Moving Mountains (song)

"Moving Mountains"
Single by Usher
from the album Here I Stand
B-side	"Love in This Club Part II"
Released	May 23, 2008
Format	Digital download, CD single
Recorded	Triangle Sound Studios, Chalice Recording Studios
Genre	R&B
Length	4:58 4:00 (radio edit)
Label	LaFace
Writer(s)	The-Dream, Christopher "Tricky" Stewart, Kuk Harrell
Producer	The-Dream, Christopher "Tricky" Stewart
Certification	Gold (RIANZ)
Usher singles chronology
"Love in This Club, Part II" (2008) "Moving Mountains" (2008) "What's Your Name" (2008)

"Moving Mountains" is a song recorded by American R&B singer Usher. It was released on May 23, 2008, as the third single from his fifth studio album, Here I Stand. It was written by Usher with Christopher "Tricky" Stewart, Kuk Harrell and The-Dream, and was produced by Stewart and The-Dream. "Moving Mountains" is a slow tempo ballad, with lyrics describing a love struggle. The song received mostly positive attention from critics, with comparisons made to 2004's "Burn".

The song appeared on the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, as well as the single charts of several European countries. It peaked highest in New Zealand, where it reached number six on the singles chart and was certified gold. The music video for "Moving Mountains" was filmed in front of a green screen as a sequel to the video of "Love in This Club".

Background and composition

"Moving Mountains" was written by The-Dream, Christopher "Tricky" Stewart, Kuk Harrell and Usher, and produced by The-Dream and Stewart.^[1] Recorded at Triangle Sound Studios and Chalice Recording Studios,^[1] it was leaked in February 2008,^[2] before being officially released for sale on May 23, 2008.^[3]

"Moving Mountains" is a slow jam ballad,^[4] and contains synth beats and electronic influences.^[5][6] Portions of the song follow a chord progression used in OneRepublic's "Apologize".^[7] Partway through the song the beat is adjusted, while the musical instruments are accentuated.^[8] Usher's voice ranges from tenor to falsetto.^[5] The song's lyrics are of a "struggle to get through to his girl",^[9] and contain an extended metaphor, relating his fight for love to that of moving mountains, wishing for the situation to change.^[10] Fraser McAlpine from BBC called it "a cold, sad song with cold, sad lyrics".^[7]

Critical reception

"Moving Mountains" received mostly positive reviews from critics. Bill Lamb from About.com noted the song as a top track from Here I Stand,^[11] and Leah Greenblatt called it "an easy pick" as a single,^[4] while Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine lauded it as "further evidence that Usher always delivers musically".^[12] "Moving Mountains" was dubbed by The Guardian's Rosie Swash "a marked improvement on the sex-pestery" of "Love in This Club",^[13] and the AbsolutePunk reviewer called it "one of Usher’s most impressive efforts to date", likening the song to Usher's 2004 single "Burn".^[14] However, while Alex Fletcher of Digital Spy was impressed with the technicalities of Usher's vocals, he found it "hard to take Usher completely seriously when he insists on wailing each line", advising Usher to "stick to party bangers in the future".^[15]

Chart performance

"Moving Mountains" debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at number seventy-two on the chart date June 14, 2008.^[16] It peaked at number sixty-seven on August 2, 2008, falling off the chart two weeks later, after spending a total of nine weeks on the chart.^[17] The song is Usher's lowest-peaking song on the Hot 100.^[18] It fared better on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, where it peaked at number eighteen and spent seventeen weeks on the chart.^[17] It placed at number eighty-four on the end-of-year R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.^[19] "Moving Mountains" reached number fifty-six on the Pop 100.^[20]

The song appeared on the UK Singles Chart in July 2008 at number sixty-seven, rising to peak at number twenty-five. After thirteen charting weeks it fell off the chart.^[21] "Moving Mountains" was commercially well-received in the rest of Europe, reaching the high point of number twenty-two on the European Hot 100 Singles.^[22] In individual countries, the song reached the top forty in Austria,^[23] Czech Republic,^[24] Germany,^[25] Ireland,^[26] Slovakia^[27] and Sweden.^[28] It also appeared on the Ultratop charts in both Flanders and Wallonia at number twenty.^[29][30] The song also had chart success in Japan and Australia, reaching the high positions of thirty-three and thirty-six, respectively.^[31][32] "Moving Mountains" had the most impact in New Zealand, where it reached number six on the singles chart,^[33] and, on March 29, 2009, was certified gold by the RIANZ for over 7,500 sales.^[34] The song ranked at number forty-seven on the New Zealand 2008 year-end Singles Chart.^[35]

Music video

Top: Usher holding the locket cracked by the cold
Bottom: Usher kneeling as the mountain smashes

The music video to "Moving Mountains" was released on May 21, 2008. Directed by Brothers Strause,^[36] it is a continuation of the video for "Love in This Club".^[37] The video was shot in front of a green screen.^[38]

