"Real Thing Shakes" is the twentieth single by the Japanese rock duo B'z, released on May 15, 1996. The song is one of the band's many number-one singles on the Oricon chart. This is the first B'z single that was not produced by guitarist Tak Matsumoto since "Taiyō no Komachi Angel", instead opting for British producer Andy Johns. It sold over 1,140,000 copies according to Oricon, making it their thirteenth consecutive million-seller single. The band would hold the record for most consecutive million-seller singles for seventeen years until AKB48 broke it in 2013 with their single "Heart Electric". It was used as the theme song for the drama Oretachi ni Ki o Tsukero. It was also the band's first English single.
The song has been cited as one of the band's works that best showcases vocalist Koshi Inaba's wide vocal range.
It is said that the song was recorded as part of an attempt by BMG Japan to break B'z into the American market that never fully materialized.
In 2007, pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka released a compilation album featuring his favorite songs, titled Music from the Mound, which featured the song.
Personnel Credits are adapted from the liner notes."Real Thing Shakes" liner notes. Vermillion Records. 1996
B'z
Koshi Inaba – vocals Tak Matsumoto – guitars
Additional musicians
Tony Franklin – bass Gregg Bissonette – drums
Production
Andy Johns – production, recording, mixing Masayuki Nomura – recording Ryoichi Terashima – director Eric Janko – assistant engineer Keisuke Takakuwa – assistant engineer
Charts
Weekly charts + Chart (1996) Peakposition Japan (Oricon) 1
Year-end charts Chart (1996) Position Japan (Oricon) 12
Certifications
References
External links B'z official website