She initially debuted in 1992 as the lead singer of SUPER MONKEY'S, with fellow Okinawa Actors School classmates MAX as back dancers. After the group disbanded, she eventually had her solo debut in 1995 on the Avex Trax label with the Tetsuya Komuro produced single "Body Feels EXIT", which was an instant hit. The following singles "Chase the Chance", "Don't wanna cry" and "You're my sunshine" all sold 1 million copies during a short period of time. In 1996, Namie released her debut solo album "SWEET 19 BLUES" which sold 3.8 millions of copies throughout Japan and broke sales records at the time. It is the 12th most selling album of all time in Japan. At the end of 1996 she won the Grand Prix Award, the highest honor at the Japan Record Awards, for "Don't wanna cry". Another monumental release for Amuro was 1997's "CAN YOU CELEBRATE?", which was the best selling release of the year, and remains the best-selling physically released single by a solo female artist in Japan.
In 1997, Namie shocked everyone when she announced that SAM (from the band TRF) and she were getting married and that she was pregnant. Namie took a break from the entertainment business and her son, Haruto, was born on May 19, 1998.
Her comeback single, "I HAVE NEVER SEEN", released on December 23rd the same year, gave Amuro a warm welcome back to the industry. "I HAVE NEVER SEEN" became Amuro's 9th number-one single.
On March 17th, 1999, Amuro released her 12th single, "RESPECT the POWER OF LOVE". On the same day, Emiko Taira, Amuro's mother, was murdered. All promotional activites for the single grinded to a halt as Amuro flew to Okinawa to identify Emiko's body. A short break followed for Amuro to recover.
A few months later, Amuro began to work with producer Dallas Austin, known for his work with American hip-hop/R&B trio, TLC. This shift was in part to Amuro's personal desire to create more R&B and Hip-Hop oriented music. In 2001, Amuro parted ways with long-time producer Tetsuya Komuro, as part of her musical direction shift. From this point on, Amuro always would be in complete creative control of her career. Around this time, Amuro made a few attempts at writing lyrics for her songs, including her single "Say the word", which hit #3 on the Oricon charts, and remained a fan-favorite with Amuro performing the song over numerous tours, including her final tour, which included 20 songs that garnered the most fan votes.
Amuro and SAM would divorce in 2002, and Amuro would completely mmerse herself in her work, hardening her R&B and Hip-Hop sound, collaboriating with a number of artists under a sonic project entitled "SUITE CHIC". "SUITE CHIC" helped empower Amuro to not "be stuck in the past" with her music, as she felt mentally constricted by her name at the time. Feeling liberated after releasing a SUITE CHIC album, Amuro would continue to refine her sound and image with the following albums "STYLE" in 2003, and "Queen of Hip-Pop" in 2005.
"PLAY", released on June 27, 2007, became Amuro's highest-selling studio album since her 2000 album, "GENIUS 2000", sold 540,000 copies, and contained another fan-favorite release, "Baby Don't Cry", which reached #3 on the Oricon charts.
2008 marked a new peak in Amuro's career. In March, she released a new single, "60s70s80s", which became her 10th #1 single, the first one for Amuro since 1998's "I HAVE NEVER SEEN".
Amuro released her third "best of" album "BEST FICTION", on July 30, 2008. "BEST FICTION" proceeded to spend 6 weeks at the #1 position on the Oricon charts, had the highest first-week album sales of any release in 2008, became the #2 best overall-selling album of that year, and has sold more than 1.4 million copies since its release.
Namie started a new arena tour called Namie Amuro BEST FICTION 2008-2009 tour. It ran from October 25, 2008 to May 31, 2009. This was her first tour Amuro held sans songs produced by Tetsuya Komuro.
From 2009 on, Amuro would steadily release chart-topping studio albums. Straying from the traditional methods of the Japanese music industry yet again, Amuro decided to utilize a strategy of focusing on touring as means of promotion, rather than TV and commercial appearances. What resulted was a beneficial business move, while fulfilling Amuro's long-time preference to perform over giving interviews. This cultivated a very loyal and diverse fanbase that would consistently result in sold-out shows whenever Amuro toured.
