Makes Me Wonder
"Makes Me Wonder" | ||||
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Single by Maroon 5 | ||||
from the album It Won't Be Soon Before Long | ||||
B-side |
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Released | March 27, 2007 | |||
Recorded | 2006 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 3:31 | |||
Label | A&M Octone | |||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) |
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Maroon 5 singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Makes Me Wonder" on YouTube |
"Makes Me Wonder" is a song by American pop rock band Maroon 5. It was released on March 27, 2007, as the first single from their second studio album, It Won't Be Soon Before Long (2007). Upon its release, the song set a record for the biggest jump to number-one in the history of the Billboard Hot 100 chart, rising from number 64 to number one. However, the record was later broken by Kelly Clarkson's 2009 single, "My Life Would Suck Without You".
"Makes Me Wonder" also became the band's first number-one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal at the 50th Grammy Awards, their second song to win the award. The song was among the most successful of 2007, and was their biggest hit until the release of "Moves like Jagger" by the band in 2011.
Despite the song's commercial success, critical reception was mixed. It was ranked No. 49 on Rolling Stone's list of the 100 Best Songs of 2007.
Background and writing[edit]
![](http://webcf.waybackmachine.org/web/20220502160117im_/https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/98/Palms_Casino_Resort.jpg/220px-Palms_Casino_Resort.jpg)
Adam Levine began writing parts of "Makes Me Wonder" years before its release in 2007. Maroon 5 recorded a demo of it, which was one of their firsts while on the "road". The band however put the track aside, and years later revisited it for It Won't Be Soon Before Long. Levine recalled that the song "kept coming up because the label loved it".[2] After taking a break from their previous studio sessions for It Won't Be Soon Before Long, which was intended to gain "perspective" with the tracks, Maroon 5 regrouped at Glenwood Place Studios in Burbank, California. There, they "rethought a couple of songs and we went back and recut about three songs".[3]
Reworking the song for their new album, Maroon 5 struggled to finish "Makes Me Wonder". The band could not formulate a chorus that would match with the rest of "Makes Me Wonder"'s music, which then had been around for four years.[3] At one point, it had the band deciding to venture into a songwriting trip to "somewhere without distractions".[2] While working on another song when they went to a Las Vegas studio, Maroon 5 came up with a part that would work "if they changed the chords".[3] Levine recalls, "It was actually great because we were distracted just enough that we didn't think about it too much, and then we wrote this part that wound up being the chorus."[2]
Production and music[edit]
Prior to "Makes Me Wonder", producer Mark Endert had contributed to the band's debut album, Songs About Jane, in which he provided additional production to and mixed the hit single "This Love". Having worked on a song called "Wake Up Call" for the new album, Endert's involvement transitioned to "Makes Me Wonder". Maroon 5, having re-examined the song, asked Endert to assist them on a track which they did not like. To Endert, the band did not "feel like they had realized its potential". However, "They were open to new ideas, so I had the freedom to go and look for a new approach."[4]
Working on the new material, Endert produced a mockup for the track's arrangement, a process he normally does as a producer. Using his Logic system at Scream Studios, he programmed the keyboards, bass, guitars on an old '80s Roland. When done, Endert flew to Los Angeles to present to the band the track, to which they approved. Endert and the band went to the Sunset Sound studio where they added track and "replaced any parts in Logic that were considered band instruments", resulting to it sounding like Maroon 5's.[4]
According to producer Mark Endert, the idea was to make the song's music contemporary and urban. Meanwhile, they wanted to render it classic by making references to '70s and early '80s sound.[4] Its music changed from "a more rock 'n' roll feel to a '70s funk vibe".[3]
Lyrical meaning[edit]
"Makes Me Wonder" began as a love song which Levine wrote about a "failed relationship",[5] which he said went horribly wrong.[2] However, when he revisited the song for It Won't Be Soon Before Long a few years later, Levine "recognized a whole new dimension" to it which resulted to his adding political insights on the lyrics.[5]
![](http://webcf.waybackmachine.org/web/20220502160117im_/https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/72/USMarineTankinBaghdad.jpg/220px-USMarineTankinBaghdad.jpg)
The lyrics of "Makes Me Wonder" have two different meanings. It contains political insinuations disguised as a love song because of Levine's not wanting to be preachy. It combines lyrics about his being in a state of a failed relationship and his "failure to understand or trust" the leadership of his country.[6]
One meaning is about Levine's frustration at the state of politics and the United States' role in the war in Iraq. From the original lyrics, they incorporated the line "Give me something to believe in / Because I don't believe in you anymore" which became the refrain to the chorus.[2] Levine revealed that the lyrics "maybe not targeted at the Bush administration, but maybe dancing around that territory a little bit".[2] "Makes Me Wonder" shows the band's confusion about the politics in the country.[5] Levine explains:
I really wanted to write a political song, a song that reflected the way I felt about everything. It's one of the most difficult things in the world to do without coming off as a total arse and preachy - all the things that I hate about a lot of songwriting. So I didn't want to overtly say it. I just wanted to allude to it.[5]
The second meaning is simply about love. The lyrics in the chorus reflects one of Levine's relationships that went horribly wrong. Levine states about their relationship, "It had something to do with our growing dissatisfaction with things and the confusion that was in the air."[2]
Critical reception[edit]
The song received mixed reviews from music critics. Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic, discussing the identity of Maroon 5's music, noted that "Makes Me Wonder", even with its "flash[y] production", is not about its "feel" but the song itself that makes the album "work".[7] Ann Powers of the Los Angeles Times called "Makes Me Wonder" an "aggravatingly danceable track".[8]
For Neil Drumming of Entertainment Weekly, Levine seems "detached ... cold even" in the song, adding that "there's a twisted logic to his dispassionate delivery".[9] Wrote Rosie Swash of The Guardian, "'Makes Me Wonder' is so bland it's offensive."[10] Robert Christgau, in his review for Rolling Stone, noted the "political subtext" of the song.[11]
The band won their third Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for "Makes Me Wonder" at the 50th anniversary show of the Grammys on February 10, 2008. It was their second win in this category after "This Love".
