Top Ten Underrated Bruno Mars Songs

Bruno Mars may be known for his chart-topping hits, but there’s more to this Doo-Wopping Hooligan than meets the ear. Mars has churned out a number of fantastic songs over the past half-decade, but a lot of them never got the recognition they deserved from the media, the airwaves, or even in the hearts of fans. Still these songs deserve a place in history alongside the ubiquitous hits, or at least a listen after you’re done spinning “24K Magic” on repeat.

His achievements from his songs and three studio albums along with collaborations with other music artists since signing to Atlantic Records, come with over five number 1 hit singles across the globe that has earned him many many awards such as 10 American Music Awards, 13 ASCAP Pop Music Awards, 5 BET Awards, six Billboard Music Awards, 3 Brit Awards, 10 Soul Train Music Awards and 12 Grammys.

The singer also stated of how he started to develop his song writing skills, he learned his most valuable lesson. "Does it make you move? Make you dance? Whether the song is uptempo or a ballad", there has to be a heartbeat in back of it. There needs to be a pulse in the song" - Bruno Mars.

All These songs show the progression that Mars has made as an artist and are crucial to his musical narratives. I am no technical music critic, but I shall share what makes these tracks stand out from my own personal opinion instead of defending them in actual music jargon. So here is a playlist of these top ten underappreciated Bruno Mars songs that I think people should give a listen to more often, rather than just heard by weddings or at constant pass by's at shopping centres.

#10. Straight Up & Down

The album 24k Magic is full of R&B, funk, soul and of classical jams and bops but this is the type of song that you hear out of nowhere from in a club or perhaps in a supermarket after hearing all the blunt music on the radio, then depending on your relationship status if, you just either search for a girl to sweep off her feet or just burst into a sooth slow dance with the woman you came with, along with lines of the lyrics complementing and flirting with the girl of your dreams such as "Girl I bet your mama named ya good looking" and "I know what exactly is on your mind, oh baby we gone have some fun tonight".

Still this song sounds just of pure 90's R&B era with a bit of doo wop on the track, as it is quite peak new jack swing with a sense of a BBQ music vibe to it that can groove and eat ribs to, or just feeling that natural rhythm of the flow whilst listening to in the bath, slightly struggling to not move your shoulders to the groove during muscle therapy in the water.

#9. Natalie

Hands down as this is such an underrated track of Bruno's music. The background of this song is a sinister story that follows the singer lamenting about getting involved with a woman who conned the singer, stole his money leaving him broke and of other repercussions of his relationship with her. His quick-lipped lyrics in the opening verse set the scene for the next 3 minutes and the back-beat throughout can’t help but make you bop along in your chair. Mars’ vocal range is really showcased with the beat changing at every corner and while I don’t necessarily want to be said whoever Natalie was or just as a story of a song itself.

The soundtrack hears handclaps and canned strings welcome the flip-side of the track "When I Was Your Man" with Mars lamenting the hypnotism of a "gold-digging bitch" as heard on a lyric of the song. The nimble production details with different sounds seem to burst at every punctuation mark, abet a vicious takedown of the titular female described as a gold digger on the track.

Mars certainly pulled something great out of left field on the sophomore album Unorthodox Jukebox with this furious song. Though he’s always been blatant with projecting his influences in his music, there was nothing more blatant than the clear Michael Jackson flair found on Natalie; Mars had most likely just spun Bad before heading into the studio to record it. The song’s subject nature and lyrical content doesn’t win him any points, but it still manages to have one of the strongest hooks in his entire catalogue.

#8. Moonshine

Though Mars’ calling card revolves around dance-floor-ready anthems that’ll get anyone up and moving, he’s just as good at cooking up ballads as he is the upbeat pop hits. Moonshine, a track from Unorthodox Jukebox, is one of the most eclectic songs Mars has ever delivered. A pop ballad at its roots, there are a lot of cool things going on with the track, most likely thanks to production work from mastermind producers Jeff Bhasker and Mark Ronson, as it's production was also handled by the band the Smeezingtons involving. With a retro pop feel and a slight disco vibe to it, Mars unleashes a dose of musical ecstasy as he track was also described as a sexed-up rocker as a metaphor to the track.

