Close To Me by The Cure

Album: The Head On The Door (1985)

Charted: 24

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Songfacts®:

The idea for the video came from a dream Robert Smith had where he was locked in a linen closet that fell off a cliff and into the ocean. The clip, directed by Tim Pope, was shot at Beachy Head in East Sussex.
Robert Smith explained in Q Magazine's 1001 Best Songs Ever: "It's weird because of all the songs we've written, 'Close To Me' doesn't spring to mind as one of our best songs. It was a slightly surreal moment on the record and it wasn't even a definite album track during the recording. It was only when I did the vocal and got really extreme on the production, making it really claustrophobic sounding, that it came to life. Up till that point it was average."

"The video had quite a big impact too," he added. "I suggested to Tim (Pope, director) doing it in a wardrobe on top of a cliff because of the uncomfortable feeling and I think that cemented it in the Cure canon."
In 1990, a remix of this called the "closet mix" was released as a single, going to #13 in the UK. Another version of the song, the "closer mix," was included on the album Mixed Up.
The song's original lyrics were totally different and much more upbeat. Robert Smith made a late switch to some other lines that he'd been hanging on to. The Cure frontman explained to Q Magazine:

"At the last minute I sang these words that I had left over. I didn't think there was anything musically that worked with the words. The words were actually about this sense of impending doom that I used to get. I had chicken pox when I was really young and it started there. I used to get these horrible, nightmarish visions of this head that used to hover in the chink of light that would come when the bedroom lights were turned off and the door was just ajar. The shaft of light that came from the hallway used to illuminate this patch of wallpaper and it would come to life and prophesy doom to me through the night whenever I put my eyes in that general direction. And it came back to me when I was writing The Head On the Door album. I was running myself into the ground a little bit and I started to suffer. I suddenly also started to get the same hallucinations, which was very odd.

That song was essentially about those two things, but at the last minute I tried singing them over this jaunty bassline and drum pattern. It just clicked."
This was used on the TV series Entourage in the 2009 episode "Drive."
This was used in these movies:

The Kissing Booth 2 (2020)
Long Shot (2019)
25 km/h (2018)
Behaving Badly (2014)
I Could Never Be Your Woman (2007)
Son Of Rambow (2007)
Accepted (2006)
John Tucker Must Die (2006)
Cold Hearts (1999)
These lyrics were quoted in "Logan To Government Center," a 2001 track by the alt-rock band Brand New:

I never thought this day would end
I never thought tonight could ever be this close to me
The emo band The Get Up Kids recorded this for the 1999 compilation Before You Were Punk 2: Another Punk Rock Tribute to 80's New Wave.

Comments: 16

Stasa from SirmiumCool song, perfect memories!
Ellen from Chicago, IlMy grandmother loved this song - the horn section reminded her of big band, so it MUST be good!
Daniel from Melbourne, Australiathis song changed my life
Budoshi from Sandnessjøen, NorwayOne of their lighter songs:D
Sarah from Akron, Ohthanks to megan from columbus, I've been trying to figure out where I've heard the lyrics never thought this day would end...etc" I've been searching my brand new library to find out!
Aldrin from Manila, Philippinesgreat video....cool song...i just love it
Ali from Wine, Caim now angry an Get Up Kids. just so you know.

pfft and 311...i mean, i love 311. but when they re did lovesong...and it was performed on American Idol..now no one will know the true beauty.

i hope everyone who knows the Get Up Kids version will hear this one sometime in their life. The Cure is a great inspiration.
Glenn from Edwardsville, IlMy older sister always called this song "Glenn Music" because I think it reminded her of my mood(s) which tend to change often. Great song simple lyrics and too the point.
Dave from Philadelphia, PaTo me, this song is beautiful because it professes a type of love for someone that sets you straight and calms you down. The feeling this song illicits (at least for me) is the feeling that another person can make you whole. The character cannot live without "her" to the point that "I pull my eyes out, hold my breath and wait....until I shake. But if I had your faith" aka love, confidence, the security of knowing that person loves you back, "I could make it safe and clean." And all will be well. I love this song, and in times where I have felt down and lonely, this song reminds me that somebody out there can still complete me. Please enjoy this song.
Megan from Columbus, OhWow, I didn't realize the Cure originaly sang this song. I only new the version by the Get Up Kids. Also, the part "Never thought this day would end, I never thought tonight could ever be this close to me" is in the song "Logan to Government Center" by Brand New.
Alf from Kingston, CanadaCool song, always loved it since 1st time I heard it. The group sounds alot like (Carole Pope) Rough Trade or should I say Rough Trade sounds like (The Cure) :-)
K from Victorville, Ca"the disappointment of dreams made real.
Frustrated humming with your head under the pillow, like the end of the day where you feel nothing has been achieved and you're in a hurry to get the day over with so you can start the next one. You tell yourself you're going to do lots of positive things. But the next day is just like the one before. Sometimes it goes on for weeks. "

-Robert Smith
Anthony from Tokyo, JapanThis song is an abstract reference to the fear that life will one day end. The 'day' he sings about is a reference to a lifetime. 'Tonight' is the end of this 'day'. He condenses a lifetime into a single day. It is child like in that a child also fears the coming darkness of night as a form of death. He wishes he had never been born rather than face 'tonight'. He'd waited his whole lifetime for this final moment. He is faithless, however, if he had faith in some kind of existence after death, he could 'make it safe & clean' (Make it out ok).
Peter from Fort Worth, Txthis is one of my favorite cure songs, it really simple then goes into that kind of jazz thing too.
Robin from Wausau, WiThank you for the facts...I was really curious about that video!
Nazrul from Ampang, MalaysiaThe Get Up Kids did this song and it is awesom

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