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As The Super Mario Bros. Movie keeps leveling up toward the $1 billion mark at the box office, it’s starting to find crossover success on other charts. The film’s one song, an improvisational-sounding ballad performed by Jack Black’s Bowser, has entered the Billboard charts this week—a surprising, career-making achievement for the comedian.
“Peaches” (no relation to Justin Bieber’s prior Billboard chart-topper of the same name) is in the 83rd spot on the Hot 100 this week, nearly two weeks after Mario’s theatrical debut. This marks Black’s first solo Billboard-ranking track. As part of Tenacious D, Black previously charted for the title song for the duo’s movie The Pick of Destiny. (How “The Metal” or “Tribute” never broke onto the chart too, I’ll never understand.) But good for Black—better late than never—even if “Peaches” itself is more of a pithy joke than an actually good track.
“Peaches” appears midway through the film. It’s an emotional ode to Bowser’s unrequited love, Princess Peach, and an out-of-character moment for Mario’s longtime nemesis. The chorus: “Peaches, Peaches, Peaches-Peaches-Peaches/ Peaches, Peaches, Peaches-Peaches-Peaches/ I love you.” Truly riveting, intellectually probing, reportedly Oscar-eligible stuff.