| "Close to Me" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by the Cure | ||||
| from the album The Head on the Door | ||||
| B-side |
| |||
| Released | 13 September 1985 [1] | |||
| Studio | Angel Recording Studios, London | |||
| Genre | Folk-pop [2] [3] | |||
| Length | 3:38 | |||
| Label | Fiction | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Robert Smith | |||
| Producer(s) | ||||
| The Cure singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "Close To Me" on YouTube | ||||
"Close to Me" is a song by English rock band the Cure, released in September 1985 as the second and final single from their sixth album, The Head on the Door . [4]
Three versions of "Close to Me" were released in 1985, including the original album version, the 7-inch single mix version and the 12-inch extended mix version. The two mixes include a brass section not heard on the album.
The music video is written and directed by the band's frequent music video director Tim Pope. It consists of the band all inside a wardrobe on the edge of a cliff at Beachy Head. [5]
Following the musical scheme of the song, which builds up instrumentally, all the band members are inside the wardrobe, but not playing instruments. Boris Williams is clapping to the beat, keyboardist Lol Tolhurst is playing a very small, handheld keyboard, and Porl Thompson on the top shelf is plucking a comb to represent the short high-pitched guitar notes. Bassist Simon Gallup does not play, and instead appears to be tied up. Tim Pope later revealed that Gallup had a light bulb in his mouth to create a "lit from within" feel, and the cloth was there to hide the wire. [6]
Robert Smith then comes from the back of the wardrobe and sings, also playing with finger puppets, which appear to be voodoo dolls of the band members, as when he moves them, the corresponding member moves. He then becomes more violent with the dolls, shaking them around heavily, which in turn causes the band members to hit into the sides of the wardrobe, which eventually results in the wardrobe falling off the cliff and into the sea. As they go into the sea, the wardrobe fills up slowly with water, like a capsized ship, but the band members continue to play their "instruments." The video ends with the wardrobe full of water and a band member pushing a rubber duck across the screen.
The music video was rated 13th on the 20 to One TV show, aired on Australia's Nine Network on 4 March 2007, which rated the most distinctive music videos.[ citation needed ]
Robert Smith said of making the video: "It was the most uncomfortable 12 hours that I've ever spent. He [Tim Pope] ended up dropping the wardrobe – with us still in it – into a huge tank filled with 1000 gallons of water. Watching it you'd think it was fun, but all I could think about was dying a slow, painful death". [7]
"Close to Me" was released on 13 September 1985 as the second single from the band's sixth album, The Head on the Door . The single peaked at number seven in Australia and number 24 in the UK singles chart. [8] [9] [10] It was remixed in 1990 for their remix album Mixed Up , and the remix was released as a single, peaking at number 13 on the UK singles chart and number 97 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the US in January 1991.
7-inch single
10-inch single
12-inch single
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Italy (FIMI) [19] | Gold | 25,000‡ |
| Spain (PROMUSICAE) [20] | Gold | 30,000‡ |
| United Kingdom (BPI) [21] sales since 2004 | Platinum | 600,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
| "Close to Me · Remix" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by the Cure | ||||
| from the album Mixed Up | ||||
| B-side | "Just Like Heaven" (Dizzy mix) | |||
| Released | 22 October 1990 [22] | |||
| Genre | Dance-pop [23] | |||
| Length | 4:28 | |||
| Label | Fiction | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Robert Smith | |||
| Producer(s) |
| |||
| The Curesingles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "Close To Me (Remix)" on YouTube | ||||
"Close to Me · Remix" is the name given to the remixed version of the song, released as a single in October 1990 to promote the album Mixed Up . It was made available in two different versions, the "Closer Mix", included on the 12-inch and the limited edition CD single, and the "Closest Mix", included on the 7-inch and the regular edition CD single. Both versions were available together on the cassette release. The "Closest Mix" was also included on the singles compilation Galore in 1997. It reached number 13 in the UK and number four in Ireland. Both the "Closer Mix" and the "Closest Mix" were remixed by Paul Oakenfold and Steve Osborne for the 1990 album Mixed Up. The "Closest Mix" is the edited version of the "Closer Mix".
There is also a music video for the version of the song that appeared on Mixed Up. The video picked up where the original video ended, with the wardrobe crashing down the cliffside and sinking to the bottom of the sea. Robert exits first and is attacked by an octopus (seen playing the horns later in the video). After his struggle, the other band members try to flee as well, and are attacked by a starfish. The video ends without any of the band members reaching the surface, though they could see a boat overhead.[ citation needed ]
7-inch
12-inch and CD
Cassette single
| Chart (1990–1991) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA) [24] | 55 |
| Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) [25] | 47 |
| Ireland (IRMA) [26] | 4 |
| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) [15] | 27 |
| Portugal (AFP) [27] | 8 |
| Spain (AFYVE) [28] | 18 |
| UK Singles (OCC) [29] | 13 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 [30] | 97 |
| US Dance Singles Sales ( Billboard ) [31] | 44 |
The Cure are an English rock band formed in Crawley in 1976 by Robert Smith and Lol Tolhurst (drums). The band's current lineup features Smith, Perry Bamonte (guitar), Reeves Gabrels (guitar), Simon Gallup (bass), Roger O'Donnell (keyboards), and Jason Cooper (drums). Smith has remained the only constant member throughout numerous lineup changes since the band's formation, including stints with guitarist Pearl Thompson and drummer Boris Williams, though Gallup was absent for just six years of the band's history.
Wish is the ninth studio album by English rock band the Cure, released on 21 April 1992 by Fiction Records in the United Kingdom and Elektra Records in the United States. Wish was the most commercially successful album in the band's career, debuting at number one in the UK and number two in the US.
