"Anna Sun"
Single by Walk the Moon
from the album i want! i want! and Walk the Moon
B-side"Anywayican"
ReleasedFebruary 7, 2012 (2012-02-07)
Recorded2010
Studio
  • Doppler (Atlanta, Georgia)
  • Maze (Atlanta, Georgia)
Genre
Length5:21
LabelRCA
Songwriter(s)
  • Nicholas Petricca
  • Adrian Galvin
  • Nick Lerangis
  • Adam Reifsnyder
Producer(s)Ben Allen
Walk the Moon singles chronology
"Anna Sun"
(2012)		 "Tightrope"
(2012)
Music video
"Anna Sun" on YouTube

"Anna Sun" is the debut single by American rock band Walk the Moon, released on February 7, 2012.[4] The song is originally from their 2010 self-released debut album I want! I want! and was also included on their 2012 major-label debut album, Walk the Moon.[5] The song was written by band members Adrian Galvin, Nick Lerangis, Nicholas Petricca and Adam Reifsnyder.

"Anna Sun" peaked at number 10 on the Billboard Alternative chart and number 20 on the Billboard Rock Songs chart.[6]

Song history

"Anna Sun" was written by lead vocalist Nicholas Petricca and New York-based singer/songwriter Nick Lerangis, along with the help of their 8-year-old neighbor Jake Young. The song is named after their professor (see here and here) from Kenyon College (who now teaches at Duke University) and is meant to symbolize youth. "It's about college, about maintaining that little bit of being a kid," Petricca said. "Don't be afraid to play."[7]

The band's self-released album I Want! I Want! was recorded by Chris Schmidt and Ben Cochran at Soap Floats Recording Studio in their hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio.

Composition

According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by Universal Music Publishing Group, "Anna Sun" is written in the time signature of common time, with a moderate tempo of 72 beats per minute. It is composed in the key of B♭ major and the melody spans a tonal range of G3 to B♭4.[8]

Reception and accolades

"Anna Sun" received positive reviews from critics. In their review of the Walk the Moon album, Dani Beck and Derrick Robertson called the song "sunny, easy, carefree electronic pop" and noted that it was one of the few highlights in a mostly negative album review.[2] James Christopher Monger, writing for AllMusic, called "Anna Sun" one of the best moments on Walk the Moon and that it "hold[s] fast to the band's talent for crafting synth-heavy, fat, and percussive dancefloor gems".[9] Dulce Rosales of recultured.com noted that while "the lyrics are somewhat repetitive, the simplicity helps hook listeners and causes them to sing along even after a single listen".[10] Brian Benton of MVRemix.com was critical on the length of the song, saying that "it’s five and a half minutes long, when it could be just as effective in three".[11]

"Anna Sun" was named the song of the summer in a 2011 Esquire article "30 Summer Songs Every Man Should Listen To".[12] Additionally, the single was also named song of the summer by MTV and Seventeen,[13] as well as one of the best songs of the year by Amazon.[14]

In an article from Kenyon's Her Campus, Professor Sun was said to have "immediately liked it" the first time she heard it. She further gave her opinion: “The song is about Kenyon life. It has nothing to do with me, so I thought ‘sure, use my name for the chorus,’” she said.[15]

Chart performance

"Anna Sun" first appeared on Billboard's Hot Singles Sales chart at number seven on March 10, 2012.[16] On March 24, 2012, the song debuted at number thirty-nine on the Alternative Songs chart.[17] It reached its peak at number ten on July 21, 2012 after spending 18 weeks on the chart.[18]

Similarly, "Anna Sun" entered the Hot Rock Songs chart at number forty-six on April 14, 2012.[19] On August 4, 2012, the song peaked at number twenty, giving Walk the Moon their first top twenty hit on the chart.[20] "Anna Sun" managed to obtain some success on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart, peaking at number eighteen on September 15, 2012.[21] The song experienced its highest peak on the Adult Alternative Songs chart, reaching number three on October 27, 2012.[22]

Outside the United States, the song became a minor hit on the UK Singles Chart, debuting at number eighty-two on its first week. It also appeared on Belgium's Ultratip Flanders chart, where it reached number eight.[23] On Billboard's Mexico Ingles Airplay chart, the song peaked at number forty-six.[24]

Music video

Production

"We wanted to get it out there and make a music video people could watch again and again."

