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'{{Infobox song <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Songs --> | Name = Talking to the Moon | Cover = | Border = | Type = [[Promotional recording|Promotional single]] | Artist = [[Bruno Mars]] | Album = [[Doo-Wops & Hooligans]] | Released = March 25, 2011 | Format = [[Music download|Digital download]] | Recorded = 2009<br/>Larabee Sound Studios<br/>Levcon Studios | Genre = {{flatlist| *[[soft rock]] *[[Contemporary R&B|R&B]]}} | track_no = 7 | Length = 3:37 / 2:50 (acoustic version) | Label = [[Atlantic Records|Atlantic]], [[Elektra Records|Elektra]] | Writer = [[The Smeezingtons|Bruno Mars, Philip Lawrence, Ari Levine]], Albert Winkler, [[Jeff Bhasker]] | Producer = [[The Smeezingtons]], Bhasker <small>(co.)</small> | Tracks = | prev = "[[Marry You]]" | prev_no = 6 | next = "[[Liquor Store Blues]]" | next_no = 8 | Misc = }} "'''Talking to the Moon'''" is a song by singer-songwriter [[Bruno Mars]], from his debut studio album, ''[[Doo-Wops & Hooligans]]'' (2010), included as its seventh track. The song was written by [[The Smeezingtons|Bruno Mars, Philip Lawrence, Ari Levine]], Albert Winkler and [[Jeff Bhasker]], while being produced by [[The Smeezingtons]] and co-produced by Bhasker. It was conceived as a big power jazz ballad. Throughout its lyrics, Mars' describes a failed relationship. The track was first unveiled in Mars' debut [[extended play]] (EP) ''[[It's Better If You Don't Understand]]''. Upon the release of "Doo-Wops & Hooligans", "Talking to the Moon" received generally favorable reviews from music critics. Following the [[soundtrack]] of Brazilian [[telenovela]] ''[[Insensato Coração]]'', [[Warner Music]] decided to released it as an official single in Brazil, after receiving high airplay.<ref name="warner">{{cite web|url=http://www.warnermusic.com.br/portal/newswindow.aspx?317||title=Bruno Mars estána trilha de "Insensato Coração"|language=Portuguese|publisher=Warner Music Brasil|date=June 21, 2011|accessdate=June 12, 2014|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110930060029/http://www.warnermusic.com.br/portal/newswindow.aspx?317|archivedate=September 30, 2011}}</ref> The song was part of the The song charted at number one on the [[Brasil Hot 100 Airplay|Brazilian airplay charts]]. It has been covered by a number of artists. ==Background== "Talking to the Moon" was first recorded by Mars for his debut [[extended play]], ''[[It's Better If You Don't Understand]]'', released on May 11, 2010 under [[Fueled by Ramen]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/bruno_mars/albums.jhtml?albumId=2576007|title=Bruno Mars " Album " It's Better If You Don't Understand|work=[[MTV]]|publisher=[[MTV Networks]]|date=May 11, 2010|accessdate=June 20, 2011}}</ref> When asked about the lyrical content of the EP, Mars stated, "I just write songs that I strongly believe in and that are coming from inside. There's no tricks. It's honesty with big melodies. And I'm singing the s*** out of them."<ref name="Marketwire">{{cite press release|url=http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/Bruno-Mars-Blasts-Off-Into-Top-Ten-Albums-Chart-on-iTunes-With-New-Digital-EP-Acclaimed-1258360.htm|title=Bruno Mars Blasts Off Into the Top Ten Albums Chart on iTunes With New Digital EP|date=May 5, 2010|publisher=[[Marketwire]]|accessdate=August 26, 2010}}</ref> The track was later included on his debut [[studio album]], ''[[Doo-Wops & Hooligans]]'', released on October 4, 2010, almost five months later, under [[Elektra Records|Elektra]] and [[Atlantic Records|Atlantic]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0043ZDFEQ/|title=Doo-Wops & Hooligans|publisher=[[Amazon.com]]|accessdate=September 29, 2010}}</ref> It was also recorded an acoustic piano version included on the deluxe edition of the album<ref>{{cite web|url=https://itunes.apple.com/fr/album/doo-wops-hooligans/id578054234|title=Doo-wops & Hooligans - edition collector|publisher=[[iTunes Store]]|date=October 5, 2010|accessdate=April 10, 2014}}</ref> and in the [[Charity record|charity]] [[compilation album]] ''[[Songs for Japan]]'', released on March 25, 2011.