From 2010 to 2018, as Amuro performed relentlessly long tours every year, Amuro remained consistent and dedicated to giving performances she felt she could be proud of, and in the process, quietly withheld that after a vocal cord injury in 2010, Amuro's vocal cords slowly were deteriorating. Amuro later revealed this was the deciding factor in her retirement, as she did not want to perform at a level she personally could not accept.
After her 25th anniversary concert in Okinawa, Amuro announced that she would retire from the industry on September 16th, 2018. The masses, aggrieved with this announcement, even created the name "Amuloss" for the emotion that was felt, knowing Amuro would leave a great void in the music industry.
A greatest hits album, "Finally" would be released in November of 2017 and would go on to sell over 2.5 million copies and be the best-selling album in Japan for both 2017 and 2018. Starting in March 2018, "namie amuro Final Tour 2018 ~Finally~" would result in Amuro breaking both ticket and Blu-ray/DVD sales records. With shows in all 5 major Japanese domes, including and a handful of shows outside of Japan, nearly 800,000 were in attendance. Pre-orders alone for the Blu-rays/DVDs would exceed the best-selling concert video release at that time. Combined DVD and Blu-ray sales for "namie amuro Final Tour 2018 ~Finally~" have sold over 1.74 million since its release in late August 2018.
Do or Die
安室奈美恵 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yeah, 一か八かの賭けに出る I'll try my fortune
Do or die Do or die
今だったら引き返せる but, my heart says(No)
手元のコイン全部出して
正気じゃないかも I'm out of my mind
今夜のコンペは so so tight
たじろぎのないポーカー・フェイス
奪うべきは that ace of ace
強者の夢のレース
(かなりきわどく let's get started)
Play for that, the king of gold ah,,,,,,,,
Do or die Do or die
Yeah, 一か八かの賭けに出る I'll try my fortune
Do or die Do or die
今だったら引き返せる but, my heart says(No)
ルーレット見つめるポイント
Who let the wheels spinning
体中駆け巡るスリルを Gimme some mo'
(Yeah c'mon baby gimme some)
全部持っていくつもり Take it to the house
Jackpot, 7 7 7, whatever
たじろぎのないポーカー・フェイス
奪うべきは that ace of ace
強者の夢のレース
(かなりきわどく let's get started)
Play for that, the king of gold ah,,,,,,,,
Do or die Do or die
Yeah, 一か八かの賭けに出る I'll try my fortune
Do or die Do or die
今だったら引き返せる but, my heart says(No)
My life...
Gambling, Tumbling, then,
Hustling... oh... oh...
Do or die Do or die
Yeah, 一か八かの賭けに出る I'll try my fortune
Do or die Do or die
今だったら引き返せる but, my heart says(No)
Do or die Do or die
Yeah, 一か八かの賭けに出る I'll try my fortune
Do or die Do or die
今だったら引き返せる but, my heart says(No)
The song "Do or Die" by 安室奈美恵 is about taking risks and living life to the fullest with the knowledge that the consequences of one's actions could lead to success or failure. The title is an expression of this idea, suggesting that one must take bold actions and confront challenges head-on without fear. The lyrics reflect this sentiment, with the repetition of "Do or die" throughout the song and the lines "一か八かの賭けに出る" (taking a chance/going all-in) and "今だったら引き返せる but, my heart says(No)" (I can turn back now, but my heart says no). The singer is aware of the risks but decides to take them anyway, opting for the thrill of the unknown over the safety of the known.
The song also references gambling through the lines "手元のコイン全部出して" (I'm putting all my coins on the table) and "たじろぎのないポーカー・フェイス" (a calm poker face without hesitation), further underscoring the idea that life is a gamble and that one must be willing to put everything on the line to achieve their goals. The lyrics also describe the excitement and euphoria of gambling, with lines like "体中駆け巡るスリルを Gimme some mo'" (Give me more of the thrill running through my body).
Overall, the song "Do or Die" encourages listeners to take a chance, face their fears, and live life to the fullest. It suggests that the journey may be risky, but the rewards can be great.
