SMAP was first formed in 1988, though their debut single came in 1991. SMAP officially stands for the English words "Sports and Music Assemble People". SMAP originally consisted of the current five members plus 森且行 (Mori Katsuyuki) who left in May 1996 to pursue a career in auto racing.
SMAP was started as an idol group by the famous "Johnny & Associates", a conglomerate known for its "cute boys only" policy. The SMAP members met each other in 1987 and were called "Skate Boys." They were backup dancers for 光GENJI (Hikaru GENJI), which was a popular idol group at the time. In 1988, they formed SMAP. Nakai, the oldest, became the group's leader. Their debut in 1991, in a time when there weren't many music programs, was not immediately successful. Of all of Johnny's groups, SMAP was the least popular. Since SMAP was so unsuccessful, Nakai asked Johnny's office to let SMAP have a variety program to make people laugh with their unique personalities.
The program was called "I Love SMAP." Through this program, SMAP slowly gained popularity. 1993 was a year of opportunities for SMAP. They had a hit single, and SMAP member Takuya Kimura was in a dorama called 'Asunaro Hakusho," in which he played Osamu Toride, a shy cute boy. Asunaro was a big hit and Kimura's popularity soared. At the same time, SMAP also provided the opening ("Egao no GENKI") and ending songs for the anime Hime-chan's Ribbon, and Tsuyoshi Kusanagi appeared in multiple episodes both as himself as the voice of a regular character.
After that SMAP members starred in movies both individually and as a group, and SMAP continued to release new hit singles. Their song "Yozora no Mukou" is now in some Japanese textbooks.
In 1996, SMAP started their own variety program called SMAP X SMAP (also called S x S or SmaSma). On S x S, they cook, perform in comedy sketches, play games, sing, dance, and so on. S x S has been one of the most well-known TV programs in Japan since it started. The members of SMAP did things on the show that Japanese celebrities had never done on television before, steering Japanese television in new creative ways and creating even more publicity and popularity for the group. As "the super idol group that does anything", they began starring in a wide variety of programs ranging from live stage to music, dancing, hosting other programs, acting in movies, commercials, etc.
In 2001, Inagaki was involved in a traffic altercation. There were allegations of wrongdoing on his part, and he briefly retreated from the public spotlight. However, the ultimate result of the incident was to put SMAP in the public eye once more, which only increased their popularity. Inagaki has since made a comeback, and starred in a 2004 drama about a fictional Japanese investment banker killed in the events of September 11.
SMAP members are said to be the most famous stars in Japan. Though a comparison to American groups like The Backstreet Boys is not entirely musically inaccurate, even at the peak of their popularity, no American boy band has come close to the pervasiveness of SMAP. To give a sense of the popularity (and ubiquity) of SMAP, note that in 2003, SMAP leader Nakai was identified as the highest tax payer of any entertainer in Japan by the Japanese National Tax Bureau. That same year, he was involved in at least four television shows simultaneously, in addition to commercials.
There were speculations that SMAP would disband following Takuya Kimura's announcement of his marriage and Goro Inagaki's traffic altercation in 2001. Although they did not release even a single in 2004, the popularity of SMAP is still strong. This is reflected in the charts, where both their latest album and a recent single (017 SAMPLE BANG! and BANG BANG! バカンス!) topped the respective daily charts just moments after their release.
These releases were followed by the album "Pop Up! SMAP!" in 2006, which included the popular single "Dear Woman" used in a commercial for Tsubaki face care.
In 2007 musical activities seemed to have quieted down, with all members busy with other projects like TV dramas and movie, but the two singles of that year, "Arigatou" for Tsuyoshi's drama "Boku no aruku michi" and "Dangan Fighter" used a a theme for the TBS baseball coverage, again were major hits.