<ref name="JSC">{{cite web|title=Songs for Japan by Various Artists|url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/songs-for-japan/id428401715|publisher=[[iTunes Store]]|date=March 25, 2011|accessdate=June 20, 2011}}</ref> Ari Levine from The Smeezingtons stated that "Talking To The Moon" was one of his favorite songs on the album ''Doo-Wops & Hooligans''. He explained that, "We only had the first verse and the horns, but we knew that it was great. We then had three different bridges and we spent a lot of time trying to find out which one was the best. [[Jeff Bhasker]] is a fantastic musician, and he helped write that track. I think we tried to arrange and produce this in four different ways, mostly trying to figure out what kind of drums to put on."<ref name="Producing Bruno Mars">{{cite web|url=http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/jun11/articles/smeezingtons.htm|title=Ari Levine & The Smeezingtons: Producing Bruno Mars|publisher=[[Sound on Sound]]|author=Paul Tingen|date=June 2011|accessdate=July 27, 2013}}</ref> ==Composition== {{Listen | filename = Talking to the Moon.ogg | title = "Talking to the Moon" | description = A 26 second sample of "Talking to the Moon" that features Mars singing the verses "In hopes you're on the other side/ Talking to me too". | pos = left | format = [[Ogg]] }} "Talking to the Moon" is a [[jazz]] power ballad that lasts for three minutes and twenty-eight seconds. It was written by Albert Winkler, [[Jeff Bhasker]], [[The Smeezingtons|Bruno Mars, Philip Lawrence, Ari Levine]] and produced by the latter two.<ref name="Notes"/> With a stripped-down production, its instrumental is essentially composed of the sounds of drums and piano.<ref name="GSU">{{cite web|url=http://www.gsusignal.com/2.14062/album-review-doo-wops-hooligans-1.2355430#.U0W7QFVdXSk|title=Album Review: Doo-Wops & Hooligans|date=October 5, 2010|author=Emily Yang|work=[[The Signal (college newspaper)|The Signal]]|publisher=[[Georgia State University]]|accessdate=October 15, 2010}}</ref> The song is composed in the [[Key (music)|key]] of [[C-sharp minor|C# minor]] and is set in [[time signature]] of [[common time]], with a ballad [[tempo]] of 73 [[beats per minute]]. Mars' vocal range spans from G{{music|sharp}}₃ to C{{music|sharp}}₅. It follows [[chord progression]] E-G{{music|sharp}}7-C{{sharp|music}}m-B-A.<ref name="sheet">{{cite web|url=http://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtdFPE.asp?ppn=MN0087651|title=Bruno Mars Talking to the Moon – Digital Sheet Music|work=Music Notes|publisher=[[EMI Music Publishing]]|accessdate=June 20, 2011}}</ref> Lyrically, Mars depicted feelings of loneliness, lost and hope as he sings it of in the chorus: "Talking to the moon/Try to get to you/In hopes you're on the other side/Talking to me, too",<ref name="GSU"/> and as the song carries on, it shows a vulnerable side of the singer with soft, sincere lyrics, about a lost love that has now gone.<ref name="COS"/> The lyrics reveal the singers' desire as he "hopes his former flame is talking to the moon just as he is."<ref name="Yahoo! Voices"/> ==Critical reception== The song received mixed to positive reviews from [[music critics]]. While reviewing the debut EP, Bill Lamb of [[About.com]] said "Talking to the Moon" "is possibly the weakest simply because the heavy production threatens to overwhelm the centerpiece of Bruno Mars' singing. It is a big power jazz ballad that would work well from the stage."