It's Better If You Don't Understand
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

''It's Better If You Don't Understand'' is the debut
extended play An extended play record, usually referred to as an EP, is a musical recording that contains more tracks than a single but fewer than an album or LP record.
(EP) by American singer-songwriter
Bruno Mars Peter Gene Hernandez (born October 8, 1985), known professionally as Bruno Mars, is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is known for his stage performances, retro showmanship, and for performing in a wide range of musical s ...
. The EP consists of four tracks and has been dubbed as a pop record. Its title comes from the final lyrics of one of its songs, "The Other Side". It was released on May 11, 2010 by
Elektra Records Elektra Records (or Elektra Entertainment) is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group, founded in 1950 by Jac Holzman and Paul Rickolt. It played an important role in the development of contemporary folk and rock music between the 1 ...
in the United States, and on August 11, 2010 by
Atlantic Records Atlantic Recording Corporation (simply known as Atlantic Records) is an American record label founded in October 1947 by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson. Over its first 20 years of operation, Atlantic earned a reputation as one of the most i ...
in France. The song " Count on Me" was not featured on the track list of the latter release. All of the material on the EP was produced by
the Smeezingtons The Smeezingtons were an American songwriting and record production team consisting of Bruno Mars (born 1985), Philip Lawrence (born 1980), and Ari Levine (born May 5, 1984). The Smeezingtons were established in Los Angeles, California; their ...
, the production team composed by Mars, Philip Lawrence and Ari Levine, with the closing track being co-produced by
Jeff Bhasker Jeff Bhasker (born March 4, 1974) is an American record producer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist based in Los Angeles. He was awarded the Grammy Award for Producer of the Year in 2016 and nominated in 2013. An accomplished producer, he ...
. ''It's Better If You Don't Understand'' received generally positive reviews from
music critics Music journalism (or music criticism) is media criticism and reporting about music topics, including popular music, classical music, and traditional music. Journalists began writing about music in the eighteenth century, providing commentary on w ...
 â€“
AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
's David Jeffries praised the EP as showcasing Mars's songwriting abilities and its music being a genre that "leans towards" pop, while
About.com Dotdash Meredith (formerly About.com) is an American digital media company based in New York City. The company publishes online articles and videos about various subjects across categories including health, home, food, finance, tech, beauty, l ...
's Bill Lamb stated that it is "music that should be on your radio", and called the release a "pop pleasure". The EP peaked at number 99 on the ''Billboard'' 200 albums chart in the United States, and at number 97 on the
UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
. As of 2011, it has sold 27,000 copies in the United States. To promote the EP, Mars released a
home video Home video is prerecorded media sold or rented for home viewing. The term originates from the VHS and Betamax era, when the predominant medium was videotapes, but has carried over to optical disc formats such as DVD, Blu-ray and streaming me ...
for "The Other Side". It charted at number 117 on the UK Singles Chart. All of the songs from ''It's Better If You Don't Understand'' were later included on Mars's debut
studio album An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as Digital distribution#Music, digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early ...
, ''
Doo-Wops & Hooligans ''Doo-Wops & Hooligans'' is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Bruno Mars. It was released on October 4, 2010, by Atlantic and Elektra Records and was made available to listen before its official release on September 24, 2010. ...
'' (2010), and, with the exception of "Somewhere in Brooklyn", were performed on the related concert tour of the same name. The tracks were also included during the co-headline tour with
Janelle Monáe Janelle Monáe Robinson (; born December 1, 1985) is an American singer, rapper and actress. She is signed to Atlantic Records, as well as to her own imprint, the Wondaland Arts Society. Monáe has received eight Grammy Award nominations. Monà ...
,
Hooligans in Wondaland Tour The Hooligans in Wondaland Tour was a concert tour that was headlined by American singer-songwriter Bruno Mars and Janelle Monáe to support Mars' and Monáe's 2010 debut studio albums, ''Doo-Wops & Hooligans'' and ''The ArchAndroid'', respecti ...
(2011). In an interview with ''
Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the Un ...
'' in 2012, Mars later said regretted having "wasted" the title of this record.


