Poison: Iitai Koto mo Ienai Konna Yo no Naka wa

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
"Poison: Iitai Koto mo Ienai Konna Yo no Naka wa"
The cover of the 1998 "Poison" single. It is a collage of different photos showing scenery often found in big cities, spanning five rows and two columns: (top to bottom, left to right) a building, obscured by a red rectangle containing the song's title, Takashi Sorimachi's name, and copyright and catalog information; a car driving towards the camera; two girls walking away from a street crossing; a zoom-in of a red stop light; a lift next to a white office building; a digital clock showing the time at 12:01; road safety equipment; a skyscraper and the sky, tinted to a yellow hue; a busy pedestrian crossing; and a zoom-in of city lights.
1998 single cover
Single by Takashi Sorimachi
from the album High Life
LanguageJapanese
B-side"If You Love Me, Don't Forget Me"
ReleasedJuly 29, 1998 (1998-07-29)
Genre
Length4:05
Mercury Music Entertainment
Composer(s)Jinjirō Inoue [ja]
Lyricist(s)Takashi Sorimachi
Producer(s) Ken Yoshida [ja]
Takashi Sorimachi singles chronology
"One"
(1998) 		"Poison: Iitai Koto mo Ienai Konna Yo no Naka wa"
(1998) 		"Free"
(2000)
Movie Mix cover
The cover to the Movie Mix release of "Poison". It shows the upper body of Sorimachi, in costume as Eikichi Onizuka, in front of a white background that transitions to black towards the edges. Below Sorimachi is the text "POISON" in silver/metallic stylization, the text "moviemix" in white and red, and Sorimachi's name in white.
Audio
"Poison: Iitai Koto mo Ienai Konna Yo no Naka wa" on
YouTube

"Poison: Iitai Koto mo Ienai Konna Yo no Naka wa" (

Mercury Music Entertainment
label.

Upon release, "Poison" entered at No. 9 on Oricon's Singles Chart, and went on to chart in the top 20 for nine weeks. By the end of 1998, the single had surpassed 250,000 sales, taking No. 88 on Oricon's year-end chart and earning a Gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ). A renewed single, titled the Movie Mix, was released on December 18, 1999, and peaked at No. 38 on Oricon's chart.

Post-release, "Poison" has appeared alongside various GTO projects and has been called representative of Sorimachi. In 2018, the song became an

streams
.

Composition and release

Takashi Sorimachi in Taiwan in November 2019
Takashi Sorimachi in 2019

"Poison: Iitai Koto mo Ienai Konna Yo no Naka wa" is a

beats per minute, according to sheet music from Doremi Music Publishing.[3] It opens with an instrumental intro, featuring a continuously rising and falling guitar riff. In the verse and chorus, the song lays mostly flat with high melody range. Vocals remain deep throughout the entire song.[3][4]

The song was written by

Eikichi Onizuka. Writing the song, Sorimachi thought back to his own time as a student, basing the lyrics in the feelings he remembered holding towards adults and society at that time.[5] The song was produced and arranged by Ken Yoshida [ja] from composition by Jinjirō Inoue [ja]; Sorimachi was in charge of lyrics and vocals.[6]

"Poison" was released as an 8cm

Mercury Music Entertainment.[7] It is Sorimachi's fourth single overall,[8] and the second single from his second studio album, High Life.[9][10] A renewed maxi single, titled the Movie Mix, was released on December 18, 1999. It included a remake of the song created for the 1999 GTO film and a drum and bass remix entitled "Poison 2000".[11][12] Despite its popularity, "Poison" would be one of Sorimachi's final singles, followed only by "Free" in 2000.[13]

Reception

Critical reception

A comment for CDJournal described "Poison" as a song that "cheers for a man who keeps fighting without deceiving himself."[1] The site's review for the Movie Mix wrote that the chorus will possibly move many listeners to tears, calling the single an item of interest for fans. The Movie Mix review also directed praise to "Poison 2000", opining that "Poison" in a drum and bass style was "surprisingly cool."[12]

Commercial performance

"Poison" debuted on the weekly

Joysound's 1998 ranking.[18]