Chart performance[edit]
The song has had one of the biggest bullets in Hot Adult history, with many AC radio stations putting it into heavy rotation mere days after its release. The song reached number 11 on the U.S. Adult Top 40 after only two weeks on the chart, becoming only the third song since 2000 to reach the top 15 of the Adult Top 40 in two weeks or less.[12]
In the Billboard magazine issue dated May 12, 2007, Maroon 5 scored their first number-one on the Billboard Hot 100, due to strong radio airplay and 243,500 digital downloads. By doing so, they broke a record held by Kelly Clarkson's "A Moment Like This" for the biggest jump to number one in Hot 100 history, leaping from number 64 to number one (Clarkson's single had jumped from number 52 in October 2002).[13] "Makes Me Wonder" remained at number one for a second week[14] before falling to number two[15] and then returning to number one in the following week.[16] The song reached number one again on June 2. As of June 2014, it has sold 2,923,000 downloads in the US alone.[17]
In the UK, the song debuted at number 19 with downloads alone a week before its physical release and rose to number 2 the second week, kept off the top spot by Rihanna's "Umbrella". In Mexico, it went on to sell over 420,000 digital downloads.[18]
Music video[edit]
Directed by John Hillcoat, the video was shot at the Los Angeles International Airport and at the Los Angeles Department of Transportation. Levine said Hillcoat had an idea of turning the airport into a bizarre, surreal, sexually charged, fashionable world. It was the band's first music video without former drummer Ryan Dusick, who had left the band the previous year, and it was their first video to feature new drummer Matt Flynn. The clean version of the song is used in the video. At the end of the video, Levine is shown asleep on the plane with an eye mask on as the song plays in the background.
The video premiered on MTV's Total Request Live (TRL) on March 29, 2007. In the video, the gate they are in is "M5", which stands for Maroon 5.
Live performances[edit]
Maroon 5 performed "Makes Me Wonder" for the first time at the 2007 Kids' Choice Awards on March 31, 2007.[19] Later, they continued with the song at the 2007 MuchMusic Video Awards on June 17, and Canadian Idol on August 14, respectively. Maroon 5 performed "Makes Me Wonder" for their ten-date Club Tour from April to June 2007, and the It Won't Be Soon Before Long Tour (2007–2008). The band played with the song live in their various appearances such as American Idol, Good Morning America, Saturday Night Live, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Rove and TRL.
Appearances in other media[edit]
The song was featured in the television shows Ghost Whisperer, The Hills and Beat Shazam, as well as for the trailer of 27 Dresses (2008). An acoustic version of the song was featured on Radio 1's Live Lounge – Volume 2 and the remix versions by Stargate featuring Mims and Just Blaze (with the latter was included on Call and Response: The Remix Album). The song was featured on the video games Speed Drifters, Lips and Boogie Superstar. This song was used on the dance video game Dance Dance Revolution Hottest Party 2 and was covered by the artist Sunshine Superman. It is also included on Grammy Nominees 2008 and Maroon 5's greatest hits album Singles (2015).
