is a song by the Japanese
kawaii metal
Kawaii metal (also known as idol metal, cute metal, J-pop metal or kawaiicore) is a musical genre that blends elements of heavy metal and J-pop that was pioneered in Japan in the early 2010s. The genre combines both Eastern and Western influence ...
band
Babymetal
(stylized in all caps) is a Japanese kawaii metal band consisting of Suzuka Nakamoto as "Su-metal" and Moa Kikuchi as "Moametal". The band is produced by Kobametal from the Amuse talent agency. Their vocals are backed by heavy metal instrume ...
from their
self-titled debut album. Though it was not released as a single in Japan, the song became an international success, with its music video gaining over 170 million views on YouTube. Later, it was released via earMusic in the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
on May 31, 2015 as a digital single.
Background and release
The song premiered on December 21, 2013 at the
Makuhari Messe
is a Japanese convention center outside Tokyo, located in the Mihama-ku ward of Chiba City, in the northwest corner of Chiba Prefecture. Designed by Fumihiko Maki, it is accessible by Tokyo's commuter rail system. ''Makuhari'' is the name of ...
Event Hall, nearly coinciding with
Nakamoto's sixteenth birthday. The song was first released in Japan as part of the band's debut album ''
Babymetal
(stylized in all caps) is a Japanese kawaii metal band consisting of Suzuka Nakamoto as "Su-metal" and Moa Kikuchi as "Moametal". The band is produced by Kobametal from the Amuse talent agency. Their vocals are backed by heavy metal instrume ...
'' on February 26, 2014, with a live music clip of the premiere uploaded to
YouTube
YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
the day before, on February 25, 2014. The song received a release in the United Kingdom as a digital single on iTunes on May 31, 2015, one day before the physical rerelease of the album.
The song was featured in the video games ''
Rock Band 4
''Rock Band 4'' is a 2015 music video game developed and published by Harmonix. ''Rock Band 4'' allows players to simulate the playing of music across many different decades and genres using instrument controllers that mimic playing lead and bas ...
'' and Beatstar, with the former as a downloadable song, and used in a promo trailer for ''
Tiny Tina's Wonderlands
''Tiny Tina's Wonderlands'' is an action role-playing first-person shooter video game developed by Gearbox Software and published by 2K. As a spin-off in the '' Borderlands'' series and a sequel to ''Tiny Tina's Assault on Dragon Keep'', the game ...
'', a game from
Gearbox Software
Gearbox Software is an American video game development company based in Frisco, Texas. It was established as a limited liability company in February 1999 by five developers formerly of Rebel Boat Rocker. Randy Pitchford, one of the founders, se ...
.
Composition
"Gimme Chocolate!!" is composed and arranged by
Takeshi Ueda
is the bassist, programmer, additional vocalist and songwriter for The Mad Capsule Markets.[The Mad Capsule Markets
The Mad Capsule Markets (originally known as The Mad Capsule Market's and Berrie) were a Japanese band that formed in 1985 and were active until 2006. The band became known for their experimental style, which melded various kinds of electronic m ...](_blank)
. Described as a kawaii metal song, the band's manager
Kobametal considered it closest to a pop crossover, like "
Doki Doki ☆ Morning". The song begins with elements of
thrash metal
Thrash metal (or simply thrash) is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music characterized by its overall aggression and often fast tempo.Kahn-Harris, Keith, ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'', pp. 2–3, 9. Oxford: Berg, 2007, . ...
. During the verses,
Mizuno
() is a Japanese sports equipment and sportswear company, founded in Osaka in 1906 by Rihachi Mizuno. Today, Mizuno is a global corporation which makes a wide variety of sports equipment and sportswear for badminton, baseball, boxing, cycling ...
and
Kikuchi shout onomatopoeias such as "Atata tatata zukkyun!" (あたた たたた ずっきゅん!) while the chorus showcases the vocals of Nakamoto with a quick transition to pop melodies and a major key, with the phrases transitioning back and forth several times. The lyrics talk about girls struggling with the pressure to maintain their figures, or as Nakamoto explained, "
he lyrics of the song areabout girls and women who love to eat chocolate. But they are
afraid about putting on weight."
