Lion Heart (song) explained
"Lion Heart" is a song that was recorded by South Korean girl group Girls' Generation for their fifth studio album of the same name. It was released as the album's title track by SM Entertainment on August 18, 2015.
Composition
"Lion Heart" was described as a soul pop-inspired bubblegum pop song by Billboard.[1] It embraces a 1960s American retro sound and has a jazzy melody as well as "an ear-grabbing bass line".[2] [3] Lyrically, the song talks about women falling in love with men who have a cheating heart and how they try to tame him like taming a lion.[4]
Music video
The music video was released on August 18, 2015.[5] The music video narrates a story where the members of Girls' Generation each fall in love with a male protagonist, who turns out to be the same man (with his head being that of a lion, representing the song's conceptual "lion heart/lyin' heart" pun). They become upset and team up against him, then go on to reject further advances from him separately.[1] The song was choreographed by the American choreographer Tony Testa & SM Entertainment's choreographer Shim Jaewon.[6] It became third most viewed music video on YouTube by a South Korean act in August 2015.[7]
Reception
Billboard praised the song for its retro themes and shifting of member roles saying "But what is new, musically, is the division of lines -- namely when Yuri, a member who typically only chimes in with a line or two, gets to handle a majority of the second chorus. It's a decision that further shows how Girls' Generation is embracing change in their eighth year..."[8] The song was deemed the 7th best K-pop single of 2015 by PopMatters.[9] Meanwhile, Idolator chose it as the 24th best K-pop song of the year.[10]
Awards and nominations
"Lion Heart" received 14 music program awards in South Korea. It was nominated for Song of the Month (September) at the 5th Gaon Chart Music Awards, but lost to iKon's "My Type". It was one of the Digital Song Bonsang winners at the 30th Golden Disc Awards and was nominated for Digital Daesang.[11]
DateThe Show | August 25, 2015 |
Show Champion | August 26, 2015 |
M Countdown | August 27, 2015 |
September 3, 2015 |
September 10, 2015 |
Music Bank | August 28, 2015 |
September 4, 2015 |
September 11, 2015 |
September 18, 2015 |
Show! Music Core | August 29, 2015 |
September 19, 2015 |
Inkigayo | August 30, 2015 |
September 6, 2015 |
September 13, 2015 | |
Credits
Credits are adapted from Lion Heart liner notes.[12]
Studio
- SM Blue Ocean Studio – recording
- SM Blue Cup Studio – recording
- SM Concert Hall Studio – mixing
- Ingrid Studio – recording, digital editing
- MonoTree Studio – recording, additional vocal editing
- Sterling Sound – mastering
Personnel
- SM Entertainment – executive producer
- Lee Soo-man – producer
- Kim Young-min – executive supervisor
- Girls' Generation – vocals
- Jeon Ji-eun – lyrics
- Hwang Seon-jeong – lyrics
- Kim Jeong-mi – lyrics
- Choi So-young – lyrics
- Joy Factory – lyrics
- Hwang Hyun – lyrics, vocal directing, recording, Pro Tools operating
- Sean Alexander – composition
- Darren "Baby Dee Beats" Smith – composition, arrangement
- Claudia Brant – composition
- Avenue 52 – arrangement
- Shin Agnes – background vocals
- Kim Cheol-sun – recording
- Jung Eui-seok – recording
- Jung Eun-kyung – recording, digital editing
- Choo Dae-kwan – additional vocal editing
- Nam Koong-jin – mixing
- Tom Coyne – mastering
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end chart
Notes and References
- Girls' Generation Drop Sassy, Soul Pop-Inspired Single 'Lion Heart'. Benjamin, Jeff. August 18, 2015. Billboard. August 26, 2015.
- Web site: Pops in Seoul-Girls′ Generation(소녀시대) _ (Lion Heart) - MV. ArirangTV on YouTube. Google Inc. August 31, 2015. Video upload. August 27, 2015.
- News: SNSD Brings the Paws Out in ′Lion Heart′ MV. Nancy Lee. eWorldNews. August 18, 2015. September 21, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150818190050/http://mwave.interest.me/enewsworld/en/article/96855/video-snsd-brings-the-paws-out-in-lion-heart-mv. August 18, 2015. dead.
- Web site: Pops in Seoul-Girls′ Generation(소녀시대) _ interview(인터뷰). ArirangTV on YouTube. Google Inc. September 1, 2015. Video upload. August 31, 2015.
- Web site: Girls' Generation drop 'You Think' and 'Lion Heart' music videos. Special Broadcasting Service. August 17, 2015. March 31, 2016.
- News: 소녀시대 'You Think' 'Lion Heart'의 파워풀한 안무 '주목'. August 20, 2015. August 29, 2015. JoongAng Ilbo.
- Most Viewed K-Pop Videos in America & Around the World: August 2015. Benjamin, Jeff. September 17, 2015. September 24, 2015. Billboard.
- News: Benjamin. Jeff. Girls' Generation Drop Sassy, Soul Pop-Inspired Single 'Lion Heart'. 19 April 2016. Billboard. 18 August 2015.
- Web site: The Best of K-Pop of 2015. Scott. Interrante. PopMatters. December 18, 2015. April 23, 2016.
- Web site: The 25 Best K-Pop Song of 2015. Idolator. Spin Media. Jacques. Peterson. December 29, 2015. April 23, 2016.
- Web site: Total of 10 teams including Big Bang and Girls' Generation achieved final Main Awards [30th Golden Disc Awards]]. Osen. January 20, 2016. December 11, 2016. December 26, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201226094824/http://m.star.naver.com/girlsgeneration/news/end?id=7048458. live.
- . Lion Heart . 2015 . Liner Notes [CD, Album] . SM Entertainment.
- Japan Hot 100 – September 14, 2015. Billboard. Japanese. September 23, 2015. September 14, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150923112659/http://www.billboard-japan.com/charts/detail?a=hot100&year=2015&month=09&day=14.
- Web site: Gaon Digital Chart: August 16–22, 2015. Gaon Music Chart. ko. August 27, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150827134642/http://gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/chart/online.gaon?nationGbn=T&serviceGbn=ALL.
- World Digital Songs: September 5, 2015. Billboard. January 13, 2017. subscription .
- Web site: Digital Chart of 2015 . Gaon Music Chart . ko . https://web.archive.org/web/20160305030907/http://gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/chart/online.gaon?nationGbn=T&serviceGbn=ALL&targetTime=2015&hitYear=2015&termGbn=year . March 5, 2016 . dead .
- Web site: Download Chart – 2015. Gaon Music Chart. ko. April 27, 2017.
- Web site: 2016-08-12. Download Chart (Half Year 2016 - see #206). dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20160812213216/http://gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/chart/total.gaon?pageno=3&serviceGbn=S1020. 2016-08-12. 2022-06-11.
- Web site: KBS Playlist – August 21, 2015. August 21, 2015. KBS Radio. Korean Broadcasting System. April 4, 2016.