"To the Moon and Back"
1997 North American and UK cover
Single by Savage Garden
from the album Savage Garden
B-side
  • "Memories Are Designed to Fade"
  • "Santa Monica"
  • "All Around Me"
Released4 November 1996 (1996-11-04)
Genre
Length
  • 5:42 (album version)
  • 4:13 (short edit)
  • 3:44 (radio edit)
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Charles Fisher
Savage Garden singles chronology
"I Want You"
(1996) 		"To the Moon and Back"
(1996) 		"Truly Madly Deeply"
(1997)
Alternative cover
1998 re-release cover
Music videos

"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.

Background

In an interview with Apple Music about their debut album, singer Darren Hayes explained the origins of the song.

"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]

Release and chart performances

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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 Billboard Hot 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.

Track listings

Credits and personnel

Credits are adapted from the Savage Garden album booklet.[26]

Studios

Personnel

Charts

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[59] Platinum 70,000^
France (SNEP)[60] Gold 250,000*
New Zealand (RMNZ)[61] Gold 5,000*
Sweden (GLF)[62] Gold 15,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[63] Platinum 600,000‡

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref(s).
Australia 4 November 1996
  • CD
  • cassette
[64]
United States 27 May 1997 Contemporary hit radio Columbia [65]
8 July 1997
  • CD
  • cassette
 [66][67]
Japan 30 July 1997 CD Sony [68]
United Kingdom 15 September 1997
  • CD
  • cassette
 Columbia [69]
United Kingdom (re-release) 10 August 1998 [70]

References

  1. ^ "Savage Garden by Savage Garden on Apple Music". Apple Music. 24 March 1997. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
  2. ^ "Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. 30 August 1997. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
  3. ^ a b c "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  4. ^ a b c "Savage Garden Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  5. ^ a b "Savage Garden Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.
  6. ^ Flick, Larry (24 May 1997). "Reviews & Previews: Singles" (PDF). Billboard. p. 54. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
  7. ^ "Reviews: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 30 August 1997. p. 10. Retrieved 18 August 2022.
  8. ^ Savage Garden "To the Moon & Back (Australian B/W version)" Music Video
  9. ^ "Productions 1997".
  10. ^ Savage Garden "To The Moon & Back (US version 1)" Music Video
  11. ^ To the Moon and Back (Australian CD single liner notes). Savage Garden. Roadshow Music, Warner Music. 1996. 100484-2.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  12. ^ 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)
  13. ^ 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)
  14. ^ 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)
  15. ^ 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)
  16. ^ 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)
  17. ^ 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)
  18. ^ 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)
  19. ^ 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)
  20. ^ 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)
  21. ^ 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)
  22. ^ 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)
  23. ^ 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)
  24. ^ 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)
  25. ^ 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)
  26. ^ Savage Garden (Australian CD album booklet). Roadshow Music. 1996. 100813-2.
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  28. ^ "Savage Garden – To the Moon and Back" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  29. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 3281." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
  30. ^ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 3303." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
  31. ^ "Top RPM Rock/Alternative Tracks: Issue 8351." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
  32. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 15, no. 35. 29 August 1998. p. 13. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
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  34. ^ "Savage Garden – To the Moon and Back" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
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  43. ^ "Savage Garden – To the Moon and Back". Swiss Singles Chart.
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  45. ^ "Savage Garden Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard.
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  61. ^ "New Zealand single certifications – Savage Garden – To the Moon and Back". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 14 March 2019.
  62. ^ "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1987−1998" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 May 2011.
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  65. ^ "New Releases". Radio & Records. No. 1198. 23 May 1997. p. 41.
  66. ^ "To the Moon & Back / Memories Are Designed to Fade". Amazon. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  67. ^ "To the Moon & Back". Amazon. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  68. ^ "Savage Garden". Sony Music Entertainment Japan. Archived from the original on 2 October 1999. Retrieved 25 August 2023. Click on Discography.
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  70. ^ "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 8 August 1998. p. 31. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
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