(They Long to Be) Close to You

1970 single by the Carpenters (They Long to Be) Close to You They Long to be Close to You by Carpenters Irish single.png Side A of the Irish single single the Carpenters Close to You I Kept on Lovin' You May 14, 1970 Easy listening Troy L. Smith Every No. 1 song of the 1970s ranked from worst to best Cleveland.com 14 December 2021 30 January 2023 https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/2021/12/every-no-1-song-of-the-1970s-ranked-from-worst-to-best.html DeMain Bill Burt Bacharach Jones Dylan 1997 Ultra Lounge: The Lexicon of Easy Listening Universe Publishing New York 33 soft pop Nic Harcourt 2005 Music Lust Brothers and Sisters Sasquatch Books Seattle 29 1570614377 https://books.google.com/books?id=qwQNNY3MX54C *4 33 (LP) 3:40 (single) A&M * Burt Bacharach Hal David Jack Daugherty Ticket to Ride 1969 We've Only Just Begun 1970 Official audio M268Csnue9I "(They Long To Be) Close To You" "(They Long to Be) Close to You" is a song written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David. First recorded in 1963 by Richard Chamberlain, the song had its biggest success in 1970, in a version recorded by American duo the Carpenters for their second studio album Close to You and produced by Jack Daugherty. A soft pop ballad, the song expresses a woman's appreciation that her romantic partner symbolically attracts the attention of birds and falling stars. Released on May 14, 1970, the single of the Carpenters' version topped both the Billboard Hot 100 and Adult Contemporary charts and ranked no. 2 in the Billboard Year-End Hot 100 of 1970. Billboard, Cash Box, and Record World all offered positive reviews. It was also popular internationally, reaching the top of the Canadian and Australian charts and peaked at number six on the charts of both the UK and Ireland. The record was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in August 1970. Johnny Mathis and Andy Williams also recorded their own versions of "Close to You" later that year. In 1986, American R&B singer Gwen Guthrie recorded a cover of the song that reached no. 25 on the UK Singles Chart and no. 9 on the Recorded Music NZ chart. In later years, the Carpenters' version continued to attract interest, as a plot device in the 1989 film Parenthood and 2007 film The Simpsons Movie along with a 1991 episode of The Simpsons. The New York Times also wrote articles complimenting the song in 1995 and 2014. Composition With lyrics by Hal David and music by Burt Bacharach, "(They Long to Be) Close to You" is in the key of C major, with a time 4 4 time signature.https://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0129536 (They Long to Be) Close to You 3 February 2014 MusicNotes August 4, 2025 The lyrics are written from the perspective of a woman asking why birds, stars from the sky, and other women "long to be close to" her romantic partner.Close to You Lyrics http://www.metrolyrics.com/close-to-you-lyrics-the-carpenters.html MetroLyrics August 4, 2025 https://web.archive.org/web/20150110183313/http://www.metrolyrics.com/close-to-you-lyrics-the-carpenters.html January 10, 2015 dead Carpenters version thumb|right|upright|Karen and Richard Carpenter recorded the most successful version of the song. In 1970, "(They Long to Be) Close to You" was released by the Carpenters on their album Close to You (1970) and became their breakthrough hit. Believing the original title to be too long, Richard Carpenter added parentheses around "They Long to Be".Bronson Fred The Billboard Book of Number One Hits 2003 https://archive.org/details/billboardbookofn0000bron_f8a3 New York Billboard Books 278 9780823076772 Internet Archive registration Los Angeles station KHJ was the first U.S. radio station to play "Close to You", reported Record World on June 6, 1970.https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/70s/70/RW-1970-06-06.pdf Money Music Rudman Kal Record World 30 25 1199 June 6, 1970 August 4, 2025 World Radio History The song charted on the Billboard Hot 100 for 17 weeks, including four consecutive weeks at number one during July and August, becoming Carpenters' first top 