Marry You
Encyclopedia
"Marry You" is a song by American recording artist Bruno Mars
, released as the fourth single internationally from his debut studio album, Doo-Wops & Hooligans
. Mars wrote the song with his production team The Smeezingtons
, who also produced the track. "Marry You" incorporates influences of Reggae and R&B
. Lyrically, the song sees Mars singing about a spontaneous marriage idea. It received generally mixed reviews from most of the critics, with some complimenting its production and Mars' vocals on the song.
The song charted at number eighty-five on the Billboard Hot 100
and at number ten on the Canadian Hot 100
. It also peaked at number eight in Australia and at number eleven in the United Kingdom. In November 2010, "Marry You" was covered on the television show, Glee
. The song has yet to be released in the United States, and it is unknown if a future release is planned.
, and was produced by The Smeezingtons. The song has elements of Reggae and R&B
. "Marry You" is a love song, about a couple when they go to Las Vegas, and spontaneously decide to get married. It is three minutes and fifty seconds long. The song is composed in the key
of F major
and is set in time signature
of common time
with a tempo
of 145 beats per minute. Mars vocal range spans from C4 to D5.
simply called it a "too-clingy and very creepy love song". Ken Capobianco of The Boston Globe
called it an "artfully arranged throwback" love song, and said Mars' "plaintive voice aches oh so gently on [it]". Leah Greenblatt of Entertainment Weekly
wrote that "a malt-shop heart beats beneath the digital skin of tracks like the buoyant "Marry You". Eric Henderson of Slant Magazine
thought the word "fuck" got replaced by "marry", referring to Cee Lo Green's hit, "Fuck You". Becky Bain of Idolator
was impressed with the song and described it as a "Motown marriage track". Joanne Dorken of MTV UK
called it "the infectious album track", and said it was a "reminiscent of something Jack Johnson
would have recorded". Jack Foley of IndieLondon said the song is "addictively catchy" and wrote it "marks another [one] of Mars' blatant singles in [the] waiting and reverts back to the slick love-pop of "Just the Way You Are
" – namely slick beats, electronics and cheesy sentiments." Editors from USA Today
wrote "though [Bruno Mars] despairs about a woman who doesn't share his affection on the melancholy "Grenade
", he's more than ready to give into his capricious impulses on the bubbly "Marry You".
at number ninety-one on the week dated December 11, 2010, and peaked at number eighty-five on January 15, 2011 due to strong digital sales. In Australia, "Marry You" debuted at number fifty on the ARIA Singles Chart
on December 12, 2010. The song reached a peak of number eight.. In Canada, the song debuted at number eighty-three on the Canadian Hot 100
and eventually peaked at number 24 after release as a single. "Marry You" also made its debut on the UK Singles Chart
at number sixty-six. On the week ending January 27, 2011, it debuted at number forty-seven on the Irish Singles Chart
.
in New York City
on August 25, 2010, and at 2011 MTV Europe Music Awards
on November 6, 2011. The song was also added to the set list
of his Doo-Wops & Hooligans Tour. Furthermore, "Marry You" was covered on the television show Glee
on "Furt
", an episode that aired in November 2010. The show's cover version peaked at number twenty-seven on the singles chart of Australia, number nineteen in Canada, number thirty-one in Ireland and number thirty-two in the United States.
Bruno Mars
Peter Gene Hernandez , better known by his stage name Bruno Mars, is an Filipino-American singer-songwriter and record producer. Raised in Honolulu, Hawaii by a family of musicians, Mars began making music at a young age...
, released as the fourth single internationally from his debut studio album, Doo-Wops & Hooligans
Doo-Wops & Hooligans
Doo-Wops & Hooligans is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Bruno Mars, released on October 4, 2010. Mars' writing and production team The Smeezingtons were credited with writing all songs and serve as the album's executive producers...
. Mars wrote the song with his production team The Smeezingtons
The Smeezingtons
The Smeezingtons is the name of a songwriting and production team consisting of Bruno Mars, Philip Lawrence and Ari Levine.They have produced and written songs for artists and groups such as the Sugababes, Travie McCoy, B.o.B, Brandy Norwood, K'naan, Lil Wayne, Flo Rida, Chad Hugo, Lil Eddie, Bad...