—Patrick Meier discussing his goal for the "Anna Sun" music video.[25]

The music video for "Anna Sun" was directed and produced by Patrick Meier of Contrast Productions.[25] It was recorded in Cincinnati, Ohio and was filmed from August 31-September 1, 2010.[26]

The video includes original choreography from Kim Popa, the executive director of the local Cincinnati based dance troupe Pones Inc.[27] After meeting with the band, she decided that the vibe should be "the intangible feeling of being a kid...then maintaining that whimsy into adulthood."[25] Popa said that she was inspired by ceremonial African dances as well as Michael Jackson moves from her childhood when designing the dance moves.[25] At one point during the video, dancers can be seen wearing bodysuits and leotards, reminiscent of 80s aerobics.

According to bassist Kevin Ray, the first half of the video was shot 22 times. However, only the third take was used.[28]

Synopsis

A screenshot from the "Anna Sun" music video

The video begins with a 2 and a half minute long take, shot inside the Mockbee building in the brewery district of Cincinnati.[25] The camera follows lead singer Petricca as he walks through the labyrinth of rooms, encountering numerous partiers. At one point during the shot, Petricca plays the keytar. Eventually, Petricca finds a room full of dancers before engaging in a group dance. After the dance, Petricca opens a door, which leads him to a different outdoor location.

The second part of the video consists of jump cuts between Petricca singing while directly looking at the camera and more party goers, covered in face paint, preparing for battle. including a young boy, presumably a younger version of Petricca. The partiers prepare for battle, before they eventually continue partying. At the end of the video, the young boy runs back to the door that was used to transport Petricca to the new location. The boy paints the word Anna along with a drawing of a sun on the door.

Petricca noted that the tradition of wearing face paint during their live performances evolved from the video.[29]

Reception

MTV Hive called the video a "hilariously choreographed, neon-colored and awesomely shot in one take" production.[30]

Usage in media

Track listing and formats

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Walk the Moon.[43]

Locations
Personnel
  • Nick Petricca – vocals, keyboards, percussion, songwriting
  • Kevin Ray – bass, vocals, songwriting
  • Sean Waugaman – percussion, vocals, ray-gun, songwriting
  • Eli Maiman – guitar, vocals, songwriting
  • Chris Robinson – songwriting
  • Adrian Galvin – songwriting
  • Nick Lerangis – songwriting
  • Adam Reifsnyder – songwriting
  • Ben Allen – production
  • TJ Elias – assistant engineer
  • Will Thrift – assistant engineer
  • Mark Needham – mixing
  • Will Brierre – mixing assistant
  • Stephen Marcussen – mastering