10.https://www.billboard.com/artist/carpenters/ Carpenters Billboard October 31, 2024 It was also no. 2 in the Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1970.Top Records of 1970 TA-30 Billboard December 26, 1970 82 52 https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/70s/1970/Billboard-1970-12-26.pdf August 4, 2025 World Radio History In 2018, Billboard ranked "Close to You" the top single of the summer of 1970.https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/513524/summer-songs-1985-present-top-10-tunes-each-summer-listen Summer Songs 1958-2018: The Top 10 Tunes of Each Summer Billboard Staff June 6, 2018 Billboard https://web.archive.org/web/20191207223907/https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/513524/summer-songs-1985-present-top-10-tunes-each-summer-listen December 7, 2019 October 31, 2024 dead Additionally, the success of "Close to You" helped A&M Records set a new record for singles sales in 1970.https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1970/CB-1970-06-13.pdf A&M: Top Spurt In Singles Yet Cash Box 7 June 13, 1970 August 4, 2025 World Radio History 31 45 Bacharach and David gave Herb Alpert the song after he scored a number one hit in 1968 with "This Guy's in Love with You", which the duo had also written. Alpert recorded the song, but he was displeased with the recording and did not release it. After the Carpenters achieved their first entry on the Billboard Hot 100 chart with "Ticket to Ride" in 1969, Alpert approached them to record their version of the song, believing it was well-suited for them.Carpenters Close To You (Album 1970) Karen Carpenter http://leadsister.com/?page_id=1297 leadsister.com May 1, 2016 March 14, 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20230314183331/http://leadsister.com/?page_id=1297 dead "(They Long to Be) Close to You" earned the Carpenters a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Performance by a Duo, Group or Chorus in 1971. It became the first of three Grammy Awards they would win during their careers.https://www.grammy.com/artists/carpenters/8349 GRAMMY Award Results for Carpenters The Recording Academy May 20, 2019 The song was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on August 12, 1970. Reaching number six on the UK Singles Chart in 1970, in a UK television special on ITV in 2016 it was voted fourth in "The Nation's Favourite Carpenters Song".The Nation's Favourite Carpenters Song https://www.itv.com/hub/the-nations-favourite-carpenters-song/2a4042 25 May 2020 ITV 4 June 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20200604211116/https://www.itv.com/hub/the-nations-favourite-carpenters-song/2a4042 dead Arrangement Instrumental backing was provided by L.A. studio musicians from the Wrecking Crew.Kent Hartman 261–263 2012 The Wrecking Crew https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780312619749 registration St. Martin's Griffin 978-1-250-03046-7 Richard had originally written the flugelhorn solo part for Herb Alpert but when he was unavailable at the time of recording, Chuck Findley was hired in his stead. Richard later commented: "Chuck didn't play it that way at first, but I worked with him and he nailed it. A lot of people thought it was Herb – Bacharach thought so, too. But it's the way Findley is playing it."Randy L. Schmidt Yesterday Once More: The Carpenters Reader Chicago Review Press 2012 https://books.google.com/books?id=4oBhCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA303 303 9781613744147 The arrangement was completely different from the version Bacharach cut with Richard Chamberlain, with one exception. When Richard Carpenter asked Bacharach for permission (as a courtesy) to redo the song, Bacharach requested that he keep the two "quintuplets" (five note groupings) (piano ornaments) at the end of the first bridge. Bacharach recalled his initial reaction on hearing the finished product: "Man, this is just great! I completely blew it with Richard Chamberlain but now someone else has come along and made a record so much better than mine."Bacharach Burt Anyone Who Had a Heart HarperCollins 2013 978-0-06-220606-0 