As with their previous singles, the music was composed by Shunichi Tokura and the lyrics were written by Yū Aku. "UFO" is about a woman who falls in love with a man she describes as "out of this world". The original studio version only has one "UFO" chant in the beginning of the song; live performances added two chants during the instrumental and towards the end. Live performances of the song are known for Pink Lady's silver sequin outfits and their elaborate dance choreography. The performance begins with Mie and Kei waving their microphones before doing the "UFO greeting". Much of the choreography then involves exaggerated alien movements.
Release and reception
With a total of 1,950,000 sales, "UFO" was Pink Lady's biggest selling single, and spent ten consecutive weeks at the top of the Japanese singles chart. According to Oricon, "UFO" was the best selling single of 1978, and the duo's third consecutive million selling single. This was also their fifth of nine consecutive number one singles. The song also peaked at number one on the Japanese Music Labo chart. The song received the grand prize at the 20th Japan Record Awards. "UFO" was the number one song in the first three episodes of the long running Japanese music program The Best Ten, and was voted the best song of 1978 by the program. In 2015, the song was ranked No. 4 in JASRAC's Top 10 Works Distributed in Japan. Because of its use in UQ Mobile's commercial, the song advanced to No. 3 in 2018, receiving the Bronze Award. It peaked at #2 and received the Silver Award in 2019.
Other uses
In 1978, Pink Lady performed a version of the song with different lyrics for TV commercials promoting Nissin Yakisoba U.F.O. "UFO" is featured in the Japanese video gameJust Dance Wii. It was also featured, along with "Monster," on Pink Lady and Jeff, making them the only two Pink Lady songs to be performed on that show. Pink Lady re-recorded the song for their 2010 double-album INNOVATION.
Track listing (7" vinyl)
All lyrics are written by Yū Aku; all music is composed and arranged by Shunichi Tokura.
The 10-member tribute group Pink Babies covered the song on February 15, 2017 as their second and final physical release, with "Monday Mona Lisa Club" as the B-side. Three versions of the single were offered; each one includes two different songs - one of which is a Linda Yamamoto cover. Two months after the release of this single, Pink Babies announced their disbandment, with their final show held at Mt. Rainier Hall Shibuya Pleasure Pleasure on May 26.
Track listings
All music composed and arranged by Shunichi Tokura, lyrics written by Yū Aku except "Itoshi no New Orleans" by Shizuka Ijūin.
The song was performed live by Chisato Moritaka as part of her Pink Lady Medley in the concert video Moritaka Land Tour 1990.3.3 at NHK Hall, released on Blu-ray in 2013.
Yuko Hara covered the song under the title in her 1991 album Mother.
Female music group MAX recorded a cover version of this song for the 1997 various artists album VELFARRE J-POP NIGHT presents DANCE with YOU.
Trasparenza covered the song in their 2002 album Pink Lady Euro Tracks.
Chinephile covered the song in their 2003 album Kayomania.
Keiko Masuda self-covered the song in her 2008 covers album and her 2012 compilation album Colors ~ 30th Anniversary All Time Best.
Yuki Murakami covered the song in her 2014 album Piano Woman ~Tomodachi kara~.
FEMM released their cover of "UFO" in 2014 on iTunes within their digital EP Astroboy.
Amiaya covered the song as part of their "Pink Lady Mash Up 2015" single.
AKB48 members Yuki Kashiwagi and Mayu Watanabe covered the song for the 2017 tribute album Chikyū no Otoko ni Akita Tokoro yo ~ Yū Aku Respect Album. The album's title comes from a line of the song's chorus.