The Movie Mix single opened at No. 45 on Oricon's chart with 5,610 sales in December 1999; it rose to a peak position at No. 38 the next week in January 2000. In total, the Movie Mix charted for four unconsecutive weeks and moved 23,930 units.[11]

The song has seen more charting and certifications in the 2000s and onwards. In 2014, a 2009

streams.[22]

Legacy

Kadokawa publication The TV  [ja] wrote in 2021 that the song had become representative of Sorimachi,[23] and CDJournal described it as his "big break" and hit as a musician in their comment for the 1998 single.[1] A 2018 survey by Yukina Satō of Social Trend News asked people to finish "Iitai koto mo ienai konna yo no naka ja...", the hook to "Poison". With 360 responses, it found that most respondents aged 5–19 during GTO's initial airing could accurately finish the hook, with an over 80% success rate for those who had been aged 14, 16, and 17.[24]

"Poison" has appeared in subsequent GTO projects. In a 2020 drama adaptation of the GTO prequel

san" (反町さん).[27]

Internet meme

In early 2018, a post was made to the "0-Year Old Childcare" thread of Japanese textboard 2channel, stating that "Poison" could ease crying children and even put them to sleep if played for longer. As users of the site corroborated the song's effectiveness, the story spread around the Internet.[28] Sorimachi was told of the phenomenon several times by his management and others, and said on a November 2019 episode of Ken Radio  [ja]: "If only I had known earlier, maybe I could've used it on my own kids when they were little. My older child always cried [...] If I'd have known, I would've just put on my own song."[5]

"Poison" intro sample
The falling and rising guitar riff in the intro (riff isolated in audio file) was attributed to the song's ability to ease crying children.
Problems playing this file? See media help.

In an interview with WithNews [ja], pedagog Yōko Shimura [ja] of Saitama University attributed the song's ability to ease children to a "clear" rise and fall of sound in the song's basso continuo.[29] In July 2021, Sorimachi's talent management company Ken-On released a YouTube video in which they tested the trend with Sorimachi. The video opens with Sorimachi reacting to clips showing the song effective on children from Japan, Brazil, the U.S., the United Kingdom, and New Zealand. Sorimachi then video calls with the head of the Japan Acoustic Lab [ja], who, similarly to Shimura, theorizes that the high frequency in the intro's rising and falling guitar riff is able to stimulate and calm babies up to two years old.[30][31] As of November 2023, the video has surpassed 2 million views.[31]

Live performances and covers

To promote High Life, Sorimachi embarked on the Live Tour 98 High Life throughout Japan, performing "Poison" among other songs from the album. The tour's final day, performed at the

Wakayama Arsenic poison case, a murder case with heavy impact in Japan.[34][35]

"Poison: Iitai Koto mo Ienai Konna Yo no Naka wa" has been remixed and covered by various other artists. It is the lead track of the techno remix album Cosmetic Dramatic (2009)[36] and the 14th track on rock remix cover album Yanki Rock Non Stop Mix (2010).[37] As a television ending theme, "Poison" has been recorded in drama-related albums, including on Climax Love Story: Chapter 1 (2012), the first drama theme compilation album in a series of two,[38] and on Love Story: Dramatic Mix (2018) via a cover.[39] The song has also been covered during on-stage performances, such as by Powan [ja] in 2015[40] and by Coldrain featuring Shūhei Igari [ja] in 2017.[41]

"Poison" has become a staple song of comedian

Takashi Okamura, often performed by him during All Night Nippon (ANN) song festivals hosted by his comedy group Ninety-nine;[42] by October 2021, Okamura had performed the song six times.[43] At the 2023 ANN festival, Sorimachi joined Okamura in performance of the song. Okamura, who had suffered a rupture of the achilles tendon on his right foot, sat on a chair with a visible cast and sang whilst Sorimachi stood. Okamura described the joint performance as something he couldn't have considered "even in [his] dreams."[44]

Personnel

Credits adapted from the 1998 single liner notes.[6]

