LOVE Machine (LOVEマシーン) is Morning Musume's seventh single. It was released on September 9, 1999 as an 8cm CD. It sold a total of 1,646,630 copies, making it a massive hit (a #1 single in Japan) and their highest selling single overall. "LOVE Machine" ranked as the #7 single for 1999. The VHS for the single was released on October 14, 1999, and the vinyl on October 6, 1999.
This single was the first to feature third generation member Goto Maki and the last to feature first generation member Ishiguro Aya.
In 2004, it was re-released as part of Morning Musume Early Single Box, a limited edition box set containing their first eight singles reissued on 12cm CDs. In 2005, the singles were released individually, and first press editions came with a photo card.
On June 18, 2022, a reissue 7inch limited edition vinyl will be released, using the original master.
Tracklist[]
Morning Musume - LOVE Machine (MV)
Original Edition[]
- LOVE Machine
- 21seiki (21世紀; 21st Century)
- LOVE Machine (Instrumental)
Re-release Edition[]
- LOVE Machine
- 21seiki
- LOVE Machine (Instrumental)
- LOVE Machine (Early Unison Version)
LP Tracklist[]
Side A[]
- LOVE Machine
- LOVE Machine (Instrumental)
Side B[]
- LOVE Machine ～analog remix～
- LOVE Machine ～analog remix～ (Instrumental)
- Secret Track (シークレットトラック)
VHS Tracklist[]
- LOVE Machine (MV)
Featured Members[]
Morning Musume promoting the single
- 1st Gen: Nakazawa Yuko, Ishiguro Aya (last), Iida Kaori, Abe Natsumi
- 2nd Gen: Yasuda Kei, Yaguchi Mari, Ichii Sayaka
- 3rd Gen (debut): Goto Maki
Single Information[]
- LOVE Machine
- Lyrics and Composition: Tsunku
- Arrangement: DANCE☆MAN
- Dance Choreography: Natsu Mayumi
- Music Video: Takahata Hideta[1]
- 21seki
- Lyrics and Composition: Tsunku
- Arrangement: Suzuki Shunsuke
- Strings Arrangement: Murakami Tatsuya
TV Performances[]
- [1999.09.05] ASAYAN
- [1999.09.09] Utaban
- [1999.09.10] Music Station
- [1999.09.19] ASAYAN
- [1999.09.30] Utaban
- [1999.10.08] Music Station
- [1999.12.23] Utaban
- [1999.12.24] Music Station
- [1999.12.31] 50th Kouhaku Uta Gassen
- [2000.08.20] Hello! Morning (Episode #20)
- [2000.12.31] 51st Kouhaku Uta Gassen
- [2004.02.14] POP JAM Live Special in Makuhari Messe - Matsuura Aya, Goto Maki, ZONE)
- [2005.12.31] 56th Kouhaku Uta Gassen (as Yume Morning Musume)
- [2006.07.15] MUSIC FAIR 21
- [2007.12.31] 58th Kouhaku Uta Gassen
- [2011.07.25] HEY! HEY! HEY! Music Champ - Dream Morning Musume (part of a medley)
- [2012.01.01] CDTV Premium Live - Dream Morning Musume
- [2012.02.24] Music Station - Dream Morning Musume
- [2012.08.02] Odaiba Gasshuukoku Mezamashi Live 2012
- [2013.07.31] FNS Uta no Natsu Matsuri 2013
- [2014.04.xx] Bokura no Ongaku
- [2015.12.16] FNS Kayousai 2015 - Morning Musume '15, ℃-ute, ANGERME, AKB48 (part of a medley)
Concert Performances[]
- LOVE Machine
- Morning Musume Summer-Autumn Event '99
- Hello! Project Happy New Year 2000
- Morning Musume First Live at Budokan ~Dancing Love Site 2000 Haru~
- Hello! Project 2000 ~Atsumare! Summer Party~
- Dream Live Pop Revue 2000
- Hello! Project Dai Undoukai
- Hello! Project 2001 Sugoi zo! 21seiki
- Live Revolution 21 Haru ~Osaka Jou Hall Saishuu Bi~
- Hello! Project 2001 ~TOGETHER! Summer Party!~
- GREEN LIVE
- Hello! Project 2002 ~Kotoshi mo Sugoi zo!~
- Morning Musume CONCERT TOUR 2002 Haru "LOVE IS ALIVE!" at Saitama Super Arena
- Morning Musume LOVE IS ALIVE! 2002 Natsu at Yokohama Arena
- Morning Musume CONCERT TOUR 2003 Haru "NON STOP!"
- Morning Musume CONCERT TOUR 2003 15nin de NON STOP!
