"Closing Time" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Semisonic | ||||
from the album Feeling Strangely Fine | ||||
Released | March 10, 1998 | |||
Studio | Seedy Underbelly (Minneapolis, Minnesota) | |||
Genre | ||||
Length |
| |||
Label | MCA | |||
Songwriter(s) | Dan Wilson | |||
Producer(s) | Nick Launay | |||
Semisonic singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Audio sample | ||||
Music video | ||||
"Closing Time" on YouTube |
"Closing Time" is a song by American rock band Semisonic. It was released on March 10,1998,as the lead single from their second studio album, Feeling Strangely Fine ,and began to receive mainstream radio airplay on April 27,1998. The ballad [5] was written by Dan Wilson and produced by Nick Launay.
The single reached number one on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart and the top 50 in Australia,Ireland,New Zealand and the United Kingdom. It is certified gold in the UK and was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Rock Song in 1999. [6] [7] The song reappeared on the charts of three countries in 2011 after being featured in the 2011 movie Friends with Benefits and an episode of the television sitcom The Office ; [8] [9] it attained its highest chart peaks in Australia and Ireland during this period.
While the song is about people leaving a bar at closing time (also called last call),and widely interpreted as such,drummer Jacob Slichter has also indicated that the song was written by Wilson "in anticipation of fatherhood" and that it is about "being sent forth from the womb as if by a bouncer clearing out a bar". [10] [11]
Prior to composing "Closing Time",Semisonic usually ended their concerts with the song "If I Run". The band grew tired of playing this song every night and so Wilson set out to write a new song that they could play at the end of their set. [12] Wilson's girlfriend was pregnant at the time and although Wilson did not set out consciously to write a song about giving birth,he has stated that "Part way into the writing of the song,I realized it was also about being born." [12]
Jacob Slichter,the drummer for Semisonic,said in 2006 that payola was how they turned "Closing Time" into a hit. Slichter stated:"It cost something close to $700,000 to $800,000 to get 'Closing Time' on the air." [13]
Billboard magazine described "Closing Time" as an "instantly memorable rock ditty",saying,"...the core of 'Closing Time' is pure pop with a sticky chorus that will have you singing along before the end of your first listen. This could be the jam that establishes Semisonic as the top 40 heroes they deserve to be." [14] Doug Reece of the same magazine called the song "impossibly hooky". [15] "Closing Time" was placed at number 19 on Rolling Stone 's 2007 list of the "20 Most Annoying Songs". [16]
The music video was directed by Chris Applebaum. [17] It involves a split screen in which Wilson and the band performing the song together are on the left side while his wife working in a laundromat she's about to close down for the night is on the right trying to call him--only for their performance to mean that he doesn't hear the phone ring or the message she left. Both Wilson and her then each leave their respective locations and make their way through the streets to the exact same club. His wife gets there first,looks around a bit for him and leaves. She walks just past Wilson as he's coming in--neither of them seeing the other,he also then looks around for her too and then leaves. The video then ends as Wilson meets the band outside by the car and shrugs.
This song is frequently used by some radio stations as their last song before changing formats,mostly alternative rock stations. Most notably on November 16,2016,Fort Worth and Dallas,Texas-based alternative station KDGE (102.1 FM) played a continuous loop of "Closing Time" while redirecting its listeners to its area sister mainstream rock station KEGL (97.1 FM). This continued until 5 p.m. on November 17,2016,when the station flipped to Christmas music then full-time to a mainstream adult contemporary format on December 26. [18]
Australian CD single [19]
European maxi-CD single [20] [22]
UK CD1 [23]
| UK CD2 [24]
UK cassette single [25]
Japanese CD single [26]
|
Credits are lifted from the Feeling Strangely Fine liner notes. [27]
Studios
Personnel
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United Kingdom (BPI) [49] | Gold | 400,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref(s). |
---|---|---|---|---|
United States | February 23, 1998 | MCA | [50] [51] | |
Europe | March 10, 1998 | CD | [20] | |
United States | April 27, 1998 | Top 40 radio | [52] | |
Japan | July 23, 1998 | CD | [53] | |
United Kingdom | October 25, 1999 |
| [54] |
Semisonic is an American rock band formed in Minneapolis in 1995, consisting of Dan Wilson, John Munson, and Jacob Slichter. They are best known in the U.S. for their 1998 top-20 single "Closing Time". They also had international success with the singles "Singing in My Sleep", "Secret Smile" and "Chemistry".
"Gettin' Jiggy wit It" is a song by American rapper and actor Will Smith, released as the third single from his debut solo album, Big Willie Style (1997). The verse is based around a sample of "He's the Greatest Dancer" by Sister Sledge, and the chorus is sampled from "Sang and Dance" by the Bar-Kays. Released in early 1998, the song was Smith's second hit produced by Poke & Tone and L.E.S., who replaced his long-time partner Jazzy Jeff, though the record-scratching techniques of Jazzy Jeff can be heard in the song.
"What I Got" is a song from American band Sublime's self-titled third album (1996). The song's chorus is a lift from "Loving" by reggae artist Half Pint, who is credited as a co-writer. The melody and pacing of the verses is identical to the Beatles' "Lady Madonna".
"The Way" is a song by American alternative rock band Fastball. It was released on January 7, 1998, as the lead single from their second studio album, All the Pain Money Can Buy (1998). The song was written by the band's lead vocalist, Tony Scalzo, and was produced by the band and Julian Raymond. Scalzo was inspired to write the song after reading about the disappearance of an elderly couple who were found dead in their car many miles away from their intended destination.
"Name" is a song by American rock band Goo Goo Dolls. It was released in September 1995 as the third single from their fifth studio album, A Boy Named Goo (1995). "Name" became the band's first major hit, topping both the US Modern Rock Tracks chart and the Album Rock Tracks chart. It also reached number five on the Billboard Hot 100. In Canada, "Name" peaked at number two on the RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart and number one on the RPM Alternative 30.