Track listing

All lyrics are written by Takashi Sorimachi

1998 CD single (original)
No.TitleMusicArrangementLength
1."Poison: Iitai Koto mo Ienai Konna Yo no Naka wa"Jinjirō Inoue [ja] Ken Yoshida [ja]4:05
2."If You Love Me, Don't Forget Me"Hiroyuki Hanada [ja]Yoshida4:42
3."Poison: Iitai Koto mo Ienai Konna Yo no Naka wa" (Instrumental)InoueYoshida4:05
4."If You Love Me, Don't Forget Me" (Instrumental)HanadaYoshida4:42
Total length:17:34
Movie Mix maxi single
No.TitleMusicArrangementLength
1."Poison" (Movie Mix)InoueKō Nakayama4:00
2."Poison 2000"InoueNakayama6:00
3."Poison" (Movie Mix / Original Backing Tracks)InoueNakayama4:00
Total length:14:00
Digital single
No.TitleMusicArrangementLength
1."Poison: Iitai Koto mo Ienai Konna Yo no Naka wa"InoueYoshida4:02

Charts

Certifications and sales

‹See Tfd›
Certifications for "Poison: Iitai Koto mo Ienai Konna Yo no Naka wa"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Japan (RIAJ)[14]
1998 physical single 		Gold 270,010[7]
Japan (RIAJ)[19]
Digital single 		Gold 100,000*
Streaming
Japan (RIAJ)[22]
Digital track 		Gold 50,000,000†

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
† Streaming-only figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Release dates and formats for "Poison: Iitai Koto mo Ienai Konna Yo no Naka wa"
Region Date Format Version Label Catalogue code Ref(s).
Japan July 29, 1998 Mini (8cm) CD single Original
Mercury Music Entertainment
 PHDL-1170 [7]
December 18, 1999 12cm maxi single Movie Mix PHCL-11014 [11]
September 30, 2009
single
 — Universal Music Japan — [48]

Via albums

Albums featuring "Poison: Iitai Koto mo Ienai Konna Yo no Naka wa"[c]
Region Type Album Date Label Ref(s).
Japan Soundtrack album GTO: Original Soundtrack August 12, 1998 Mercury Music Entertainment [49]
Studio album
 High Life September 18, 1998 [50]
Live album
 Live Tour 98 High Life February 3, 1999 [51]
Greatest hits album Best of My Time: 1999 March 29, 2003 [52]
Best of Best June 7, 2006 Universal Music Japan [53]
Golden Best December 8, 2010 [54]

Notes

  1. ^ Also known as "Poison: Iitai Koto mo Ienai Konna Yo no Naka ja" (Japanese: POISON 〜言いたい事も言えないこんな世の中じゃ〜).
  2. ^ Per the RIAJ's pre-2003 criteria, the 1998 single was certified Gold for 200,000 physical sales. Under current criteria, it would have received a Platinum certification.
  3. ^ Discludes covers, remixes, and third-party compilation albums.