Reception Billboard highlighted "Close to You" in its "Spotlight Singles" section on May 30, 1970, commenting: "Performance is exceptional."https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/70s/1970/Billboard%201970-05-30.pdf Spotlight Singles Billboard 76 82 22 May 30, 1970 October 30, 2024 World Radio History The same day's edition of Record World also praised the song, rating it four out of four stars.https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/70s/70/RW-1970-05-30.pdf Single Reviews Record World May 30, 1970 6 25 1190 August 4, 2025 World Radio History Cash Box followed up naming "Close to You" among its "Picks of the Week" for June 13, 1970, calling the song "delightful" and asking: "Are Bacharach/David songs female vehicles, or do they just sound better in a feline framework?"https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1970/CB-1970-06-13.pdf Picks of the Week Cash Box 26 June 13, 1970 August 4, 2025 World Radio History 31 45 In a 1995 New York Times Magazine story about love songs released in summers, Stephan Talty described "Close to You" as a "hushed love song" that "[set] the tone for a generation's soft ballads" in 1970.Talty Stephen https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1995/08/13/issue.html?pageNumber=272 subscription The No. 1 Summer Song of Love The New York Times Magazine August 13, 1995 37 October 30, 2024 In 2014, Rob Hoerburger of The New York Times observed that the song "highlights both Karen's aching alto and Richard's deft piano playing and elegant Satie-like arrangement."Hoerburger Rob https://archive.nytimes.com/6thfloor.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/01/07/karen-carpenter-voice-of-a-lifetime/ Karen Carpenter: Voice of a Lifetime The New York Times January 7, 2014 October 30, 2024 Use in other media The song plays a key part throughout the animated television show The Simpsons, being used prominently during emotional moments between Homer and Marge Simpson over the course of the series. It is first used in the second season episode "The Way We Was", a flashback episode detailing how the couple met; Homer is first shown listening to the song in the car, and it later plays when he sees Marge for the first time in high school detention, and throughout the rest of the episode. It is also the tune of the doorbell that won't stop in the episode "Maximum Homerdrive". It later features in The Simpsons Movie (2007), as Homer tearfully watches a videotape left behind by Marge in Alaska containing the couple's first dance to the song, and subsequently collapses onto a broken heart-shaped iceberg in anguish.Brooks, James L.; Groening, Matt; Jean, Al; Scully, Mike; Silverman, David; Castellaneta, Dan; Smith, Yeardley 2007 Audio commentary DVD 20th Century Foxhttps://www.cbr.com/the-simpsons-homer-marge-the-carpenters/ The Simpsons: How Homer and Marge Connect a Carpenters Song Petrillo Noah Comic Book Resources June 20, 2023 August 4, 2025 The song is also featured in the 1989 film Parenthood sung by Nathan Huffner (Rick Moranis) in a scene at his wife's classroom.https://www.nytimes.com/1989/08/02/movies/review-film-problems-in-toto-of-being-parents.html Problems (In Toto) Of Being Parents Holden Stephen The New York Times August 2, 1989 August 4, 2025 C15 limited Personnel Karen Carpenter – lead and backing vocals Richard Carpenter – backing vocals, piano, Wurlitzer electronic piano, harpsichord,https://books.google.com/books?id=wyI4_Phue4IC&pg=PA1978 Yesterday Once More: The Carpenters Reader Randy L. Schmidt 13 August 2017 Chicago Review Press 9781613744178 13 August 2017 Google Books orchestration Joe Osborn – bass Hal Blaine – drums Chuck Findley – trumpet Bob Messenger – fluteMarch 2016 uncredited – vibraphone Chart performance Weekly charts Chart (1970)PeakpositionAustralia Go-Set Chart1Canada RPM Top Singleshttps://recherche-collection-search.