Peaches (Jack Black song)
{{Short description|2023 single by Jack Black}}
{{Use American English|date=April 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2023}}
{{Infobox single
| name = Peaches
| cover = BowserLP.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Jack Black (credited as Bowser)
| album = The Super Mario Bros. Movie (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
| released = {{Start date|2023|4|7}}
| recorded = 2022
| studio =
| genre = {{hlist|Pop|ballad|comedy}}
| length = 1:35
| label = * Back Lot
| writer = * Jack Black
- Aaron Horvath
- Michael Jelenic
- Eric Osmond
- John Spiker
| producer = John Spiker
| chronology = Jack Black
| prev_title = 5 Needs
| prev_year = 2020
| next_title = Video Games
| next_year = 2023
| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|aW7bzd8uwyQ|Jack Black – Peaches (Directed by Cole Bennett)}}
| type = single
| header = Music videos
}}{{External music video|{{YouTube|imSefM4GPpE|Bowser – Peaches (Official Music Video)}}
| type = single
| header = no
}}
}}
"Peaches" is a song by American actor and musician Jack Black from the Nintendo/Illumination film The Super Mario Bros. Movie, in which he voices Bowser. The song was released as a single alongside the soundtrack on April 7, 2023.
Concept
The song is a sentimental ballad in which Bowser, Jack Black's character in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, expresses his love for Princess Peach.
The film's initial draft did not incorporate a musical background for Bowser.{{cite news |last=Acuna |first=Kirsten |date=April 5, 2023 |title=Jack Black actually wrote the catchy ballad Bowser sings in The Super Mario Bros. Movie |work=Insider.com |url=https://www.insider.com/super-mario-bros-movie-jack-black-bowser-song-2023-4 |access-date=April 8, 2023}} Aaron Horvath, one of the film's co-directors, told GameSpot he wanted a musical Bowser, but planned for a more metal track in the vein of Tenacious D. After deciding that it would be boring for Bowser to simply say, "I love Princess Peach", Horvath decided to tell the song through a ballad.{{cite news |last=Owen |first=Phil |date=April 12, 2023 |title=Jack Black's 'Peaches' Song In The Super Mario Bros Movie Went From Idea To Full Song In Days |work=GameSpot |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/jack-blacks-peaches-song-in-the-super-mario-bros-movie-went-from-idea-to-full-song-in-days/1100-6513195/ |access-date=April 12, 2023}} The original demo was recorded with Eric Osmond on vocals. Two days later, Black completed the final recording of the song with an original piano track by his pianist.
Music videos
The song received two official music videos. The first one was a live-action music video directed by Cole Bennett, depicting Jack Black wearing a Bowser-inspired costume and playing the song on the piano while in a room with windows overlooking computer-animated landscapes from the film. The video was uploaded by Lyrical Lemonade the same day as the single's release.{{cite news |last=Robinson |first=Tasha |date=April 7, 2023 |title=Jack Black's 'Peaches' video shows why he rules the Mario movie |work=Polygon |url=https://www.polygon.com/23674781/jack-black-peaches-video-mario-movie |access-date=April 8, 2023}} On the same day, a behind-the-scenes video was posted on Lyrical Lemonade's secondary channel.{{cite magazine |last=Iasimone |first=Ashley |date=April 9, 2023 |title=Jack Black Drops Music Video for Super Mario Bros. Movie Song 'Peaches' |magazine=Billboard |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/jack-black-peaches-super-mario-bros-movie-video-1235300143/ |access-date=April 10, 2023}} On April 10, the music video reached No. 2 on YouTube's trending page.{{cite news |last=Tangcay |first=Jazz |date=April 10, 2023 |title='Peaches' From Super Mario Bros. Movie Is Eligible for Oscars Best Original Song (EXCLUSIVE) |work=Variety |url=https://variety.com/2023/artisans/awards/peaches-song-super-mario-bros-movie-eligible-oscars-1235578312/ |access-date=April 10, 2023}}
The second video features clips of Bowser performing the song on the piano, as well as other clips from the film. It was uploaded by Illumination on April 10, 2023.{{cite news |last=Deschamps |first=Marc |date=April 10, 2023 |title=The Super Mario Bros. Movie Releases Official 'Peaches' Music Video Featuring Bowser |language=en |work=ComicBook.com |url=https://comicbook.com/gaming/news/super-mario-bros-movie-official-peaches-music-video-bowser-nintendo/ |access-date=April 10, 2023}}
Reception
The song was considered to be the highlight of the film by several critics. Owen Gleiberman of Variety praised Black's performance as Bowser, especially through "Peaches". He compared the song to Meat Loaf's songs on Bat Out of Hell, and further compared Black to Meat Loaf and Tom Jones.{{cite news |last=Gleiberman |first=Owen |title=That Old Jack Black Magic: As the Villain of 'The Super Mario Bros. Movie,' the Actor Gives His Peachiest Performance in Years |url=https://variety.com/2023/film/columns/that-old-jack-black-magic-the-super-mario-bros-movie-1235598867/ |access-date=May 4, 2023 |work=Variety |date=April 30, 2023}} Kristin Smith of Plugged In (publication) praised the live-action music video, writing, "it’s an innocent, silly ballad...with flashy colors and plenty of fun to (they hope) entice viewers to go see The Super Mario Bros. Movie."{{cite news |last=Smith |first=Kristin |date=April 12, 2023 |title=Peaches |work=Plugged In (publication) |url=https://www.pluggedin.com/track-reviews/peaches/ |access-date=April 12, 2023}} Comic Book Resources listed the song as the best song from the film, writing, "the best part of the song is Jack Black, who sounds like he's giving the performance of his life as the love-struck Koopa King".