Besides more hit dramas in 2008, the singles "Sonomama/White Message" and "Sono toki, kitto yumejanai" were release, followed by a short surprise tour and a new album called "super.modern.artistic.performance" with it's release in September 2008.
you're my love
SMAP Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
いつものことなのに Uh baby, always brand-new feeling
言葉に出来ない 思い合う心は 体中 I feel it baby
いつまでも I'll sing for you 君だけのメロディ
You're my love, You're my baby
触れ合うたびに 優しくなれる
Uh baby, You're my love
抱きしめてるだけで 君の気持ち 伝わってくるよ
瞳見つめあえば 分かるよ 心あふれてる
言葉に出来ない 思い合う二人は 君に贈るよ
いつまでも I'll sing for you 君だけのメロディ
You're my love, You're my baby
キスするたびに 強くなれる
You're my love, You're my lady 素直に言えるよ
Uh baby, You're my love
Now let me explain ひとりで 止まってた lane
my love たかぶる思いで 頭が茫然
君へと贈ります so feel no more pain
全て 自然 世界が君のもので当然
たがいにふれあう空間 すごせる時間
始めからの予感 感じあう快感 直感
いつまでたっても いい感じ
二人だけのファンタジー baby you're my lady
言葉に出来ない 思い合う二人は 君に贈るよ
いつまでも I'll sing for you 君だけのメロディ
You're my love, You're my lady
触れ合うたびに 優しくなれる
You're my love, You're my lady 素直に言えるよ Uh baby
You're my love, You're my lady
キスするたびに 強くなれる
You're my love, You're my lady 素直に言えるよ Uh baby
You're my love
The lyrics to SMAP's song You're My Love express affection and love towards a significant other, describing how simply being near them can evoke feelings of understanding and new experiences. The opening line declares that just being beside the person is enough to feel a connection, and that feeling is constantly renewed. The singer goes on to express that they cannot put into words the connection they share and how they feel it throughout their body. The lyrics are filled with adoration, stating that they will sing for the person always with a melody that is meant only for them.
The song goes on to say that being held by the person can communicate their feelings and that looking into their eyes shows how much their hearts are overflowing. The lyrics then shift to the singer expressing their thoughts and feelings towards the person, stating that they are sending this song "to you" (the person they are singing to) in hopes that they feel their emotions through the music. The song ends with a repetition of the chorus, emphasizing that the person is their love and their lady, and that they can become gentle and strong each time they touch, kiss, and love one another.
Overall, the lyrics to You're My Love express a deep connection between two people in love, filled with emotions they cannot fully express in words. The song emphasizes the importance of physical touch and connection, as well as the power of music to express and strengthen the love between two people.
Line by Line Meaning
そばにいるだけで 君と感じあえるよ
Just being by your side, I can feel a connection with you
いつものことなのに Uh baby, always brand-new feeling
Even though it's something usual, somehow it always feels fresh and new, uh baby
言葉に出来ない 思い合う心は 体中 I feel it baby
Our hearts connect in a way that can't be put into words, and I feel it throughout my whole body, baby
いつまでも I'll sing for you 君だけのメロディ
Forever, I'll sing a melody that's just for you
You're my love, You're my baby
You are my love, my baby
触れ合うたびに 優しくなれる
Every time we touch, I become gentler
You're my love, You're my lady 素直に言えるよ
You are my love, my lady, and I can say it openly
Uh baby, You're my love
Uh baby, you are my love
抱きしめてるだけで 君の気持ち 伝わってくるよ
Just by holding you, I can feel your emotions coming through
瞳見つめあえば 分かるよ 心あふれてる
When we look into each other's eyes, I know that our hearts are overflowing
言葉に出来ない 思い合う二人は 君に贈るよ
The feelings we share that cannot be put into words, I give them to you
キスするたびに 強くなれる
Every time we kiss, I become stronger
Now let me explain ひとりで 止まってた lane
Now let me explain the lane I was stuck in all alone
my love たかぶる思いで 頭が茫然
My love, my emotions were overflowing and my head was in a daze
君へと贈ります so feel no more pain
I offer them to you, so you don't have to feel any pain
全て 自然 世界が君のもので当然
Everything is natural, and the world is naturally yours
たがいにふれあう空間 すごせる時間
The space where we touch each other and the time we spend together
始めからの予感 感じあう快感 直感
The anticipation I felt from the beginning, the pleasure we both feel, and intuition
いつまでたっても いい感じ
No matter how much time passes, it always feels good
二人だけのファンタジー baby you're my lady
Our own fantasy, baby you're my lady
You're my love, You're my lady
You are my love, my lady
素直に言えるよ
I can say it honestly
You're my love, You're my lady 素直に言えるよ Uh baby
You are my love, my lady, and I can say it honestly, uh baby
You're my love
You are my love
Writer(s): Sadahiro Nakano, jin
Contributed by Caden R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.