Moving Mountains (song) explained

Moving Mountains
Cover:Moving Moutains.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Usher
Album:Here I Stand
B-Side:Love in This Club Part II
Released:May 23, 2008
Recorded:Triangle Sound Studios, Chalice Recording Studios
Length:4:58
Label:LaFace
Producer:
  • The-Dream
  • Tricky Stewart
Prev Title:Love in This Club Part II
Prev Year:2008
Next Title:What's Your Name
Next Year: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 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. Recorded at Triangle Sound Studios and Chalice Recording Studios, it was leaked in February 2008,[1] before being officially released for sale on May 23, 2008.

"Moving Mountains" is a slow jam ballad, and contains synth beats and electronic influences.[2] [3] Portions of the song follow a chord progression used in OneRepublic's "Apologize".[4] Partway through the song the beat is adjusted, while the musical instruments are accentuated.[5] Usher's voice ranges from tenor to falsetto.[2] The song's lyrics are of a "struggle to get through to his girl",[6] and contain an extended metaphor, relating his fight for love to that of moving mountains, wishing for the situation to change.[7] Fraser McAlpine from BBC called it "a cold, sad song with cold, sad lyrics".[4]

Critical reception

Leah Greenblatt called it "an easy pick" as a single,[8] while Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine lauded it as "further evidence that Usher always delivers musically".[9] "Moving Mountains" was dubbed by The Guardian Rosie Swash "a marked improvement on the sex-pestery" of "Love in This Club",[10] and the AbsolutePunk reviewer called it "one of Usher’s most impressive efforts to date", likening the song to Usher's 2004 single "Burn".[11] 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".[12]

Chart performance

"Moving Mountains" debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at number seventy-two on the chart date June 14, 2008.[13] 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.[14] The song is Usher's lowest-peaking song on the Hot 100. 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.[14] It placed at number eighty-four on the end-of-year R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. "Moving Mountains" reached number fifty-six on the Pop 100.

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.[15] "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. In individual countries, the song reached the top forty in Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Ireland, Slovakia and Sweden. It also appeared on the Ultratop charts in both Flanders and Wallonia at number twenty. The song also had chart success in Japan and Australia, reaching the high positions of thirty-three and thirty-six, respectively. "Moving Mountains" had the most impact in New Zealand, where it reached number six on the singles chart, and, on March 29, 2009, was certified gold by the RIANZ for over 7,500 sales.[16] The song ranked at number forty-seven on the New Zealand 2008 year-end Singles Chart.

Music video

The music video to "Moving Mountains" was released on May 21, 2008. Directed by the Brothers Strause,[17] it is a continuation of the video for "Love in This Club".[18] The video was shot in front of a green screen.[19]

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,[20] and again imagines the woman, this time in a desert pond. Upon reaching a mountain on which his love interest appears, Usher climb the mountain and rain starts to fall.[20] When he reaches the top of the mountain, the rain clears to be replaced by snowfall.[4] 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.

Idolator noted similarities in some scenery between the music video and Madonna's "Frozen" video.[19] It was placed at number eight on BET's Notarized: Top 100 Videos of 2008 list.[21] The music video on YouTube has received over 110 million views as of May 2024.[22]

Personnel

Credits lifted from the liner notes of Here I Stand.[23]

Track listings

CD single
  1. "Moving Mountains"
  2. "Moving Mountains" (instrumental)
  3. "Moving Mountains" (FP remix)
  4. "Moving Mountains" (J Remy & BobbyBass Remix)
  5. "Moving Mountains" (music video)
Japanese Remixes CD[24]
  1. "Moving Mountains" (radio edit) – 4:00
  2. "Moving Mountains" (FP Remix) – 3:05
  3. "Moving Mountains" (J Remy & BobbyBass Remix) – 4:33
  4. "Moving Mountains" (Pokerface Remix) – 5:07
  5. "Moving Mountains" (23 Deluxe) – 5:58
UK CD Single[25]
  1. "Moving Mountains" – 5:01
  2. "Love in This Club Part II" (featuring Beyoncé) – 4:19
Digital EP[26]
  1. "Moving Mountains" – 4:57
  2. "Moving Mountains" (Full Phatt Remix) – 3:06
  3. "Moving Mountains" (Pokerface Remix) – 5:09
  4. "Moving Mountains" (23 Deluxe Remix) – 5:58
Finnish Digital EP
  1. "Moving Mountains" – 4:57
  2. "Moving Mountains" (instrumental) – 4:57
  3. "Moving Mountains" (FP Remix) – 3:05
  4. "Moving Mountains" (Pokerface Remix) – 4:33

