To the Moon and Back (Savage Garden song)

"To the Moon and Back" is a song by Australian pop duo Savage Garden. It was released in Australia on 4 November 1996[1] 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 a Top 3 hit on the UK Singles Chart, and a Top 25 hit on the US Billboard Hot 100, and was also the band's first number one in their native country.[2][3]

"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"
Released18 November 1996[1]
Recorded1996
Genre
Length
  • 5:41 (album version)
  • 5:09 (1996 release edit)
  • 4:32 (1997 release long edit)
  • 4:13 (1997 release short edit)
  • 3:44 (1998 release edit)
LabelColumbia
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 video
"To the Moon & Back"
"To the Moon & Back" (Extended Version)
on YouTube

While it did not have the success in the USA that "I Want You" did, the runaway success of its follow up "Truly Madly Deeply" inspired Savage Garden and Columbia Records in 1998 to remix "To the Moon and Back" and release it again.

Release and chart performances

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 USA after its release there in July 1997, the song entered the Top 40 of the Hot 100 for only one week, peaking at number 37 the final week of August 1997. 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.

Subsequently, "Truly Madly Deeply" became an even bigger hit than their debut, hitting the number one spot in several countries, including both the Hot 100 and the Hot Adult Contemporary charts in the United States, where it broke the record as the longest-running single to that time on the Adult Contemporary charts.

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 America, an improvement upon its first release yet still not the smash they had hoped it would be.

In the United Kingdom, however, their faith was rewarded when the song debuted at number three, becoming Savage Garden's biggest hit in the country. This prompted the re-release of their debut single, remixed as "I Want You '98". The single was certified Silver in France in 1998, and sold 209,000.[4]

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."[5]

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 Darren Hayes and Daniel Jones performing on what appears to be a space vessel, whilst a female passenger watches. A version of the video accompanied by a dance remix of the track was also released.[6]

The second, accompanying the United States and original United Kingdom release of the song, was directed by Nigel Dick in Los Angeles, and features Darren and Daniel performing in an apartment in Malibu whilst a female records the performance. This American video features Hayes with long hair.[7]

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.

Track listings

Charts and certifications

Release history
Country Release date
Australia 4 November 1996[1]
North America 8 July 1997
United Kingdom 11 August 1997
United Kingdom (re-release) 28 June 1998

References
  1. "New Releases – Product Available from: 4/11/96 > Singles (from The ARIA Report Issue No. 350)". ARIA. Retrieved 5 April 2017 – via Imgur.
  2. "Allmusic: Savage Garden (Awards)". AllMusic. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
  3. "Savage Garden singles". everyhit.com. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
  4. http://www.infodisc.fr/S_Certif.php
  5. Flick, Larry (24 May 1997). "Reviews & Previews: Singles" (PDF). Billboard. p. 54. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
  6. Savage Garden "To the Moon & Back (Australian B/W version)" Music Video
  7. Savage Garden "To The Moon & Back (US version 1)" Music Video
  8. "Australian-charts.com – Savage Garden – To the Moon and Back". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  9. "Ultratop.be – Savage Garden – To the Moon and Back" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  10. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 3281." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
  11. "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 3303." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
  12. "Top RPM Rock/Alternative Tracks: Issue 8351." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
  13. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 15 no. 35. 29 August 1998. p. 13. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  14. "Lescharts.com – Savage Garden – To the Moon and Back" (in French). Les classement single.
  15. "Offiziellecharts.de – Savage Garden – To the Moon and Back". GfK Entertainment Charts.
  16. "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 15 no. 11. 14 March 1998. p. 14. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
  17. "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (31.7. '97 – 6.8. '97)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 1 August 1997. p. 36. Retrieved 3 October 2019.
  18. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – To the Moon and Back". Irish Singles Chart.
  19. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 44, 1998" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40
  20. "Dutchcharts.nl – Savage Garden – To the Moon and Back" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  21. "Charts.nz – Savage Garden – To the Moon and Back". Top 40 Singles.
  22. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  23. "Swedishcharts.com – Savage Garden – To the Moon and Back". Singles Top 100.
  24. "Swisscharts.com – Savage Garden – To the Moon and Back". Swiss Singles Chart.
  25. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  26. "Savage Garden Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  27. "Savage Garden Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.
  28. "Savage Garden Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard.
  29. "Savage Garden Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard.
  30. "Listy bestsellerów, wyróżnienia :: Związek Producentów Audio-Video". Polish Airplay Top 100. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
  31. "The ARIA Australian Top 100 Singles 1996". ARIA. Archived from the original on 2 November 2015. Retrieved 13 January 2019 – via Imgur.
  32. "1997 ARIA Singles Chart". ARIA. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  33. "RPM '97 Year End Top 100 Hit Tracks". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
  34. "End of Year Charts 1997". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
  35. "Romanian Top 100 Singles Airplay – Top of the Year 1997" (in Romanian). Romanian Top 100. Archived from the original on 22 January 2005. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
  36. "Årslista Singlar, 1997" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
  37. "Top 100 Single–Jahrescharts 1998" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
  38. "Best Sellers of 1998 – Singles Top 100". Music Week. 16 January 1999. p. 7.
  39. "Tops de L'année | Top Singles 1999" (in French). SNEP. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  40. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1997 Singles". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on 10 August 2020.
  41. "French single certifications – Savage Garden – To the Moon & Back" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique.
  42. "New Zealand single certifications – Savage Garden – To the Moon and Back". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 14 March 2019.
  43. "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1987−1998" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden.
  44. "British single certifications – Savage Garden – To the Moon and Back". British Phonographic Industry.
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