When Bruno Mars stepped onto the stage at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards, the world expected the usual: the fedora, the snappy choreography, the Hooligans dancing in sync. Instead, they got green lasers, massive pyrotechnics, and a giant glowing primate head. He performed "Gorilla," a song that basically served as a sledgehammer to his "nice guy" image. It was loud. It was sweaty. It was, as Bruno himself put it, "animalistic sex" put to music.
Honestly, the phrase Bruno Mars making love like gorillas isn't just a catchy, slightly bizarre lyric. It was the mascot for his entire Unorthodox Jukebox era. If you look at the album cover, there’s a gorilla right there. Why? Because this song set the pace for everything he wanted to do in 2012 and 2013—it was his "dangerous" moment.
The Raw Inspiration Behind the Lyrics
A lot of people think the song is just about the shock value. They hear "cocaine kicker" and "legs up in the sky" and assume it's just a pop star trying to be edgy. But for Bruno, "Gorilla" was the first song written for the album. It was the blueprint. He told MTV News that the track became the mascot because it captured the "unorthodox" spirit he was chasing.
When GQ asked him what "making love like a gorilla" actually meant, he didn’t give a PR-friendly answer. He got a little defensive, asking the interviewer if they lived in 1933. To him, the meaning was obvious: it’s about painting a picture of primal, unrestrained passion. He wanted that sense of danger that pop music used to have when he was a kid. He referenced Johnny Cash and the feeling of a dark room to explain that controversial "cocaine kicker" line. He refused to take it out because he felt it would dilute the art.
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The song paints a very specific, almost cinematic scene. You’ve got the liquor, the "devil in your eyes," and the neighbors calling the SWAT team because the noise is so intense. It’s not a "Just the Way You Are" kind of romance. It’s the kind of night where you’re "banging on the chest" and feeling "thirty feet tall."
Why the Critics Were So Confused
Not everyone was on board. The reception was all over the place.
- The Fans: They loved the arena-rock energy. After the 2013 VMAs performance, digital sales for the song jumped by over 1,000%.
- The Critics: Some called it "tasteless" or "baffling." The Washington Post described it as having a certain "awfulness" but admitted it was exactly the image shifter Mars needed to move away from his wedding-singer reputation.
- The Comparison: Music writers couldn't help but notice the Phil Collins-style heavy drums and the Prince-inspired "libidinous" energy.
Despite the mixed reviews, "Gorilla" eventually climbed to number 22 on the Billboard Hot 100 and went Platinum. It wasn't his biggest chart-topper, but it was arguably his most important "statement" song.
Behind the Scenes: Production and the "La Jungla" Video
The production on this track is massive. You’ve got Mark Ronson, Jeff Bhasker, and Emile Haynie all in the room. These are the same guys who helped make "Locked Out of Heaven," and they brought that same 80s rock-reggae-pop fusion to "Gorilla."
The music video took things even further. Co-directed by Bruno and Cameron Duddy, it stars actress Freida Pinto as Isabella, a dancer at a club called "La Jungla." The video is steamy, to say the least. It’s got Luis Guzmán playing the club owner and culminates in a scandalous scene in the backseat of a car, finally literalizing the "making love like gorillas" lyric. It’s cinematic, sweaty, and feels like a short film rather than just a promotional clip.
Making Love Like Gorillas: A Legacy of Risk
In a world where pop stars are often managed to the point of being boring, Bruno Mars took a huge risk with this track. He was already a superstar. He could have played it safe with ten more songs about "beautiful girls." Instead, he wrote a song about "dirty little lovers" and "cocaine kickers."
The song ended his streak of Top 10 hits at the time, but it solidified his status as an artist who wouldn't be boxed in. He wasn't just a crooner; he was a rock star. Even today, during his live residencies or stadium tours, "Gorilla" remains a high-energy staple. It’s the moment in the show where the lights turn green, the drums get "monstrous," and the room gets a lot hotter.
How to Appreciate the "Gorilla" Sound
If you’re looking to dive deeper into why this song works, or if you're a musician trying to capture that "unorthodox" vibe, here is how the magic actually happens:
- Listen to the percussion: The drums are intentionally "overwhelming." They aren't supposed to be subtle; they are supposed to mimic that chest-thumping energy.
- Check the vocal range: Bruno goes from a low B3 to a high A5. The "bleating" quality in his voice during the verses adds to that raw, animalistic feeling he was going for.
- Notice the "Jungle Noises": There are actual atmospheric sounds layered into the background that make the "jungle" metaphor feel more literal.
The track proves that "making love like gorillas" wasn't just a weird line—it was a philosophy of being bold, being raw, and refusing to apologize for the messier parts of human desire. It’s what turned Bruno Mars from a pop prince into a global icon with a bit of a bite.
If you want to experience the full impact of the song, watch the 2013 MTV VMA performance first, then the official music video starring Freida Pinto. Comparing the live "arena-rock" energy to the "cinematic-noir" feel of the video gives you the full picture of what Bruno was trying to achieve. You can also listen to the rest of the Unorthodox Jukebox album to see how this "mascot" song influenced tracks like "Moonshine" and "Natalie."