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2008)!scope="col"
Peak
position
Czech Republic (Rádio Top 100 Oficiální)[27] 40
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40 Tipparade)[28] 13
US Pop 100 (Billboard)56

Year-end charts

Chart (2008)!scope="col"
Position
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[29] 47
UK Singles (OCC)[30] 198
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[31] 84

Release history

Purchase dates

Region! scope="col"
DateFormat(s)
NetherlandsMay 23, 2008Digital download[32]
AustriaJuly 18, 2008[33]
Canada[34]
Great Britain[35]
Ireland[36]
Spain[37]
FinlandJuly 21, 2008[38]
United KingdomCD single[39]
AustraliaJuly 25, 2008Digital download[40]
Austria[41]
Belgium[42]
Germany[43]
New Zealand[44]
Mexico[45]
Sweden[46]
FranceJuly 28, 2008CD single[47]
GermanyAugust 15, 2008[48]
GermanyMaxi-single[49]
JapanAugust 20, 2008Digital download[50]

Radio add dates

Region! scope="col"
DateType(s)
United StatesJune 9, 2008Rhythmic airplay[51]
Urban airplay[52]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: New Music: Usher – 'I Can't Win' & 'Moving Mountains' . . February 20, 2008 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121010061825/http://www.rap-up.com/2008/page/249/ . October 10, 2012 . dead . November 30, 2010.
  2. Web site: Usher Doesn't Have Sex Anymore . Clover . Hope . . . May 27, 2008 . October 23, 2010 . June 29, 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110629125635/http://www.villagevoice.com/2008-05-27/music/usher-doesn-t-have-sex-anymore/ . dead .
  3. Web site: DeRogatis . Jim . https://web.archive.org/web/20110608232111/http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=CSTB&p_theme=cstb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=120EF0FED2562338&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM . Review: Here I Stand . . May 27, 2008 . June 8, 2011 . October 23, 2010. Alt URL
  4. Web site: Usher – 'Moving Mountains' . Fraser . McAlpine . . July 17, 2008 . October 31, 2010.
  5. Web site: Album Preview: Usher – 'Here I Stand' . Angela . Barrett . . . November 6, 2010.
  6. Web site: Usher – Here I Stand . . June 3, 2008 . October 23, 2010 . June 13, 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110613144021/http://uk.launch.yahoo.com/080603/33/21z3i.html . dead .
  7. Usher: From His Wild Past to His Hot New CD . . . 994 . May 30, 2008 . November 6, 2010 . October 20, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121020014312/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20201656_5,00.html . live .
  8. Review: Usher makes his 'Stand' and delivers . Leah . Greenblatt . Entertainment Weekly (Time Warner) . . May 27, 2008 . November 5, 2010.
  9. Usher: Here I Stand . Sal . Cinquemani . . May 24, 2008 . November 1, 2010.
  10. News: Songs that say 'Up yours, Radio 1!' . Rosie . Swash . . July 24, 2008 . October 31, 2010.
  11. Web site: Usher – Here I Stand . . June 22, 2008 . November 1, 2010.
  12. Web site: Usher: 'Moving Mountains' . . Alex . Fletcher . July 21, 2008.
  13. Lil Wayne Fends Off Coldplay, Perry On Hot 100 . . . November 30, 2010.
  14. [{{BillboardURLbyName|artist=usher|chart=all}} Moving Mountains – Usher ]. . . November 4, 2010.
  15. Web site: Usher . The Official Charts Company . March 25, 2011.
  16. Web site: Latest Gold / Platinum Singles . March 29, 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110724195729/http://www.radioscope.net.nz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=77&Itemid=63 . dead . July 24, 2011.
