"Down to Earth" is a song by Canadian recording artist Justin Bieber, included as a track on his debut release, My World, released on November 17, 2009. It was written by Bieber, who was assisted by Carlos and Steven Battey of The Jackie Boyz, as well as the song's producers, Mason "MdL" Levy, and Kevin Risto and Waynne Nugent of Midi Mafia. "Down to Earth" is a teen pop song, with lyrics that were inspired by the divorce of Bieber's parents. It also contains lyrical content about growing up. The song received universal acclaim from critics, who embraced the song as a shift in the puppy love content of the album. After the release of My World, due to digital sales, the song charted in the lower regions of charts in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
Background and composition[]
"Down to Earth" was written by Bieber, Mason "MdL" Levy, Carlos and Steven Battey of The Jackie Boyz, and Kevin Risto and Waynne Nugent of Midi Mafia. Carlos Battey wrote “Down to Earth,” about the strain on his family relationship between his daughter and ex wife. He soon found out Scooter Braun was interested. “At first, I was a little apprehensive, it was a personal song,” Battey told Billboard.[2]
It was recorded at Icon Studios in Atlanta, Georgia, and it was mixed at Larrabee Studios in North Hollywood, California. The track was one of three songs on the standard edition of My World that Bieber co-wrote. Battey changed some lyrics in the track to match Bieber’s own family situation.[2]
In an interview in the November 14, 2009 issue of Billboard, Bieber explained the meaning behind the song stating,
"It's a ballad about the feelings I had when my parents split up and how I helped my family get through it. I think a lot of kids have had their parents split up, and they should know that it wasn't because of something they did. I hope people can relate to it."
"Down to Earth" is a down-tempo pop song with a length of four minutes and five seconds, which includes influences of teen pop. Written in common time, with a tempo of 80 beats per minute, the song is composed in the key of D major. Bieber's vocals span from the low note of B3 to the high note of D5. It follows a simple chord progression of G-D-A-Bm. Monica Herrera of Billboard noted that lines such as "So we fight through the hurt, and we cry and cry and cry and cry/ Then we live and we learn, and we try" revealed a "deeper side" to the singer. Bieber performed the song while accompanying Taylor Swift on the United Kingdom leg of the Fearless Tour, as well as his own My World Tour. During the latter performance, Bieber sits on a stool, accompanied by only a piano background.
Reception[]
Chart performance[]
On the week ending December 5, 2009, due to digital sales after the release of My World, "Down to Earth" debuted on the US Billboard Hot 100 and the Canadian Hot 100. The song debuted at number forty-three on the Hot Digital Songs chart in the US, and therefore consecutively appeared at number seventy-nine on the Hot 100. In Canada, it debuted at number sixty-one. It dropped off both charts the following week. In both territories it was also the highest non-previously released song from My World to appear on the charts. In the United Kingdom, after the release of My World, "Down to Earth" appeared at number 149 on the UK Singles Chart.
Audio[]
Performances[]
Dan Kanter remembers the first time Justin played the song for him: “It started with just a piano intro and instantly I pictured him sitting at this white grand piano that rose out of a trap door in an opera sort of fog.” And that is exactly what they did for the My World Tour.[3]
| Date | Event | City | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| December 4, 2009 | Johnjay and Rich | Phoenix | Acoustic |
| December 21, 2009 | 98.7 AMP's Jingle Kringle | Detroit | Acoustic |
| December 22, 2009 | Live @ Much | Toronto | Acoustic |
| January 9, 2010 | Atlantis Theatre | Bahamas | Acoustic |
| January 17, 2010 | Science Museum | London | Acoustic |
| Date | Event | City | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| February 14, 2010 | Valentine's Day Special Concert | Hollywood | |
| February 20, 2010 | Pop-Con | Uniondale | |
| February 23, 2010 | Universal Building Private Concert | Paris | Acoustic |
| February 24, 2010 | Eiffel Tower | Acoustic | |
| March 25, 2010 | Special Concert at Rosemont Theatre | Rosemont | |
| November 2, 2010 | Golden Ticket Concert | Phoenix | Acoustic |
| Tour | Date | Performances |
|---|---|---|
| My World Tour | 2010-2011 (All dates) (Except Asia leg) |
125 |
Lyrics[]
[Intro]
Mafia
Oh whoa, oh whoa, oh oh
[Verse 1]
I never thought that it’d be easy
‘Cause we’re both so distant now
And the walls are closing in on us
And we’re wondering how
No one has a solid answer
But just walking in the dark
And you can see the look on my face
It just tears me apart
[Pre-Chorus]
So we fight (So we fight)
Through the hurt (Through the hurt)
And we cry, and cry, and cry, and cry
Then we live (Then we live)
And we learn (And we learn)
And we try, and try, and try, and try
[Chorus]
So it’s up to you
And it’s up to me
That we meet in the middle
On our way back down to earth
Down to earth, down to earth
On our way back down to earth
Back down to earth, back down to earth
Back down to earth, back down to earth
Back down to earth, back down to earth
Back down to earth, back down to earth
[Verse 2]
And mommy, you were always somewhere
And daddy, I live outta town
So tell me how could I ever be normal somehow?
You tell me this is for the best
So tell me why am I in tears?
So far away and now I just need you here
[Pre-Chorus]
So we fight (So we fight)
Through the hurt (Through the hurt)
And we cry, and cry, and cry, and cry
Then we live (And we live)
And we learn (And we learn)
And we try, and try, and try, and try
[Chorus]
So it’s up to you
And it’s up to me
That we meet in the middle
On our way back down to earth
Down to earth, down to earth
On our way back down to earth
Back down to earth, back down to earth
Back down to earth, back down to earth
Back down to earth, back down to earth
Back down to earth, back down to earth
[Bridge]
We fell so far away from where we used to be
Now we’re standing and where do we go
When there’s no road (There’s no road)
To get to your heart
Let’s start over again
[Chorus]
So it’s up to you
And it’s up to me
That we meet in the middle
On our way back down to earth
Down to earth, down to earth (Down to earth, yeah)
On our way back down to earth
[Outro]
I never thought that it’d be easy
‘Cause we both so distant now
And the walls are closing in on us
And we’re wondering how
Credits[]
Credits adapted from Tidal.[4]
- Producer: Bruce Waynne / Dirty Swift
- Composer: Carlos Battey / Justin Bieber / Kevin Risto / Mason Levy / Steven Battey / Waynne Nugent
- Lyricist: Carlos Battey / Justin Bieber / Kevin Risto / Mason Levy / Steven Battey / Waynne Nugent
- Assistant Mixer: Giancarlo Lino
- Associated Performer: Tim Stewart
- Guitar: Tim Stewart
- Mixer: Dave Pensado / Jaycen-Joshua Fowler
- Recording Engineer: Chris Kraus
- Studio Personnel: Chris Kraus / Dave Pensado / Giancarlo Lino / Jaycen-Joshua Fowler
- Translator: Louro Santos / Marcibron / Victor Santos
References[]
- ↑ "RT @justinbieber today i was asked at the radio station what my favorite song on the album was... http://bit.ly/4C1l76<< Co wrote by Us!!!". Twitter. December 4, 2009.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Blanchet, Brenton (November 14, 2019). "Justin Bieber’s ‘My World’ Turns 10: Producers, Writers, Photographers Reflect on 2009 Debut". Billboard.
- ↑ Shea, Courtney (August 14, 2014). "The secrets behind Dan Kanter’s un-Beliebable success". MuchMusic.com.
- ↑ Bieber, Justin. "Credits / My World / Justin Bieber – TIDAL". Tidal.
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