Background

After the release of the singles "
Nothin' on You "Nothin' on You" is the debut single of both American rapper B.o.B and featured American singer-songwriter Bruno Mars. It is the lead single from the former's debut studio album, '' B.o.B Presents: The Adventures of Bobby Ray'' (2010). It was ...
" by B.o.B and "
Billionaire A billionaire is a person with a net worth of at least one billion (1,000,000,000, i.e., a thousand million) units of a given currency, usually of a major currency such as the United States dollar, euro, or pound sterling. The American busin ...
" by Travie McCoy, both featuring
Bruno Mars Peter Gene Hernandez (born October 8, 1985), known professionally as Bruno Mars, is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is known for his stage performances, retro showmanship, and for performing in a wide range of musical s ...
in the chorus, it was decided that the following step would be releasing a four-track digital EP as fast as possible, so that people would understand that Mars was a "real artist". Those two singles contributed to launching his career as a solo artist. Mars explained that the strength and story behind "The Other Side", one of his favorite songs on the EP, led him to name the recording after the final lyrics on the track. In an interview with ''
Rap-Up ''Rap-Up'' is a magazine launched in 2001 by founder Devin Lazerine. The publication was originally a website devoted to hip hop, until Lazerine decided to pitch the possibility of a magazine to several publishers. The magazine is focused on the ...
'', Mars explained that the song "Somewhere in Brooklyn" is dedicated to his father, who is from
Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...
, adding that: "everyone can agree that
New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...
is a special place". Lyrically, a girl is the subject of Mars's attention. After they met briefly, he tries to find her again somewhere in Brooklyn. Ari Levine talked in an interview with ''
Sound on Sound ''Sound on Sound'' is an independently owned monthly music technology magazine published by SOS Publications Group, based in Cambridge, United Kingdom. The magazine includes product tests of electronic musical performance and recording devices, a ...
'' about producing some of the songs. "The Other Side", whose production was re-arranged, was intended for somebody else, and several people wrote parts of the track. Concerning the lyrics' concept Mars said that they describe: "the lifestyle you end up living as an artist". In the same interview, Levine explained that "
Talking to the Moon "Talking to the Moon" is a song by American singer-songwriter Bruno Mars from his debut studio album, ''Doo-Wops & Hooligans'' (2010). The song was first unveiled on Mars's debut extended play, ''It's Better If You Don't Understand'' (2010), ...
" took a long time to record, while he, Mars, and Lawrence decided which drums to use. As a result, the song was arranged and produced "in four different ways". When the team started composing the track, they "only had the first verse and the horns". However, their gut told them they were onto something. At one point the team: "had three different bridges and
hey Hey or Hey! may refer to: Music * Hey (band), a Polish rock band Albums * ''Hey'' (Andreas Bourani album) or the title song (see below), 2014 * ''Hey!'' (Julio Iglesias album) or the title song, 1980 * ''Hey!'' (Jullie album) or the title s ...
spent a lot of time trying to find out which one was the best". American record producer and songwriter
Jeff Bhasker Jeff Bhasker (born March 4, 1974) is an American record producer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist based in Los Angeles. He was awarded the Grammy Award for Producer of the Year in 2016 and nominated in 2013. An accomplished producer, he ...
also collaborated on the track's composition. "Talking to the Moon" was the first song written for the debut release once the three of them finished working with other artists and focused on the EP.


Composition

''It's Better If You Don't Understand'' is composed of four pop songs. Mars explained that the EP is hard to classify since: "I just write songs that I strongly believe in and that are coming from inside. There's no tricks. It's honesty with big melodies. And I'm singing the s*** out of them". The opening track, "Somewhere in Brooklyn", was labeled as a "romantic croon". It features "an emo-pop backing" beat, and it describes, lyrically, Mars chasing the "perfect woman" who got away, and wishing to find her again. The second release, "The Other Side", features a vocal collaboration with
Cee Lo Green Cee or CEE may refer to: * C, third letter of the Latin alphabet * Cee, Spain, A Coruña, Galicia * Center for Excellence in Education, US * Central and Eastern Europe * Centre for Environment Education * Centre for the Economics of Education, Lon ...
and
B.o.B. Bobby Ray Simmons Jr. (born November 15, 1988), known professionally as B.o.B, is an American rapper and record producer. Raised in Decatur, Georgia, Simmons was signed to Jim Jonsin's Rebel Rock Entertainment imprint in 2006. Two years later, ...
, and is considered the best on the EP by some critics. The track has been described as incorporating 60's soulful feeling. "The Other Side" shows Mars's darker side has a "soaring pop" hook. The two final tracks were described as "bittersweet ballads". " Count On Me" draws from the works of
Jason Mraz Jason Thomas Mraz (; born June 23, 1977) is an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. He rose to prominence with the release of his debut studio album, ''Waiting for My Rocket to Come'' (2002), which spawned the single " The Remedy (I Won't ...
and
David Cook David Cook may refer to: Entertainment * David Cook (game designer) (active since 1980s), American game designer for TSR * David Cook (singer) (born 1982), winner of the seventh season of ''American Idol'' * David Cook (writer) (1940–2015), Briti ...
, featuring a laid back groove with a
tropical The tropics are the regions of Earth surrounding the Equator. They are defined in latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the Northern Hemisphere at N and the Tropic of Capricorn in the Southern Hemisphere at S. The tropics are also referred to ...
influence. It conveys the message of comfort found in a friend and being present for those who are important in your life. The closing track, "
Talking to the Moon "Talking to the Moon" is a song by American singer-songwriter Bruno Mars from his debut studio album, ''Doo-Wops & Hooligans'' (2010). The song was first unveiled on Mars's debut extended play, ''It's Better If You Don't Understand'' (2010), ...
", was described as a pop song with
power ballad A sentimental ballad is an emotional style of music that often deals with romantic and intimate relationships, and to a lesser extent, loneliness, death, war, drug abuse, politics and religion, usually in a poignant but solemn manner.J. M. C ...
influences.


