Closing Time (Semisonic song)

"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.

"Closing Time"
Single by Semisonic
from the album Feeling Strangely Fine
ReleasedMarch 10, 1998 (1998-03-10)
StudioSeedy Underbelly (Minneapolis, Minnesota)
Genre
Length
  • 4:33 (album version)
  • 3:49 (single version)
LabelMCA
Songwriter(s)Dan Wilson
Producer(s)Nick Launay
Semisonic singles chronology
"F.N.T."
(1996)		 "Closing Time"
(1998)		 "Singing in My Sleep"
(1998)
Audio sample
  • file
  • help
Music video
"Closing Time" on YouTube

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 latter country 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]

Background and composition

Prior to composing "Closing Time", Semisonic would usually end 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]

Critical reception

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]

Music video

The music video was directed by Chris Applebaum.[17] It features two continuous shots, running side by side on the screen. One side shows the band playing the song in a rehearsal space. The other side features a woman (played by Denise Franco) as the singer Dan Wilson's girlfriend. As the video progresses, Dan and his girlfriend switch sides of screen, as they attempt to meet up. At the end of the video, they both wind up at the same nightclub. However, they still end up missing each other by mere seconds and never meet. The "trick" of the video is that each shot was done as one long, continuous shot, with no cuts or editing, and therefore relies on proper timing to get the two sides of the video lined up properly.

Usage in other media

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]

Track listings

Credits and personnel

Credits are lifted from the Feeling Strangely Fine liner notes.[27]

Studios

Personnel

  • Dan Wilson – writing, lead vocals, guitar, piano
  • John Munson – vocals, bass, Moog
  • Jacob Slichter – vocals, drums
  • Nick Launay – production, recording
  • Brad Kern – additional recording
  • Alex Oana – assistant recording engineer
  • Richard Werbowenko – assistant recording engineer
  • Shane Washington – assistant recording engineer
  • Jack Joseph Puig – mixing
  • Jim Champagne – assistant mixing engineer
  • Bob Ludwig – mastering

Charts and certifications

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[44] Gold 400,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history
Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref(s).
United States February 23, 1998
MCA [45][46]
Europe March 10, 1998 CD [20]
United States April 27, 1998 Top 40 radio [47]
Japan July 23, 1998 CD [48]
United Kingdom October 25, 1999
  • CD
  • cassette
 [49]