References

  1. ^ a b c d "反町隆史 / POISON [廃盤]" [Takashi Sorimachi / Poison (Discontinued)]. CDJournal [ja] (in Japanese). Archived from the original on November 28, 2023. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
  2. ^ "POISON～言いたい事も言えないこんな世の中は～/If you love me,don't forget me" [Poison: In This World You Don't Say What You Want to Say / If You Love Me, Don't Forget Me] (in Japanese). Tower Records. Archived from the original on November 23, 2023. Retrieved November 23, 2023.
  3. ^ a b "POISON～言いたい事も言えないこんな世の中は～" [Poison: In This World You Don't Say What You Want to Say] (in Japanese). Doremi Music Publishing. December 26, 2019. Retrieved November 23, 2023 – via At-Elise.
  4. ^ "反町隆史「POISON」で赤ちゃん泣き止む説の立証に喜び「みなさんの役に立っている」" [Takashi Sorimachi celebrates proof that "Poison" has an ability to ease crying children: "I'm glad it's been helpful to everyone."] (in Japanese). Oricon. July 3, 2021. Archived from the original on January 21, 2023. Retrieved November 23, 2023.
  5. ^
    Livedoor News (in Japanese). November 3, 2019. Archived
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  6. ^
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    . 1998. PHDL-1170.
  7. ^ a b c d "POISON" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
  8. ^ "Today's Song: POISON～言いたいことも言えないこんな世の中は～" [Today's Song: Poison: In This World You Don't Say What You Want to Say] (in Japanese). Tokyo FM. June 12, 2012. Archived from the original on November 27, 2023. Retrieved November 27, 2023.
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  10. Mercury Music Entertainment
    . 1998. PHCL-5111.
  11. ^ a b c d "POISON Movie Mix" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
  12. ^ a b "反町隆史 / POISON-movie mix [廃盤]" [Takashi Sorimachi / Poison: Movie Mix (Discontinued)]. CDJournal [ja] (in Japanese). Archived from the original on November 20, 2023. Retrieved November 20, 2023.
  13. ^ Tagata, Tomoyuki (December 24, 2015). "『POISON』以外にも名曲が！反町隆史の歌手活動" [Other great songs apart from "Poison"! The singing career of Takashi Sorimachi]. Excite [ja] (in Japanese). Archived from the original on November 24, 2023. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  14. ^ a b "Japanese single certifications – 反町 隆史 – POISON～言いたい事も言えないこんな世の中は～" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Select 1998年10月 on the drop-down menu
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    from the original on November 19, 2023. Retrieved November 19, 2023 – via CD100.net.
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  19. ^ a b "Japanese digital single certifications – 反町 隆史 – POISON～言いたい事も言えないこんな世の中は～" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Select 2014年02月 on the drop-down menu
  20. ^ "New Boy Band JO1's Debut Single, 'Infinity,' Rules Japan Hot 100". Billboard. March 13, 2020. Archived from the original on August 11, 2023. Retrieved December 1, 2023.
  21. ^ a b "Billboard Japan Top Download Songs". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). July 14, 2021. Archived from the original on October 19, 2022. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
  22. ^ a b "Japanese single streaming certifications – 反町 隆史 – POISON～言いたい事も言えないこんな世の中は～" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Select 2023年09月 on the drop-down menu
  23. ^ "反町隆史、「POISON」で赤ちゃんが泣き止む動画に「僕の子どもがまだ小さい時に知ってたら…」" [Takashi Sorimachi reacts to video of "Poison" calming a crying baby: "If only I had known this when my kids were still small..."]. The TV [ja] (in Japanese). Kadokawa. October 28, 2023. Archived from the original on July 6, 2021. Retrieved November 29, 2023.
  24. ^ Satō, Yukina (June 11, 2018). "「POISON」が通じない世代が会社にやってきた" [The generation without knowledge of "Poison" are now in the work force]. Social Trend News (in Japanese). Archived from the original on June 5, 2023. Retrieved November 29, 2023.
  25. ^ "ドラマ『湘南純愛組!』予告編解禁 反町隆史の「POISON」が挿入歌に" [Trailer to Shonan Junai Gumi drama adaptation unveiled. Takashi Sorimachi's "Poison" to be used as an insert theme] (in Japanese). Oricon. February 12, 2020. Archived from the original on July 15, 2022. Retrieved November 30, 2023.
  26. ^ "ドラマ「GTO」がゾゾタウンとコラボ 反町隆史やPOISONのポスターヴィジュアルをTシャツに" [GTO drama collaborates with Zozo Town. Poster visuals of Takashi Sorimachi and "Poison" to be turned into T-shirts]. Fashion Snap [ja] (in Japanese). Reco Orlando. July 24, 2023. Archived from the original on July 25, 2023. Retrieved November 30, 2023.
  27. Yahoo! News Japan
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  29. ^ Kanasawa, Hikari (April 11, 2020). "「POISON」聞いたら泣きやんだ 赤ちゃん「おやなんだ反応」の真相" [Babies stop crying when they hear "Poison". The truth behind their reaction] (in Japanese). WithNews [ja]. Archived from the original on August 13, 2022. Retrieved November 30, 2023.