Release and promotion

''It's Better If You Don't Understand'' was released exclusively for digital download on May 11, 2010, by
Elektra Records Elektra Records (or Elektra Entertainment) is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group, founded in 1950 by Jac Holzman and Paul Rickolt. It played an important role in the development of contemporary folk and rock music between the 1 ...
in the US, and in France, on August 11, 2010, by
Atlantic Records Atlantic Recording Corporation (simply known as Atlantic Records) is an American record label founded in October 1947 by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson. Over its first 20 years of operation, Atlantic earned a reputation as one of the most i ...
; this edition did not feature "Count on Me" on the track list. On July 16, 2010, a home video for "The Other Side", directed by Nick Bilardello and Cameron Duddy, was released. The song features
guest vocals In show business, a guest appearance is the participation of an outsider performer (such as a musician or actor) in an event such as a music record or concert, show, etc., when the performer does not belong to the regular band, cast, or other ...
by
Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
-based rappers
Cee Lo Green Cee or CEE may refer to: * C, third letter of the Latin alphabet * Cee, Spain, A Coruña, Galicia * Center for Excellence in Education, US * Central and Eastern Europe * Centre for Environment Education * Centre for the Economics of Education, Lon ...
and
B.o.B Bobby Ray Simmons Jr. (born November 15, 1988), known professionally as B.o.B, is an American rapper and record producer. Raised in Decatur, Georgia, Simmons was signed to Jim Jonsin's Rebel Rock Entertainment imprint in 2006. Two years late ...
. It follows Mars in a casual day in his life; showing him rehearsing, posing at photo shoots or wandering aimlessly around Los Angeles. His artistic abilities are highlighted throughout the video as he plays various instruments, trying to integrate his overnight success with his daily life. According to the singer, "the visuals match the spirit of the song". "The Other Side", "Count on Me", and "Talking to the Moon" were included on the standard edition of the debut studio album, ''
Doo-Wops & Hooligans ''Doo-Wops & Hooligans'' is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Bruno Mars. It was released on October 4, 2010, by Atlantic and Elektra Records and was made available to listen before its official release on September 24, 2010. ...
'' (2010). "Somewhere in Brooklyn" was a bonus track on the deluxe version of the record. All of the songs were featured on the
set list A set list, or setlist, is typically a handwritten or printed document created as an ordered list of songs, jokes, stories and other elements an artist intends to present during a specific performance. A setlist can be made of nearly any materi ...
of Mars's Doo-Wops & Hooligans Tour (2010–12), with the exception of "Somewhere in Brooklyn". The tracks were also included during the co-headline tour with
Janelle Monáe Janelle Monáe Robinson (; born December 1, 1985) is an American singer, rapper and actress. She is signed to Atlantic Records, as well as to her own imprint, the Wondaland Arts Society. Monáe has received eight Grammy Award nominations. Monà ...
,
Hooligans in Wondaland Tour The Hooligans in Wondaland Tour was a concert tour that was headlined by American singer-songwriter Bruno Mars and Janelle Monáe to support Mars' and Monáe's 2010 debut studio albums, ''Doo-Wops & Hooligans'' and ''The ArchAndroid'', respecti ...
(2011), with a portion of "Somewhere in Brooklyn" along with "Talking to the Moon" performed as an encore, in some shows.


