LADY NAVIGATION

LADY NAVIGATION
Single by B'z
Released	March 27, 1991
Promotions	#1 ('91 Kanebou-Natsu Image Song); #1 (Kanebou Keshouhin "Nabi" CM)
Length	8:47
Label	BMG Rooms; Vermillion Records (2003 Remaster)
Producer	Tak Matsumoto
B'z singles chronology

LADY NAVIGATION is the eighth single by B'z, released on March 27, 1991. Although a non-album song, it has still remained relevant throughout the band's history in varying ways. The title song was one of only a few early singles to appear on all eligible "Pleasure" compilations beginning with B'z The Best "Pleasure" in 1998 and followed by B'z The Best "ULTRA Pleasure" in 2008 and B'z The Best XXV 1988-1998 in 2013. It is especially noteworthy as the only B'z song to receive two radically different English versions.

The title song was composed and its lyrics written with the theme of "fresh" as the core concept. Tak stated in an interview that "even the guitar solo is wild and free". The song would become the subject of a few revisions, including two separate English versions. On MARS in 1991, B'z produced the first of those entitled "LADY NAVIGATION ~Cookie & Car Stereo Style~". This was similar to the original though the arrangement was altered significantly in parts. In 1994, what would become known as the "bluesy English version" by fans would be found under the original title of "LADY NAVIGATION" on The 7th Blues. This mellow, slow-tempo version was very emblematic of the album it was found on. The lyrics were shared with the previous English version but that was the end of the similarities.

Interestingly, the title song only tends to be played every ten years on the live stage. It appeared on all dates of B'z LIVE-GYM "Pleasure'91" and B'z LIVE-GYM '91~'92 "IN THE LIFE" before not returning until two performances in 2003. Later, the song would appear again in 2013 as part of AEROSONIC and all dates of B'z LIVE-GYM Pleasure 2013 -ENDLESS SUMMER-.

It was here that the band first released "Pleasure ~Jinsei no Kairaku~", a perpetually-evolving song that has received new entries at regular intervals throughout the band's career. In terms of popularity, this is one of the few instances that a B-side has outlived its A-side for the band. This has not commonly been the case, but as Tak noted in an interview with a Chinese publication in the early 2000s, "The lyrics are wonderful; even though it is only a B-side, it definitely has all it needs to become a great single." With each new edition comes new lyrics that move along the story of the central character's story. B'z have updated the song for every anniversary LIVE-GYM beginning in 2003. The B-side found here matches the year of release with the title "Pleasure'91 ~Jinsei no Kairaku~" and differs significantly from "Pleasure'98 ~Jinsei no Kairaku~" and "Pleasure 2008 ~Jinsei no Kairaku~" in terms of both certain lyrics and the overall arrangement.

The music video was directed by the same director as their first home video FILM RISKY. The video came around the time that B'z stopped producing specialized promotional videos for a time. The title song would appear often on television as a Kanebo cosmetics commercial line. Only one television appearance was made to promote the release, with a contemporary showing on Music Station with a corresponding performance.

At release, "LADY NAVIGATION" premiered at number one on the Weekly Oricon Singles chart with over 200,000 copies sold. It would hold onto the top spot for a total of three weeks, two of which were consecutive, and be the best selling single for April 1991 as well as second for May. With over a year on the charts in total, it amassed massive sales and became one of the band's many million-selling singles. It ranked seventh for the year of 1991 and earned Triple Platinum status with the Recording Industry Association of Japan and a Million classification from Oricon. The 6th Japan Gold Disc Awards also named it one of the Best 5 Singles for the year of release.

The single was simultaneously remastered and re-released on March 26, 2003 along with nine other of the band's older singles and the then-latest single, "IT'S SHOWTIME!!". On the daily chart at launch, B'z held a monopoly over the chart's top eleven slots, with the new single ranking at the top and the re-issues covering the remaining ten. Ultimately, B'z would set a record that week for holding nine of the Top 10 slots for the week of release, with "LADY NAVIGATION" coming in sixth place.

