Mark Mueller | |
|---|---|
 Mueller in 2010 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | (1957-07-11)July 11, 1957 (age 68) |
| Origin | California, U.S. |
| Genres | Pop,rock,R&B/soul,Musical theater |
| Occupation | Songwriter |
Mark Mueller (born July 11, 1957) is an American songwriter. A two-time winner of theASCAP Pop Award for writing one of the Most Performed Songs of the year, he has had threeBillboardHot 100 Top Ten singles and one #1Adult Contemporary hit. He co-wrote the hits "Crush" byJennifer Paige and "That's What Love Is For" byAmy Grant and wrote both words and music for the Top 10 hit "Nothin' At All" byHeart. Songs he has written have been featured onRIAA-certified gold and platinum records in four consecutive decades: the 1980s, 1990s, 2000s and 2010s; and on theBillboard Top 10 charts for 30 years.[1][2]
For his work in television, Mueller has been the recipient of twoEmmy nominations, both in the category ofOutstanding Achievement in Music and Lyrics. Mueller wrote the words and music for the theme songs of both the originalDisney'sDuckTales andChip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers animated TV series as well as the 2017DuckTales reboot.[3] In 2022, Mueller'sChip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers theme song was performed by rapper and singerPost Malone for theDisney+ movie version ofChip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers and also appears on the soundtrack.[4]
AVanity Fair magazine article about Mueller and hisDuckTales theme song covered his pop music career and his experience writing the song.[5] In 2023, two of his themes were included inBillboard magazine's list of the 100 "BestDisney Songs of All Time" (film, television and theme park music) marking the studio's first 100 years, withDuckTales ranked at #19 andChip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers at #63.[6] Mueller was born in the Bay Area and graduated fromUniversity of California, Berkeley; he lives and works inLos Angeles.[7][8][9]
"Crush", recorded byJennifer Paige, was #3 on theBillboard Hot 100 Chart for 4 weeks.[10] It spent 17 weeks in the Top 10 and 25 weeks overall on the chart.[11] "Crush" also peaked at #2 on theR&R CHR/Pop airplay chart.[10] "Crush" was also the 10th most played pop song of the year on theR&R CHR/Pop Year-End Chart.[12]
"Crush" was a #1 single in Canada, Spain, New Zealand and Australia. In the UK, "Crush" reached #1 on the airplay chart and #4 on theUK Singles Chart, where it spent three weeks in the Top 10.[13]
In 2016, "Crush" returned to theBillboard Top 10 when it peaked at #5 on the magazine'sSmooth Jazz Airplay chart in a cover by jazz keyboardist John Novello. His version features R&B saxophone artistGerald Albright on the chorus. It spent a total of 19 weeks in the Top 30.[14][15][16][17]
"That's What Love Is For" byAmy Grant was #1 on theBillboardAdult Contemporary chart for 3 weeks (13 weeks in the Top 10 and 32 weeks on the chart overall), reached #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart (4 weeks in the Top 10) and peaked at #4 on the R&R CHR chart.[18][19][20][21]
"Nothin' at All" byHeart reached #10 on theBillboard Hot 100 and spent 16 weeks on the chart overall.[22] The song peaked at #8 for two weeks on theR&R CHR pop airplay chart and was #6 on theBillboardMainstream Rock Songs for two weeks as well, staying in the Top 10 for four weeks.[23][24] Mueller wrote both words and music for the Pop/Rock song.
Mueller'sEternal single "I Am Blessed" peaked at #7 on the UK BPI singles chart, spending three weeks in the Top 10.[25]
"Someone", performed byEl DeBarge made the Top 20BillboardAdult Contemporary chart and peaked at #20, where it spent two weeks. Overall it stayed on the magazine's Adult Contemporary Chart for 13 weeks as well as 9 weeks on theBillboard Hot 100. It was co-written with twiceGrammy Award-winnerJay Graydon and singerRobbie Nevil.[26][27]
Earth, Wind & Fire recorded "You & I", a single Mueller co-wrote with singerRobbie Nevil that was aBillboardR&B Chart Top 30 hit in 1987, reaching #29.[27]
ABBA'sAgnetha Faltskog recorded Mueller's "I Wasn't the One (Who Said Goodbye)", which was a Top 20 hit in 1988, reaching #19 on theBillboard Adult Contemporary Chart. It was a duet withPeter Cetera, former lead singer of the bandChicago. Co-written withAaron Zigman, the song also spent time in theBillboard Hot 100, peaking at #93.[27]
George Benson's "No One Emotion", which Mueller co-wrote withClif Magness, was released as a single in the UK in 1985 where it reached #76 on the Official British Pop Chart.[27][28][29]
"Just Because I Love You" byLina Santiago reached #27 on theBillboardRhythmic Top 40 Chart hit in 1996. It spent eight weeks in the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at #78.[27][30]
Mueller's firstBillboard chart hit was "I Don't Want To Be Lonely", performed byDana Valery.[31][32] It reached #23 on theBillboard Adult Contemporary chart and spent 13 weeks on that chart and five weeks on the magazine'sHot 100.