This song is a midtempo of pop and R&B, with critics also noticed being heavily influenced by quiet storm and dance-pop, while having some form of a disco groove as well as having a retro and slightly 80s-informed vibe to it.

Mars explained the origin of the song that it was over a night out with Mark Ronson and Jeff Bhasker, revealing they had actual moonshine shots on the drinks menu with quite a lot to drink and then returned to the studios to record the track.

Although it may seem that the lyrics are very romantic and talk about a girl of his dreams, the truth is that he is talking about a liquor. The track was originally a slang term for high proof of liquors that was and continues to be produced so illicitly without any government authorisations.

#7. Show Me

A rather casual yet catchy tune to swing your arms and shoulders round to feel the flow or even just to chill out to whilst sunbathing with a cold beer, Show Me portrays a recording with ample influences of dancehall gentle reggae that roots to Bruno's native Hawaiian roots. These infusions are easily noticed by over sampled air horns, tape-echo effects and steel drums.

The track makes for a stress-free cut on the back half of the album included, involving of reggae Caribbean vibes with a sense of humour involved with the lyrics of "It's gettin' freaky in this room, room, room" and "Baby are ya ready for that Ah Eh Ah".

#6. If I Knew

Listed as the last track of his second studio album, partially inspired of a Sam Cooke ballad that incorporates soul and doo-wop nuances with a sensational vibe causing you to flash your head side to side comfortably, as it lyrically delves on themes of regret in which the singer wishes he should have done in the past.

Not only is the track about regrets, but it also delivers a personal message after all is said and done, after all the sex, alcohol and death threats Bruno reassures us that he is still a class act and still a crooner at heart and loved by all. This is a short but very special song with powerful passionate lyrics. The only flaw is that it is too short that could have been added more in the making yet has a great finish.

Although the "Doo-Wops" texture is once again installed, why look back on old tropes after reaching new heights on the previous track? After all this is something we should start listening to a lot more when we have so many regrets in our lives.

#5. Count On Me

This beautiful song was originally unveiled Bruno's debut ep (Extended Play) It's Better If You Don't Understand but served as an overall of the sixth track from his debut album. Count On Me was widely praised for its arrangement and uplifting vibe believed to be influenced by reggae music.

It features a laid back groove and tropical vibes, resembling Mars's "Hawaiian background. An acoustic guitar and "beach-bound bongos" are part of its instrumentation. According to the sheet music, the song is composed in the key of C major with a time signature in common time, and a moderate groove of 88 beats per minute.

Not only did Mars wrote and composed this track but brought in the vocal cords from an acoustic guitar. Some critics noted the resemblance to the song Over the Rainbow by Israel Kamakawiwoʻole, but others criticized its saccharine sound and cheesy lyrics, though it still brings a lovely powerful message of friendship especially relating to a female best friend and is perfect to listen to during the summer days or the late nights.

It even brings me joy but also some with a sense of sadness when listened by this track. The meaning behind this song is that no matter where these two best friends are in the world or no matter how much pain they are in or go through, they can always count on each other for anything, at any time. As a saying from the Chorus of the lyrics “You can count on me like one two three, I’ll be there. And I know when I need it I can count on you like four three two, you’ll be there".

#4. Marry You

Wishing to propose and marry someone just for the sake of feeling like it? well this track certainly has the bigger package. The sixth track of his debut album written and produced by Mars along with the Smeezingtons, Marry You combines elements of pop, doo-wop and soul.

This song features of double hand claps, but the main echo of this track we hear from beginning to end focuses on the echoing of church wedding bells and a sing-song chorus on spontaneous marriage, since its release it has frequently been used as the standout ideal proposal song as a great time to feel in love.

In the lyrics of Bruno explaining and meaning of "Dancing Juice" he mentions in this song: "I heard the term in London, I was telling some dude about a big night out, and he said, Yes, you were on that dancing juice.' It just resonated with me, so I stuck it into Marry You".

The song has been characterized as possessing a forceful velocity with an instant hummable melody, the song was further described as buoyant, bubbly and a Motown marriage track. The story behind this song was said as an image of a slow motioned video in Las Vegas of a couple running after getting married with the bride in her gown and the groom in his tux as the wedding party was behind them to inspire the making of this loveable track.

#3. Calling All My Lovelies

This breath taking track is the ideal choice to listen to whilst in the warm bubbly bath and taking your mind of all the problems of the world entirely from a pure perfection of an R&B tune with soul.