Track listing

All music and guitar by Tak Matsumoto. All lyrics and lead vocals by Koshi Inaba.

LADY NAVIGATION
File:s08 01.ogg A song written as the image song of a Kanebo cosmetics line in 1991, "LADY NAVIGATION" was designed with the concept of "fresh" in mind. As opposed to previous singles "Easy Come, Easy Go!" and "Itoshii Hito yo Good Night...", the song is a brief return to their digital roots but with guitar as a more permanent fixture than before. For the band's 25th anniversary tour, B'z revived the song in its original incarnation but with a new rock edge in accordance with their transition to rock musicians. It is also the only B'z song from which two separate English versions were sourced, on The 7th Blues in 1994 and earlier on 1991's MARS.
Pleasure'91 ~Jinsei no Kairaku~ — Pleasure'91 ~The Pleasure of Life~, Pleasure'91 ~人生の快楽~
File:s08 02.ogg "Pleasure ~Jinsei no Kairaku~" is the title of an evolving song by the band, first released in studio form here. Since its debut with the 1991 edition, the lyrics have steadily changed at regular intervals to convey the life of the lyrics' aging protagonist, with the title including the year in which it was created such as with "Pleasure'91". As of 2018, there are nine editions of the song, three of which have been released on CD: the B-side here for "LADY NAVIGATION", a re-recorded version requested by fans for B'z The Best "Treasure" in 1998, and and another re-recorded update found on B'z The Best "ULTRA Pleasure" in 2008. The rest are available for home viewing on corresponding home video releases. A version of "Pleasure" has been played at every Pleasure LIVE-GYM to date apart from the 1993 and 1997 editions.

Reversion history

Main article: B'z Reversioned Songs

Original Song	Reversion History
LADY NAVIGATION SINGLE (1991)	ENGLISH: LADY NAVIGATION ~Cookie & Car Stereo Style~ (1991) Fully English version released only on 1991 mini album MARS. KARAOKE: LADY NAVIGATION [Karaoke Version] (1992) Karaoke version found only on B'z TV Style SONGLESS VERSION. ENGLISH: LADY NAVIGATION [Bluesy English Version] (1994) Released on studio album The 7th Blues under the original title. This version is also completely in English but done in a bluesy style and was later released on the 2002 Korea-only mini album DEVIL as well.
Pleasure'91 ~Jinsei no Kairaku~ B-SIDE (1991)	UNRELEASED: Pleasure'92 ~Jinsei no Kairaku~ [Piano Version] (1992) Used as the Ending SE to B'z LIVE-GYM Pleasure'92 "TIME". LIVE ONLY: Pleasure'92 ~Jinsei no Kairaku~ (1992) Performed during B'z LIVE-GYM Pleasure'92 "TIME". LIVE ONLY: Pleasure'95 ~Jinsei no Kairaku~ (1995) Performed during B'z LIVE-GYM Pleasure'95 "BUZZ!!". RE-RECORDING: Pleasure'98 ~Jinsei no Kairaku~ (1998) Studio version released on B'z The Best "Treasure". LIVE ONLY: Pleasure 2000 ~Jinsei no Kairaku~ (2000) Performed during B'z LIVE-GYM Pleasure 2000 "juice". LIVE ONLY: Pleasure 2003 ~Jinsei no Kairaku~ (2003) Performed during B'z LIVE-GYM 2003 The Final Pleasure "IT'S SHOWTIME!!". RE-RECORDING: Pleasure 2008 ~Jinsei no Kairaku~ (2008) Studio version released on B'z The Best "ULTRA Treasure" and performed during B'z LIVE-GYM Pleasure 2008 -GLORY DAYS-. LIVE ONLY: Pleasure 2013 ~Jinsei no Kairaku~ (2013) Performed during B'z LIVE-GYM Pleasure 2013 -ENDLESS SUMMER-.