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/home/record?IdNumber=2730&app=rpm Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada Collectionscanada.gc.ca 1970-08-15 2018-03-251Ireland2 6 (They Long to Be) Close to You July 11, 2017Dutch40 33 CarpentersDutch100 30 Carpenters (They Long To Be) Close To YouNew Zealand (Listener)https://www.flavourofnz.co.nz/index.php?qpageID=search+listener&qartistid=803#n_view_location Flavour of New Zealand - search listener Flavourofnz.co.nz May 24, 20269Quebec (ADISQ)https://web.archive.org/web/20151129063315/http://bibnum2.banq.qc.ca/bna/palmares/2010-Anglo-Allophone/Anglo-Compilation_succes_ordre_alpha_interpretes.pdf http://bibnum2.banq.qc.ca/bna/palmares/2010-Anglo-Allophone/Anglo-Compilation_succes_ordre_alpha_interpretes.pdf Palmarès de la chanson anglophone et allophone au Québec BAnQ 18 July 1970 22 June 2025 29 November 2015 fr dead3UKsinglesbyname 6 Carpenters (They Long To Be) Close To You September 21, 2017Billboardhot100 1 Carpenters September 21, 2017Billboardadultcontemporary 1 Carpenters September 21, 2017US Cash Box Top 100http://tropicalglen.com/Archives/70s_files/19700808.html Cash Box Top 100 8/08/70 Tropicalglen.com 1970-08-08 2016-10-03 https://web.archive.org/web/20150608162315/http://tropicalglen.com/Archives/70s_files/19700808.html 2015-06-08 dead 1US Cashbox Radio Active Airplay Singles1US Record World1 Year-end charts Chart (1970)RankAustraliahttp://www.austchartbook.com.au/ Australian Chart Book Austchartbook.com.au 2016-10-03 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20160305064644/http://www.austchartbook.com.au/ 2016-03-05 2Canadahttps://recherche-collection-search.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/home/record?IdNumber=2379&app=rpm Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada collectionscanada.gc.ca 17 July 20139U.S. Billboard Hot 100http://www.musicoutfitters.com/topsongs/1970.htm Top 100 Hits of 1970/Top 100 Songs of 1970 Musicoutfitters.com 2016-10-03 2018-07-28 https://web.archive.org/web/20180728100103/https://www.musicoutfitters.com/topsongs/1970.htm dead 2U.S. Cash Boxhttp://tropicalglen.com/Archives/70s_files/1970YESP.html Cash Box YE Pop Singles - 1970 Tropicalglen.com 1970-12-26 2016-10-03 https://web.archive.org/web/20190722145703/https://tropicalglen.com/Archives/70s_files/1970YESP.html 2019-07-22 dead 16 All-time charts Chart (1958–2018) PositionUS Billboard Hot 100https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100-60th-anniversary Billboard Hot 100 60th Anniversary Interactive Chart Billboard May 9, 2019255 Certifications Close to you Carpenters single 1970 Australia Gold https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1972/Cash-Box-1972-06-10.pdf Aussie Success Cash Box 33 33 51 June 10, 1972 American Radio History January 29, 2020 (They Long to Be) Close to You Carpenters single 2004 United Kingdom Gold 2024 16249-662-1 October 6, 2024 Close to you Carpenters single 1971 United States Gold 1970 January 29, 2020 RIAA-Certification-Gold true true Gwen Guthrie version (They Long to Be) Close to You single Gwen Guthrie Good to Go Lover September 13, 1986 R&B 5:33 Polydor Burt Bacharach, Hal David Gwen Guthrie, David Conley, Jerome Gasper Good to Go Lover 1986 Friends & Lovers 1987 In 1986, Gwen Guthrie released her version of the song, which could only partially build on the success of her hit "Ain't Nothin' Goin' On but the Rent". Compared to the original, this version is synthesizer-heavy and is adapted to the time. Music video In the music video, Gwen Guthrie sings the song on a stage while the crowd dances and papparazi crowd the stage.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRMYxp86mOU Gwen Guthrie - (They Long To Be) Close To You June 16, 2009 May 24, 2026 YouTube Track listing 12" maxi "(They Long to Be) Close to You" - 7:14 "You Touched My Life" - 5:07 "Save Your Love for Me" - 4:50 Charts Chart (1986–1987)PeakpositionUK Singles (OCC)https://www.chartsurfer.de/artist/gwen-guthrie/they-long-to-be-close-to-you-song_hvvnv.html (They Long To Be) Close To You von Gwen Guthrie Chartsurfer.de May 24, 202625New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)https://charts.nz/showitem.asp?interpret=Gwen+Guthrie&titel=(They+Long+To+Be)+Close+To+You&cat=s Gwen Guthrie - (They Long To Be) Close To You Steffen Hung Charts.nz May 24, 20269Ireland (IRMA)19US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)https://www.billboard.com/artist/gwen-guthrie/ Gwen Guthrie Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs) Billboard69 Other versions The song was first recorded by Richard Chamberlain and released as a single in 1963 as "They Long to Be Close to You" (without parentheses).https://swedishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Richard+Chamberlain&titel=They+Long+To+Be+Close+To+You&cat=s Richard Chamberlain – They Long To Be Close To You (Song) 1963 Hung Medien April 27, 2019 However, while the single's other side, "Blue Guitar", became a hit, "They Long to Be Close to You" did not.https://www.billboard.com/artist/richard-chamberlain/chart-history/hsi/ Hot 100 - Billboard Billboard 1963 April 27, 2019 https://www.billboard.com/artist/richard-chamberlain/chart-history/asi/ Adult Contemporary Chart - Billboard Billboard 1963 April 27, 2019 The tune was also recorded as a demo by Dionne Warwick in 1963, was re-recorded with a Burt Bacharach arrangement for her album Make Way for Dionne Warwick (1964), and was released as the B-side of her 1965 single "Here I Am". Dusty Springfield recorded the song in August 1964, but her version was not released commercially until it appeared on her album Where Am I Going? (1967). In 1970, Johnny Mathis recorded a version for his album Close to You.Album reviews https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/70s/70/RW-1970-09-19-A.pdf Record World September 19, 1970 August 4, 2025 World Radio History 10 25 1214 Also that year, Andy Williams recorded the song for his album The Andy Williams Show, not related to his television variety show of the same name.Ruhlmann William https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-andy-williams-show-mw0000860357 The Andy Williams Show AllMusic August 4, 2025 Bacharach released his own version in 1971.August 2025 Bobby Womack also covered this song in 1971. "Monologue / (They Long To Be) Close To You' was released in 1971 on his Communication album. The monologue on the intro of this song is Bobby's expression of frustration with the music industry.September 2025 A cover of the song was recorded by the Cranberries and released on the 2002 expended edition of the 1994 album No Need to Argue.No Need To Argue (The Complete Sessions 1994-1995) https://dn720702.ca.archive.org/0/items/cd_no-need-to-argue-the-complete-sessions-199_the-cranberries/cd_no-need-to-argue-the-complete-sessions-199_the-cranberries.pdf Archive.org 3 June 2026 In 2024, Lady Gaga included her rendition of the song on Harlequin, a companion album to the film Joker: Folie à Deux, released on September 27, 2024.Green Thomas H. Album: Lady Gaga - Harlequin https://theartsdesk.com/new-music/album-lady-gaga-harlequin The Arts Desk December 23, 2025 https://archive.today/20251217035947/https://theartsdesk.com/new-music/album-lady-gaga-harlequin December 17, 2025 September 28, 2024 In 2025, Kanye West sampled Stevie Wonder's talkbox rendition of "Close to You" for his song "White Lines" on his album Bully. The released version of "White Lines" in 2026 instead features André Troutman performing a talkbox interpolation of the song.https://variety.com/2025/music/news/kanye-west-album-bully-possibly-uncleared-samples-1236342896/ Kanye West's 'Bully' Is Loaded With (Possibly Uncleared) Samples and Covers: 'Close to You,' 'Can't Hurry Love,' Apparently a Verse From Playboi Carti, More Variety Jem Aswad March 19, 2026 April 12, 2026 References 30em External links M268Csnue9I "(They Long to Be) Close to You" "(They Long to Be) Close to You" lyrics at MetroLyrics Category:1963 songs Category:1960s ballads Category:1970 singles Category:1986 singles Category:A&M Records singles Category:Polydor Records singles Category:The Carpenters songs Category:Dionne Warwick songs Category:Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles Category:Cashbox number-one singles Category:Number-one singles in Australia Category:RPM Top Singles number-one singles Category:Songs with lyrics by Hal David Category:Songs with music by Burt Bacharach Category:Pop ballads Category:Rock ballads