Album: Closer Than Close

1995: Symbolic Beginning ◄

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► 1995: Child Of The Sun

Closer Than Close

Album details Released: 13 June 1995 Length: 65:41 - US version 72:03 - international version 73:57 - Japanese version Label(s): Motown Records Studio(s): Paisley Park Studios, Chanhassen, MN, USA Charts, Certifications & Awards Charts America Country: Chart Entry Date Peak Position Weeks in Chart USA: Billboard R&B Chart 1 Jul. 1995 99 1 Certifications This album has not received any certifications in the USA Awards This album has not received any awards in the USA Singles released Of the singles released from this album, only the one with a Prince contribution is listed below: I Want U b/w I Want U (Earth Mama Version) See also Concrete Jungle

Closer Than Close is the second studio album by Rosie Gaines (after Caring released in 1985); her first since leaving the New Power Generation. It features two songs with writing and musical input by Prince, I Want U, and My Tender Heart. And a cover of Turn Your Lights Down Low with Prince input. The US version contained a different tracklist than the rest of the world, and contained two versions of I Want U: I Want U (Purple Version) (included internationally) and I Want U (Inner City Blues) (Earth Mama Version) (otherwise included only in Japan). Recording process Work on a solo Rosie Gaines album began while she was still a member of the New Power Generation band, in 1990 (I Want U was first recorded in late 1989, before work on the album commenced). Work continued until September 1991, when she and Prince fell out regarding her solo career. She was contracted to Paisley Park Records, however, and continued to work on the album without Prince following her departure from the band (after the Diamonds And Pearls Tour). The album became known as Concrete Jungle. After Paisley Park Records closed, she worked on the album further, renamed it Closer Than Close and took it to Motown Records. One version of Concrete Jungle was released as a digital download in 2010; see that album's listing for details. Other tracks containing input by Prince which were recorded for potential inclusion on the album included Streetwalker, In The Name Of Love (both of which remain unreleased), Hold Me (later released by Jevetta Steele, Pain (later released by Chaka Khan) and Hit U In The Socket (later released by the NPG Music Club). Additionally, Turn Your Lights Down Low (a cover version of the Bob Marley track from Exodus, 1977) was originally recorded with musical contributions by Prince, before being re-recorded without Prince input and released on the album albeit some of his background vocals were kept. It is worth noting also that the versions of I Want U (Inner City Blue) and My Tender Heart released in 2010 on Concrete Jungle are earlier versions of the recordings of the tracks than those included on Closer Than Close. Promotion The album did not enter the US Billboard Pop Chart, and reached only number 99 on the Billboard R&B Chart. The album produced two singles : I Want U and Are Your Ready. I Want U reached number 90 on the US Billboard R&B Chart and number 28 on the Billboard Hot Dance Music - Club Play Chart. Are You Ready did not chart. The song Closer Than Close was remixed and released in 1997 by Bigbang Records and became a club hit. Track listing CD Digital (20th Anniversary Edition version) (International Edition) I Want U (Purple Version) (3:36) 1 Are You Ready Closer Than Close Googaga Ooh La La Turn Your Lights Down Low (4:29) 2 My Tender Heart (5:10) 1 I Almost Lost You Slowman Can U Handle It Concrete Jungle Get The Ghetto Off Your Mind December 25th Bubbly World Do What You Wanna Do CD (US Edition) I Want U (Inner City Blues) (Earth Mama Version) (6:34) 3 Are You Ready Closer Than Close Googaga Turn Your Lights Down Low (4:29) 2 My Tender Heart (5:10) 1 I Almost Lost You Slowman Can U Handle It Concrete Jungle Get The Ghetto Off Your Mind December 25th I Want U (Purple Version) (3:36) 1 CD (Japanese version) I Want U (Inner City Blues) (Earth Mama Version) (6:34) 3 Are You Ready Closer Than Close Googaga Turn Your Lights Down Low (4:29) 2 My Tender Heart (5:10) 1 I Almost Lost You Slowman Can U Handle It Concrete Jungle Get The Ghetto