The Head on the Door is the sixth studio album by English rock band The Cure. It was released on 30 August 1985 by Fiction Records. Preceded by the single "In Between Days" which had reached No. 15 on the UK Singles Chart, The Head on the Door was described by Melody Maker as "a collection of pop songs". With its variety of styles, it allowed the group to reach a wider audience in both Europe and North America. In the United Kingdom it became their most successful album to date, entering the albums chart at No. 7 on 7 September.
Galore: The Singles 1987–1997 is the second singles compilation by The Cure and was released on 28 October 1997. It contains singles from the years 1987–1997. The song "Wrong Number" is the only new song on the album.
Mixed Up is a remix album by English rock band the Cure, released on 20 November 1990 by Fiction Records. The songs are remixes of some of their hits, reflecting the popularity of remixing of existing songs and dance culture of the late 1980s and early 1990s. In 2018, a sequel was released titled Torn Down.
Greatest Hits is a greatest hits album by English rock band the Cure. It was first released in Japan on 7 November 2001, before being released in the UK and Europe on 12 November and then in the US the day after. The band's relationship with longtime label Fiction Records came to a close, and the Cure were obliged to release one final album for the label. Lead singer Robert Smith agreed to release a greatest hits album under the condition that he could choose the tracks himself. The band also recorded a special studio album released as a bonus disc to some versions of the album. The disc, titled Acoustic Hits, consists of the eighteen songs from the North American release re-recorded using acoustic instruments.
Standing on a Beach is a greatest hits album by English rock band the Cure, released in the United States on 15 May 1986 by Elektra Records and in the United Kingdom on 19 May 1986 by Fiction Records, marking a decade since the band's founding in 1976. The album's titles are both taken from the opening lyrics of the Cure's debut single, "Killing an Arab".
"Lovesong" is a song by English rock band the Cure, released as the third single from their eighth studio album, Disintegration (1989), on 21 August 1989. The song saw considerable success in the United States, where it reached the number-two position in October 1989 and became the band's only top-10 entry on the Billboard Hot 100. In the United Kingdom, the single charted at number 18, and it peaked within the top 20 in Canada and Ireland.
"Pictures of You" is a song by English rock band the Cure. It was released on 19 March 1990 by Fiction Records as the fourth and final single from the band's eighth studio album, Disintegration (1989). The song has a single version which is a shorter edit of the album version. The single reached No. 24 on the UK Singles Charts.
"In Between Days" is a song by the English rock band The Cure, released on 19 July 1985 as the first single from the band's sixth album The Head on the Door.
"Why Can't I Be You?" is a song by the English rock band the Cure, released as the lead single on the 6 April 1987 from their album Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me.
"Just Like Heaven" is a song by British alternative rock band the Cure. The group wrote most of the song during recording sessions in southern France in 1987. The lyrics were written by their frontman Robert Smith, who drew inspiration from a past trip to the sea shore with his future wife. Smith's memories of the trip formed the basis for the song's accompanying music video. Before Smith had completed the lyrics, an instrumental version of the song was used as the theme for the French television show Les Enfants du Rock.
"Hot Hot Hot!!!" is a single by British rock band the Cure released on 8 February 1988. It is taken from their 1987 album Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me. The song reached number 45 in the UK, whereas it was more successful in Ireland where it reached number 18, and in Spain where it reached the Top 10.
"Fascination Street" is a song by English rock band the Cure from their eighth studio album, Disintegration (1989). It was issued as a single only in North America, as the band's American record company refused to release the band's original choice, "Lullaby", as the first single. The song became the band's first number-one single on the US Billboard then-newly created Modern Rock Tracks chart, staying on top for seven weeks.
"Lullaby" is a song by English rock band the Cure from their eighth studio album, Disintegration (1989). Released as a single on 10 April 1989, the song is the band's highest-charting single in their home country, reaching number five on the UK Singles Chart. It additionally reached number three in West Germany and Ireland while becoming a top-10 hit in several other European countries and New Zealand. The music video, directed by Tim Pope, won the British Video of the Year at the 1990 Brit Awards.
"Never Enough" is a song by English rock band the Cure, released as a single in September 1990 from their 1990 remix album, Mixed Up. The song topped the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart, reached number three in Finland, and peaked within the top 20 in Germany, Ireland, New Zealand, Spain, and the United Kingdom.
"High" is a song by English rock band the Cure, released as the lead single from their ninth album, Wish (1992), on 16 March 1992. The track received mostly positive reviews and was commercially successful, reaching number one on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart, number six on the Irish Singles Chart, and number eight on the UK Singles Chart. It charted within the top five in Portugal, where it peaked at number two, and in Australasia, reaching number five in Australia and number four in New Zealand; it is the band's highest-charting single in both countries.
"Friday I'm in Love" is a song by British rock band the Cure. Released as the second single from their ninth studio album, Wish (1992), in May 1992, the song became a worldwide hit, reaching number six in the UK and number 18 in the United States, where it also topped the Modern Rock Tracks chart. It also won the award for European Viewer's Choice for Best Music Video at the 1992 MTV Video Music Awards.
"A Letter to Elise" is a song by English rock band the Cure, released as the third and final single from the album Wish on 5 October 1992. In 2010, Pitchfork Media ranked it at number 184 in their list of "The Top 200 Tracks of the 1990s".
"Train of Thought" is a song by the Norwegian synth-pop band a-ha, released in March 1986 as the fourth single from their debut studio album, Hunting High and Low (1985). The lyrics for this song were based on the existentialist authors and poets Gunvor Hofmo, Knut Hamsun and Fyodor Dostoevsky – Pål's favourites at the time.
| Studio albums | |
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| Live albums | |
| Compilations | |
| Remix albums | |
| Extended plays | |
| Singles |
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| Other songs | |
| Video albums | |
| Tours | |
| Related articles | |
