Lesson 1

Lesson 1
CD only cover
Studio album by
ReleasedApril 17, 2013 (2013-04-17)
Recorded2011–2013
Genre
Length56:53
LanguageJapanese
LabelRhythm Zone
E-girls chronology
Lesson 1
(2013)
Colorful Pop
(2014)
Singles from Lesson 1
  1. "Celebration!"
    Released: December 28, 2011
  2. "One Two Three"
    Released: April 18, 2012
  3. "Follow Me"
    Released: October 3, 2012
  4. "The Never Ending Story"
    Released: February 20, 2013
  5. "Candy Smile"
    Released: March 13, 2013

Lesson 1 is the debut studio album of the Japanese super girl group E-girls. It was released on April 17, 2013 in two different editions.[1]

Background

The album was announced on February 26, via the group and LDH official websites. It was revealed the album prices and some details about the editions, being released in two editions: limited with a DVD and a regular CD only.[2][3] On March 18, jacket covers and track list were revealed, the CD including fourteen tracks and DVD including all music videos released up to date and a bonus live video from EXILE's "EXILE Live Tour 2011 Tower of Wish ~Negai no Tou~". The album was also put in pre-order in Japan's iTunes Store, including an acoustic version of the song "Love Letter" as a special pre-order track only. The first press of the CD+DVD edition includes a 64-page photobook. First presses of both editions feature a special packaging and include a card with a serial code which give access to a free wallpaper download though their official website. If codes of the album and their previous release, "Candy Smile", are entered, the page also offers the download for an unreleased song.

Composition

The album is composed by fourteen tracks. It includes three new tracks: "Loving Bell", "Shiny Girls" and "Take it Easy!", all singles released up to date and some b-sides included on the singles.

Singles

Five songs from the album were released as singles:

The first and debut single of the group, "Celebration!", was released on December 28, 2011. The song featured all members from the groups Dream (with former member Sayaka), Happiness (with former member Mimu) and Flower. The single peaked at number seven in Oricon's weekly chart with 18,720 copies sold in the first week.[4]

The second single, "One Two Three", was released on April 18, 2012. The song featured all members from the groups again but without Dream's Sayaka, who withdrawn from the group in March 2012 and Happiness' Mimu, who announced hiatus due to her studies. It is also the first single featuring the dancers Anna Suda and Risa Ikuta, both from EGD (a dance group of EXPG (EXILE' Dance Academy)). A special version of the b-side, "Tadaima!", was also included on the album. It peaked at number twelve in Oricon's weekly chart, selling 18,123 copies in the first week. At the date, it is the group's lowest selling single.[5]

The third single, "Follow Me", was released on October 3, 2012. Due to the addiction of the non-debuted group Bunny and another member from EGD, the number of members increased to 32, which made LDH lead to a new system for the release of the single where the girls were required to undergo a period of training and afterwards, the girls who excelled and fit the image of the single would be chosen to participate. Sixteen members, four vocalists and twelve performers, from all five groups included on E-Girls were chosen for this single. All songs from the single were included on the album. It peaked at number two in Oricon's weekly chart, selling with 30,008 copies in the first week.[6] Although the selling numbers of the physical single being below compared to the single "The Never Ending Story", it is classified as the most successful single of the group at the date due to its digital performance (250 000 downloads).

The fourth single, "The Never Ending Story", was released on February 20, 2013. The song is a cover of Limahl's "The NeverEnding Story". In early 2012 three members from Bunny left the group and the remaining twenty-nine members (except Happiness' Mayu, who went to a hiatus) were included on the single. The b-side, "Just in Love", was first released digitally on December 26, 2012,[7] and later included on the single. The song and its music video were included on the album. It peaked number two in Oricon's weekly chart, selling 40,055 copies in its first week. It is currently the best selling single of the group physically.[8]

The fifth and final single, "Candy Smile", was released on March 13, 2013. The song features twelve members, four vocalists and eight performers, from all twenty-eight members. A special version of the b-side, "Love Letter", was included on the album. It peaked at number six in Oricon's weekly chart, selling 34,764 copies in its first week.[9]