- Itsuki Hiroshi 55sai Happy Birthday Concert in Yokohama Arena
- Morning Musume Sakura Gumi Hatsu Kouen ~Sakura Saku~ - Morning Musume Sakura Gumi
- 2004nen Natsu First Concert Tour "W Standby! W & Berryz Koubou!" - W, Berryz Koubou
- Hello! Project 2005 Winter All-Stars Dairanbu ~A HAPPY NEW POWER! Iida Kaori Sotsugyou Special~
- Morning Musume Concert Tour 2005 Haru ~Dai 6 Kan Hit Mankai!~
- Hello! Project 2005 Natsu no Kayou Show -'05 Selection! Collection!-
- Morning Musume Concert Tour 2005 Natsu Aki "Baribari Kyoushitsu ~Koharu-chan Irasshai!~"
- Morning Musume Concert Tour 2007 Haru ~SEXY 8 Beat~
- Morning Musume Concert Tour 2008 Haru ~Single Daizenshuu!!~
- Hello! Project 2009 Winter Elder Club Kouen ~Thank you for your LOVE!~ - Morning Musume with Nakazawa Yuko, Iida Kaori, Abe Natsumi, Yasuda Kei, Yaguchi Mari, Ishikawa Rika, Yoshizawa Hitomi, Konno Asami, Ogawa Makoto, Fujimoto Miki (part of a medley)
- Morning Musume Concert Tour 2009 Haru ~Platinum 9 DISCO~
- Morning Musume Concert Tour 2009 Aki ~Nine Smile~
- Morning Musume Concert Tour 2010 Haru ~Pikappika!~
- Morning Musume Live at Japan Expo 2010
- Morning Musume Concert Tour 2011 Haru Shin Souseiki Fantasy DX ~9ki Mem wo Mukaete~
- Hello! Project 2011 SUMMER
- Dream Morning Musume Special LIVE 2012 at Nippon Budokan ~Dai Isshou Shuumaku "Yuusha Tachi, Shuugou Seyo"~
- Hello! Project Yaon Premium LIVE ~Soto Fest~
- Hello! Project COUNTDOWN PARTY 2013 ~GOOD BYE & HELLO!~
- Hello! Project 20th Anniversary!! Hello! Project Hina Fes 2018 - Hello! Project with Nakazawa Yuko, Ishiguro Aya, Iida Kaori, Abe Natsumi, Fukuda Asuka
- Hello! Project 20th Anniversary!! Hello! Project 2019 WINTER ~YOU & I~ - Kanazawa Tomoko, Kamikokuryo Moe, Yamagishi Riko (part of a medley)
- Nakazawa Yuko Chotto Dake Hayai Happy X’mas Show in Tokyo - Nakazawa Yuko
- 21seiki
Oricon Chart Positions[]
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | Week Rank | Sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 241,540 |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 201,670 |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 191,320 |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 4 | 101,350 |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 | 81,340 |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 | 91,850 |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 5 | 68,410 |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 4 | 72,860 |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 4 | 69,840 |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 8 | 47,650 |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 7 | 39,540 |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 12 | 46,350 |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 12 | 36,720 |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 12 | 42,470 |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 12 | 34,910 |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 10 | 41,380 |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 8 | 89,980 |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 8 | 31,780 |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 17 | 27,580 |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 27 | 22,610 |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 36 | 14,580 |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 37 | 10,930 |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 46 | 5,830 |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 47 | 7,470 |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 37 | 7,290 |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 48 | 5,230 |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 55 | 3,650 |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 52 | 4,010 |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 55 | 3,380 |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 65 | 3,110 |
Total Reported Sales: 1,646,630
Total time in the Oricon Top 100: 31 weeks
Cover Versions[]
- Kobushi Factory released an A Capella Version on their album Kobushi Dai Ni Maku in 2019.
- An English cover was recorded by Debbie French as "Love Machine" for the album Cover Morning Musume! ~Various Artist Covers "MORNING MUSUME"!~.
- American singer-songwriter Scott Murphy recorded a cover of the song for his album Guilty Pleasures 3.
- A Korean version of the song, titled "Dream Girl", was recorded by After School for Tokyo Girls, a series which documented the Hello! Project Korea Auditions. After School’s version can be found on the album VS Tokyo Girls.
- Avex Group’s version (titled RIKI version) can be found on its official YouTube channel.
- An English reggae version was recorded by British singer Janet Kay featuring Takahashi Ai for Kay's cover album Idol Kay, which was produced by Tsunku.[2]
- The 2013 line-up of Morning Musume released a self-cover album called The Best! ~Updated Morning Musume~, which includes an new recording of "LOVE Machine".
- A Hawaiian version of this song is found on "Morning Musume Single Medley ~Hawaiian~" and on the album Hawaiian de Kiku Morning Musume Single Collection.
- A trance remix of the song can be found on the album CLUB Hello! TRANCE REMIX.