The video begins with Usher exiting the club in which the "Love in This Club" video takes place, then shows a fiery transition into the next scene, showing the burnt-down club. As the song begins, Usher inspects the smoking ruins and imagines a woman in a shard of a broken mirror. He travels through a desert, and takes off his jacket to reveal a tight-fitting t-shirt,^[39] and again imagines the woman, this time in a desert pond. Upon reaching a mountain on which his love interest appears, Usher proceeds to climb the mountain,^[40] and rain starts to fall.^[39] When he reaches the top of the mountain, the rain clears to be replaced by snowfall.^[7] Usher finds that the woman is, yet again, merely an illusion. He opens a locket to reveal a portrait of himself and his partner, which freezes over and cracks. As the video ends, Usher kneels, and the mountains breaks around him, leaving a sole pillar for him to stand on.^[40]

Idolator noted similarities in some scenery between the music video and Madonna's "Frozen" video.^[38] NewNowNext criticized the video's "non-plot" and "ridiculously over-dramatic concept".^[40] It was placed at number eight on BET's Notarized: Top 100 Videos countdown.^[41]

Personnel

Kuk Harrell – writing, recording The-Dream – writing, production Christy Hall – assistant production Jaycen Joshua – mixing

Dave Pensado – mixing Christopher "Tricky" Stewart – writing, production Usher – writing, vocals Andrew Wuepper – assistant mixing

Source:^[1]

Track listings

CD single[42] "Moving Mountains" "Moving Mountains" (instrumental) "Moving Mountains" (FP remix) "Moving Mountains" (J Remy & BobbyBass Remix) "Moving Mountains" (music video) Japanese Remixes CD[43] "Moving Mountains" (radio edit) – 4:00 "Moving Mountains" (FP Remix) – 3:05 "Moving Mountains" (J Remy & BobbyBass Remix) – 4:33 "Moving Mountains" (Pokerface Remix) – 5:07 "Moving Mountains" (23 Deluxe) – 5:58

UK CD Single[44] "Moving Mountains" – 5:01 "Love in This Club Part II" (featuring Beyoncé) – 4:19 Digital EP[45] "Moving Mountains" – 4:57 "Moving Mountains" (Full Phatt Remix) – 3:06 "Moving Mountains" (Pokerface Remix) – 5:09 "Moving Mountains" (23 Deluxe Remix) – 5:58 Finnish Digital EP[46] "Moving Mountains" – 4:57 "Moving Mountains" (instrumental) – 4:57 "Moving Mountains" (FP Remix) – 3:05 "Moving Mountains" (Pokerface Remix) – 4:33

Charts and certifications

Charts Chart (2008) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[32] 36 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 75)[23] 70 Belgium (Ultratip Flanders)[30] 20 Belgium (Ultratip Wallonia)[29] 20 Czech Republic (Rádio Top 100 Oficiální)[24] 40 European Hot 100 Singles[22] 22 Germany (Media Control AG)[25] 28 Ireland (IRMA)[26] 26 Japan (Japan Hot 100)[31] 33 New Zealand (RIANZ)[33] 6 Slovakia (Rádio Top 100 Oficiálna)[27] 32 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[28] 21 UK Singles (The Official Charts Company)[21] 25 US Billboard Hot 100[18] 67 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[47] 18 US Pop 100[20] 56

Year-end charts Chart (2009) Position New Zealand Singles Chart[35] 47 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs[19] 84 Certifications Country Certification New Zealand Gold[34]

Release history

Purchase dates Country Date Format Netherlands[3] May 23, 2008 Digital download Austria[48] July 18, 2008 Canada[49] Great Britain[50] Ireland[51] Spain[52] Finland[46] July 21, 2008 United Kingdom[53] CD single Australia[54] July 25, 2008 Digital download Austria[55] Belgium[56] Germany[57] New Zealand[58] Mexico[59] Sweden[60] France[42] July 28, 2008 CD single Germany[61] August 15, 2008 Germany[62] Maxi-single Japan[63] August 20, 2008 Digital download

Radio add dates Country Date Type United States June 9, 2008 Rhythmic airplay[64] Urban airplay[65]

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} (2008) Album notes for Here I Stand by Usher. LaFace Records.
2. ^ "New Music: Usher – ‘I Can’t Win’ & ‘Moving Mountains’". Rap-Up. February 20, 2008. Archived from the original on November 30, 2010. http://www.webcitation.org/5udR7ot9q. Retrieved November 30, 2010. 
3. ^ ^{a b} "Moving Mountains – Single" (in Dutch). iTunes Store. Apple Inc. http://itunes.apple.com/nl/album/moving-mountains-single/id283759784. Retrieved 7 November 2010. 
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5. ^ ^{a b} Hope, Clover (May 27, 2008). "Usher Doesn't Have Sex Anymore". The Village Voice. Village Voice Media. http://www.villagevoice.com/2008-05-27/music/usher-doesn-t-have-sex-anymore/. Retrieved October 23, 2010. 
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27. ^ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named SLOchart; see Help:Cite errors/Cite error references no text
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34. ^ ^{a b} "Latest Gold / Platinum Singles". March 29, 2009. http://www.radioscope.net.nz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=77&Itemid=63. Retrieved November 1, 2010. 
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37. ^ "Moving Mountains Video – Usher". KOvideo.net. http://www.kovideo.net/moving-mountains-video-usher-778222.html. Retrieved October 31, 2010. 
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