Track listing

All editions track list[1]
No.TitleLyricsMusicLength
1."Follow Me"Shoko FujibayashiJam9, ArmySlick4:06
2."Candy Smile"Maria Okada (RzC), LitzCLARABELL (RzC)4:11
3."Loving Bell"Jam9Jam9, ArmySlick4:03
4."One Two Three"Yosuke Nimbari, Shoko FujibayashiArmySlick, Yosuke Nimbari4:05
5."Ready Go"Yu ShimojiKazuhiro Hara3:44
6."Shiny Girls"Yu ShimojiKohei Yokono, ULO3:45
7."Take it Easy!"Emyli, NA.ZU.NAArmySlick, NA.ZU.NA3:56
8."Love Letter" (album special version)Jam9Jam9, ArmySlick5:04
9."Suki Desuka?" (好きですか?; "Do You Like?")Masato OdakeSHIBU4:37
10."Just in Love"Shoko FujibayashiEmyli, NA.ZU.NA3:26
11."Celebration!"Shoko FujibayashiArmySlick3:59
12."Himawari" (ヒマワリ; "Sunflower"; E-Girls version)Jam9Jam9, ArmySlick4:01
13."Tadaima!" (ただいま!; album special version)Masato OdakeUTA (TinyVoice Production)4:31
14."The Never Ending Story ~Kimi ni Himitsu wo Oshieyou~" (The Never Ending Story ~君に秘密を教えよう~; "I'll Tell You a Secret")Keith Forsey, Shoko Fujibayashi (Japanese lyrics)Giorgio Moroder3:26
Total length:56:53
iTunes Store pre-order only bonus track[10]
No.TitleLyricsMusicLength
15."Love Letter" (acoustic version)Jam9Jam9, ArmySlick 
DVD (limited edition)[11]
No.TitleLength
1."Celebration!" (music video) 
2."One Two Three" (music video) 
3."Follow Me" (music video) 
4."The Never Ending Story ~Kimi ni Himitsu wo Oshieyou~" (music video) 
5."Just in Love" (music video) 
6."Candy Smile" (music video) 
7."E-Girls Anthem" (Live from "EXILE Live Tour 2011 Tower of Wish ~Negai no Tou~"; bonus video) 

Personnel

  • Credits are listed on E-Girls official website and in the album's liner notes.[12]

Participating members

Vocalists

  • "Follow Me" – Ami (Dream), Karen (Happiness), Reina Washio (Flower), Yuzuna Takebe (Bunny)
  • "Candy Smile" – Ami, Shizuka (Dream), Karen (Happiness), Reina Washio (Flower)
  • "Loving Bell" – Erie (Dream), Reina Washio (Flower), Ruri Kawamoto (Happiness)
  • "One Two Three" – Shizuka, Aya (Dream), Mayu, Karen (Happiness), Reina Washio, Chiharu Muto (Flower)
  • "Ready Go" – Erie, Aya (Dream), Karen (Happiness), Chiharu Muto (Flower), Yuzuna Takebe (Bunny)
  • "Shiny Girls" – Ami, Shizuka, Erie, Aya (Dream), Karen, Ruri Kawamoto (Happiness), Reina Washio, Chiharu Muto (Flower), Yuzuna Takebe (Bunny)
  • "Take it Easy!" – Chiharu Muto (Flower), Ruri Kawamoto (Happiness), Yuzuna Takebe (Bunny)
  • "Love Letter" – Shizuka, Aya (Dream), Ruri Kawamoto (Happiness), Chiharu Muto (Flower)
  • "Suki Desuka?" – Shizuka (Dream), Reina Washio (Flower)
  • "Just in Love" – Ami, Shizuka (Dream), Karen (Happiness), Reina Washio (Flower)
  • "Celebration!" – Shizuka, Aya (Dream), Mayu, Karen (Happiness), Reina Washio, Chiharu Muto (Flower)
  • "Himawari" – Ami, Shizuka, Erie, Aya (Dream), Karen (Happiness), Reina Washio, Chiharu Muto (Flower), Yuzuna Takebe (Bunny)
  • "Tadaima!" – Ami, Shizuka, Erie, Aya (Dream), Mayu, Karen, Ruri Kawamoto (Happiness), Reina Washio, Chiharu Muto (Flower), Yuzuna Takebe (Bunny)
  • "The Never Ending Story ~Kimi ni Himitsu wo Oshieyou~" – Ami, Shizuka, Erie, Aya (Dream), Karen (Happiness), Reina Washio, Chiharu Muto (Flower), Yuzuna Takebe (Bunny)