Off Your Mind December 25th I Want U (Purple Version) (3:36) 1 Bubbly World Do What You Wanna Do I Want U (Inner City Blue) (Earth Mama Version) (6:34) 3 Are You Ready Closer Than Close Googaga (Making It Up As We Go Along) Ooh La La Turn Your Lights Down Low (4:29) 2 My Tender Heart (5:10) 1 I Almost Lost You Slowman Can You Handle It Concrete Jungle Get The Ghetto Off Your Mind December 25th Bubbly World Do What U Wanna Do Closer Than Close (Mentor Remake) I Want U (Purple Version) (3:36) 1 Are You Ready (Chickhaboom Version) Closer Than Close (Daydreams of You Version) Swing Hard Poor Little Girlie I Want U (Paisley Version) (3:51) 1 My Tender Love (My Tender Heart Demo) (5:05) 1 December 25th (Alternate Version) Slowman (Alternate Version) Turn Your Lights Down Low (Alternate Version) (4:30) 2 Closer Than Close (Instrumental) A Song for You (Live In Switzerland) Get The Ghetto Off Your Mind (Live In Switzerland) Are You Ready (Live In Switzerland) Independent Woman (Live In Switzerland) I Almost Lost You (Live In Switzerland) 1 Written by Prince and Rosie Gaines 2 written by Bob Marley 3 Written by Rosie Gaines and Prince. Contains segments of I Want You (written by Leon Ware and Arthur "T-Boy" Ross) and Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) (written by Marvin Gaye & James Nyx, Jr.) Personnel Musicians Rosie Gaines - vocals, keyboards; background vocals on I Want U,My Tender Heart and Turn Your Lights Down Low James Behringer - lead guitar on I Want U (Purple Version) Levi Seacer, Jr. - guitar on I Want U (Purple Version) Ricky Peterson - synth bass, organ & keyboards Kirk Johnson - percussion & drum programming on I Want U (Purple Version) Eric Leeds - saxophone on I Want U (Purple Version) Matt "Atlanta Bliss" Blistan - trumpet on I Want U (Purple Version) Tommy Barbarella - keyboards on I Want U (Purple Version) Paul Peterson - bass on I Want U (Purple Version) Michael Bland - drums on I Want U (Purple Version) Michael Barry - guitar on My Tender Heart The Steeles - background vocals on My Tender Heart Prince - background vocals on My Tender Heart (as ) and on Turn Your Lights Down Low (uncredited) Steve Klong - Drums on Turn Your Lights Down Low Paulinho Da Costa - Percussion on Turn Your Lights Down Low Billy Franze - Guitar on Turn Your Lights Down Low Kathy Jensen - Baritone Saxophone on Turn Your Lights Down Low Brian Gallagher - Tenor Saxophone on Turn Your Lights Down Low Michael B. Nelson - Trombone on Turn Your Lights Down Low Dave Jensen - Trumpet on Turn Your Lights Down Low Steve Strand - Trumpet on Turn Your Lights Down Low Richard Patterson - Bass on I Want U (Inner City Blues) (Earth Mama Version) Ivan Dupee - Keyboards on I Want U (Inner City Blues) (Earth Mama Version) C. Willis - Guitar on I Want U (Inner City Blues) (Earth Mama Version) Alejo Poveda - Percussion on I Want U (Inner City Blues) (Earth Mama Version) Production Steve McKeever - Executive Producer Ricky Peterson - producer Sonny Mediana - art direction, additional photography James R. Minchin III - cover photography Donald Graham - additional photography Rudy Calvo - make-up Lynn Bugai - stylist Tom Tucker - engineer Lee Blaske - string arrangements on My Tender Heart Thanks Information to follow

Releases
LP, CD, Cassettes and Other versions
Country Format Cat. Number Comments Front Back Label 1 Label 2 America GER CD 530 578-2 link=File:LabelA}}} link=File:LabelB}}} Variants, Special Editions and Reissues Country Format Cat. Number Comments Front Back Label 1 Label 2 None

Additional Information Promotion (at time of release) Trivia Information needed. A remix of the title track "Closer Than Close" by DJ Hippie Torrales and Mark Mendoza was released by Bigbang Records two years after the release of the album. This remix became a hit (#4 in the UK Singles Chart and #6 in the US Hot Dance Club Play) has sold over 8 million copies and earned Rosie Gaines a MOBO Award for Best International Single in 1997. References The Vault: The Definitive Guide to the Musical World of Prince (2004) Closer Than Close (song) Wikipedia page Charts: UK Charts www.chartstats.com, Hot Dance/Disco 1974-2003 by Joel Withburn. (ISBN 0-89820-156-X)

1995 Symbolic Beginning

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1995 Child Of The Sun