Starting Over (Speed album)

Untitled

"Starting Over" was Japanese J-pop girlband, SPEED's very first album and was released on May 21, 1997. It contains 3 of SPEED's earlier singles, "Body & Soul", "Steady" and "Go! Go! Heaven" respectively.

Track listing

1. Walk this way
2. Body & Soul
3. Luv Vibration
4. STEADY
5. RAKUGAKI
6. Sayonara wa ame no hi (サヨナラは雨の日…)
7. Go! Go! Heaven
8. I Remember
9. Kiwi Love
10. Happy Together
11. Starting Over
12. Starting Over ~Reprise~ Walk this way

Controversy

In early days of SPEED, they surprised the audience with their authentic performance. SPEED was the youngest group in J-pop history, Hiroko's age of twelve was symbolic for the young SPEED. However there was no compromise. They actually didn't look very childish because they all were early matured. Takako, then thirteen, was even a sexy girl with matured bust. Another reason that avoided them from being seen childish was the songs they performed in early days of SPEED.

SPEED's lyrics at this time included provocative messages. The lyrics of "Body and Soul" includes "痛いこととか怖がらないで　もっと奥まで行こうよ　一緒に" which means "don't be afraid of the pain. let's go more deep together." Then seven months later, SPEED sang " Go! Go! Heaven" which said "成熟した果実のように　あふれ出してく　欲望に正直なだけ　満たされてたい"　which means "juice spills over, like from a mature fruit, want to be kept satisfied, lustfully."

It is a bit controversial for such young girls like SPEEDs to sing these songs. However it was accepted by public. One of the reason for SPEED's success would be the combination of such sexual maturity and youth. SPEED was the symbol of discontinuity, change, and instability of early-teenagers.