Charts and certifications

References

  1. ↑ Kaplan, Ilana (January 5, 2015). "Walk the Moon Explain Themselves Through Photos". Vice. Archived from the original on August 8, 2020. Retrieved August 8, 2020.
  2. 1 2 Beck, Dani (8 October 2012). "They're drifting between The Killers and Two Door Cinema Club in a sea of meaningless tunes with no depth whatsoever". DIY. Retrieved 28 June 2015.
  3. ↑ Rahman, Ray (June 22, 2012). "Walk the Moon". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on May 18, 2017. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  4. ↑ "WALK THE MOON presents to you, without further ado, NEW MUSIC!!!". WALK THE MOON. Archived from the original on February 4, 2012.
  5. ↑ Montgomery, James (2013-09-25). "Walk The Moon Letting 'Anna Sun' Set On New Album". MTV News. Retrieved 2015-06-15.
  6. ↑ "Walk The Moon Billboard Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved 1 October 2013.
  7. ↑ "WALK THE MOON on Last Call with Carson Daly 4/1/11". YouTube. 2011-04-05. Retrieved 2011-06-30.
  8. ↑ "Digital Sheet Music – Walk the Moon – Anna Sun". Universal Music Publishing Group. MusicNotes.com. 10 December 2012. Retrieved 1 July 2015.
  9. ↑ Monger, James Christopher. "Walk the Moon – Walk the Moon | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Archived from the original on July 27, 2020. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  10. ↑ Rosales, Dulce. "Music Review: Walk the Moon - Self-Titled Major Label Debut". recultured. Retrieved 28 June 2015.
  11. ↑ Benton, Brian (4 July 2012). "Walk the Moon – Walk the Moon album review". MVRemix. Retrieved 28 June 2015.
  12. ↑ "Walk the Moon – Summer Songs 2011". Esquire. 2010-07-30. Archived from the original on 2012-02-29. Retrieved 2011-06-30.
  13. ↑ "You Voted Walk The Moon's 'Anna Sun' As The Official Song Of The Summer!". MTV. 2012-05-30. Retrieved 2015-06-22.
  14. ↑ "The Best Songs of 2012: Amazon Picks". Amazon. Retrieved 2015-06-22.
  15. ↑ "Anna Sun on Anna Sun | Her Campus". 8 October 2012.
  16. 1 2 "Walk the Moon Chart History (Hot Singles Sales)". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 25, 2020. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
  17. ↑ "Top Alternative Songs Chart: Mar 24, 2012 - Billboard Chart Archive". Billboard. Retrieved August 31, 2015. (subscription required)
  18. ↑ "Alternative Songs – The Week of July 21, 2012". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved August 31, 2015.
  19. ↑ "Top Rock Songs Chart: Apr 14, 2012 - Billboard Chart Archive". Billboard. Retrieved August 31, 2015. (subscription required)
  20. ↑ "Hot Rock Songs – The Week of August 4, 2012". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved August 31, 2015.
  21. 1 2 "Walk the Moon Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved September 15, 2019.
  22. ↑ "Adult Alternative Songs – The Week of October 27, 2012". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved August 31, 2015.
  23. ↑ "100 Ultratip 04/08/12". Ultratip. Retrieved August 31, 2015.
  24. 1 2 "Walk the Moon Chart History (Mexico Ingles Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved September 15, 2019.
  25. 1 2 3 4 5 "The Boys of Summer". Soapbox Cincinnati. 7 June 2011. Retrieved 30 May 2015.
  26. ↑ "Walk the Moon ANNA SUN Music Video *IMPORTANT INFO* - Please Read!!". Facebook.
  27. ↑ "Pones Inc Staff". Archived from the original on 3 July 2015. Retrieved 30 May 2015.
  28. ↑ "What Inspired Walk the Moon's One-Shot Wonder "Anna Sun"?". Fuse TV. Retrieved July 3, 2015.
  29. ↑ Gokhman, Roman (8 June 2012). "Interview: Walk The Moon discuss growing up and having the "song of the summer" two years in a row". The Bay Bridged. Archived from the original on 12 May 2015. Retrieved 28 May 2015.
  30. ↑ Jill Menze (2011-04-22). "Walk the Moon Get Their Neon Kicks | MTV Hive". Read.mtvhive.com. Retrieved 2011-06-30.
  31. ↑ "Vampire Diaries Music – Episode 3.01 – The Birthday – Song List - Vampire Diaries Spoilers and News". Vampirediariesonline.com. Archived from the original on 24 December 2014. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  32. ↑ Jones, Lauren. "ATP! ESSENTIAL LISTENING: WALK THE MOON". Alter the Press!. Retrieved 28 June 2015.
  33. ↑ Vain, Madison (6 April 2015). "Stream The Griswolds' Acoustic EP -- exclusive". Entertainment Weekly. Times Inc. Retrieved 28 June 2015.
  34. ↑ "Anna Sun - Single by Joey Graceffa". iTunes. June 2013. Retrieved 2015-06-28.
  35. ↑ James, Nicole (30 April 2013). "Hoodie Allen & Kina Grannis Perform New Collabo "Make It Home" & Walk the Moon's "Anna Sun"". Fuse. Retrieved 28 June 2015.
  36. ↑ "Anna Sun EP by Walk the Moon". iTunes Store (US). Archived from the original on February 20, 2012. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  37. ↑ "Walk the Moon - Anna Sun - Amazon.com Music". Amazon.com. Archived from the original on February 26, 2016. Retrieved September 11, 2015.
  38. ↑ "Anna Sun – Single by WALK THE MOON". iTunes Store (NZ). Archived from the original on October 7, 2015. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  39. ↑ "Anna Sun – Single von Walk the Moon". iTunes Store (AT). Archived from the original on October 4, 2016. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  40. ↑ "Anna Sun (Remixes) – EP von Walk the Moon". iTunes Store (AT). Archived from the original on September 25, 2016. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  41. ↑ "Anna Sun – Single by WALK THE MOON". iTunes Store (GB). Archived from the original on June 22, 2015. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  42. ↑ "Anna Sun – EP by WALK THE MOON on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  43. ↑ Walk the Moon (inlay cover). Walk the Moon. RCA Records. 2012.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  44. ↑ "Walk the Moon – Anna Sun" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved July 7, 2015.
  45. ↑ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 2, 2020.
  46. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 22, 2015.
  47. ↑ "Walk the Moon Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved June 16, 2015.
  48. ↑ "Walk the Moon Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved February 27, 2015.
  49. ↑ "Walk the Moon Chart History (Rock Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved September 15, 2019.
  50. ↑ "2012 Year End Charts - Top Billboard Adult Alternative Songs". Billboard. Retrieved August 14, 2019.
  51. ↑ "2012 Year End Charts - Top Billboard Alternative Songs". Billboard. Retrieved June 16, 2015.
  52. ↑ "2012 Year End Charts - Top Billboard Hot Rock Songs". Billboard. Retrieved June 16, 2015.
  53. ↑ "American single certifications – Walk the Moon – Anna Sun". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
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