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://top40.about.com/od/albums/fr/brunomarsep.htm|title=Bruno Mars - It's Better If You Don't Understand|last=Lamb|first=Bill|date=May 11, 2010|accessdate=June 20, 2011|work=[[About.com]]|publisher=[[The New York Times Company]]}}</ref> Mike Diver of [[BBC Music]] considered the song "a ballad devoid of detectable emotion",<ref>{{cite web|last=Diver|first=Mike|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/mfnv|title=Mars' solo debut is geared for maximum appeal|date=January 20, 2011|accessdate=June 20, 2011|work=[[BBC Music]]|publisher=}}</ref> and Leah Greenblatt of ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'', while reviewing the debut studio album, said, "a malt-shop heart beats beneath the digital skin of tracks like the buoyant "[[Marry You]]" and woebegone "Talking to the Moon"."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20430431,00.html|last=Greenblatt|first=Leah|title=Doo-Wops & Hooligans Review|work=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|date=September 29, 2010|accessdate=June 20, 2011|publisher=[[Time, Inc.|Time, Inc]]}}</ref> Reviewer, Emily Yang, from ''[[The Signal (college newspaper)|The Signal]]'' said: ""Talking to the Moon" focuses on&nbsp;... his sorrow. He sings of loneliness which is almost palpable in the chorus."<ref name="GSU"/> Alex Young, from ''[[Consequence of Sound]]'', believes that the song "may be the best of this collection [album]", adding "this track is primed for radio; a soft, sincere, piano-driven song about a lost love that has now gone&nbsp;... belts the vulnerable Mars."<ref name="COS">{{cite web|url=http://consequenceofsound.net/2010/12/album-review-bruno-mars-doo-wops-hooligans/|title=Album Review: Bruno Mars – Doo-Wops & Hooligans|author=Alex Young|work=[[Consequence of Sound]]|publisher=Consequence of Sound LCC.|date=December 3, 2010|accessdate=April 9, 2014}}</ref> Yahoo Contributor Network for ''Yahoo! Voices'', Sherri Thornhill, praised the song calling it "a beauty", despite being "another slow song". She explianed the lyrics of the song, saying "A heartbroken lover hopes his former flame is talking to the moon just as he is. It's sad but relatable."<ref name="Yahoo! Voices">{{cite web|url=http://voices.yahoo.com/bruno-mars-doo-wops-hooligans-cd-review-7326330.html?cat=33|title=Bruno Mars Doo Wops & Hooligans CD Review|author=Sherri Thornhill|work=Yahoo! Voices|publisher=[[Yahoo]]|date=December 2, 2010|accessdate=April 9, 2014}}</ref> Tyrone S. Reid, from [[Seattle Post-Intelligencer]], said the song was "beautifully written, waxing poetic about love and longing – a forte that the singer employs with great results in his work."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.seattlepi.com/lifestyle/blogcritics/article/Music-Review-Bruno-Mars-Doo-Wops-Hooligans-891934.php|title=Music Review: Bruno Mars - Doo-Wops & Hooligans|author=Tyrone S. Reid|work=[[Seattle Post-Intelligencer]]|publisher=[[Hearst Corporation]]|date=April 26, 2011|accessdate=April 18, 2014}}</ref> ==Commercial performance== The song was part of the soundtrack of the Brazilian telenovela ''[[Insensato Coração]]'', which generated most of the song success. Due to high airplay, [[Warner Music]] decided to released it as an official single in Brazil.<ref name="warner"/><ref>{{cite news|title=Bruno Mars: Talking to the Moon|url=http://www.brunomarsbrasil.com/2011/06/promocao-melhor-da-semana-talking-to.html|accessdate=June 25, 2011|newspaper=Bruno Mars.com|date=June 10, 2011}}</ref> The song went on to reach number one on both [[Billboard Brasil|''Billboard Brasil'' Hot Pop & Popular]] and the ''[[Brasil Hot 100 Airplay]]'', in which it spent nine weeks at number one, becoming the fourth song with most weeks spent at the top.