Track listings[edit]
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Makes Me Wonder" (Clean version) | 3:32 |
2. | "Makes Me Wonder" (Super clean version) | 3:31 |
3. | "Makes Me Wonder" (Album version) | 3:31 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Makes Me Wonder" (Clean version) | 3:31 |
2. | "Makes Me Wonder" (Album version) | 3:31 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Makes Me Wonder" | 3:31 |
2. | "The Way I Was" (Non-album track) | 4:19 |
3. | "Story" (Non-album track) | 4:30 |
4. | "Makes Me Wonder" (Video) | 3:42 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Makes Me Wonder" (Album version) | 3:31 |
2. | "The Way I Was" (Non-album track) | 4:19 |
Charts[edit]
Weekly charts[edit] |
Year-end charts[edit]
|
Certifications[edit]
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA)[68] | Platinum | 70,000^ |
Canada (Music Canada)[69] | Platinum | 80,000* |
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[70] | Gold | 7,500^ |
Mexico (AMPROFON)[71] | Diamond+4× Platinum | 540,000* |
Mexico (AMPROFON)[71] Pre-loaded track |
Platinum+Gold | 150,000* |
Mexico (AMPROFON)[71] Ringtone |
Diamond+2× Gold | 270,000* |
United Kingdom (BPI)[72] | Silver | 200,000![]() |
United States (RIAA)[73] | 3× Platinum | 2,923,000[17] |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
Release history[edit]
Region | Date | Format | Label | Ref(s). |
---|---|---|---|---|
United States | March 27, 2007 | Digital download | A&M Octone | [74] |
April 3, 2007 | Contemporary hit radio | [75] | ||
Germany | May 11, 2007 | CD | Universal | [76][77] |
United Kingdom | May 14, 2007 | Polydor | [78] |
See also[edit]
- List of Hot 100 number-one singles of 2007 (U.S.)
- List of number-one dance singles of 2007 (U.S.)
- List of number-one dance airplay hits of 2007 (U.S.)
References[edit]
- ^ Thio, Tony (22 May 2007). "Maroon 5: New Album, New Sound!". The UrbanWire. Retrieved 11 January 2016.
- ^ a b c d e f g Moss, Corey. "Maroon 5 Film 'Wonder' Clip; Say Next One Is Bob Dylan Meets R. Kelly". MTV News. Retrieved 2007-05-16.
- ^ a b c d Farinella, David John (2007-11-01). "Maroon 5: Taking Time To Get It Right". Mix Magazine. NewBay Media, LLC. Archived from the original on 2011-11-09. Retrieved 2012-02-06.
- ^ a b c Tingen, Paul. "Secrets Of The Mix Engineers: Mark Endert". Sound on Sound. Retrieved 2012-01-16.
- ^ a b c d "Politics without preaching". News.com.au. News Limited. Retrieved 2007-05-01.
- ^ Moss, Corey. "Maroon 5 Back With 'Harder' Album After Adam Levine Gets Sick Of Partying". MTV News. Retrieved 2012-01-20.
- ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "It Won't Be Soon Before Long". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 2012-01-21.
- ^ Powers, Ann. ""It Won't Be Soon Before Long" (A&M/Octone)". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2012-01-21.
- ^ Drumming, Neil (2007-05-18). "It Won't Be Soon Before Long (2007)". Entertainment Weekly. Time, Inc. Retrieved 2012-01-21.
- ^ Swash, Rosie (2007-05-15). "All your friends will love LCD Soundsystem's latest more than Candie Payne's". The Guardian. Retrieved 2012-01-21.
- ^ Christgau, Robert. "Can't Stop the Hustle". robertchristgau.com. Retrieved 2011-01-24.
- ^ Jonathan Cohen, "Timbaland Soars To No. 1 After Sales Explosion", Billboard.com, April 12, 2007.
- ^ Jonathan Cohen, "Maroon 5 Makes 'Wondrous' Jump To Lead Hot 100", Billboard.com, May 3, 2007.
- ^ Jonathan Cohen, "Maroon 5 Fends Off Ne-Yo, T-Pain To Remain No. 1", Billboard.com, May 10, 2007.
- ^ Jonathan Cohen, "T. Pain Tastes Hot 100 Glory With 'Drank'", Billboard.com, May 17, 2007.
- ^ Jonathan Cohen, "Maroon 5 Flip-Flops With T-Pain To Rule Hot 100", Billboard.com, May 24, 2007.
- ^ a b Trust, Gary (June 15, 2014). "Ask Billboard: MAGIC!'s 'Rude' Revives Reggae". Billboard.
- ^ "Makes Me Wonder" Mexican Certification
- ^ "2007 KCA Winners Release". Nick KCA Press. March 31, 2007. Retrieved January 20, 2020.
- ^ "Maroon 5 – Makes Me Wonder". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
- ^ "Maroon 5 – Makes Me Wonder" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
- ^ "Maroon 5 – Makes Me Wonder" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
- ^ "Maroon 5 – Makes Me Wonder" (in French). Ultratop 50.