  30. Mashable Southeast Asia. Archived
    from the original on June 27, 2022. Retrieved November 30, 2023.
  31. ^ a b Toshiki, Ebe, ed. (July 3, 2021). The baby stops crying with the song "Poison" sung by Takashi Sorimachi (video). Ken-On – via YouTube.
  32. ^ "反町隆史/ライヴ・ツアー'98 ハイ・ライフ [VIDEO他]" [Takashi Sorimachi / Live Tour 98 High Life (Video / Other)]. CDJournal [ja] (in Japanese). Archived from the original on November 27, 2023. Retrieved November 27, 2023.
  33. ^ "LIVE TOUR'98 HIGH LIFE / UMBK-1511". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Archived from the original on February 8, 2021. Retrieved November 25, 2023.
  34. ^ "『新作スペシャルドラマ』放送決! 最終回の視聴率は35.7％を記録" [Broadcast of new special drama decided! The audience rating for its final episode reached 35.7%]. Goo Imatopi (in Japanese). September 18, 2023. Archived from the original on November 25, 2023. Retrieved November 25, 2023.
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  36. ^ "反町隆史、ミスチル、のりピー他をピコピコカバー" [Takashi Sorimachi, Mr. Children, Nori-P, and others covered in electro]. Natalie.mu (in Japanese). March 16, 2009. Archived from the original on November 25, 2023. Retrieved November 25, 2023.
  37. ^ "銀蝿からイエモンまで! 永遠のヤンキーソング25曲をカバー" [From Ginbae to Yellow Monkey! Covers of 25 eternal yankee songs]. Natalie.mu (in Japanese). December 14, 2010. Archived from the original on October 31, 2020. Retrieved November 25, 2023.
  38. ^ "ヒット曲盛りだくさん、ドラマ主題歌コンピ2作同時発売" [Containing several hit songs, two albums of drama themes to receive same-day release]. Natalie.mu (in Japanese). August 15, 2012. Archived from the original on January 10, 2022. Retrieved November 27, 2023.
  39. ^ "ドラマ主題歌のノンストップミックスCD発売、福山雅治やドリカムら名曲収録" [Non-stop drama theme song mix CD released. Includes songs by Masaharu Fukuyama and Dreams Come True]. Natalie.mu (in Japanese). August 28, 2018. Archived from the original on November 25, 2023. Retrieved November 25, 2023.
  40. ^ "ぽわん、盛況ワンマンでファズミサキ脱退＆11月から毒まきツアー開催" [Fuzzy Misaki leaves Powan after successful one-man performance. Tour ongoing since November]. Natalie.mu (in Japanese). September 18, 2015. Archived from the original on July 1, 2017. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
  41. ^ "coldrain、HEY-SMITH、SiM「TRIPLE AXE」熱狂の3組コラボで終演" [Collaboration of Coldrain, Hey-Smith, and SiM ends final tour day]. Natalie.mu (in Japanese). May 15, 2017. Archived from the original on October 11, 2017. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
  42. ^ "「岡村隆史のANN歌謡祭」でaiko、May J.、知念里奈らToshlと熱狂のXジャンプ" [Aiko, May J., and Rina Chinen perform an enthusiastic X-jump with Toshl at Takashi Okamura's ANN Song Festival]. Natalie.mu (in Japanese). October 30, 2017. Archived from the original on September 20, 2021. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
  43. ^ "岡村隆史 初の矢部浩之との"ナイナイ歌謡祭"に喜び「『POISON』を歌うのは6回目」" [Takashi Okamura celebrates his first Nine-Nine Music Festival with Hiroyuki Yabe. "This is my 6th time singing 'Poison'"] (in Japanese). Fuji Television. October 31, 2021. Archived from the original on January 26, 2022. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
  44. Asahi Shimbun Company. October 28, 2023. Archived
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  46. ^ "Billboard Japan Hot 100". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). March 11, 2020. Archived from the original on June 5, 2022. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
  47. ^ "POISON" (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on November 17, 2023. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
  48. ^ "POISON～言いたいことも言えないこんな世の中は～" [Poison: In This World You Don't Say What You Want to Say] (in Japanese). Amazon Music. Archived from the original on November 17, 2023. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
  49. ^ "GTO オリジナル・サウンドトラック" [GTO: Original Soundtrack] (in Japanese). Amazon. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
  50. ^ "HIGH LIFE" (in Japanese). Amazon. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
  51. Mercury Music Entertainment
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  52. ^ "BEST OF MY TIME～1999" (in Japanese). Amazon. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
  53. ^ "BEST of BEST" (in Japanese). Amazon. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
  54. ^ "反町隆史 / ゴールデン☆ベスト" [Takashi Sorimachi / Golden Best]. CDJournal [ja] (in Japanese). Archived from the original on June 25, 2012. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
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