"Close to You" is a song by German

Eurodance Euro-Dance (sometimes referred to as Euro-NRG, Euro-electronica or Euro) is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in the late 1980s in Europe. It combines many elements of hip hop, techno, Hi-NRG, house music, and Euro-Disco. This ...

band Fun Factory, released in March 1994 by various labels as the second single from the band's debut-album, '' NonStop'' (1994). The song is written by Bülent Aris, Rainer Kesselbauer and

Toni Cottura Toni Cottura (born 7 June 1971), better known by his stage name Smooth T., is an Italian-born German Eurodance and hip hop producer and rapper. Musical career He started his career in 1988 as a hip hop producer with David Fascher and later work ...

, while Aris and Cottura produced it. It received positive reviews from music critics, peaking at number-one on the Canadian ''

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'' Dance/Urban chart and at number 22 on the US ''

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'' Hot Dance Club Play chart. Additionally, the single peaked at number 46 on the ''Billboard''

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and number 14 on the ''Billboard'' Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales chart. In Europe, it reached number 19 in Germany and number 97 in the UK. Its music video was directed by Swedish director Stefan Berg and filmed at a quarry. It was A-listed on Germany's

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in June 1994. "Close to You" uses the same melody as the 1993 hit single " Hold On" by German group

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Critical reception

Larry Flick Larry Flick is an American journalist, former dance music columnist, single reviewer, and Senior Talent Editor for ''Billboard'' magazine, where he worked for 14 years. Now he produces and hosts Sirius XM radio shows. Flick started in the music ...

from ''

'' wrote that "taking a cue from

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, this European-flavored

dance Dance is a performing art form consisting of sequences of movement, either improvised or purposefully selected. This movement has aesthetic and often symbolic value. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoir ...

anthem mixes soaring vocals with

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beats and a snazzy

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. Multiple synthesizer riffs, a booming bass, and an amorous melody should keep the dance floor jumpin'." In 1995, "Close to You" was described as a "slick dance/pop ditty" and a "unabashedly gleeful twirler". Flick complimented the song's "contagious energy" and noted that "by the end of this toe-tapper, you will be singing along with the

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as if it were second nature-the mark of a real hit." Pan-European magazine ''

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'' stated that "at 120+ bpm, Fun Factory's hard-edged

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experience is among the faster house tracks now storming charts everywhere." They added, "Thanks to a convincing chorus and a strong hook, its quick jump to number 22 in the German sales charts doesn't come as a surprise." Alan Jones from ''

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'' commented, " Marie-Annette sings, Rod D raps and the hugely commercial chorus surfaces at frequent intervals to reinforce the message that this is yet another continental invader that is bound for UK glory." Stephen Meade from ''The Network Forty'' declared it as a "high-energy dance track guaranteed to put a smile on your face." James Hamilton from the ''

Record Mirror ''Record Mirror'' was a British weekly music newspaper between 1954 and 1991 for pop fans and record collectors. Launched two years after the ''NME'', it never attained the circulation of its rival. The first UK album chart was published in ''Re ...

'' Dance Update called it a "typical girl cooed and guy rapped cheesy German galloper".

Track listing

* 12" (Remixes), Germany #"Close to You" (Energy Trance Mix) — 8:23 #"Close to You" (Trance Radio Cut) — 3:40 #"Close to You" (Peace & Positive Mix) — 5:42 #"Close to You" (Doug's Club Mix) — 6:04 #"Close to You" (Doug's Apple Mix) — 5:06 * CD single, France #"Close to You" (Radio Edit) — 3:36 #"Close to You" (Close to Ragga Mix - Radio Edit) — 3:50 * CD maxi, Europe #"Close to You" (Radio Edit) — 3:36 #"Close to You" (Trouble Mix) — 4:36 #"Close to You" (Close to Ragga Remix) — 4:49 #"Fun Factory's Groove" (Instrumental) — 5:34 * CD maxi, US #"Close to You" (Radio Edit) — 3:35 #"Close to You" (Trouble Mix) — 4:45 #"Close to You" (Close to Ragga Mix) — 4:48 #"Fun Factory's Groove" (Instrumental) — 5:33 #"Close to You" (Close to Trance Remix) — 5:09

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

References

{{authority control 1994 singles 1994 songs English-language German songs Fun Factory (band) songs Music videos directed by Stefan Berg Songs written by Bülent Aris Songs written by Toni Cottura