- ^ "Maroon 5 Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
- ^ "Maroon 5 Chart History (Canada AC)". Billboard. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
- ^ "Maroon 5 Chart History (Canada CHR/Top 40)". Billboard. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
- ^ "Maroon 5 Chart History (Canada Hot AC)". Billboard. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
- ^ Maroon 5 — Makes Me Wonder. Tophit. Retrieved October 5, 2021.
- ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Change the chart to CZ – RADIO – TOP 100 and insert 200727 into search. Retrieved September 13, 2018.
- ^ "Hitlisten.NU – Maroon 5 – Makes Me Wonder" (in Danish). Tracklisten.
- ^ "Hits of the World – Eurocharts" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 119, no. 22. June 2, 2007. p. 59. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
- ^ "Maroon 5 – Makes Me Wonder" (in French). Les classement single.
- ^ "Maroon 5 – Makes Me Wonder" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
- ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Rádiós Top 40 játszási lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved December 9, 2010.
- ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Makes Me Wonder". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
- ^ "Maroon 5 – Makes Me Wonder". Top Digital Download.
- ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 21, 2007" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
- ^ "Maroon 5 – Makes Me Wonder" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
- ^ "Maroon 5 – Makes Me Wonder". Top 40 Singles.
- ^ "Maroon 5 – Makes Me Wonder". VG-lista.
- ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
- ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 200730 into search. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
- ^ "Maroon 5 – Makes Me Wonder". Singles Top 100.
- ^ "Maroon 5 – Makes Me Wonder". Swiss Singles Chart.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
- ^ "Maroon 5 Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
- ^ "Maroon 5 Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.
- ^ "Maroon 5 Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard.
- ^ "Maroon 5 Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard.
- ^ "Maroon 5 Chart History (Dance Mix/Show Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved September 4, 2014.
- ^ "Maroon 5 Chart History (Latin Pop Songs)". Billboard.
- ^ "Maroon 5 Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard.
- ^ "Pop Rock" (in Spanish). Record Report. June 2, 2007. Archived from the original on May 4, 2007.
- ^ "ARIA Top 100 Singles 2007". ARIA. Retrieved September 12, 2013.
- ^ "Лучшие песни и музыка за 2007 год" (in Russian). Tophit. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
- ^ "European Hot 100 Singles". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 13, 2009. Retrieved January 9, 2022.
- ^ "Top 100 Singles–Jahrescharts 2007" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
- ^ "Rádiós Top 100 – hallgatottsági adatok alapján – 2007" (in Hungarian). Mahasz. Retrieved October 30, 2019.
- ^ "Top 100–Jaaroverzicht van 2007". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved October 30, 2019.
- ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 2007" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved December 18, 2019.
- ^ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2007". hitparade.ch (in German). Retrieved October 30, 2019.
- ^ "End of Year Singles Chart Top 100 – 2007". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
- ^ "Billboard Hot 100 Year-End 2007". Billboard. Retrieved April 15, 2012.
- ^ "Adult Contemporary Songs – Year-End 2007". Billboard. Retrieved September 21, 2019.
- ^ "Adult Pop Songs – Year-End 2007". Billboard. Retrieved September 21, 2019.
- ^ "Dance Club Songs – Year-End 2007". Billboard. Retrieved September 21, 2019.
- ^ "Dance/Mix Show Songs – Year-End 2007". Billboard. Retrieved September 21, 2019.
- ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2014 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association.
- ^ "Canadian single certifications – Maroon 5 – Makes Me Wonder". Music Canada.
- ^ "Danish single certifications – Maroon 5 – Makes Me Wonder". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
- ^ a b c "Certificaciones" (in Spanish). Asociación Mexicana de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas. Type Maroon 5 in the box under the ARTISTA column heading and Makes Me Wonder in the box under the TÍTULO column heading.
- ^ "British single certifications – Maroon 5 – Makes Me Wonder". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved December 29, 2017.Select singles in the Format field. Select Silver in the Certification field. Type Makes Me Wonder in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
- ^ "American certifications". Recording Industry Association of America.
- ^ "Maroon 5 – Makes Me Wonder". Amazon. Retrieved September 8, 2021.
- ^ "Archived copy". fmqb.com. Archived from the original on December 28, 2007. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Makes Me Wonder". Amazon Germany.
- ^ "Makes Me Wonder". Amazon Germany.
- ^ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. May 12, 2007. p. 31.
- 2007 singles
- Maroon 5 songs
- Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles
- Canadian Hot 100 number-one singles
- Number-one singles in Turkey
- Songs written by Adam Levine
- Songs written by Jesse Carmichael
- Songs written by Mickey Madden
- 2007 songs
- A&M Octone Records singles
- Alternative dance songs
- Torch songs
- Anti-war songs
- Songs of the Iraq War