, who also produced the track. "Marry You" incorporates influences of Reggae and R&B
Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
. Lyrically, the song sees Mars singing about a spontaneous marriage idea. It received generally mixed reviews from most of the critics, with some complimenting its production and Mars' vocals on the song.
The song charted at number eighty-five on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
and at number ten on the Canadian Hot 100
Canadian Hot 100
The Canadian Hot 100 is a music singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks songs in Canada. The chart debuted in the Billboard issue dated June 16, 2007 and was made available for the first time via their online services on June 7, 2007...
. It also peaked at number eight in Australia and at number eleven in the United Kingdom. In November 2010, "Marry You" was covered on the television show, Glee
Glee (TV series)
Glee is an American musical comedy-drama television series that airs on Fox in the United States, and on GlobalTV in Canada. It focuses on the high school glee club New Directions competing on the show choir competition circuit, while its members deal with relationships, sexuality and social issues...
. The song has yet to be released in the United States, and it is unknown if a future release is planned.
Background and composition
"Marry You" was written by Mars, Philip Lawrence and Ari LevineThe Smeezingtons
The Smeezingtons is the name of a songwriting and production team consisting of Bruno Mars, Philip Lawrence and Ari Levine.They have produced and written songs for artists and groups such as the Sugababes, Travie McCoy, B.o.B, Brandy Norwood, K'naan, Lil Wayne, Flo Rida, Chad Hugo, Lil Eddie, Bad...
, and was produced by The Smeezingtons. The song has elements of Reggae and R&B
Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
. "Marry You" is a love song, about a couple when they go to Las Vegas, and spontaneously decide to get married. It is three minutes and fifty seconds long. The song is composed in the key
Key (music)
In music theory, the term key is used in many different and sometimes contradictory ways. A common use is to speak of music as being "in" a specific key, such as in the key of C major or in the key of F-sharp. Sometimes the terms "major" or "minor" are appended, as in the key of A minor or in the...
of F major
F major
F major is a musical major scale based on F, consisting of the pitches F, G, A, B, C, D, and E. Its key signature has one flat . It is by far the oldest key signature with an accidental, predating the others by hundreds of years...
and is set in time signature
Time signature
The time signature is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats are in each measure and which note value constitutes one beat....
of common time
Common Time
"Common Time" is a science fiction short story written by James Blish. It first appeared in the August 1953 issue of Science Fiction Quarterly and has been reprinted several times: in the 1959 short-story collection Galactic Cluster; in The Testament of Andros ; in The Penguin Science Fiction...
with a tempo
Tempo
In musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
of 145 beats per minute. Mars vocal range spans from C4 to D5.
Critical reception
"Marry You" received mixed reviews from critics. Tim Sendra of Allmusic said the song was "pleasantly silly", but praised its "dynamic and nuanced production". Mike Diver of BBC MusicBBC Music
BBC Music is a team working in the department of Audio and Music Interactive at the BBC. Responsible for the BBC Music website - the portal site to music content across the BBC website....
simply called it a "too-clingy and very creepy love song". Ken Capobianco of The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe is an American daily newspaper based in Boston, Massachusetts. The Boston Globe has been owned by The New York Times Company since 1993...
called it an "artfully arranged throwback" love song, and said Mars' "plaintive voice aches oh so gently on [it]". Leah Greenblatt of Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
wrote that "a malt-shop heart beats beneath the digital skin of tracks like the buoyant "Marry You". Eric Henderson of Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine is an online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York Film Festival.- History :...
thought the word "fuck" got replaced by "marry", referring to Cee Lo Green's hit, "Fuck You". Becky Bain of Idolator
Idolator (website)
Idolator is a music blog. Created by the blog network Gawker Media in August 2006, Idolator was later sold to rival blog network Buzz Media, which also owns music blog Stereogum. From the 2007 departure of original head writer Brian Raftery until November 2009, the blog's head writer was Maura...
was impressed with the song and described it as a "Motown marriage track". Joanne Dorken of MTV UK
MTV (UK and Ireland)
MTV is a 24-hour general entertainment channel operated by Viacom International Media Networks.The channel was launched as part of MTV Networks Europe localization strategy in 1997. MTV UK was launched on 1 July 1997. The channel was set up to provide audiences with local artists and more relevant...