"Secret Smile" is a song by American rock band Semisonic. The single, released to American radio on January 11, 1999, gained the band brief international popularity. A live version of the song recorded at The Gorge Amphitheatre, as well as a mix by the Orb had previously been released as a B-side to "Singing in My Sleep". The song was featured in the film Simply Irresistible and in the TV series Charmed and Dawson's Creek.
"Walkin' on the Sun" is a song by American rock band Smash Mouth from their first album, Fush Yu Mang (1997). Released as their debut single in June 1997, the song was Smash Mouth's first major single, reaching No. 1 on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart and No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay chart. It was also a success abroad, peaking at No. 3 in Canada and Iceland, No. 5 in Italy and Spain, and No. 7 in Australia, where it is certified platinum for shipments exceeding 70,000 units.
"Given to Fly" is a song by the American rock band Pearl Jam. Featuring lyrics written by vocalist Eddie Vedder and music written by guitarist Mike McCready, "Given to Fly" was released to radio on December 22, 1997, as the first single from the band's fifth studio album, Yield (1998).
"3AM" is the third single and the third track from American rock band Matchbox 20's debut album, Yourself or Someone Like You (1996). Written by Rob Thomas, Jay Stanley, John Leslie Goff, and Brian Yale, the song was inspired by Thomas dealing with his mother's cancer as a teenager. The song was officially serviced to US modern rock radio in October 1997 and was given a commercial release outside North America the following month.
"Push" is a song by American rock band Matchbox Twenty. It was released in 1997 as the second single from their debut album, Yourself or Someone Like You (1996). After landing "Long Day" on several rock radio stations paving the way, "Push" topped the US Modern Rock Tracks chart and became one of the band's signature songs.
"Santa Monica" is a song by American rock band Everclear, from their 1995 album Sparkle and Fade. The song was written by the band's lead singer, Art Alexakis. Though it was not commercially released as a single in the United States, radio stations played "Santa Monica" enough for it to reach number 29 on the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay chart and number one the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart for three weeks in 1996. It became a top-40 hit in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom; it is the band's highest-charting single in Australia.
"This Kiss" is a song by American country music singer Faith Hill from her third studio album Faith. It was written by Beth Nielsen Chapman, Robin Lerner and Annie Roboff, and produced by Hill and Byron Gallimore. It was released on February 23, 1998, as the album's first single.
"Just the Two of Us" is a song by American rapper & actor Will Smith. It was released as the fourth single from his debut solo studio album, Big Willie Style (1997), on July 20, 1998. The song was inspired by Bill Withers' and Grover Washington, Jr.'s love song of the same title; Smith's version samples and incorporates lyrics from the original. Instead of love between a couple, "Just the Two of Us" focuses on the relationship between a father and son. The song features Fuzzy and Sauce from the R&B group Somethin' for the People with Fuzzy providing the chorus and ad-libs, while Sauce is a credited as a producer on the track.
"Carnival" is a song written and produced by singer-songwriter Natalie Merchant and was the lead single from her debut solo album, Tigerlily (1995). In the lyrics, the protagonist describes a street scene as a carnival. Merchant was inspired to write the song after visiting New York City for the first time when she was 16, claiming she was fascinated with the residents' unusual lifestyles, as she grew up in rural areas.
"Lullaby" is a song by American rock singer Shawn Mullins from his fourth studio album, Soul's Core (1998). It was released in August 1998 and is Mullins' most successful song to date, reaching number one on the US Billboard Adult Top 40, number seven on the Billboard Hot 100, and number nine on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart. It also found success abroad, reaching number nine on the UK Singles Chart, number five in Australia, and number two in Canada.
"Real World" is a song by American rock group Matchbox 20. It was released in March 1998 as the fourth single from their debut album, Yourself or Someone Like You. The single was initially ineligible to chart on the US Billboard Hot 100 due to not receiving a physical release in North America; it instead peaked at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay chart in August 1998. However, in December 1998, the Hot 100 chart rules were changed to allow airplay-only singles to chart, and "Real World" became the band's first single to enter the listing, debuting and peaking at number 38. Worldwide, "Real World" reached number five in Canada and number 40 in Australia.
"Falls Apart" is a song by American rock band Sugar Ray from their third studio album, 14:59 (1999). The song was released commercially in Japan as the album's second single on May 12, 1999, and was serviced to US radio on November 22, 1999, as the album's third single. "Falls Apart" reached number 29 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number five on the Billboard Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart. Outside the US, the single peaked at number 15 in Canada, number 33 in New Zealand, and number 54 in Australia.
"I Will Buy You a New Life" is a rock song by American rock band Everclear from their third studio album, So Much for the Afterglow (1997). The song peaked at number three on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart, number 20 on the Billboard Adult Top 40 chart, and number 31 on the Billboard Mainstream Top 40 chart. In Canada, it reached number 49 on the RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart and number one on the RPM Alternative 30 chart.
"Chemistry" is a song by American rock band Semisonic. It was released as the first single on their third studio album, All About Chemistry (2001). Released to US radio on January 8, 2001, the song reached number six on the US Billboard Triple-A chart, number 21 in New Zealand, and the top 40 in Ireland and the United Kingdom.
"Singing in My Sleep" is a song by American rock band Semisonic. It was released on August 18, 1998, as the second single from their second studio album, Feeling Strangely Fine (1998). It was written by Dan Wilson and produced by Nick Launay. In the United States, it reached number 11 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart and number 31 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. Two years later, in 2000, the single peaked at number 39 in the United Kingdom that March.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link){{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link){{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link){{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link){{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link){{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link){{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link){{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)