See also

References
  1. Price, Walter (January 7, 2019). "A Take Me Home Three-Way: SEMISONIC – "Closing Time" (1998)". Global Texan Chronicles. Archived from the original on October 1, 2019. Retrieved October 1, 2019.
  2. "Classical Cover: Semisonic's Closing Time". Alto Riot. Archived from the original on December 25, 2014. Retrieved September 7, 2015.
  3. "Dan Wilson On Mountain Stage". NPR. October 29, 2014. Archived from the original on October 1, 2019. Retrieved October 1, 2019.
  4. Mitchell, Collin (April 5, 2001). "Semisonic All About Chemistry MCA". Daily Nexus. Archived from the original on October 1, 2019. Retrieved October 1, 2019.
  5. Verna, Paul (March 28, 1998). "Reviews & Previews – Albums". Billboard. Vol. 110, no. 13. p. 55.
  6. "41st Grammy Awards – 1999". Rock on the Net. Archived from the original on August 1, 2013. Retrieved February 12, 2007.
  7. Wood, Olivia (January 15, 2020). "Episode 176: Semisonic". Song Exploder. Archived from the original on February 16, 2020. Retrieved February 13, 2020.
  8. Hyden, Steven (November 30, 2011). "We Are All 'Closing Time': Why Semisonic's 1998 Hit Still Resonates". Grantland. Archived from the original on January 16, 2021. Retrieved March 16, 2021.
  9. Halperin, Shirley (December 7, 2010). "Semisonic revists "Closing Time" thanks to movie". Reuters. Archived from the original on February 28, 2022. Retrieved March 16, 2021.
  10. A Hit Single and the Heart-Wrenching Story Behind it Archived February 14, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, by Claudia Ricci, The Huffington Post, posted February 8, 2011, retrieved February 27, 2011
  11. "Perennial Co-Writer Returns With An Album Of His Own". NPR.org. April 15, 2014. Archived from the original on August 21, 2018. Retrieved April 3, 2018.
  12. Schlansky, Evan (October 14, 2019). "Semisonic Success Story: An Interview with Dan Wilson". American Songwriter. Archived from the original on January 19, 2016. Retrieved January 10, 2020.
  13. Ross, Brian; Walter, Vic (February 16, 2006). "Paying to Make It to the Top of the Charts". ABC News Internet Ventures. Archived from the original on January 19, 2022. Retrieved January 19, 2022.
  14. Flick, Larry (February 21, 1998). "Reviews & Previews – Singles". Billboard. Vol. 110, no. 8. p. 64.
  15. Reece, Doug (April 4, 1998). "Popular Uprisings". Billboard. Vol. 110, no. 14. p. 12.
  16. "The 20 Most Annoying Songs". Rolling Stone. July 2, 2007. Archived from the original on July 5, 2007.
  17. "Production Notes". Billboard. Vol. 110, no. 19. May 9, 1998. p. 80.
  18. KDGE Dallas Drops Alternative After 27 Years; Flips to Mainstream AC as "Star 102.1"
  19. Closing Time (Australian CD single liner notes). Semisonic. MCA Records. 1998. MCD-49071.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  20. "Semisonic – Closing Time". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  21. Closing Time (European CD single liner notes). Semisonic. MCA Records. 1998. MCD-49091.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  22. Closing Time (European maxi-CD single liner notes). Semisonic. MCA Records. 1998. MCD 49076.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  23. Closing Time (UK CD1 liner notes). Semisonic. MCA Records. 1999. MCSTD 40221, 155645-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  24. Closing Time (UK CD2 liner notes). Semisonic. MCA Records. 1999. MCSXD 40221, 155646-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  25. Closing Time (UK cassette single sleeve). Semisonic. MCA Records. 1999. MCSC 40221, 155 645-4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  26. Closing Time (Japanese CD single liner notes). Semisonic. MCA Records. 1998. MVCE-9009.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  27. Feeling Strangely Fine (US CD album liner notes). Semisonic. MCA Records. 1998. MCAD/11733.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  28. "Top RPM Rock/Alternative Tracks: Issue 3543." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved January 31, 2019.
  29. "Semisonic – Closing Time" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  30. "Semisonic – Closing Time". Top 40 Singles.
  31. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  32. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  33. "Semisonic Chart History (Radio Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved January 31, 2019.
  34. "Semisonic Chart History (Adult Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved January 31, 2019.
  35. "Semisonic Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard.
  36. "Semisonic Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard.
  37. "Semisonic Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard.
  38. "Semisonic Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard.
  39. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Semisonic". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved January 15, 2020.
  40. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  41. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  42. "RPM's Top 100 Hit Tracks of '98" (PDF). RPM. Vol. 63, no. 12. December 14, 1998. p. 20. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2019. Retrieved March 23, 2019.
  43. "RPM's Top 50 Alternative Tracks of '98". RPM. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved January 31, 2019 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  44. "British single certifications – Semisonic – Closing Time". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
  45. Bell, Carrie (February 21, 1998). "Semisonic's 'Feeling Fine' on MCA Set". Billboard. Vol. 110, no. 8. p. 17.
  46. "Be on the Lookout". Gavin Report. No. 2192. February 13, 1998. p. 50.
  47. Reece, Doug (May 9, 1998). "MCA's Semisonic Strikes a Chord with 'Closing Time'". Billboard. Vol. 110, no. 19. p. 93.
  48. "クロージング・タイム | セミソニック" [Closing Time | Semisonic] (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on August 30, 2023. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
  49. "New Releases – For Week Starting 25 October, 1999: Singles". Music Week. October 23, 1999. p. 31.
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