"Move Closer" is a song by American singer-songwriter

Phyllis Nelson Phyllis Nelson (October 3, 1950 – January 12, 1998) was an American singer, most famous for her 1985 song "Move Closer", which topped the chart in the United Kingdom. Her son is the singer and record producer, Marc Nelson, who was a member of ...

that topped the UK Singles Chart in April 1985.

History

Nelson wrote the ballad in 1984. It was a complete departure from the type of music she had been recording; she had been recording dance and disco records, and decided to write her own record because, in her words, "not much music lets you dance close". The lyrics of "Move Closer" were based on a long-term love affair she had with a much younger man in Philadelphia, who was struggling to start his own computer business.

Chart performance

Although "Move Closer" failed to make an impact on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100, the song was hugely successful in the United Kingdom, where it peaked at the top of the UK Singles Chart, making her the first black woman to top the charts in Britain with her own sole composition. The song was originally released in April 1984 but failed to chart, and was re-released in February 1985 after

BBC Radio London BBC Radio London is the Local BBC Radio, BBC's local radio station serving Greater London and its surrounding areas. The station broadcasts across the area and beyond, on the 94.9 FM broadcasting, FM frequency, Digital Audio Broadcasting, DAB, ...

started to play it. Move Closer also benefited from extensive airplay on the hugely successful offshore pirate station,

Laser 558 Laser 558 was an offshore pirate radio station launched in May 1984 using disc jockeys from the US. It broadcast from the Panama-registered ship MV Communicator in international waters in the North Sea. Within months the station had a large audi ...

. The song began to climb the charts, taking 12 weeks to reach the top spot. "Move Closer" remained on the UK Singles Chart for just over five months during 1985, becoming Britain's seventh biggest-selling song of the year. and the 82nd highest selling single of the decade. In 1994, it was reissued and returned to the UK Singles Chart, this time peaking at number 34, on the back of it being featured in an anti-persperant television commercial.

B-side

In the UK, on both the 7-inch and 12-inch formats, the

B-side The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph records and cassettes; these terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or record compan ...

is "Somewhere in the City". Both versions contain the "New Mix" of "Move Closer" as an A-side, with the 7-inch version being an edit.

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Covers

* Marilyn Martin, on her eponymous debut album. * The Bluetones, as a B-side to the single "

Fast Boy/Liquid Lips "Fast Boy/Liquid Lips" was a double-A-side single, released by The Bluetones from their fourth album, 2003's '' Luxembourg''. Both title tracks were also included on the band's 2006 compilation '' A Rough Outline: The Singles & B-Sides 95 - 03 ...

". It was also included on the band's 2006

compilation album A compilation album comprises Album#Tracks, tracks, which may be previously released or unreleased, usually from several separate recordings by either one or several Performing arts#Performers, performers. If by one artist, then generally the tr ...

, '' A Rough Outline: The Singles & B-Sides 95 - 03''. * Sir

Tom Jones Tom Jones may refer to: Arts and entertainment *Tom Jones (singer) (born 1940), Welsh singer * Tom Jones (writer) (1928–2023), American librettist and lyricist *''The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling'', a novel by Henry Fielding published in ...

, (1989, No. 49 on the UK Singles Chart) on his album ''

At This Time ''At This Time'' is an album by American pianist, composer and music producer Burt Bacharach, released in 2005 through Columbia Records. Guests include Elvis Costello and Rufus Wainwright. In 2006, it won a Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumenta ...

''. * Sammi Cheng, Cantonese version (named "纏綿"), released in 1997. * Upfront. (1990) One single release. Members Keith Lewis, Ronnie Lewis, lead singer Rachel. * Hinda Hicks, on her debut album ''Hinda'' (1998).

References

{{Authority control UK Singles Chart number-one singles 1985 singles 1989 singles 1994 singles Tom Jones (singer) songs 1984 songs Carrere Records singles