DOWN TOWN / Ganbarenai yo (DOWN TOWN/がんばれないよ; DOWN TOWN / I Can't Keep Trying) is Juice=Juice's 14th single. It was released on April 28, 2021 in six editions: two regular and four limited. The first press of the two regular editions includes a random trading card of 8 kinds depending on the jacket (16 in total), while the limited SP editions include an event lottery card.[1]
"DOWN TOWN" is a cover of the 1975 song of same title by the band SUGAR BABE.
This is the debut single of Inoue Rei, who joined the group in April 2020. The single was originally scheduled to be released on March 24, but due to Takagi Sayuki's departure, the release date was postponed to April 28.[2]
A digital-exclusive special edition of the single was released in the same day as the physical edition including the solo versions of "Ganbarenai yo".[3]
Contents
Tracklist[]
Juice=Juice - DOWN TOWN (MV) (Promotion Edit)
Juice=Juice - Ganbarenai yo (MV) (Promotion Edit)
CD[]
- DOWN TOWN
- Ganbarenai yo
- DOWN TOWN (Instrumental)
- Ganbarenai yo (Instrumental)
Limited Edition A DVD[]
- DOWN TOWN (Music Video)
- DOWN TOWN (MV Satsuei Making) (MV撮影メイキング; Making of the MV Shooting)
Limited Edition B DVD[]
- Ganbarenai yo (Music Video)
- Ganbarenai yo (MV Satsuei Making)
Limited Edition SP1 DVD[]
- Ganbarenai yo (Kanazawa Tomoko Solo Ver.)
- Ganbarenai yo (Uemura Akari Solo Ver.)
- Ganbarenai yo (Inaba Manaka Solo Ver.)
- Ganbarenai yo (Inoue Rei Solo Ver.)
- Ganbarenai yo (Dambara Ruru Solo Ver.)
- Ganbarenai yo (Kudo Yume Solo Ver.)
- Ganbarenai yo (Matsunaga Riai Solo Ver.)
Limited Edition SP2 DVD[]
- DOWN TOWN (Dance Shot Ver.)
- "Hitori de Ikiraresou" tte Sore tte Nee, Homete Iru no? 【"Inoue Rei ga Juice=Juice no Uta wo..." Series】 (「井上玲音がJuice=Juiceの歌を・・・」シリーズ; "Inoue Rei Sings Juice=Juice..." Series) - Inoue Rei × Taisei
- Watashi ga Iu Mae ni Dakishimenakya ne 【"Inoue Rei ga Juice=Juice no Uta wo..." Series】 - Inoue Rei
- Potsuri to 【"Inoue Rei ga Juice=Juice no Uta wo..." Series】 - Inoue Rei × Kanazawa Tomoko
- Sunao ni Amaete 【"Inoue Rei ga Juice=Juice no Uta wo..." Series】 - Inoue Rei × Uemura Akari
- CHOICE & CHANCE 【"Inoue Rei ga Juice=Juice no Uta wo..." Series】 - Inoue Rei × Takagi Sayuki
- Romance no Tochuu 【"Inoue Rei ga Juice=Juice no Uta wo..." Series】 - Inoue Rei × Miyamoto Karin
- Bitansan 【"Inoue Rei ga Juice=Juice no Uta wo..." Series】 - Inoue Rei × Inaba Manaka
- Suki tte Itte yo 【"Inoue Rei ga Juice=Juice no Uta wo..." Series】 - Inoue Rei × Dambara Ruru
- Naite Ii yo 【"Inoue Rei ga Juice=Juice no Uta wo..." Series】 - Inoue Rei × Kudo Yume・Matsunaga Riai
Digital-Exclusive Special Edition[]
- DOWN TOWN
- Ganbarenai yo
- Ganbarenai yo (Kanazawa Tomoko Solo Ver.)
- Ganbarenai yo (Uemura Akari Solo Ver.)
- Ganbarenai yo (Inaba Manaka Solo Ver.)
- Ganbarenai yo (Inoue Rei Solo Ver.)
- Ganbarenai yo (Dambara Ruru Solo Ver.)
- Ganbarenai yo (Kudo Yume Solo Ver.)
- Ganbarenai yo (Matsunaga Riai Solo Ver.)
Featured Members[]
Juice=Juice promoting "DOWN TOWN"
Juice=Juice promoting "DOWN TOWN"
Juice=Juice promoting "Ganbarenai yo"
Single Information[]
- DOWN TOWN
- Lyrics: Ito Ginji
- Composition: Yamashita Tatsuro
- Arrangement: Anders Dannvik
- Music Video: ZUMI
- Ganbarenai yo
- Lyrics: Yamazaki Aoi
- Composition and Arrangement: KOUGA
- Music Video: Imamura Shigeru
Performances[]
Concert Performances[]
- DOWN TOWN
- Hello! Project 2021 Winter ~STEP BY STEP~
- Hello! Project 2021 Haru "Kachou Fuugetsu"
- Hello! Project Hina Fes 2021
- Ganbarenai yo
- Hello! Project 2020 ~The Ballad~ Special Number
- Juice=Juice Concert 2020 ~Tsudzuiteiku STORY~ Miyamoto Karin Sotsugyou Special
- Hello! Project Year-End Party 2020 ~GOOD BYE & HELLO!~
- Hello! Project 2021 Winter ~STEP BY STEP~
- Hello! Project Hina Fes 2021
Chart Positions[]
Oricon Chart Positions[]
- Daily & Weekly Rankings
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | Week Rank | Sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | 3 38,065 |
4 | 8 | 4 | 9 | 12 | 3 | 43,241 |
| 7 | 17 | 18 | 28 | 23 | 22 | 23 | 18 | 936 |
| 23 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 47 | 392 |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 84 | 236 |
| - | 24 | - | - | - | - | - | 46 | 849 |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 144 | 130 |
- Monthly Ranking
| Year | Month | Month Rank | Sales | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | April | 6 | 43,241 | [4] |
| 2021 | May | TBA | TBA |
- Yearly Ranking
| Year | Year Rank | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | TBA | TBA |
Total reported sales: 45,784
- Weekly Combined Ranking
| Week Rank | Points |
|---|---|
| 4 | 45,986 |
Total reported points: 45,986
Billboard Japan Top Single Sales[]
| Week Rank | Sales | Ref |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 65,498 | [5] |
| 16 | 930 | [6] |
| 47 | 397 | [7] |
| 92 | N/A | [8] |
Total reported sales: 66,825
Other Chart Rankings[]
| Country | Chart | Highest Position |
Ref |
|---|---|---|---|
 Japan
|
Billboard Japan Single Sales (First Three Days) | 2 (61,988) |
[9] |
Trivia[]
Juice=Juice promoting "DOWN TOWN" with Takagi Sayuki
Juice=Juice promoting "Ganbarenai yo" with Takagi Sayuki
- Takagi Sayuki was originally included in this single, but due to her departure on February 12, 2021, the single was remade and her parts in both songs were replaced by other members.