Reception


Critical reception

Upon its release, ''It's Better If You Don't Understand'' received rave reviews from
music critics Music journalism (or music criticism) is media criticism and reporting about music topics, including popular music, classical music, and traditional music. Journalists began writing about music in the eighteenth century, providing commentary on w ...
. Bill Lamb of
About.com Dotdash Meredith (formerly About.com) is an American digital media company based in New York City. The company publishes online articles and videos about various subjects across categories including health, home, food, finance, tech, beauty, l ...
labeled the EP a "pop pleasure", further praising the record by saying "with justice in the pop music world, this is the music that should be on your radio", rating ''It's Better If You Don't Understand'' four and a half out of five stars. Writing for
AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
, David Jeffries called the EP's four songs a "sparse effort that leans towards pop" and drew attention to "the man's songwriting". He also deemed the album a "short set of easy, breezy tunes", which doesn't necessarily leave people "begging for more, but it will make most pop fans open to the idea".


Chart performance

''It's Better If You Don't Understand'' failed to achieve commercial success. It debuted at number 99 on the ''Billboard'' 200, the week of May 29, 2010, where it remained for only one week; As of 2011, it had sold 27,000 copies in the United States. As of 2017, the numbers of copies sold remained the same. ''It's Better If You Don't Understand'' reached number 97 on the
UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
on the week of August 28, 2010, while "The Other Side" charted separately on the
UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
at number 117.


Track listing

Credits adapted from ''It's Better If You Don't Understand'' liner notes. * signifies a co-
producer Producer or producers may refer to: Occupations *Producer (agriculture), a farm operator *A stakeholder of economic production *Film producer, supervises the making of films **Executive producer, contributes to a film's budget and usually does not ...
.


Charts


Personnel

Credits adapted from ''It's Better If You Don't Understand'' digital booklet and
AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
. Additional musicians and production *
The Smeezingtons The Smeezingtons were an American songwriting and record production team consisting of Bruno Mars (born 1985), Philip Lawrence (born 1980), and Ari Levine (born May 5, 1984). The Smeezingtons were established in Los Angeles, California; their ...
 â€“
producer Producer or producers may refer to: Occupations *Producer (agriculture), a farm operator *A stakeholder of economic production *Film producer, supervises the making of films **Executive producer, contributes to a film's budget and usually does not ...
,
background vocals A backing vocalist is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists. A backing vocalist may also sing alone as a lead-in to the main vocalist's entry or to sing a counter-melody. Backing vocalists are used ...
* Bruno Mars â€“
lead vocals The lead vocalist in popular music is typically the member of a group or band whose voice is the most prominent melody in a performance where multiple voices may be heard. The lead singer sets their voice against the accompaniment parts of t ...
, background vocals,
instrumentation Instrumentation a collective term for measuring instruments that are used for indicating, measuring and recording physical quantities. The term has its origins in the art and science of scientific instrument-making. Instrumentation can refer to ...
* Ari Levine â€“
engineer Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who invent, design, analyze, build and test machines, complex systems, structures, gadgets and materials to fulfill functional objectives and requirements while considering the l ...
, instrumentation, mixing * Bobby Simmons Jr. â€“ vocals * Thomas Callaway â€“ vocals * Brody Brown â€“ instrumentation *
Jeff Bhasker Jeff Bhasker (born March 4, 1974) is an American record producer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist based in Los Angeles. He was awarded the Grammy Award for Producer of the Year in 2016 and nominated in 2013. An accomplished producer, he ...
 â€“ producer Recording personnel *
Graham Marsh Graham Vivian Marsh MBE (born 14 January 1944) is a retired professional golfer who was one of the leading Australian players of his generation. During his career he won more than 70 tournaments around the world, including 10 on the European To ...
 â€“ engineer *
Manny Marroquin Manny Marroquin (born September 21, 1971) is an American mixing engineer.Daley, Dan (May 2005).Manny Marroquin. ''Sound on Sound''. Retrieved February 10, 2007 He has received ten Grammy awards for his professional audio work. Life and career M ...
 â€“ mixing * Christian Plata â€“ mixing assistant * Erik Madrid  â€“ mixing assistant *
Stephen Marcussen Stephen Marcussen is the founder and chief mastering engineer at Marcussen Mastering in Hollywood, California, United States. He has been mastering music since 1979. Biography Marcussen's introduction to music recording happened in 1976 when, at ...
 â€“ mastering


Release history


References

{{Authority control 2010 debut EPs Bruno Mars albums Albums produced by the Smeezingtons Albums produced by Jeff Bhasker Atlantic Records EPs Elektra Records EPs