<ref name="billboardbr">{{cite web|url=http://billboard.br.com/pt_br/busca/retrospectiva-2011-%E2%80%93-leia-a-edicao-de-setembro-da-billboard-brasil|title=Retrospectiva 2011 – Leia a edição de setembro da Billboard Brasil|date=December 29, 2011|accessdate=August 9, 2012|publisher=[[Billboard Brasil]]}}</ref> ==Live performances== The song was performed several times during his debut worldwide tour, [[The Doo-Wops & Hooligans Tour]], it was the fourteenth song of his set list.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gigwise.com/news/65968/bruno-mars-brings-doo-wops-&-hooligans-to-london-on-uk-tour|title=Bruno Mars Brings 'Doo-Wops & Hooligans' To London on UK Tour|author=Holly Frith|publisher=[[Gigwise]]|date=August 17, 2013|accessdate=December 18, 2013}}</ref> ==Cover versions and usage in media== Ellie Robertson covered the song. The song was used in the soundtrack of Brazilian telenovela ''[[Insensato Coração]]''.<ref name="warner"/> It was also used in the movies ''[[A Turtle's Tale: Sammy's Adventures]]''. "Talking to the Moon" can be heard in the movie.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theost.com/2010/sammys_avonturen_de_geheime_doorgang.html|title=Sammy's avonturen: De geheime doorgang Soundtrack|language=German |author=|date=|publisher=theost.com|access-date=December 28, 2014}}</ref> It's attributed to Mars in the final credits. "Talking to the Moon" was also included in an acoustic piano version on [[Charity record|charity]] [[compilation album]] ''[[Songs for Japan]]'', released on March 25, 2011.<ref name="JSC"/> It was also used in the movie ''[[Think Like A Man]]'' released in 2012. ==Credits and personnel== ;Mixing and mastering *Mixed at Larrabee Sound Studios, [[Hollywood]], California; mastered at Marcussen Mastering, Hollywood, California; engineered at Levcon Studios, Hollywood, California. ;Personnel {{col-begin}} {{col-2}} *[[Songwriter|Songwriting]]&nbsp;– Bruno Mars, Philip Lawrence, Ari Levine, Albert Winkler, Jeff Bhasker *[[Record producer|Production]]&nbsp;– The Smeezingtons *Co-producer&nbsp;– Jeff Bhasker *[[Instrumentation (music)|Instrumentation]]&nbsp; Bruno Mars, Ari Levine {{col-2}} *[[Audio mixing (recorded music)|Mixing]]&nbsp;– [[Manny Marroquin]] **Assistant&nbsp;– Christian Plata, Erik Madrid *[[Audio mastering|Mastering]]&nbsp;- [[Stephen Marcussen]] *[[Audio engineering|Engineering]]&nbsp;– Ari Levine {{col-end}} Credits adapted from the liner notes of ''Doo-Wops & Hooligans'', Elektra Records<ref name="Notes">{{cite AV media notes|title=Doo-Wops & Hooligans|titlelink=Doo-Wops & Hooligans|others=[[Bruno Mars]]|year=2010|type=CD booklet|publisher=[[Elektra Entertainment Group]]|publisher=2-525393|location=[[United States]]}}</ref> ==Charts== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! scope="col" | Chart (2011) ! scope="col" | Peak<br>position |- |Brazil [[Brasil Hot 100 Airplay|Hot 100 Airplay]] ([[Billboard (magazine)|''Billboard'']])<ref name="billboardbr"/> |style="text-align:Center;"|1 |- |Brazil [[Billboard Brasil|Hot Pop Songs]] ([[Billboard (magazine)|''Billboard'']])<ref name="billboardbr"/> |style="text-align:Center;"|1 |- |} ==References== {{reflist|2}} ==External links== * {{MetroLyrics song|bruno-mars|talking-to-the-moon}}<!-- Licensed lyrics provider --> {{Bruno Mars}} [[Category:Bruno Mars songs]] [[Category:2010 songs]] [[Category:Rhythm and blues ballads]] [[Category:Song recordings produced by Jeff Bhasker]] [[Category:Song recordings produced by The Smeezingtons]] [[Category:Songs written by Jeff Bhasker]] [[Category:Songs written by Bruno Mars]] [[Category:Songs written by Ari Levine]] [[Category:Songs written by Philip Lawrence (songwriter)]]'