{{cite news |last=Stanczak |first=Garrett |date=April 8, 2023 |title=10 Best Songs On The Super Mario Bros. Movie Soundtrack |language=en |work=Comic Book Resources |url=https://www.cbr.com/super-mario-bros-movie-soundtrack/#platforming-princess |access-date=April 12, 2023}} In a positive review of the film, Christopher Cruz of Rolling Stone called the song a "hit", expecting it to be "a TikTok staple to the chagrin of parents everywhere."{{cite magazine |last=Cruz |first=Christopher |date=April 4, 2023 |title=The Super Mario Bros. Movie Is Not Ruined by Chris Pratt's Mario |magazine=Rolling Stone |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-reviews/the-super-mario-bros-movie-review-chris-pratt-nintendo-charlie-day-anya-taylor-joy-seth-rogen-1234706451/ |access-date=April 19, 2023}} Kristy Puchko of Mashable, who gave the film a generally negative review, wrote, "All my gripes about this movie were silenced during the interludes when Black lets loose in all his rock star might to sing, "Peaches, Peaches, Peaches, Peaches, Peaches," over and over". Reflecting on this and other Bowser scenes in the film, she commented, "...[the] balance of stupid and fun are perfect."{{cite news |last=Puchko |first=Kristy |date=April 4, 2023 |title=The Super Mario Bros. Movie review: What if Mario had daddy issues? |language=en |work=Mashable |url=https://mashable.com/article/the-super-mario-bros-movie-review |access-date=April 12, 2023}}
Conversely, Brian Tallerico of RogerEbert.com, a self-described lifelong Mario fan who criticized the film for lacking in creativity, called the song "truly uninspired", opining that "How on Earth a film like this gets a rock talent like half of Tenacious D and doesn’t let him unleash a few clever Bowser tunes is one of this film’s many mysteries."{{Cite web |last=Tallerico |first=Brian |date=April 5, 2023 |title=The Super Mario Bros. Movie movie review (2023) |url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-super-mario-bros-movie-movie-review-2023 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405155000/https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-super-mario-bros-movie-movie-review-2023 |archive-date=April 5, 2023 |access-date=April 5, 2023 |website=RogerEbert.com |language=en}}
Live performances
During the final night of its North American leg of Five Albums. One Night. The World Tour, Black performed the song live on stage in Brooklyn, in which the Jonas Brothers invited him to perform on stage, at the intermission.{{Cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/11/entertainment/jack-black-jonas-brothers/index.html|title=Jack Black sings Golden Globe nominated 'Super Mario Bros.' song at Jonas Brothers concert|author=Alli Rosenbloom|website=CNN Entertainment|date=2023-12-11|access-date=2023-12-12}} Black also performed the song as the finale for the Game Awards 10-Year Concert at the Hollywood Bowl.{{Cite news|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/super-mario-bros-movie-peaches-performed-live-the-game-awards-10-year-concert|title=Watch Jack Black Perform The Super Mario Bros. Movie's Peaches Live|author=Adele Ankers-Range|website=IGN|date=2023-06-26|access-date=2024-03-13}}
Accolades
The song was eligible for the Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 96th Academy Awards,{{Cite web |last=Tangcay |first=Jazz |date=2023-04-10 |title='Peaches' From 'Super Mario Bros. Movie' Is Eligible for Oscars Best Original Song (EXCLUSIVE) |url=https://variety.com/2023/artisans/awards/peaches-song-super-mario-bros-movie-eligible-oscars-1235578312/ |access-date=2023-05-15 |website=Variety |language=en-US}} but it was not shortlisted.{{cite news |last1=Wacholz |first1=Charlie |title=Mario Movie's 'Peaches' Snubbed by the Oscars for Best Song |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/mario-movie-peaches-snubbed-oscars-best-song |access-date=December 22, 2023 |work=IGN |date=December 21, 2023 |language=en}} In December 2023, the song became nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song for the 81st Golden Globe Awards.
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|+ Awards |
| style="background:#ccc; text-align:center;"
! Award ! Year{{efn|Indicates the year of ceremony. Each year is linked to the article about the awards held that year, wherever possible.}} ! Category ! Result |
| scope="row" | Hollywood Music in Media Awards
| 2023 | Best Original Song in an Animated Film | {{nominated}} |
|---|
| scope="row" | Golden Globe Awards
| 2024 | {{nominated}} |
| scope="row" | Critics' Choice Movie Awards
| 2024 | {{Nominated}} |
Commercial performance
The song reached number 56 on the US Billboard Hot 100 after debuting at number 83, making it Black's first solo single to chart.{{cite magazine |last=Zellner |first=Xander |title=Hot 100 First-Timers: Jack Black Scores First Solo Hit With Super Mario Bros. Ballad 'Peaches' |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/jack-black-peaches-super-mario-bros-hot-100-first-timers-1235304748/ |access-date=April 18, 2023 |magazine=Billboard |date=April 17, 2023}} The song also reached the top 40 in Australia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.
Charts
References
{{reflist}}
Notes
{{Notelist}}
{{Super Mario}}
{{Mario franchise}}
Category:The Super Mario Bros. Movie
Category:Mario (franchise) music
Category:Columbia Records singles
Category:Back Lot Music singles
Category:Music videos directed by Cole Bennett
Category:Songs containing the royal road progression