"To the Moon and Back" is a song by Australian pop duo Savage Garden. It was released in Australia on 4 November 1996 as the second single from their self-titled 1997 album. It was the follow-up to their hit "I Want You". It won the 1997 ARIA Music Award for Song of the Year. The song became the band's first number-one single in their native country, reached number three on the UK Singles Chart, and peaked at number 24 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
"I was a big science fiction fan - I loved Blade Runner. I wrote it from that point of view, or the idea of what it means to be human. That idea of yearning to express your emotions and your feelings and for that to be legitimized. There was also someone in my life whose persona was very standoffish and who pushed everyone who loved her away. But I could see underneath that hard shell, there was so much pain and all that stuff that I identified with - mum never loved her much, daddy never kept in touch, these are things actually bothering this person."[1]
After the international success of their debut single, "I Want You", there were high expectations for the song as its follow-up. During the song's first charting in the US after its release there in July 1997, the song entered the top 40 of the BillboardHot 100 for only one week, peaking at number 37 the final week of August 1997.[2] In the United Kingdom, the single was originally released in September 1997, and there it failed to chart in the top 40, stalling at number 55 for one week.[3]
Subsequently, "Truly Madly Deeply" became an international hit, reaching number one on several music charts, including the Billboard Hot 100 and the Adult Contemporary charts,[4][5] where it broke the record as the longest-running single to that time on the Adult Contemporary charts. While the song did not initially experience success in the US, the success of "Truly Madly Deeply" inspired Savage Garden and Columbia Records to remix "To the Moon and Back" in 1998 and release it again.
In the wake of such success, the band decided the song had greater potential to become a hit than its first chartings had borne out, and so instead of mining a fourth single from the album as they had for the Australian market, they decided to mix a shorter edit of "To the Moon and Back" and re-release it internationally in 1998. This time the song peaked at number 24 in the US.[4] In the UK, the single debuted at number three, becoming Savage Garden's biggest hit in the country.[3] This prompted the re-release of their debut single, remixed as "I Want You '98".
Critical reception
Larry Flick from Billboard wrote, "The follow-up to the platinum-selling "I Want You" should keep the momentum of this charming Australian duo building quite nicely. Wisely, this track doesn't attempt to mimic the quirky, almost novelty-driven sound of its predecessor. Instead, it affirms partners Darren Hayes and Daniel Jones' talent for crafting immediately catchy hooks and solid, sing-along choruses. Once again, the music warmly revisits the new-romantic sound of the '80s with its melodramatic blend of satiny synths and jittery guitars."[6] A reviewer from Music Week rated the song three out of five, saying that it is not as hook-driven as "I Want You", "but it's still commercial enough to win over ILR and clinch a Top 30 place."[7]
Music videos
There have been three different music videos for the song. The first, accompanying the Australian release of the song, was directed by Catherine Caines and Chris Bentley, and was shot in black and white. This version features Hayes and Jones performing on what appears to be a space vessel, whilst a female passenger watches.[8]
The second, accompanying the United States and original United Kingdom release of the song, was directed by Nigel Dick, and features Darren and Daniel performing in an apartment in Malibu whilst a female records the performance. It was filmed between 17 and 18 April 1997.[9] This American video features Hayes with long hair.[10]
The third version was filmed in New York and features a sad-looking teenage girl traveling by the metro to meet her friends (apparently other misfits like herself). This video features Hayes with short hair, and is the most well-known of the three versions. A version of the video accompanied by a dance remix of the track was also released, which included some footage of the second video. Kirsten Dunst portrays the girl on the metro.[11]
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
^To the Moon and Back (Australian cassette single sleeve). Savage Garden. Roadshow Music, Warner Music. 1996. 100485-4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^To the Moon and Back (UK CD1 liner notes). Savage Garden. Columbia Records. 1997. 664893 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^To the Moon and Back (UK CD2 liner notes). Savage Garden. Columbia Records. 1997. 664893 5.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^To the Moon and Back (UK cassette single sleeve). Savage Garden. Columbia Records. 1997. 664893 4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^To the Moon and Back (UK CD1 liner notes). Savage Garden. Columbia Records. 1998. 666288 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^To the Moon and Back (UK CD2 liner notes). Savage Garden. Columbia Records. 1998. 666288 5.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^To the Moon and Back (UK cassette single sleeve). Savage Garden. Columbia Records. 1998. 666288 4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^To the Moon and Back (European CD1 liner notes). Savage Garden. Columbia Records. 1997. COL 664634 1.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^To the Moon and Back (European CD2 liner notes). Savage Garden. Columbia Records. 1997. COL 664634 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^To the Moon and Back (European CD1 liner notes). Savage Garden. Columbia Records. 1998. COL 666080 1.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^To the Moon and Back (European CD2 liner notes). Savage Garden. Columbia Records. 1998. COL 666080 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^To the Moon and Back (US CD single liner notes). Savage Garden. Columbia Records. 1997. 38K 78576.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^To the Moon and Back (US cassette single sleeve). Savage Garden. Columbia Records. 1997. 38T 78576.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^To the Moon and Back (Japanese CD single liner notes). Savage Garden. Sony Records. 1997. SRCS 8377.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^Savage Garden (Australian CD album booklet). Roadshow Music. 1996. 100813-2.