Line by Line Meaning
Do or die Do or die
It's now or never, I'm taking a chance
Yeah, 一か八かの賭けに出る I'll try my fortune
I'm putting all I have on the line, hoping for the best
Do or die Do or die
Either I win big or lose it all
今だったら引き返せる but, my heart says(No)
I know I can still back out, but something in me is pushing me forward
手元のコイン全部出して
I'm betting everything I have
正気じゃないかも I'm out of my mind
I might be crazy for taking this risk
今夜のコンペは so so tight
The competition tonight is fierce
やる気にさせるみたい seems to be tie
But for some reason, it's making me more motivated
たじろぎのないポーカー・フェイス
I'm keeping a straight, unaffected expression
奪うべきは that ace of ace
I'm aiming to take the biggest prize, the ace of aces
強者の夢のレース
This is the strong ones' race, and I'm in it to win it
(かなりきわどく let's get started)
(It's going to be a close call, but) let's get started
Play for that, the king of gold ah,,,,,,,,
I'm playing for the ultimate goal, the king of gold
ルーレット見つめるポイント
I'm staring at the roulette wheel
Who let the wheels spinning
Whoever it is, they're making my heart race
体中駆け巡るスリルを Gimme some mo'
I'm craving this sensation that's coursing through my body
(Yeah c'mon baby gimme some)
(Yeah, come on baby give it to me)
全部持っていくつもり Take it to the house
I'm planning on taking everything home with me
Jackpot, 7 7 7, whatever
I don't care how, but I want to hit the jackpot
My life...
This is my life...
Gambling, Tumbling, then,
It's all about gambling, taking risks, then winning big
Hustling... oh... oh...
And hustling my way to the top, oh, oh...
Writer(s): Michico, Yakko, ｍｉｃｈｉｃｏ, ｙａｋｋｏ
Contributed by Tristan A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@_____08r
Do or die Do or die
yeah,一か八かの賭けに出る I'll try my fortune
Do or die Do or die
今だったら引き返せる but, my heart says(No)
手元のコイン全部出して
正気じゃないかも I'm out of my mind
今夜のコンペは so so tight
やる気にさせるみたい seems to be tie
たじろぎのないポーカー・フェイス
奪うべきは that ace of ace
強者の夢のレース(かなりきわどく let's get started)
Play for that, the king of gold ah,,,,,,,,
Do or die Do or die
yeah,一か八かの賭けに出る I'll try my fortune
Do or die Do or die
今だったら引き返せる but, my heart says(No)
ルーレット見つめるポイント Who let the wheels spinning
体中駆け巡るスリルを Gimme some mo'
(yeah c'mon baby gimme some)
全部持っていくつもり Take it to the house
Jackpot, 7 7 7, whatever
たじろぎのないポーカー・フェイス
奪うべきは that ace of ace
強者の夢のレース(かなりきわどく let's get started)
Play for that, the king of gold ah,,,,,,,,
Do or die Do or die
yeah,一か八かの賭けに出る I'll try my fortune
Do or die Do or die
今だったら引き返せる but, my heart says(No)
My life...
Gambling, Tumbling, then, Hustling... oh... oh...
Do or die Do or die
yeah,一か八かの賭けに出る I'll try my fortune
Do or die Do or die
今だったら引き返せる but, my heart says(No)
Do or die Do or die
yeah,一か八かの賭けに出る I'll try my fortune
Do or die Do or die
今だったら引き返せる but, my heart says(No)
@923shio9
安室ちゃん！！！いつまで経っても最高や！！！
@user-xk8du2el2o
この曲カッコよくて大好きです！
歌詞見ながら拝見できるの素敵です✨
@tentekomymy
登場からもうカッコ良い！！！
この曲マジで上がる！大好き！
@izu.n6910
DO OR DIEの発音の仕方が好き、心地好くてクセになる
@user-ib2bc7mh5o
安室ちゃんの曲で大好きな曲トップ5に入ってるくらい大好きです♥️
このライブ鳥肌でした😂😂😂
@user-iv2xu5yj5m
安室ちゃん、ダンサー、全てがかっこいい
@user-dj8fj7mz8h
大好きな曲です😋最高にかっこいい
@user-gq9pj8iy5o
この曲好き❣️
そして、あのキシャナ体の体幹素晴らしい‼️
ポシティング最高❣️👏
サラッと苦なく、踊る安室奈美恵‼️
素晴らしいと思う‼️
ダンサーさんもキレキレ
✨✨
@Aiba196
Thank you
best song 🎵
Amuro namie so cool
perfect performance
@user-wf2bf1cw9i
この曲ばかり聴いています。
かなり元気になる日本人向けの曲だと思います。