Gravity (Sara Bareilles song)
{{Infobox song
| name = Gravity
| cover =
| alt =
| border = yes
| type = single
| artist = Sara Bareilles
| album = Little Voice
| released = February 3, 2009
| recorded = 2007
| studio =
| genre =
| length = 3:52
| label = Epic
| writer = Sara Bareilles
| producer = Eric Rosse
| chronology = Sara Bareilles
| prev_title = Winter Song
| prev_year = 2008
| next_title = King of Anything
| next_year = 2010
| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|rEXhAMtbaec|"Sara Bareilles - Gravity (Official HD Video)"}}}}
}}
"Gravity" is a song written and performed by Sara Bareilles. It was released as the third single from her major-label debut album Little Voice (2007). The track was produced by Eric Rosse. Its music video was released on February 3, 2009. Bareilles said she wrote the song after her "first real heartbreak", and was hoping the ballad would help others in similar situations. The song was originally on her UCLA a cappella group's album Dysfunktional Family Album as well as her first album Careful Confessions, but was later included on Little Voice.{{cite web | url=https://uclawaken.com/about/ | title=About – Awaken a Cappella }}
Composition
Sheet music for the track is composed in the key of C major in common time with a tempo of "gently" at 80 beats per minute.{{cite web | url=https://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0064419 | title=Gravity | website=Musicnotes | date=3 April 2008 }}
Critical reception
"Gravity" received widespread acclaim from music critics. Chris Klimek of The Washington Post called the song "haunting" and stated that "Gravity is strong evidence that Bareilles's songcraft may yet warrant the stardom she's attained."Kilmek, Chris (May 1, 2008). [https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/30/AR2008043003352.html "At 9:30, Sara Bareilles Hosts a Spirited Singalong."] The Washington Post. Retrieved November 3, 2018. Shirley Brinkley wrote for The Virginian-Pilot that it was her favorite song, and that "It speaks to the paradoxes and complexity of relationships".[https://web.archive.org/web/20141029165543/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-241840498.html The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA)November 11, 2010] Michael Menachem of Billboard wrote, "[T]his melodic, introspective ballad is Bareilles' finest moment."Menachem, Michael (March 7, 2009). "[http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/others/gravity-1003946051.story Gravity: Sara Bareilles] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20130115075808/http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/others/gravity-1003946051.story |date=2013-01-15 }}", Billboard 121 (9): 38. Retrieved 2012-09-16. The Hollywood Reporter mentioned the song in their review of one her concerts, stating it was the "night's bravest and most powerful performance" when "she brilliantly sang fan favorite Gravity".{{cite web|url= http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/sara-bareilles-concert-review-30104 |title= Sara Bareilles - Concert Review |publisher= The Hollywood Reporter |date= 2010-10-14 |access-date= 2012-09-17}} Mark Savage for BBC News called it a "tearjerking ballad" and characterized it as Bareilles' calling card.{{cite web|last= Savage |first= Mark |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7451170.stm |title= Entertainment | Sara Bareilles' fairytale success |website= BBC News |date=2008-06-17 |access-date=2012-09-17}}
Music video
In an homage to the short film Powers of Ten, the music video for "Gravity" features a single unbroken take of Bareilles strolling in the middle of a street while people are walking behind her bringing lights, balloons, and globes of other planets representing a journey through the Solar System and into deep space.{{cite web|title=Sara Bareilles - Gravity| date=24 November 2009 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEXhAMtbaec |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211215/rEXhAMtbaec |archive-date=2021-12-15 |url-status=live|via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}{{cite web |url=http://www.motiontheory.com/content/413/sara-bareilles_gravity |title=Motion Theory - Gravity |website=Musiconline.com.br |access-date=2014-12-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150904082315/http://www.motiontheory.com/content/413/sara-bareilles_gravity |archive-date=2015-09-04 |url-status=dead }} The video was directed by Mathew Cullen of Motion Theory.{{cite web |url= https://www.videostatic.com/content/watch-it-sara-bareilles-gravity|title= WATCH IT: Sara Bareilles "Gravity"|date= February 23, 2009|access-date= October 26, 2023|work= VideoStatic}}
Cover versions
