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Bruno Mars - 'Just The Way You Are'

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Fraser McAlpine | 12:18 UK time, Wednesday, 22 September 2010

Bruno Mars

Sorry, I can't seem to get my thoughts in order today. I should really have written this a while ago, but instead I find...I...er... Hmm? Oh right, right...

See, I'm trying as hard as I can, but something keeps pulling at the edges of my ability to focus...on...whaaaat...I'mmmm....sorry, what? Oh yes! I was just saying. Try as I might, I can't seem to get it together to concentrate on the job of making words and sentences out of what happens when this song is playing because...because...it's...just...

Does anyone else find Bruno Mars to be an unsettlingly handsome man? I don't necessarily mean that he's hot, that's kind of a matter of personal taste, far more than whether someone counts as handsome or not, but c'mon, look at that picture! He's just...so...so...

Bear with me, I'm just gonna tape something over that bit of my monitor.

(. "Oi! I was listening to that!")

Right, now that's done, I can crack on. *rubs hands together*

The thing with this song is it's a massive cheeseball of a thing. It's clearly been written by a man who wants to say all the right things to a girl, but is slightly hampered by a restricted view of what really makes love work. It's fine to be bowled over by someone's eyes or the way their hair sits on their head. It's very understanding and empathic to realise that people often can't take compliments, and it's always, always nice to go on ahead and shower the compliments down like rain, regardless of that fact.

But this is a string of lines which someone believes Will Definitely Work On Women. And it's been welded to a tune which is light, yearning and warm, a great big sad puppydog of a melody. OK, the song's production is pushing it towards anthem status, to try and make as much of a heart-stopping climactic romance out of the lyric as possible.

Speaking of which, it's also nice that Bruno sings it rather well. I can't go into specifics without firing up the video again, and that's just going to cause further delays, but let's just say if you could plot a chart where the higher you forced your voice to go was an equivalent to how romantic you are, he'd right up there with Justin Bieber and Taio Cruz in the upper margin of the graph paper.

So what's the problem? Oh, there isn't one really. It's just all a bit too good to be true, especially when you've somehow managed to tear your eyes away from that face. That's assuming you CAN tear your eyes away, of course.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have some gazing-in-awe to get back to.

Four starsDownload: Out now


³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Music page

(Fraser McAlpine)

"Not many can make an already great song sound even better, but Lupe Fiasco complements the song perfectly."

Comments

  • Comment number 1.

    Bruno Mars oozes sincerity. I really like this song, despite how cheesey it is. 4*

  • Comment number 2.

    BRUNO MARS - "Just The Way You Are "

    BACKGROUND


    Bruno Mars is the 23 year old singer/songwriter/producer who provided vocals and co-writes to the number 1 , "Nothin On You" by B.O.B , and the number 3 hit "Billionaire" by Travie McCoy .
    He also co-wrote "Right Round" for Flo-rida and "Wavin Flag" for K'naan .
    He has also written songs for Alexandra Burke . He's been busy !

    The Song

    "Just The Way You Are " is an uplifting track , drenched in romance and flattering compliments aimed at a loved one .
    It is very reminiscent of Eric Clapton's "Wonderful Tonight" , in it's feel and effect.
    It boasts an absolutely heavenly , uplifting chorus , and it really showcases Bruno's smooth vocals to the max .
    This could prove to be a wedding song , for future couples.

    Highlights

    This has got to be the keyboards and percussion on the chorus , when Bruno sings :
    "When I see your face , there's not a thing that I would change,
    Cos you're amazing... "
    Superb !

    Lowlights

    The cynics , unromantics , rocklords and people with broken hearts may find the song unsettling and a little cheesy .

    Commercial Impact

    "A" LISTED at Radio 1 and rightly so . I said this would be a huge hit ages ago on Jedward , and as the world already knows , this is a potential number 1 single .

    The album "Doo Wops and Hooligans " will be released in October .

  • Comment number 3.

    Great tune! Hope it goes to number 1!
    Does anyone know when this is going to be released as a CD?

  • Comment number 4.

    Hi mehmeted, welcome to ChartBlog!

    'Just The Way You Are' is already heading for #1 both on iTunes and physical sales.

    You can buy the CD now.

  • Comment number 5.

    Thank you!

  • Comment number 6.

    Bruno Mars is a great singer, and he's just impossibly cool. This song is sure mushy alright, but it's so effective and full of real sentiment, as well as being hugely uplifting. Girls will love the meaning of it, and boys will love to play it to their girlfriends. As far as romantic songs go, it's a good one. But you just know the 'cool' music fans will claim to hate it and call it the 'worst song ever' because they couldn't possibly be seen to enjoy such a romantic song.

  • Comment number 7.

    We might finally have the first artist this year to re-claim number one.

  • Comment number 8.

    I absolutely adore Bruno's album Doo Wops and Hooligans , it really is a stonking debut .

    We are looking at a guy who has the songs to be a huge success in 2011 .

    Some of the songs are skilfully crafted by a songwriter at the top of his game and his velvet voice shines like a beacon too .

    Here comes a prediction for 2011 . (it's a no-brainer ! )

    Either the single Grenade , or the album Doo Wops and Hooligans will hit number 1 in January .

    Oh and by the way.....

    Just how brilliant a song is Grenade ?

    It's gonna storm at retail and really promote interest in the album .

  • Comment number 9.

    A...HAAA!

    spirit has predicted that EITHER 'Grenade' or 'Doo-Wops & Hooligans' (which is indeed brilliant by the way) will hit #1.

    I PREDICT BOTH will hit #1. >:)

  • Comment number 10.

    I was in a well-known entertainment store in London a few weeks ago, and I saw Bruno Mars' album on the shelves in the 'new releases' section. As you can imagine, I was quite surprised, but I double-checked, and it was definitely meant to be there and for sale - not just to pre-order.

    I didn't buy it though. Perhaps I should of...

  • Comment number 11.

    Yeah , the release date was scheduled and primed by Electra/Atlantic to be in October but the powers that be belatedly wanted Grenade to be the weapon that heralded the album release , so the album is set to launch in late January .

    It is gonna produce a big bang !!!

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