The Other Side
by Justin Timberlake (featuring SZA)

Album: Trolls World Tour (2020)
Charted: 44 61
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Trolls World Tour is a computer-animated musical comedy co-starring Justin Timberlake as Branch, a grumpy but good-hearted Pop Troll. Branch discovers that there are six different Troll tribes scattered over six different lands, each devoted to a different form of music. When Queen Barb (Rachel Bloom) and King Thrash (Ozzy Osbourne) threaten to take over all other forms of music with hard rock, the Pop Trolls attempt to unify the others against the Hard Rock Trolls.
  • This '80s disco anthem kicks off the soundtrack to Trolls World Tour. The track is a duet between Timberlake and SZA during which the pair encourage each other to stay the course.

    Hey you, stop stressin' 'bout what you're missin'
    So blue, just take it easy, take your time
    If you think my words are wise, just try it for yourself
    I promise the stars will light the path you walk


    Though other people's lives appear better, they reassure each other things will improve. The song title comes from SZAs exhortation that the "grass ain't always greener on the other side."
  • As well as starring in the movie, Timberlake also serves as executive producer of the soundtrack. He had the same role for the 2016 movie Trolls; Timberlake's song "Can't Stop The Feeling!" from that film won the Grammy for Best Song Written for Visual Media.
  • Timberlake co-produced the song with Swedish composer Ludwig Göransson, who is Childish Gambino's longtime collaborator. His other credits include composing the score for Marvel's Black Panther.
  • The song's epic futuristic music video is set in a shiny platinum land. It is a throwback to the Hype Williams-directed videos from the late '90s, with the gleaming bodysuits worn by Diddy and his Bad Boy Records artists.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Elton John

Elton JohnFact or Fiction

Does he have beef with Gaga? Is he Sean Lennon's godfather? See if you can tell fact from fiction in the Elton John edition.

Why Does Everybody Hate Nu-Metal? Your Metal Questions Answered

Why Does Everybody Hate Nu-Metal? Your Metal Questions AnsweredSong Writing

10 Questions for the author of Precious Metal: Decibel Presents the Stories Behind 25 Extreme Metal Masterpieces

Rick Astley

Rick AstleySongwriter Interviews

Rick Astley on "Never Gonna Give You Up," "Cry For Help," and his remarkable resurgence that gave him another #1 UK album.

Band Names

Band NamesFact or Fiction

Was "Pearl" Eddie Vedder's grandmother, and did she really make a hallucinogenic jam? Did Journey have a contest to name the group? And what does KISS stand for anyway?

90s Music Quiz 1

90s Music Quiz 1Music Quiz

First question: Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson appeared in videos for what artist?

Mick Jones of Foreigner

Mick Jones of ForeignerSongwriter Interviews

Foreigner's songwriter/guitarist tells the stories behind the songs "Juke Box Hero," "I Want To Know What Love Is," and many more.