- The "Inoue Rei ga Juice=Juice no Uta wo..." series, featured in the Limited Edition SP2 DVD, is a series of videos of Inoue Rei covering Juice=Juice songs uploaded to the group's YouTube channel starting in May 2020.[10] Out of the videos featured in the DVD, only the "Naite Ii yo" cover featuring Kudo Yume and Matsunaga Riai was previously unpublished onto YouTube.
- "DOWN TOWN" and "Ganbarenai yo" are the first Hello! Project music videos uploaded to YouTube with the UP-FRONT WORKS logo embedded in the corner, and with closed captioning instead of embedded subtitles.
- The instrumental used for the solo versions of "Ganbarenai yo" have a piano arrangement and is different from the single version.
- Each solo also have different ad-libs at the end to further differentiate from the other members. Inaba Manaka, Dambara Ruru, and Matsunaga Riai ad-lib before the last line, while Kanazawa Tomoko, Uemura Akari, Inoue Rei, and Kudo Yume ad-lib after the last line.
- The instrumental used for the Inoue Rei and Matsunaga Riai versions also have a different pitch from the other versions.
- A Blu-ray of the release commemorative special live of the single, which was distributed at Niconico Live on April 28 without audience, will be available to pre-order for Hello! Project fanclub members from July 1 to July 28, 2021, with estimation of delivery currently scheduled to late September 2021. It will be also sold in advance for the UP-FRONT WORKS Web Store pre-orders and available for general sale at a later date.
Additional Videos[]
 「井上玲音がJuice=Juiceの歌を・・・」-01 "Hitori de Ikiraresou" tte Sore tte Nee, Homete Iru no? 【"Inoue Rei ga Juice=Juice no Uta wo..." Series】  「井上玲音がJuice=Juiceの歌を・・・」-02 Watashi ga Iu Mae ni Dakishimenakya ne 【"Inoue Rei ga Juice=Juice no Uta wo..." Series】  「井上玲音がJuice=Juiceの歌を・・・」-03 Potsuri to 【"Inoue Rei ga Juice=Juice no Uta wo..." Series】  「井上玲音がJuice=Juiceの歌を・・・」-04 Sunao ni Amaete 【"Inoue Rei ga Juice=Juice no Uta wo..." Series】  「井上玲音がJuice=Juiceの歌を・・・」-05 CHOICE & CHANCE 【"Inoue Rei ga Juice=Juice no Uta wo..." Series】  「井上玲音がJuice=Juiceの歌を・・・」-06 Romance no Tochuu 【"Inoue Rei ga Juice=Juice no Uta wo..." Series】  「井上玲音がJuice=Juiceの歌を・・・」-07 Bitansan 【"Inoue Rei ga Juice=Juice no Uta wo..." Series】  「井上玲音がJuice=Juiceの歌を・・・」-08 Suki tte Itte yo 【"Inoue Rei ga Juice=Juice no Uta wo..." Series】  Juice=Juice - Ganbarenai yo (Juice=Juice Solo mix Ver) |
References[]
- ↑ "Juice=Juice、両A面シングル「がんばれないよ / DOWN TOWN」をリリース" (in Japanese). natalie. 2021-01-11.
- ↑ "Juice=Juice『DOWN TOWN/がんばれないよ』発売日変更のお知らせ" (in Japanese). Hello! Project. 2021-02-15.
- ↑ "Juice=Juice「DOWN TOWN/がんばれないよ(Special Edition)」配信スタート！" (in Japanese). UP-FRONT WORKS. 2021-04-28.
- ↑ https://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/js/m/2021-04/
- ↑ http://www.billboard-japan.com/d_news/detail/99591/2
- ↑ http://www.billboard-japan.com/charts/detail?a=sales&year=2021&month=05&day=17
- ↑ http://www.billboard-japan.com/charts/detail?a=sales&year=2021&month=05&day=24
- ↑ http://www.billboard-japan.com/charts/detail?a=sales&year=2021&month=05&day=31
- ↑ "【先ヨミ】JO1『CHALLENGER』が23万枚で現在シングル1位＜4/30修正＞" (in Japanese). Billboard Japan. 2021-04-30.
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLs8AlpdTjgweHrq5pLmng_pbrbXJ3kqeW
External Links[]
- Discography: Hello! Project, UP-FRONT WORKS
- Lyrics: DOWN TOWN, Ganbarenai yo
