Can You Celebrate?

"Can You Celebrate?"
Single by Namie Amuro
from the album Concentration 20
Released	February 19, 1997 (CD single) December 25, 1997 (CD Maxi single)
Format	CD Single
Genre	J-Pop, gospel
Length	21:16 (CD single) 28:23 (CD Maxi single)
Label	Avex Trax
Writer(s)	Tetsuya Komuro
Producer(s)	Tetsuya Komuro
Namie Amuro singles chronology
"A Walk in the Park" (1996) "Can You Celebrate?" (1997) "How to Be a Girl" (1997)
Music sample "Can You Celebrate?"

"Can You Celebrate?" is Namie Amuro's seventh solo single under the Avex Trax label. Released on February 19, 1997, "Can You Celebrate" is the best-selling single by a solo female artist in Japanese music history with sales of 2,296,200 copies.

It is also the theme song for Japanese drama Virgin Road (バージンロード) in 1997, which starred Emi Wakui, Tetsuya Takeda and Takashi Sorimachi. Namie Amuro herself appears in the opening sequence of the drama, along with Tetsuya Komuro on the piano.

Track listing

1. "Can You Celebrate? (Straight Run)" (Tetsuya Komuro) – 6:17
2. "Can You Celebrate? (Seventh Avenue South Mix)" (Tetsuya Komuro) – 8:43
3. "Can You Celebrate? (Back Track with TK)" (Tetsuya Komuro) – 6:16

Re-release

The single was re-released on December 25, 1997, as a maxi single to commemorate Amuro's marriage to Masaharu Maruyama (SAM). Featuring remixes of "Can You Celebrate?" as well as a remix of "Dreaming I Was Dreaming", the song charted as the first number one of 1998.

Track listing

1. "Can You Celebrate? (Wedding Mix)" – 6:28
2. "Dreaming I Was Dreaming (Subconscious Mix)" – 5:21
3. "Can You Celebrate? (Heavenly Mix)" – 4:46
4. "Can You Celebrate? (Wedding Mix - Instrumental)" – 6:28
5. "Dreaming I Was Dreaming (Subconscious Mix - Instrumental) – 5:20

Packaging

Unique to Amuro's singles, the re-release was released in a hardpaper slipcase and pressed on a full-sized 5" disc instead of the then industry standard 3" disc. The cover utilizes images from her Concentration 20 (1997) album as well as images from her original "Can You Celebrate?" and "Dreaming I was dreaming" singles. Closeup shoots of Amuro clasping her hands together exposing her engagement ring are some of the only professional photographs of it that exist.

Personnel

• Namie Amuro – vocals, background vocals
• Tetsuya Komuro – piano, background vocals
• Kazuhiro Matsuo – guitar

Production

• Producer – Tetsuya Komuro
• Arrangement – Tetsuya Komuro, Cozy Kubo
• String Arrangement – Randy Waldman
• Additional production – Robert Arbittier, Gary Adante
• Mixing – Dave Way
• Remixing – Joe Chiccarelli

TV performances

• February 4, 1997 – Utaban
• February 9, 1997 – Super Jockey
• February 10, 1997 – Hey! Hey! Hey! Music Champ
• February 14, 1997 – Music Station
• February 16, 1997 – Mega Hits Special
• March 7, 1997 – Music Station
• March 28, 1997 – Music Station Special
• March 31, 1997 – Hey! Hey! Hey! Music Champ in Daiba
• May 21, 1997 – TK Groove Museum HongKong
• May 27, 1997 – TK Pan-Pacific Tour
• October 3, 1997 – Music Station Special
• November 16, 1997 – 1st The Japan Audition
• November 28, 1997 – TK Groove Museum Beijing
• December 11, 1997 – FNS Music Festival
• December 26, 1997 – Music Station Special Super Live 1997
• December 31, 1997 – 39th Japan Record Awards
• December 31, 1997 – 48th Kōhaku Uta Gassen
• December 31, 1998 – 49th Kōhaku Uta Gassen
• December 27, 1999 – SMAP X SMAP
• April 12, 2000 – Music Museum
• December 2, 2000 – Love Love Aishiteru
• March 30, 2001 – Music Station Special
• December 6, 2001 – FNS Music Festival
• December 25, 2001 – Eienteki Oto Raku Shounen
• September 27, 2004 – Hey! Hey! Hey! Music Champ Special

Charts

Total Release (Original + Re-Release)

Oricon Sales Chart (Japan)

Original CD release

Oricon Sales Chart (Japan)

Maxi single re-release

Oricon Sales Chart (Japan)

References

• Namie Amuro Discography Sampling Site