Every New Zealand #1 single…
8
Just The Way You Are by Bruno Mars
Topped the NZ chart: for 2 weeks from 4 October 2010.
Peter Hernandez was born in Honolulu to parents with Filipino, Jewish, and Puerto Rican heritage. He was nicknamed Bruno due to his resemblance to wrestler Bruno Sammartino. His uncle was an Elvis Presley impersonator.
Young Bruno was onstage at the tender age of four to perform with his family’s band, The Love Notes. His young career was in jeopardy when he wetted himself during a performance of ‘Can’t Help Falling In Love’.
But his stock rose when he appeared in the halftime show for the 1990 Aloha Bowl at age five. He also cameoed in the 1992 film Honeymoon in Vegas, singing ‘Can’t Help Falling In Love’.
Mars shifted to L.A. at 17 after graduating high school. He took a while to break through – he wrote songs, notably ‘Right Round’ by Flo Rida. He then appeared as a featured artist on the number-one hit ‘Nothin’ on You’ by B.O.B.. This led to his debut album, Doo-Wops & Hooligans.
‘Just the Way You Are’ was Mars’s debut single. It’s nothing too profound – it’s light by design:
“I’m a big fan of songs like Joe Cocker’s ‘You Are So Beautiful’ and Clapton’s ‘Wonderful Tonight’ – songs that go straight to the point. You know, there’s no mind-boggling lyrics or twists in the story – they just come directly from the heart. And to me ‘Just The Way You Are’ is one of those songs. There’s nothing mind-blowing about it. I’m just telling a woman she looks beautiful the way she IS – and, let’s be honest, what woman doesn’t wanna hear those lyrics?!”
Bruno Mars, interview with Blues & Soul magazine
But there’s a lot to like – the arrangement is nice, with the funky beat kicking in just before the vocals. Mars’s vocal is malleable and likeable, effortless gliding through the melody. The piano sounds nice as well.
Mars has continued to be successful. He’s had six number-one hits in New Zealand, including Silk Sonic, his collaboration with Anderson .Paak. Mars is topping the New Zealand charts at the time of writing, his duet with Lady Gaga on ‘Die with a Smile’.
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Some of my fellow bloggers perhaps may bit surprised when I’m coming out in support of Bruno Mars. I think he’s a very talented artist who has a pretty decent voice. Does this mean I love each song I’ve heard? Nope. That said, I’ve always liked “Just the Way You Are.” It may be a simple song and the lyrics aren’t exactly Shakespeare either, but it’s just a pretty song. Since 2014’s “Uptown Funk” with Mark Ronson, I hadn’t heard anything of him (granted, I didn’t pay any particular attention), so it’s good to see his new single with Lady Gaga apparently is enjoying significant internal chart success.
He’s pretty traditional in some ways – I can see how he has a broad appeal. The Silk Sonic collaboration got some positive press a few years ago too.
I’ve been a long-time fan of his.
He’s talented for sure.
While this isn’t my favourite of his, I don’t think there have been many better pop songwriters in this century than Bruno Mars. Really glad to see that he and Gaga, neither of whom are spring chickens in pop star terms, can still have big hits!
Uptown Funk is pretty strong in my book, haven’t heard some of the others, but I’m sure the randomiser will throw them up sometime.
I like some of his stuff….he is a really good songwriter.
He’s pretty likeable, like I said in another comment he’s pretty good at feeling traditional while staying contemporary.
I first heard of him through Ceelo Green….a very Motown sound he got.