Performers (as seen on the music videos)

Music credits

Chart performance

The album debuted at number one on Oricon's daily chart with 18,038 copies sold on the first day and 57,337 copies sold in the first week.

Oricon

Oricon Chart Peak Debut sales Sales total Chart run
Daily albums chart 1 18,038 162,269 49 weeks
Weekly albums chart[13] 1 57,337
Monthly albums chart 3 93,973
Yearly Albums Chart 40 145,597

Other charts

Chart Peak
position
Billboard Japan top albums[14] 1

Sales and certifications

Chart Amount
RIAJ physical shipping certification[15] Gold (100,000+)

Release history

Country Date Format Label
Japan April 17, 2013 CD,[11] digital download[10] Rhythm Zone

References

  1. ^ a b "Lesson 1 E-Girlsのプロフィールならオリコン芸能人事典-ORICON STYLE". Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved 2013-04-25.
  2. ^ "【E-girls】4/17(水)待望の1st album「Lesson 1」発売決定". LDH (in Japanese). 2013-02-26. Retrieved 2013-04-25.
  3. ^ "E-girls、"e-"maのど飴ソング&待望1stアルバムを連投". Natalie.mu (in Japanese). 2013-02-28. Retrieved 2013-04-25.
  4. ^ "Celebration! E-Girlsのプロフィールならオリコン芸能人事典-ORICON STYLE". Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved 2013-04-25.
  5. ^ "One Two Three E-Girlsのプロフィールならオリコン芸能人事典-ORICON STYLE". Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved 2013-04-25.
  6. ^ "Follow Me E-Girlsのプロフィールならオリコン芸能人事典-ORICON STYLE". Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved 2013-04-25.
  7. ^ "iTunes – ミュージック – E-girls「Just In Love – Single」". iTunes Store (in Japanese). 2012-12-26. Retrieved 2013-04-25.
  8. ^ "THE NEVER ENDING STORY E-Girlsのプロフィールならオリコン芸能人事典-ORICON STYLE". Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved 2013-04-25.
  9. ^ "CANDY SMILE E-Girlsのプロフィールならオリコン芸能人事典-ORICON STYLE". Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved 2013-04-25.
  10. ^ a b "iTunes – ミュージック – E-girls「Lesson 1」". iTunes Store (in Japanese). 2013-04-17. Retrieved 2013-04-25.
  11. ^ a b "Amazon.com: Lesson 1 (ALBUM+DVD) (初回生産限定): 音楽". Amazon Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved 2013-04-25.
  12. ^ "DISCOGRAPHY / E-girls". LDH / Avex Trax. Retrieved 2013-04-25.
  13. ^ "2013年04月15日~2013年04月21日のCDアルバム週間ランキング(2013年04月29日付) (Oricon's Weekly chart for April 29)" (in Japanese). Oricon. 2013-04-24. Retrieved 2013-04-25.
  14. ^ "Billboard Japan Top Albums / Charts / Billboard JAPAN (Billboard Japan's Top Albums for April 29)" (in Japanese). Hanshin Contents Link. 2013-04-24. Retrieved 2013-04-25.
  15. ^ ゴールド等認定作品一覧 2013年4月 [Works Receiving Certifications List (Gold, etc) (April 2013)]. RIAJ (in Japanese). 2013-05-10. Retrieved 2013-05-14.