Mueller's work in the U.S. has been featured onRIAA-certified platinum and gold records by artists including:Heart,Amy Grant,'N Sync featuringJustin Timberlake,Lea Michele (on theGlee: The Music, Volume 2 Soundtrack),Jennifer Paige,Earth, Wind & Fire,SWV,Al Jarreau,George Benson,Aaron Carter,El DeBarge,Agnetha Fältskog ofABBA,Peter Cetera, andThe Pointer Sisters (on theBillboard #1We Are The World album). His theme song forDuckTales is featured on the platinum-selling recordThe Music of Disney: A Legacy in Song.
Internationally, Mueller's songs have been on the UK's BPI-certified platinum and gold records by artists including:Girls Aloud featuringCheryl Cole,Eternal,Steps and Australia's ARIA-certified gold records including:Jennifer Paige,Lea Michele (Glee: The Music, Volume 2) and lead singer ofLittle River BandJohn Farnham's solo albumAge of Reason, which went 11 x platinum.[33][34]
Mueller received his twoEmmy Award nominations for his work as a lyricist on the ABC-TV seriesLife Goes On and the NBC-TV seriesQuincy, M.E.. He wrote both words and music for the title song of Disney's animated seriesDuckTales (performed byJeff Pescetto) andChip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers (performed by Pescetto on the series andThe Jets on theDisney Afternoon album). He also wrote the theme song for 1991 filmThe Little Engine That Could.
Mueller co-wrote the title song, the lyrics and the script for an all-sung CBS-TV musical pilot he executive produced titledShangri-La Plaza.[35] The show starredTerrence Mann,Chris Sarandon,Melora Hardin andSavion Glover.[36]
TheDuckTales theme was performed live twice on theTonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in 2018. In March 2018, it was sung byBrendon Urie ofPanic! at the Disco after being selected from the "Audience Suggestion Box."[37][38] In September 2018Carrie Underwood sang a brief, spontaneous duet of theDuckTales theme with Jimmy Fallon after telling him it was one of her young son's favorite songs.[39]
TheDuckTales theme was played live on ABC-TV'sDancing with the Stars in September 2016 on the second episode of the show's 23rd season, with a performance by the show's Season 20 championVal Chmerkovskiy andOlympic Gold MedalistLaurie Hernandez.[40]
"Crush" was featured on the "Ballad" episode ofGlee in 2009, when it was covered byLea Michele. Her version of the song is also featured on the soundtrack albumGlee: The Music, Volume 2, which peaked at #1 on the Billboard Soundtrack Chart, #3 on the Billboard Hot 200 Album Chart in December 2009 and was certified as a gold record by the RIAA in January 2010. "Crush" was also prominently used in a special TV-movie-length episode of ABC-TV'sSabrina, the Teenage Witch set in Rome, as well as the first episode of Season 9 of Fox TV'sBeverly Hills, 90210.[41]
Mueller wrote the song "Babysitting Blues", performed by actressElisabeth Shue, Blues legendAlbert Collins and the cast ofAdventures in Babysitting in Chicago-area nightclub Fitzgerald's. The scene was shot over the course of three days and takes place during a pivotal chase sequence.[42]
For the NBC-TV musical comedy seriesRags to Riches, Mueller wrote new comedic lyrics for existing hit songs from the '50s and '60s that were featured in most episodes of both seasons of the show. He also wrote the lyrics to the show's theme song.
WithLalo Schifrin, Mueller co-wrote all songs featured in the original film musicalBerlin Blues, starringJulia Migenes.
Mueller's songs have been featured in films including:One Hour Photo,Pokémon: The First Movie,Money Talks,B*A*P*S,National Lampoon'sVegas Vacation,The Last Starfighter,Adventures in Babysitting,Simply Irresistible,The Legend of Billie Jean andHoney, I Blew Up The Kid.[35]
Mueller wrote the lyrics and co-wrote the book of an original musical titledButterfly, which was directed byJack Hofsiss and performed at theGoodspeed Opera House.Bernadette Peters performed the song "The Next Dream" from the musical on theCarol Burnett TV variety showCarol & Company.
Mueller also created an original musical,How The Hell Did I Get Here?, withDownton Abbey star andSAG Award-winning actressLesley Nicol. Mueller, who accompanies Nicol on piano onstage, first performed the show in 2017 at Nicol's alma mater, London'sGuildhall School of Music and Drama and inHong Kong at the historicFringe Club.[43][44][45][46][47]
How The Hell Did I Get Here? opened in Chicago in March 2022 and made its New York CityOff-Broadway debut in April 2022. The show received an Off Broadway Alliance Award nomination in the category of best Solo Performance in May.[48][49][50] The show was scheduled to be a part of thePittsburgh Public Theater 2022 season at theO'Reilly Theater but was initially postponed due to Covid and later to a death in Nicol's family.[51][52][53]
| Year | Category | Show | Song | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics | Quincy, M.E. | "Quincy's Wedding Song"[54] | Nominated |
| 1991 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics | Life Goes On | "Bittersweet Waltz"[55] | Nominated |
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | "That's What Love Is For" byAmy Grant | Most Performed Songs | Won | [56] |
| 1998 | "Crush" byJennifer Paige | Won | [57] |
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | "Nothin' at All" byHeart | Most Performed Songs | Won | [2] |
