Another cool release from J-FRIENDS and proceeds go to charity to the earthquake victims in the Kansai area.
GROUP: J-FRIENDS (TOKIO, V6 & KinKi Kids)
CD SINGLE: People of the World
LABEL: Sony Music Recorfds
CATALOG #: SRCL-4500
DURATION: 24 minutes
RELEASE DATE: January 1999
- People of the World
- 一秒のOthello ～君に選ばれたい～ (TOKIO MOON VERSION)
- 一秒のOthello ～君に選ばれたい～ (Kinki Kids STAR VERSION)
- 一秒のOthello ～君に選ばれたい～ (V6 SUNSHINE VERSION)
- People Of The World (INSTRUMENTAL)
Reviewed back in 1999
Back in 1997, J-FRIENDS consisting of Johnny’s Jimusho groups: Tokio, V6 and KinKi Kids united to raise money for charity for those affected by the Great Hanshin – Awaji Earthquake.
With the success of their first single “Ashita ga Kikoeru/Children’s Holiday” released in 1998 in which the first track was composed by Oda Tetsuro and “Children’s Holiday” offered by Michael Jackson, the single sold over a million copies and debut at #1 on the Oricon Charts.
With Johnny’s determined to raise money for charity, earllier this month, the group released “People of the World”, in which the track features a collaboration with executive producer Michael Jackson and three coupling tracks produced and written by Akimoto Yasushi.
While considered a single, because it featured five tracks, it was treated as an album release by Oricon. So, it’s considered the only album released by J-FRIENDS.
The single debuted at #1 and again raised a lot of money for charity and I wanted to do my part of purchasing the single with the proceeds going to the earthquake victims.
The single kicks off with “People of the World” which no doubt has Michael Jackson’s sound and style reminiscent of songs such as “Heal the World” including the children singing right at the end. And with Japan’s admiration for the King of Pop, there is no denying that it adds to the “purchase me” factor of this release.
The coupling tracks are “Ichibyo no Othello ~Kimi ni eraba retai~” (One Second Othello ~I Want to be Chosen by You~) performed each by their respective groups: TOKYO, KinKi Kids and V6.
As one could imagine, TOKIO is a rock-driven version, KinKi Kids version is an upbeat dance version that fits the KinKi Kids music style and the V6’s version is more of a combination of rock/pop and performed in the V6 style. Of the three, my favorite is the KinKi Kids version.
As for the final track, you get the instrumental version of “People of the World”.
For those who purchase the limited edition single (only 100,000 copies made), you get a limited edition poster.
Overall, another cool release from J-FRIENDS and proceeds go to charity to the earthquake victims in the Kansai area.
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