Kelly Clarkson covered the song in Durham, North Carolina, during her Stronger World Tour, in which she praised Bareilles's voice and lyrics. Bareilles responding the following day by tweeting: “Holy pipes, Batman! Kelly Clarkson sang Gravity. Whoah. Gurrrl. Can. Sang. So Cool!”{{Cite web |url=http://www.lovelyish.com/2012/02/01/kelly-clarkson-covers-gravity-gets-endorsed-by-sara-bareilles/ |title=Kelly Clarkson Covers Gravity, Gets 'Endorsed' By Sara Bareilles |author=Davis, Brittany |access-date=2013-12-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131224122530/http://www.lovelyish.com/2012/02/01/kelly-clarkson-covers-gravity-gets-endorsed-by-sara-bareilles/ |date=2012-02-01 |archive-date=2013-12-24 |url-status=dead }}
Brittany Cairns performed this song for her blind audition on the first season of The Voice - Australia. Cairns' version peaked at number 58 on the ARIA Singles Chart in April 2012.{{cite web|url=http://www.aria.com.au/Issue1157.pdf|archive-url=https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20120615140000/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/23790/20120616-0000/Issue1157.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=2012-06-15|title=The ARIA Report Week Commencing ~ 30 April 2012 ~ Issue #1157|publisher=webarchive.nla.gov.au|date=30 April 2012|access-date=23 May 2016}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}
Emma Hunton and Josh Pence covered this song in Season 3, Episode 9 of Good Trouble, "Driver's Seat."{{cite web |last1=Fremont |first1=Maggie |title=Good Trouble Recap: Date and Time |url=https://www.vulture.com/article/good-trouble-recap-season-3-episode-9-drivers-seat.html |website=Vulture.com |access-date=April 15, 2021 |date=April 15, 2021 |url-access=limited}}
In popular culture
The song is frequently used in fan YouTube videos with romantic couples from TV shows or movies.
A shipping video featuring a clip montage of the characters Annie and Jeff set to "Gravity" was made by a Community fan in November 2009, halfway through the first season of the show.{{cite web|title=Gravity (Jeff/Annie)|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsBvqDwVqwc |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211215/SsBvqDwVqwc |archive-date=2021-12-15 |url-status=live|website=YouTube|publisher=VeritasProductions|access-date=18 July 2014|date=Nov 14, 2009}}{{cbignore}} The video inspired show creator Dan Harmon{{cite tweet|user=danharmon|author=Dan Harmon|number=5744853878|date=15 November 2009|title=I was told women watch TV differently than men, but wow. Great editing, @tweetingkerry! http://bit.ly/3G7D5p}} and he included a similar sequence of clips of the two characters in the second season episode "Paradigms of Human Memory". Dan Harmon paid for the rights to the song himself. The clips of Annie and Jeff were immediately followed by clips of the characters Pierce and Abed again set to "Gravity", as a parody to show how easy it is make any set of characters appear romantically interested in one another (this was repeated with Annie's Boobs, a monkey, and the character Chang near the end of the episode). Bareilles eventually made an appearance as a hot-air balloon guide in "Intro to Felt Surrogacy", the ninth episode of the series' fourth season.
It was used as the closing song in the pilot episode of the Starz series Gravity.
On So You Think You Can Dance, Season 5, Mia Michaels choreographed a dance that Kayla and Kupono performed. In the dance, Kupono personified the concept of addiction while Kayla was the addict.
It was used in Season 1, Episode 2 and Season 5, Episode 4 of The Vampire Diaries.
Charts
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |
| scope="col"| Chart (2012)
! scope="col"| Peak |
|---|
| scope="row"| South Korea International Singles (Gaon){{cite web|url=http://gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/online/download/list.gaon |title=South Korea Gaon International Chart (Week: February 12, 2012 to February 18, 2012) |publisher=Gaon Chart |date=January 5, 2013 |access-date=January 5, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121219094524/http://www.gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/online/download/list.gaon |archive-date=December 19, 2012}}
| style="text-align:center;"| 44 |
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |
| scope="col" | Chart (2013)
! scope="col" | Peak |
|---|
| {{single chart|New Zealand|27|artist=Sara Bareilles|song=Gravity|rowheader=true}} |
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |
| scope="col" | Chart (2017)
! scope="col" | Peak |
|---|
| {{single chart|Scotland|64|date=20170512|rowheader=true|access-date=May 13, 2017}} |
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|relyear=2008|certyear=2023|title=Gravity|artist=Sara Bareilles|type=single|award=Silver|id=9486-3203-1|access-date=June 9, 2023}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|relyear=2009|certyear=2015|title=Gravity|artist=Sara Bareilles|type=single|award=Platinum|number=2|refname=riaacert}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|noshipments=true|streaming=true}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Sara Bareilles singles}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Songs written by Sara Bareilles