  17. Web site: Usher – Moving Mountains . https://web.archive.org/web/20081105120734/http://www.mtv.com/videos/usher/235341/moving-mountains.jhtml#id=1598539 . dead . November 5, 2008 . MTV. Viacom. October 7, 2013.
  18. Web site: Moving Mountains Video – Usher . KOvideo.net . October 31, 2010 . August 4, 2012 . https://archive.today/20120804144735/http://www.kovideo.net/moving-mountains-video-usher-778222.html . dead .
  19. Web site: Usher Braves The Green-Screen Elements . Idolator. (Buzz Media) . May 23, 2008 . November 7, 2010.
  20. Web site: New(ish) Video: Usher, 'Moving Mountains' . https://web.archive.org/web/20120406160634/http://buzzworthy.mtv.com/2008/06/25/newish-video-usher-moving-mountains/ . dead . April 6, 2012 . . June 25, 2008 . November 30, 2010.
  21. Web site: Top 100 Video List . . December 16, 2008 . https://web.archive.org/web/20081224233903/http://www.bet.com/OnTV/BETShows/notarized_2008_+article.htm . December 24, 2008.
  22. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQr-HmfXZ-Q Usher - Moving Mountains
  23. Here I Stand . Here I Stand (Usher album) . . 2008 . LaFace Records.
  24. Web site: Usher Moving Mountains – Remixes Japan CD . eil.com . October 23, 2010.
  25. Web site: Moving Mountains: Usher . Amazon . November 29, 2010.
  26. Web site: Moving Mountains – EP . 13 May 2008 . . November 29, 2010.
  27. Web site: ČNS IFPI . cs . Hitparáda – RADIO TOP100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic . 4 November 2010.
  28. Web site: Tipparade-lijst van week 35, 2008. Dutch Top 40. March 10, 2023.
  29. Web site: Annual Top 50 Singles Chart 2008 . 2008 . . November 30, 2010.
  30. Web site: 2008 Year-End UK Charts. Chart Plus. The Official Charts Company. September 15, 2020.
  31. R&B/Hip-Hop Songs . . . 2008 . November 4, 2013. subscription .
  32. Web site: Moving Mountains – Single . nl . . 7 November 2010.
  33. Web site: Moving Mountains – Single . de . . 7 December 2010.
  34. Web site: Moving Mountains – Single . . 7 December 2010.
  35. Web site: Moving Mountains – Single . . 7 December 2010.
  36. Web site: Moving Mountains – Single . . 7 December 2010.
  37. Web site: Moving Mountains – Single . es . . 7 December 2010.
  38. Web site: Moving Mountains – EP . . 7 November 2010.
  39. Web site: Moving Mountains [Single] . . April 8, 2011.
  40. Web site: Moving Mountains – EP . 13 May 2008 . . 7 November 2010.
  41. Web site: Moving Mountains – EP . 13 May 2008 . de . . 7 November 2010.
  42. Web site: Moving Mountains – EP . 13 May 2008 . . 7 November 2010.
  43. Web site: Moving Mountains – EP . 13 May 2008 . de . . 7 November 2010.
  44. Web site: Moving Mountains – EP . 13 May 2008 . . 7 November 2010.
  45. Web site: Moving Mountains – EP . 13 May 2008 . . 7 November 2010.
  46. Web site: Moving Mountains – EP . 13 May 2008 . . 7 November 2010.
  47. Web site: Moving Mountains [CD single, Single Maxi] . . April 8, 2011.
  48. Web site: Moving Mountains/Basic [Single] . . April 8, 2011.
  49. Web site: Moving Mountains/Premium [Single, Maxi] . . April 8, 2011.
  50. Web site: Moving Mountains – EP . ja . . 7 November 2010.
  51. Web site: R&R :: Going For Adds :: Rhythmic. Radio & Records. June 9, 2010. October 31, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20110719062200/http://gfa.radioandrecords.com/publishGFA/GFANextPage.asp?sDate=06%2F09%2F2008&Format=9. July 19, 2011. dead.
  52. Web site: R&R :: Going For Adds :: Rhythmic. Radio & Records. June 9, 2010. October 31, 2010. February 10, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120210073818/http://gfa.radioandrecords.com/publishGFA/GFANextPage.asp?sDate=06%2F09%2F2008&Format=12. dead.