B'z -- LADY NAVIGATION

Ooooh...can't believe it's almost been a year since I actually put up a B'z single, and I can't believe that I hadn't put up this particular single. But "LADY NAVIGATION" isn't in my Top 3 favourite B'z songs truthfully although the song is familiar to my ears.

However, I'm probably in the minority with that opinion since B'z's 8th single from March 1991 became their very first million-seller (although "Taiyo no Komachi Angel", their 5th single, was their first Oricon No. 1 hit), and it would start a streak of consecutive million-sellers up to their 20th single in 1996, "Real Thing Shakes".

Created by the B'z boys, Koshi Inaba and Takahiro Matsumoto（稲葉浩志・松本孝弘）, "LADY NAVIGATION" has got all the B'z tropes: Inaba's uniquely sultry yet near-Banshee voice, Matsumoto's famous guitar licks (sometimes they remind me of Prince) and those stop-start notes in their early works. Going into the lyrics, it seems like Inaba has got the major hots for some lady almost to the point of being labeled a stalker. But I'm not sure where the NAVIGATION part of the title comes in. For me, the song is OK but not quite on the same level of "Bad Communication", "Love Phantom" or "Be There"....but again, that's just personal opinion. Your opinion mileage will vary.

Some more statistical achievements on "LADY NAVIGATION". It hit No. 1 for 3 weeks (2 of them in succession) and went Triple Platinum. The single also got used for a Kanebo Cosmetics commercial. By the end of 1991, it became the 7th-ranked single of the year. B'z were indeed buzzing.

The folks behind Miku Hatsune（初音ミク）came up with a different interpretation of the melody here...more R&B/dance. And to be honest, I actually like this version better. Please be kind.

Wow! Inaba actually does wear a shirt
from time to time!