Rhythm Heaven Megamix, known in Europe and Australia as Rhythm Paradise Megamix, in Japan as Rhythm Tengoku: The Best Plus and in Korea as Rhythm World: The Best Plus, is a rhythm game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 3DS. It was released in Japan in June 2015, and between June and December 2016 in the rest of the world.
In it, the Honeybee Remix uses the song “I’m a lady now” composed by Tsunku (Mitsuo Terada); for the English lyrics, he asked Isao Nobuhara, whom he met when he visited New York; the song was arranged by Kaoru Okubo. Azuki Moeno provided the vocals, but in a longer version for video, it was sung by Hotzmic, Tsunku’s eldest daughter born in 2008, who was 6 years old at the time of recording. Tsunku made part of her voice to be digitally processed to match the tune of the song, and the sound of laughter that spontaneously leaked out during the recording process was also used. The music video for “I’m a lady now/Hotzmic,” directed by Masaki Takehisa, features Hotzmic singing the song while dancing in a room. It is available on YouTube; it gives the lyrics as subtitles:
In the song, the girl asks to be treated as a lady, not as a child, and she requests love and passion from an adult. Tsunku commented in his blog:
“Girls are more lady-like than adults think.”
That is the theme of this project.
The first half of the lyrics (probably that of the game version) is given in Rhythm Heaven Wiki. The full lyrics can be found in Petit Lyrics, but with too many line breaks. I give here the lyrics as they appear in the video. The parts in parentheses correspond to singing by the chorus.
I’m a lady now
lyrics by Isao Nobuhara, music by Tsunku
I’m a lady now. I’m a lady now. Already!
I’m a lady now. But you don’t know me, anything at all.
Don’t treat me like a girl
I need freedom now. I need freedom now. Wanna be free!
I need freedom now, in this beautiful and mysterious world.
No one else like me
I’m so fed up; break me outta this rut.
So can you give me passion from your heart?
(I just wanna sing) with you tonight.
(I just wanna dance) with you in the silent midnight.
(I just wanna fly) with you tonight.
(I just wanna smile)
with you ’till the end of time, together, forever and ever in your love.
Your words can’t, cannot stop this lady!
I’m a lady now. I’m a lady now. Already!
I’m a lady now. But you don’t see me, anything at all.
Don’t treat me like a girl
I am crazy now. I am crazy now. ‘Cause of you!
I am crazy now, in this glamorous and mysterious world.
No one else like me
I’m so lonely and the tears come falling out.
So can you show me the fire in your heart?
(I just wanna sing) with you tonight.
(I just wanna dance) with you in the silent midnight.
(I just wanna fly) with you tonight.
(I just wanna smile)
with you ’till the end of time, together, forever and ever in your love.
Your words can’t, cannot stop this lady!
No matter the fame of the producer, it is disturbing that a primary-aged child would be allowed to sing these type of lyrics. You’re not a “lady” at age six or seven, that plays more to a hentai fantasy.
At age 6, you are a young lady.
Tsunku was the lead singer of the band, Sharon Q, before he invented, produced, and wrote all the songs of Japan’s mega-group, Morning Musume, and formed
the all girl conglomerate, The Hello Project. During the late 90s and through the 2000s they were bigger than the Beatles in Japan.
A few years ago, just having twin girls, he was diagnosed with cancer of the vocal chords. He had to have them removed but he is now in remission.
Glad to see he is still active.