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(They Long To Be) Close To U (a Discobody classy smoothness)
"(They Long to Be) Close to You" is written by the fabled songwriting duo Burt Bacharach & Hal David. It was first released in 1963 by Richard Chamberlain and was also recorded that same tear as a demo by Dionne Warwick and re-recorded with a Burt Bacharach arrangement for her 1964 album "Make Way For Dionne Warwick". Bacharach released his own version in 1968. But it was Karen & Richard Carpenter in 1970 that made it a #1 hit for four weeks in the U.S. Pop charts, from their second album "Close To You". The funny thing is that it was first given to Herb Alpert as a follow up to his #1 hit, "This Guy's In Love With You" but he wasn’t exactly excited with his interpretation so he passed it to Carpenters, the new act he had then signed to his label A&M Records.
Other cover versions were performed by Dusty Springfield, Frank Sinatra, Perry Como, Jerry Butler, Bobby Womack, Isaac Hayes, Johnny Mathis, Connie Stevens with Kermit the Frog & Fozzie Bear on The Muppet Show, Tina Arena, Paul Weller, Harry Connick Jr., Rick Astley, The Cranberries, The Smashing Pumpkins, and also a new one by Lauryn Hill & Ronald Isley is to be released soon. This is Homer and Marge's love song on The Simpsons, played numerous times in the series, as well as in the movie.
In 1986 Gwen Guthrie scored a UK #25 hit with her adaptation, raised from the album "Good To Go Lover", which was produced by herself. The mighty Larry Levan remixed the 12inch single, so it can not be but a masterpiece!
Guthrie’s flawless take is the best of them all in my book as she brings new vibe to the song changing a bit the lyrics in a humorous way and provides a sophisticated funky groove. I still admire the effortless way she sang as easy as one speaks. One wonders what amazing tracks she could have recorded if only she hadn’t passed away on February 3, 1999.
On this mix I completely reconstruct the track paying my respect to the diva and the legendary Levan. Alter intro and outro, many breaks, some new beats,sounds & stuff and lots of work on the vocals is what I deliver here. Enjoy :)
More Guthrie here: http://soundcloud.com/deej-valavanis/gwen-guthrie-aint-nothin-goin
This version’s lyrics:
“Oh, my dear,
Now that I found you here
Come and tell me
All the things I long to hear.
Now I see
How good love can be
Closer to you…
Closer baby
Closer to your love
I wanna be
I wanna be closer
I wanna be closer baby
Closer to your love
Why do birds suddenly appear
Every time you are near?
Just like me, they long to be
Closer to you.
Why do stars fall down from the sky
Each and every time that you walk by?
Just like me, they long to be
Closer to you.
I need you baby
You’re driving me crazy!
Closer, closer to you!
On the day that you were born
The angels got together
And decided to make a dream come true
They sprinkled gold dust in your hair
But baby… your eyes ain’t blue..
Oh, but I love your sexy-sexy moves
You know I wanna be the one
You lay that good lovin’ on
I wanna get so close to you
I’ll be sticking like crazy glue
I wanna be closer
Closer to your love
Oh, that’s why all the girls in town
They love to follow you, all around
Just like me, they long to be
Closer, closer to you
On the day you were born
The angels got together
And decided to make a dream come true
They sprinkled gold dust in your hair
But baby… your eyes ain’t blue..
Oh, but I love you
Oh, but I love you
Oh, but I love your
Ah-exy-sexy moves
I wanna be the one
You lay that good lovin’ on
I wanna be closer
Closer to your love
Oh, that’s why all the girls in town
They love to follow you, all around
Just like me, they long to be
Closer to you
I need you baby
You’re driving me crazy!”
- Genre
- Garage Soul
