“Closer” is a song performed by Canadian duo Tegan and Sara. The song was written by Tegan Quin with contributions from Sara Quin and Greg Kurstin for their seventh studio album, Heartthrob (2013). The song was released as the lead single from the album in September 2012. Closer won “Single of the Year” at the 2014 Juno Awards. The song was featured on the TV series Glee during its 82nd episode. The song is a pop song that draws influences from indie pop and synthpop. In 2013, it peaked at number one on Billboard’s Hot Dance Club Songs chart. It also became their first single to chart on the Billboard Hot 100. On April 20, 2013, 3600 vinyl copies of Closer Remixed, including four more tracks than the digital EP, were exclusively released for Record Store Day 2013. On July 4, 2013, “Closer” was certified platinum in Canada.
Lyrics and composition
egan spoke of the song during an interview with Rolling Stone magazine in September 2012, saying “Although I do imagine that this would be an okay song to make out to, all I intended was to write something sweet that reminded the listener of a time before complicated relationships, drama and heartbreak. I was writing about my youth, a time when we got closer by linking arms and walking down our school hallway, or talked all night on the telephone about every thought or experience we’d ever had. It wasn’t necessarily even about hooking up or admitting your feelings back then. In fact, that rarely happened. It was the anticipation of something maybe happening that was truly exciting and satisfying. We were perpetually getting closer, yet we rarely got physical with one another, if ever. These relationships existed in a state of sexual and physical ambiguity.” Sara encouraged Tegan to be less self-deprecating when writing the song. Tegan was hesitant about writing a straightforward love song and was concerned that using the phrase “get physical” would remind listeners of Australian singer Olivia Newton-John’s 1981 single “Physical”.
“Closer” is set in common time with a tempo of 137 beats per minute. Its rhythm uses a four-to-the-floor beat with a prominent kick drum. The song is written in C major, with a I-IV-V-I circle progression. The song’s sections make use of sharply contrasting dynamics, eventually leading to a synthesizer breakdown. The song introduces a change in dynamics during the chorus.
Critical reception
“Closer” received mostly positive reviews, with critics praising the duo’s new pop direction. The song placed thirteenth on The Village Voice’s 2013 Pazz & Jop singles list. Consequence of Sound called it “genius levels of fun”, while Alter the Press! compared the song to “Dancing on My Own” by Robyn.
Music video
The official music video for the song premiered on November 29, 2012 on Tegan and Sara’s official YouTube channel. It starts with Tegan and Sara performing karaoke of the song. It then begins to feature different scenes in-between such as various young adults doing various party activities as well as putting make-up on one another, playing spin the bottle, and kissing on top of a car. Tegan and Sara are also seen singing on a swing set and jumping on a trampoline.
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