Close to You (Whigfield song)

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"Close to You"
Single by Whigfield
from the album Whigfield
Released28 August 1995 (1995-08-28)[1]
GenrePop
Length4:07
Label
  • X-Energy
  • Systematic
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Whigfield singles chronology
"Think of You"
(1995) 		"Close to You"
(1995) 		"Big Time"
(1995)
Music video
"Close to You" on YouTube

"Close to You" is a song by Italian Eurodance project Whigfield, performed by Danish-born Sannie Charlotte Carlson[2] and released in August 1995 as the fourth single from her first album, Whigfield (1995). It was her first ballad and a top-20 hit in Denmark, Ireland, Spain and the United Kingdom. On the Eurochart Hot 100, it reached number 67.

Critical reception[edit]

Larry Flick from Billboard wrote about the song, "Wisely, Whigfield broadens its stylistic palette slightly by issuing a jam fueled by a chugging faux-funk beat. The wall of glistening keyboards raises the sugar quotient of the song's cutie-pie vocals and "ooh-baby-baby" lyrics to potentially diabetic heights. Is it good for ya? Nah! But what guilty pleasure ever is?"[3] James Masterton for Dotmusic viewed it as "a soaring romantic ballad which calls for a powerful voice that Whigfield just about manages to supply."[4] Ross Jones from The Guardian described it as a "Streisand-esque slowie".[5] A reviewer from Music Week gave it two out of five, saying that "after a trio of delightful frothy pop successes, Whigfield goes balladeering but her harsh voice jars with the undoubted sweetness of the song."[6] Johnny Cigarettes from NME called it a "robo-ballad".[7]

Chart performance[edit]

Not as successful as her first three singles, "Close to You" still was a moderate hit in Europe. It was a top 20 hit in Denmark (18), Ireland (18), Spain (19) and the United Kingdom. In the latter, the single peaked at number 13 on 10 September 1995, during its second week on the UK Singles Chart.[8] It also entered the top 40 in Iceland (33) and top 100 in Germany (90). On the Eurochart Hot 100, "Close to You" reached number 67.

Music video[edit]

A music video was produced to promote the single. It pays homage to the paintings of American artist Edward Hopper such as Automat, Morning Sun, and Office in a Small City. It begins with Carlson glancing and singing at an open window without glass while she is lounging in bed. Other scenes are showing her performing at a grand piano while a man is playing on it. Occasionally, several different people are seen lying, sitting or standing alone on their own by the open window. All of them in the same old style. In the end, these people are sitting next to each other outside, all of them lounging in the sun, finally slowly fading away until the chairs are empty and leaves are blowing in the wind.[9]

Track listings[edit]

Charts[edit]

Chart (1995) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[10] 170
Denmark (IFPI)[11] 18
Europe (European Hot 100 Singles) 67
Germany (Official German Charts)[12] 90
Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[13] 33
Ireland (IRMA)[14] 18
Scotland (OCC)[15] 11
Spain (AFYVE)[16] 19
UK Singles (OCC)[8] 13

References[edit]

  1. ^ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. 26 August 1995. p. 43.
  2. ^ "Italian Acts (page 75)". Billboard. 1 July 1995. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
  3. ^ Flick, Larry (31 August 1996). "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. Retrieved 23 January 2018.
  4. ^ Masterton, James (3 September 1995). "Week Ending September 9th 1995". Chart Watch UK. Retrieved 24 September 2021.
  5. ^ Jones, Ross (5 August 1995). "Reviews: Singles". p. 30. The Guardian.
  6. ^ "Reviews: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 19 August 1995. p. 29. Retrieved 11 May 2021.
  7. ^ Cigarettes, Johnny (24 June 1995). "Long Play". NME. p. 54. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
  8. ^ a b "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
  9. ^ "Whigfield - Close to You [Official VIdeo]". YouTube. 5 March 2013. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
  10. ^ "Part of Whigfield's ARIA chart history, received from ARIA in 2022 page 1". ARIA. Retrieved 3 December 2023 – via Imgur.com. N.B. The High Point number in the NAT column represents the release's peak on the national chart.
  11. ^ Danish Singles Chart. 15 September 1995.
  12. ^ "Whigfield – Close to You" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
  13. ^ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (07.10.1995–13.10.1995)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 7 October 1995. p. 26. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
  14. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Close to You". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
  15. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100 (10 September 1995-16 September 1995)". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 8 February 2018.
  16. ^ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
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