Reception
"Gimme Chocolate!" received generally positive reviews from music critics. Journalist
Brian Mansfield
Brian Mansfield (born September 24, 1963) is an American writer and journalist.
Early life and education
Mansfield grew up in Nashville, Tennessee. He graduated from David Lipscomb High School.
In 1984, Mansfield received a bachelor's degre ...
of ''
USA Today
''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgini ...
'' called it "a bizarre blend of death-metal, EDM rhythms and sugary J-pop melodies", as the song "begins with a speaker-shredding guitar assault that quickly gives way to machine-gun-rapid chirpy vocals and a chorus as addictive as chocolate-covered cereal and Saturday morning cartoons." In addition,
Fuse
Fuse or FUSE may refer to:
Devices
* Fuse (electrical), a device used in electrical systems to protect against excessive current
** Fuse (automotive), a class of fuses for vehicles
* Fuse (hydraulic), a device used in hydraulic systems to protect ...
listed the song as one of the nine most experimental girl group songs of all time, stating that "it's totally jaw dropping upon first listen. But you'll catch yourself humming along with the chorus soon enough."
In the United States, the song peaked at number five on the ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'' World Digital Songs chart.
[ Billboard.biz charts are only accessible by subscription; searching "Babymetal" on "Charts", their performance can be found.] After the release of the band's second album ''
Metal Resistance
''Metal Resistance'' is the second studio album by Japanese heavy metal band Babymetal. It was first released on , in Japan through BMD Fox Records, and on , worldwide through earMusic, RED Associated Labels (RAL), and Sony Music Entertainment ...
'', in the week of May 14, 2016, the song charted at number 54 on the
''Billboard Japan'' Hot 100.
Music video
![Jrb 20081129 Makuhari Messe chiba japan 003](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Jrb_20081129_Makuhari_Messe_chiba_japan_003.jpg)
Directed by Ryosuke Machida, the music video was filmed during the first live performance of the song at
Makuhari Messe
is a Japanese convention center outside Tokyo, located in the Mihama-ku ward of Chiba City, in the northwest corner of Chiba Prefecture. Designed by Fumihiko Maki, it is accessible by Tokyo's commuter rail system. ''Makuhari'' is the name of ...
on December 21, 2013 as part of the concert
Legend "1997" Su-metal Seitansai. The music clip was first teased on YouTube on February 3, 2014; the video was released in its entirety on the official YouTube channel, coinciding with the release of ''
Babymetal
(stylized in all caps) is a Japanese kawaii metal band consisting of Suzuka Nakamoto as "Su-metal" and Moa Kikuchi as "Moametal". The band is produced by Kobametal from the Amuse talent agency. Their vocals are backed by heavy metal instrume ...
'' (in Japanese time).
The music video features the three Babymetal members dancing "super-cute choreography" in red and black outfits, backed by the mime band Babybones, performing in front of a crowd holding up the band's signature ''kitsune'' sign. The performance ends with "See you in the mosh'sh pit" overlaid on the screen. The video brought the band to global success and has been viewed over 100 million times (as of March 2019) and has been featured in commercials for
Chromecast
Chromecast is a line of digital media players developed by Google. The devices, designed as small dongles, can play Internet-streamed audio-visual content on a high-definition television or home audio system. The user can control playback with ...
in Japan. The video also appears in the limited editions of ''Babymetal'' in the DVD, along with music videos of other Babymetal songs.
Live performances
After the release of their debut album, the band performed the song live regularly at venues, including the band's first world tour, the
Babymetal World Tour 2014
The Babymetal World Tour 2014 (stylized in all caps) was the first worldwide concert tour by Japanese band Babymetal. Supporting their eponymous debut album, the tour ran from 23 June 2014 to 20 December 2014, taking place in Japan, the United ...
, and as an opening act for
Lady Gaga
Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta ( ; born March 28, 1986), known professionally as Lady Gaga, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She is known for her image reinventions and musical versatility. Gaga began performing as a teenag ...
