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[The Legend of Heisei and Makuhari] GLAY’s Best Collection of Popular Songs and Hidden Gems

Across Japan, especially throughout the 1990s and 2000s, the nation was swept up in GLAY fever.

At their outdoor concert held at Makuhari Messe in 1999, they set an unprecedented record by drawing 200,000 attendees, etching their name forever as a nationally beloved rock band.

Even as time has passed since then, many people find that whenever songs like “BELOVED,” “Yuuwaku,” and “HOWEVER” play, memories of their youth come flooding back.

In this article, we revisit GLAY’s iconic tracks that blazed through the Heisei era and explore their timeless appeal.

[The Legend of Heisei and Makuhari] GLAY’s Best Collection of Popular Songs and Hidden Gems (61–70)

ROCK’N’ROLL SWINDLEGLAY

A track included on the 33rd single “G4.” As the title suggests, it’s the quintessential rock tune.

The hard riff that makes extensive use of guitar harmonics is particularly striking.

It also lent its name to the February 2006 Nippon Budokan concert and is one of the standout songs representing GLAY in recent years.

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A thousand knives pierce my chestGLAY

I tried playing GLAY's 'A Thousand Knives Pierce My Chest' on bass.
A thousand knives pierce my chestGLAY

A track from the indie album “Ashes and Diamonds.” A re-recorded version is included on “REVIEW – BEST OF GLAY.” Although it dates back to their indie days, the song’s quality is high.

The slightly youthful, rough-around-the-edges arrangement gives it a really nice flavor.

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Strange Dream ~THOUSAND DREAMS~GLAY

As the title “Strange Dream” suggests, it’s a slightly unusual song.

You can really feel GLAY’s strong arranging skills.

It makes sense that JIRO also took part in the arrangement—the song has a convincingly quirky vibe.

The chorus, as expected from GLAY, features a beautiful melody.

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For the sky to be a blue skyGLAY

GLAY / For the Sky to Be a Blue Sky (short ver.)
For the sky to be a blue skyGLAY

This song also serves as the opening theme for the anime Diamond no Ace -SECOND SEASON-, making it the third consecutive work for which they have provided the theme song.

The arrangement features Seiji Kameda, giving it a more polished pop sound.

It is said to express the feelings of high school baseball players moving forward with hope for the future.

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heartbeatGLAY

36th single.

This was written specifically as the theme song for the film “The Sword of Alexander,” after multiple meetings with director Yukihiko Tsutsumi.

Unusually, it’s in 3/4 time (a waltz), making it a bit distinctive among GLAY’s songs, but it still has that cool, quintessential GLAY sound.

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COLORSGLAY

The lyrics, themed around the bond between father and child, blend TERU’s personal experiences with a fantasy-inspired worldview to create a moving piece.

収録曲「G4・V-Democracy 2019-」として2019年7月にリリースされ、映画『漆黒のヴィランズ 光のお父さん』のテーマソングとしても注目を集めました。親子が互いへの想いを確かめ合いながら一緒に聴ける楽曲で、家族との時間を大切にしたい人には必聴の一曲です。

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HEROESGLAY

GLAY / HEROES (short ver.)
HEROESGLAY

A song released by GLAY in 2015 as their 52nd single.

The “Wow Wow” chants in the intro and outro spark a massive sing-along when performed live.

Written and composed by TERU, the track carries his signature passionate message: “Until your dreams come true, don’t give up—stand up again and again and keep fighting.”

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canaryGLAY