The song begins with a synth riff and a drum beat that is easy to groove to, and it features finger snaps, a distinguishing characteristic of ’90s R&B. Mars’ vocal range is clearly displayed with a jump into the higher register during the chorus and a deep fall into a lower register for the verses.

Though the meaning and story behind this track is of a girl that Mars really wants to be with. However if she carries on not answering her phone, there's plenty of other ladies on his speed dial that he can call up. Midway through the song he reaches the girl's dreamy voicemail message, and it turns out to be that of Halle Barry, making an unexpected and unobtrusive appearance on the song and to whom Mars has spoken of his admiration for the actress before, he also revealed back in 2012 that she was the inspiration behind his smash hit Locked Out of Heaven.

Calling All My Lovelies was also described as the crown jewel of 24K Magic, with being the most lush and layered record of Brunos entire music career thus far. The various synths (some pillowy and some buzzy), with dramatic piano plunks, his lower register in the verses and melodious falsetto in the chorus all cohere into a song of seduction that straddles both frustration and confidence along with best capturing the album’s tight song writing.

#2. Chunky

Chunky, bringing out a flow of a funky, of an electro-funk ballad with features of synthesizers and drum machines, as the second track of the multi-platinum album is a mid-tempo song with a silky pre-chorus and a basic structure revolving around synthesizers of popping bass.

This song has features of female harmonies on the background vocals such as the lines, the lyrics bring out a much feminism side with ladies singing to the beat of repeating some of Mars' lyrics of "So just say alright (Alright) / If you ain't here to party / Take your ass back home", and praising "Shout to the women that pay their rent on time", in which it also alternates with slower and deeper grooves while lyrically acting as an anthem for big buttocks of women.

This "Chunky" funky track also tells of Mars telling us his dream women are independent and stylish, he also has a very specific body type when they must have curves.

#1. Talking To The Moon

If for any reason that many others may not agree as this may be one of Bruno Mars' most underrated songs then that is an opinion to all even I cannot change. But this stunning and soulful track brings us a message into how incredibly lonely we can get in such a small world without your loved one to hold and cherish.

This song was originally unveiled on Mars' debut Extended Play, until officially released on the last track of his first album album Doo Wops, He started writing the lyrics while playing the piano, alongside his co-writers and the Smeezingtons.

This track is a pop and R&B power ballad over a failed relationship filled with solitude and sadness. Instrumentally, the track relies on drum percussion and piano to bring out the sense of the feeling with soul.

Talking To The Moon is a croon that really captures the essence of staring off into space thinking of that special someone, almost anyone with a pulse can identify with the feelings described in this song containing a waxing poetic about love and longing.

The lyrics of the track describe feelings of loss and loneliness but with a sense of hope in the chorus: "Talking To The Moon, Tryna get to you, In hopes you're on the other side/Talking to me, too". As the song continues, it shows the singer's vulnerable side with soft, sincere lyrics about a lost love that has now vanished entirely. When we feel sad listening to the song, in losing someone we love is something very painful, it can make us feel incomplete, as if the half of our soul is taken away. Furthermore, the pain can cause such unexpected results.

It's such situation of a story in which Bruno tries to sing and tell that he has just lost his girl and he doesn't know where she is now. However, he believes that she is still out there somewhere, every night he misses the girl so much, when he sits by himself and talks to the moon. He does this because he hopes that the girl is also sitting somewhere and look at the same moon doing the same as him and hoping she misses him too with still having the same feelings for each other.

With a mainstream of fans across the globe, has made a huge global impact of the release of his first album Doo Wops and Hooligans, has sold out many packed stadium tours all around the planet and has become such a huge influence on many (myself included). His genre of music involves pop, R&B, Hip Hop and soul and not only does it bring love and joy you hear at parties, movies and at huge events, but makes us fantasize about sex, makes feel forever young, relaxes us without any worries and makes us feel as though we are never alone in life.

Bruno Mars is after all one of the biggest superstars on the planet and one of the best selling artists of the 2010's all from his three studio albums and collaborations not to mention of his latest singles, Leave The Door Open and Skate alongside Anderson .Paak with the band named Silk Sonic, he has much more to bring with his iconic music.