Kuchibiru ni Be My Baby


"Kuchibiru ni Be My Baby" is the 42nd single by the Japanese idol girl group AKB48. It was released in Japan on December 9, 2015. As of February 22, 2016, it has sold 1,041,763 copies. It was number-one on the weekly Oricon Singles Chart and was also number-one on the Billboard Japan Hot 100.

Background

The title track of this single marks Minami Takahashi's first time to hold an unshared choreography center position since 2006's "Sakura no Hanabiratachi". The B-side track "365 Nichi no Kamihikōki" is a gentle, medium-tempo song. It won Excellent Work Award in the 58th Japan Record Awards, Best Theme Song in 88th The Television Drama Academy Award and 11th Taisho Ryou Music Award.

Release

The single will be released in nine versions: Type A, Type B, Type C, Type D, and a version called a "Theater Edition". All versions, except the Theater Edition, include a DVD with four music videos and a video related to Minami Takahashi.
For the first time since "Chance no Junban", AKB48 did not sell a million copies of a single within the first week after the release, breaking the so-called Million Streak that had started since "Everyday, Kachuusha". Kuchibiru ni Be My Baby still managed to sell a million copies after several weeks. "Kuchibiru ni Be My Baby" sold 905.490 copies in 2015, making it the 4th best selling single of the year, according to the Oricon.

Music video

The music video for the title track was directed by Eiki Takahashi, who had already directed several music videos for the group. The full version lasts for 13 minutes and was published along with the release of Kimi wa Melody. On, A Full version was released on official AKB48 YouTube channel.

Track listings

All lyrics were written by Yasushi Akimoto.
The first two tracks are the same for all versions.

Personnel

"Kuchibiru ni Be My Baby"

The senbatsu for the song consists of 16 members. The center is Minami Takahashi.

"365 Nichi no Kamihikōki"

The "Asa ga Kita senbatsu" for the song consists of 16 members. The "center" is Sayaka Yamamoto.

"Kimi o Kimi o Kimi o"

The "Next Generation Senbatsu" for the song consists of 16 members. The "center" is Haruka Kodama.

"Madonna no Sentaku"

The "Renacchi Sōsenkyo Senbatsu" for the song consists of 16 members. The "center" is Natsumi Tanaka.

"Ama Nojaku Batta"

Team 8's song. The "center" is Ikumi Nakano.
  • Team 8: Mei Abe, Moeka Iwasaki, Rin Okabe, Yui Oguri, Nao Ota, Erina Oda, Momoka Onishi, Reina Kita, Yurina Gyoten, Narumi Kuranoo, Moeri Kondo, Nagisa Sakaguchi, Akari Sato, Shiori Sato, Nanami Sato, Miu Shitao, Maria Shimizu, Karin Shimoaoki, Kaoru Takaoka, Ayane Takahashi, Yuri Tani, Hijiri Tanikawa, Kurena Cho, Ikumi Nakano, Serika Nagano, Haruna Hashimoto, Yuna Hattori, Sayuna Hama, Riona Hamamatsu, Tsumugi Hayasaka, Kotone Hitomi, Ayaka Hidaritomo, Natsuki Hirose, Rena Fukuchi, Natsuki Fujimura, Hitomi Honda, Rira Miyazato, Kasumi Mogi, Karen Yoshida, Moka Yaguchi, Nanami Yamada, Ai Yamamoto, Ruka Yamamoto, Yuri Yokomichi, Yui Yokoyama, Nanase Yoshikawa, Miyu Yoshino

"Senaka Kotoba"

Minami Takahashi's graduation song.

"Yasashii Place"

Team A's song. The "center" is Haruka Shimazaki & Sakura Miyawaki.

"Onēsan no Hitorigoto"

Team K's song. The "center" is Mion Mukaichi.

"Kin no Hane o Motsu Hito yo"

Team B's song. The "center" is Rena Kato & Yuria Kizaki.

"Nanka, Chotto, Kyū ni"

Team 4's song.

"Sakki Made wa Ice Tea"

The "Mushi Kago" for the song consists of 12 members. The "center" is Haruka Komiyama & Shu Yabushita.

Other versions

  • The Thai idol group BNK48, a sister group of AKB48, covered the song "365 Nichi no Kamihikōki" and named it "Sam Roi Hoksip Ha Wan Kap Khrueangbin Kradat". First performed on June 2, 2017, at the group's debut event in Bangkok, the song was included on the group's debut single, "Aitakatta – Yak Cha Dai Phop Thoe", officially released on August 8, 2017.
  • MNL48, AKB48's sister group in the Philippines, made a Filipino version of the song "365 Nichi no Kamihikōki" titled "365 Araw ng Eroplanong Papel". This was the idol group's third single, released on April 11, 2019.
  • Indonesian idol group JKT48, a sister group of AKB48, covered the song "365 Nichi no Kamihikōki" in Indonesian called "Pesawat Kertas 365 Hari". The song was included on the group's album Mahagita.