- Yoko Hikasa and Janet Key covered this song.
Trivia[]
- A flyer for the third Heike Michiyo & Morning Musume Protegee Audition was included with the original release.
- There are two versions of the music video: an edit and a full version (-FULL VER.-). The longer version (available on the VHS only) has an intro and an outro; the intro starts with builders removing the poster for their second album, replacing it with the poster for this single. The outro shows Maki Goto giving a guy in a record store, who is listening to their CD, a wink. There is also a Studio Version which aired on TV, showing the recording sessions from ASAYAN.
- This is one of the four Morning Musume singles that sold more than 1,000,000 copies.
- This is the highest selling single in all of Hello! Project.
- Tsunku suggested the titles "king & queen", "midnight dancer", and "made in JAPAN", before deciding LOVE Machine.
- Coincidentally, the way the members are set up for the jacket cover ended up being in order of graduation. Going from top to bottom, right to left, with Ishiguro Aya being top-right and Yaguchi Mari being bottom-left. This is unofficially known by some fans as the "LOVE Machine Curse"
- This is their first single that was both a graduation and debut single. This is also first single to feature 3rd generation member Goto Maki and the last single to feature Ishiguro Aya.
- This is the only Morning Musume single that stayed 3 weeks in a row on the #1 position on the Oricon charts.
- Track #4 in the re-release is a first version, before each member was given specific solo parts. There is no chorus, yet it has an explosive energy mostly influenced by a newly added member, Goto Maki. Comparing to the single version, you can hear unique phrases like faking during intro and “a-ha” during riff. Also, you can hear the original version of the lyrics, "Love Machine!" during the ending riff. Tsunku later took out this line by Yaguchi Mari and added it to the very end, and that’s how the dramatic ending of this song was created.[3]
- The hidden track in the vinyl edition is a short snippet (30-60 seconds) with members' random shouts and faking from "LOVE Machine".
- The song was sampled in Dancing Dolls' single "DD JUMP" (2013).
- "LOVE Machine" appears as a song in Karaoke Revolution J-Pop Best Collection Volume 1.
- Tsunku has mentioned during an episode of Uchi Kuru!? that "LOVE Machine was originally an unreleased Sharam Q song with a change in arrangements.[4]
- In the movie Seishun Bakachin Ryorijuku starring Goto Maki, two people sing "LOVE Machine".
- In the movie Summer Wars, the artificial intelligence is named LOVE Machine after the song.
- Abe Natsumi commented on the single for a YouTube video series counting up to Morning Musume's 50th single.[5]
- "LOVE Machine" is one of the songs in the game Just Dance Wii U.
- The Centers for this single are, Abe Natsumi, Yaguchi Mari and Goto Maki, making it the first single with more than one center.
- This is Morning Musume's last single released in the 1990's.
- While Nakazawa Yuko said before that her favorite Morning Musume song is Kimagure Princess, her favorite MV is actually one of her own: LOVE Machine. She says the song is really what transformed the group and it showed off how charming they were, so she says that's one she really cares for.[6]
Comments[]
Comments
|
|---|
| Tsunku commented on the single:
I almost wanted to sing this song for myself. It is such uplifting, happy dance music. I’ve created many dance songs that naturally make people want to dance, but "LOVE Machine" is definitely the best choice. It is danceable. Actually, you cannot help dancing when you hear this song. As a producer, it may not be so appropriate to tell you this, but I thought Morning Musume was very amazing. "LOVE Machine" is a great song as a group, and that means this song can be beautifully completed thanks to the 8 members. When I watch them sing, I feel so happy and excited that I cannot help dancing. Morning Musume has been getting enough experiences in front of a large audience, and I genuinely envy them. I can close my eyes and imagine them having an awesome time. I really think they’ve become something great and amazing. They have been constantly evolving since its debut. By the 7 single, they’ve grown up to be really cool artists. I hope they will continue to grow and evolve, become cooler and sexier. |
Additional Videos[]
Morning Musume - LOVE Machine (Yomiuri Land EAST Ver)
References[]
- ↑ http://www.spaceshowertv.com/search/detail.cgi?mu=0019721&ch=0
- ↑ "アイドルKAY" (in Japanese). Tsunku.net.
- ↑ LOVEマシーン Booklet Translation.
- ↑ Uchi Kuru!?. 2010-05-30.
- ↑ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbYLGVwNtFI
- ↑ YouTube Interview (2020)
External Links[]
- Discography:
- Single: Hello! Project, UP-FRONT WORKS, Tsunku.net
- LP: Hello! Project, UP-FRONT WORKS
- VHS: Hello! Project, UP-FRONT WORKS
- Wikipedia: Japanese, English
- Lyrics: LOVE Machine, 21seiki