called it "the infectious album track", and said it was a "reminiscent of something Jack Johnson
Jack Johnson (musician)
Jack Johnson was born May 18, 1975 is an American folk rock singer-songwriter, surfer and musician known for his work in the soft rock and acoustic genres. In 2001, he achieved commercial success after the release of his debut album, Brushfire Fairytales. He has since released four more albums, a...
would have recorded". Jack Foley of IndieLondon said the song is "addictively catchy" and wrote it "marks another [one] of Mars' blatant singles in [the] waiting and reverts back to the slick love-pop of "Just the Way You Are
Just the Way You Are (Bruno Mars song)
"Just the Way You Are" is a song by American singer-songwriter Bruno Mars, and is the lead single from his debut studio album, Doo-Wops & Hooligans. It was released in the United States on July 20, 2010. It has also received airplay from AOL Radio's New Pop First station. The song was written by...
" – namely slick beats, electronics and cheesy sentiments." Editors from USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
wrote "though [Bruno Mars] despairs about a woman who doesn't share his affection on the melancholy "Grenade
Grenade (song)
"Grenade" is a song performed by American singer-songwriter and producer Bruno Mars from his debut studio album Doo-Wops & Hooligans. Initially released as a promotional single on September 28, 2010, it was later announced to be the album's second single...
", he's more than ready to give into his capricious impulses on the bubbly "Marry You".
Chart performance
Although "Marry You" has not been released as a single in the U.S., it debuted on the Billboard Hot 100Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
at number ninety-one on the week dated December 11, 2010, and peaked at number eighty-five on January 15, 2011 due to strong digital sales. In Australia, "Marry You" debuted at number fifty on the ARIA Singles Chart
ARIA Charts
The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...
on December 12, 2010. The song reached a peak of number eight.. In Canada, the song debuted at number eighty-three on the Canadian Hot 100
Canadian Hot 100
The Canadian Hot 100 is a music singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks songs in Canada. The chart debuted in the Billboard issue dated June 16, 2007 and was made available for the first time via their online services on June 7, 2007...
and eventually peaked at number 24 after release as a single. "Marry You" also made its debut on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
at number sixty-six. On the week ending January 27, 2011, it debuted at number forty-seven on the Irish Singles Chart
Irish Singles Chart
The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured...
.
Live performances and covers
Mars performed "Marry You" at the Bowery BallroomBowery Ballroom
The Bowery Ballroom is a music venue in the Bowery section of New York City. The structure, at 6 Delancey Street, was built just before the Stock Market Crash of 1929. It stood vacant until the end of WWII, when it became a high-end retail store. The neighborhood subsequently went into decline...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
on August 25, 2010, and at 2011 MTV Europe Music Awards
2011 MTV Europe Music Awards
The 2011 MTV EMAs were held in Northern Ireland's capital Belfast, on Sunday, November 6, 2011, at the Odyssey Arena in the Titanic Quarter area of the city and were hosted by Selena Gomez...
on November 6, 2011. The song was also added to the set list
Set list
A set list, or setlist, is a document that lists the songs that a band or musical artist intends to play, or has played, during a specific concert performance...
of his Doo-Wops & Hooligans Tour. Furthermore, "Marry You" was covered on the television show Glee
Glee (TV series)
Glee is an American musical comedy-drama television series that airs on Fox in the United States, and on GlobalTV in Canada. It focuses on the high school glee club New Directions competing on the show choir competition circuit, while its members deal with relationships, sexuality and social issues...
on "Furt
Furt
"Furt" is the eighth episode of the second season of the American musical television series Glee, and the 30th episode overall. It was written by series creator Ryan Murphy, directed by Carol Banker, and premiered on Fox in the United States on November 23, 2010...
", an episode that aired in November 2010. The show's cover version peaked at number twenty-seven on the singles chart of Australia, number nineteen in Canada, number thirty-one in Ireland and number thirty-two in the United States.
Charts
| Chart (2010–11) | Peak position |
|---|---|
Certifications
| Country | Certification |
|---|---|
| Australia Australian Recording Industry Association The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956... |
2x Platinum |
| New Zealand Recording Industry Association of New Zealand The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand... |
Gold |