The Stress Explained

The Stress
Cover:Chisato Moritaka - The Stress.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Chisato Moritaka
Album:Mite
Language:Japanese
B-Side:Yurusenai
Recorded:1988
Length:4:53
Label:Warner Pioneer
Composer:Hideo Saitō
Lyricist:Chisato Moritaka
Producer:Yukio Seto
Prev Title:Alone
Prev Year:1988
Next Title:17-sai
Next Year:1989
The Stress
Type:video
Artist:Chisato Moritaka
Cover:Chisato Moritaka - The Stress LD.jpg
Language:Japanese
Label:Warner Pioneer
Prev Title:Mite
Prev Year:1988
Next Title:Mite Special Live in Shiodome Pit II 4.1'89
Next Year:1989

is the sixth single by Japanese singer/songwriter Chisato Moritaka. The lyrics were written by Moritaka and the music was composed by Hideo Saitō. The single was released by Warner Pioneer on February 25, 1989. The full title of the single is, a remix of "Stress" with Middle Eastern-style synthesizer arrangements.[1] [2]

Background

During a rehearsal in the middle of her first national tour in 1988, Moritaka suffered abdominal pain and had to be hospitalized for a week after being diagnosed with acute enteritis. Her doctor told her that the inflammation was caused by mental stress. As a result, the experience inspired her to write "The Stress".[3] [4]

Music video

The music video features Moritaka as a waitress having to deal with all kinds of customers at a ramen restaurant while visualizing her stress as a ghostly entity watching her. Since the video's release, the waitress uniform has been one of her regular costumes on her live performances.[4] [5] The contents of the original 8" LaserDisc release were compiled in the 2000 DVD Chisato Moritaka DVD Collection No. 5: Mite/The Stress/17-sai.[6]

Chart performance

"The Stress" peaked at No. 19 on Oricon's singles chart and sold 40,000 copies, making it her first top-20 hit.[7] [8]

Other versions

Remixes of "The Stress" were released in the 1989 greatest hits album Moritaka Land and the 1991 remix album The Moritaka.

Moritaka re-recorded the song as and uploaded the video on her YouTube channel on April 25, 2014.[9] This version is also included in Moritaka's 2015 self-covers DVD album Love Vol. 7.[10]

The song was remixed by tofubeats in the 2014 collaboration album Chisato Moritaka with tofubeats: Moritaka Tofu.[11]

Track listing

All lyrics are written by Chisato Moritaka, except where indicated; all music is composed and arranged by Hideo Saitō, except where indicated.

Personnel

Natsumi Abe version

The Stress
Cover:Natsumi Abe - The Stress.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Natsumi Abe
Album:Natsumi Abe ~Best Selection~ 15 Shoku no Nigaoe Tachi
Language:Japanese
B-Side:The Stress (Crisis Version)
Genre:J-pop
Length:3:56
Label:hachama
Composer:Hideo Saitō
Lyricist:Chisato Moritaka
Prev Title:Sweetholic
Prev Year:2006
Next Title:Amasugitakajitsu
Next Year:2006

"The Stress" was covered by Natsumi Abe in 2006 as her seventh single. This version reached No. 14 in Oricon's singles chart. Abe performed an a cappella version of the song in a Georgia GABA commercial.[12] [13]

Chart positions

External links

Chisato Moritaka
Natsumi Abe

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 「ザ・ストレス ストレス・中近東ヴァージョン」 (CT/EP/CD) . Chisato Moritaka Official Website . . 2020-03-27.
  2. Web site: 森高千里「ザ・ストレス」 . . 2018-07-15 . 2020-03-27.
  3. Web site: Biography . Chisato Moritaka Official Website . . 2020-03-27.
  4. 『ザ・ストレス -ストレス 中近東バージョン-』 セルフライナーノート . Chisato Moritaka . Moritaka . Chisato . . 2012-09-10 . 2020-03-27.
  5. Web site: 「ザ・ストレス」(VHS/LD) . Chisato Moritaka Official Website . . 2020-03-29.
  6. Web site: 「CHISATO MORITAKA DVD COLLECTION No.5 見て/ザ・ストレス/17才」(DVD) . Chisato Moritaka Official Website . . 2020-03-29.
  7. Web site: ザ・ストレス-ストレス中近東ヴァージョン-/森高千里 . . 2020-03-27.
  8. Web site: 森高千里(シングル) . Yamachan Land . https://web.archive.org/web/20110524164721/http://www7a.biglobe.ne.jp/~yamag/single/moritaka.html . Japanese . 2021-08-16. 2011-05-24 .
  9. 森高千里 『ストレス(25周年記念Ver.)』 【セルフカヴァー】 . Chisato Moritaka . Moritaka . Chisato . . 2014-04-25 . 2020-03-27.
  10. Web site: 「デビュー25周年企画 森高千里 セルフカバーシリーズ "LOVE" Vol.7」 . Chisato Moritaka Official Website . . 2020-03-27.
  11. Web site: 森高千里 with tofubeats 森高豆腐 . . 2020-03-31.
  12. Web site: 安倍なつみ / ザ・ストレス . . 2020-03-27.
  13. Web site: 安倍なつみ / ザ・ストレス . CDJournal . 2020-03-27.