When Bruno Mars called his debut album “Doo Wops and Hooligans,” it was clear this was a young artist with a strong sense of the musical history that had gone before him.
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His music has borne that out, no more so than on the beautiful piano ballad, “When I Was Your Man,” the fourth song released from “Unorthodox Jukebox,” out Dec. 11.
The song sounds like a cross between Stevie Wonder and Elton John. It”s a straight-up gorgeous tune that feels instantly timeless and Mars sings the hell out of it. (There’s also a touch of Michael Jackson in his delivery). He realizes that the love of his life has moved on because Mars didn”t treat her the way she deserved, there”s nothing left for him to wish her well with her new love. It”s too late to turn back now.
There”s not a lot of embellishment, there are no samples and there is not a wasted note.
What do you think of “When I Was Your Man?”