's world tour
ArtRave: The Artpop Ball. On June 12, 2015, the band made a surprise performance of the song, as well as "
Road of Resistance
"Road of Resistance" is a song by the Japanese Kawaii metal band Babymetal. The song was released worldwide as a digital single on February 1, 2015 by Toy's Factory, serving as the lead single off the international re-release of the album ''Babyme ...
" in collaboration with the band
DragonForce
DragonForce are a British power metal band from London, England. The band was formed in 1999 by guitarists Herman Li and Sam Totman, and are known for their long and fast guitar solos, fantasy-themed lyrics and retro video game-influenced ...
at
Download Festival
Download Festival is a British-created rock festival created by Terrance Gough, held annually at the Donington Park motorsport circuit in Leicestershire, England (since 2003); in Paris, France (since 2016); at Parramatta Park, Sydney (since 201 ...
. On September 20, 2015, the band performed a version of the song remixed by
Skrillex
Sonny John Moore (born January 15, 1988), known professionally as Skrillex, is an American DJ and music producer. Growing up in Northeast Los Angeles and Northern California, he joined the post-hardcore band From First to Last as the lead sing ...
at Ultra Japan. On April 5, 2016, Babymetal made their U.S. television debut, performing the song on ''
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
''The Late Show with Stephen Colbert'' is an American late-night news and liberal political satire talk show hosted by Stephen Colbert, which premiered on September 8, 2015. Produced by Spartina Productions and CBS Studios, it is the second it ...
''.
Track listing
Digital download
* "Gimme Chocolate!!" () – 3:52
Credits and personnel
*
Suzuka Nakamoto
, known by her stage names Suzuka and Su-metal (both stylized in all caps), is a Japanese musician, singer, songwriter and model. She is best known as a member of the kawaii metal band Babymetal. She is represented by the talent agency Amuse, In ...
(SU-METAL) –
vocals
Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. A person who sings is called a singer, artist or vocalist (in jazz and/or popular music). Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung with or without ...
(lead)
*
Yui Mizuno
is a Japanese musician, singer, model, and actress. She is a former member of the kawaii metal group Babymetal and the idol group Sakura Gakuin. In October 2018, she left Babymetal due to an undisclosed illness. She is managed by the Amuse, Inc. ...
(YUIMETAL) – vocals (lead and background)
*
Moa Kikuchi
is a Japanese musician, singer, model, and actress. She is represented by the talent agency Amuse, Inc. She is a member of the kawaii metal group Babymetal and a former member of the idol group Sakura Gakuin.
Biography
Moa Kikuchi was signed ...
(MOAMETAL) – vocals (lead and background)
* Miki Watanabe
(MK-METAL) – lyrics
* Key Kobayashi
( KxBxMETAL) – lyrics
*
Takeshi Ueda
is the bassist, programmer, additional vocalist and songwriter for The Mad Capsule Markets.[Postmodern Jukebox
Postmodern Jukebox, also widely known by the initialism PMJ, is a rotating musical collective founded by arranger and pianist Scott Bradlee in 2011. PMJ is known for reworking popular modern music into different vintage genres, especially early ...](_blank)
released a
jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...
cover of the song, with vocals provided by Tara Louise. The group takes the "already offbeat combo of J-pop and heavy metal" and adds elements of retro jazz.
On October 9, 2017,
Sakura Gakuin
was a Japanese idol girl group formed in 2010 by the Amuse talent agency. The group's membership fell within the age range of Japanese compulsory education, typically containing between 10 and 12 members at a time who fall between the ages of 1 ...
members Maaya Asou, Marin Hidaka, and Kano Fujihira covered the song as a "One-Night Shuffle Unit", wearing Babymetal T-shirts during the concert Sakura Gakuin ☆ 2017: After-School Anthology – Autumn Shuffle Night.
Release history
References
External links
Discographyon the Babymetal official website
{{Authority control
Babymetal songs
2013 songs
2015 singles
Japanese-language songs