo (2004). "Cha-La Head-Cha-La". Anime Trance 2 (CD) (in Japanese). Tora + R-SEQ. Japan: Daiki Sound. DAKFARM-37.
- ^ Mori, Yukinojo (2005). "Cha-La Head-Cha-La". Anime Speed (CD) (in Japanese). Lee Tairon. Japanese: EMI Music Japan. TOCP-64273.
- ^ Mori, Yukinojo (2006). "Cha-La Head-Cha-La". Speed Buyuden (CD) (in Japanese). Lee Tairon. Japanese: EMI Music Japan. TOCP-64329.
- ^ Mori, Yukinojo (March 22, 2006). "Cha-La Head-Cha-La". Instant Madness (CD) (in Italian). Highlord. Italy. TKCS-85139.
- ^ "Animetal Marathon VII" (in Japanese). Yahoo Music Japan. Archived from the original on July 13, 2012. Retrieved September 11, 2008.
- ^ "Decade of Bravehearts" (in Japanese). Yahoo Music Japan. Archived from the original on July 10, 2012. Retrieved September 11, 2008.
- ^ Mori, Yuriko (2007). "Cha-La Head-Cha-La". Zakkuri! Paratech (CD) (in Japanese). 777BOYS. Japan: Universal Music. UICZ-4168.
- ^ Mori, Yukinojo (2007). "Cha-La Head-Cha-La". J-Anime! Hyper Techno & Trance (Digital Download) (in Japanese). 777BOYS. Japan: New Fantasy Production.
- ^ "Lucky Star Ending Theme Collection" (in Japanese). Lantis. Archived from the original on June 2, 2008. Retrieved September 11, 2008.
- ^ Mori, Yukinojo (2008). "Cha-La Head-Cha-La". Hi-Speed Kirakira Jk (CD) (in Japanese). Black Steel. Japan: Warner Music Japan. WPZR-30265.
- ^ "New Cover Album V-ANIME ROCKS! Announced".
- ^ "映画「ドラゴンボールZ」主題歌ジャケで、ももクロがDBキャラ風に". Natalie (in Japanese). 2015-04-08. Retrieved 2015-04-09.
- ^ a b "FLOW、ドラゴンボール主題歌で「天下一試写会」出場". Natalie (in Japanese). 2013-02-26. Retrieved 2023-08-26.
- ^ a b "FLOW新曲ジャケットはドラゴンボールとの豪華コラボ". Natalie (in Japanese). 2013-02-15. Retrieved 2023-08-26.
- ^ "HERO ~希望の歌~/CHA-LA HEAD-CHA-LA(期間生産限定盤/ドラゴンボール盤)". Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-08-26.
- ^ "Sony Music Japan Profile".
External links
- "Kageyama Complete!" listing 1989 version (in Japanese)
- Team Entertainment page 2005 version (in Japanese)