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

Closer Than Close is the third studio album by Rosie Gaines; 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).

The album did not enter the US Billboard Pop Chart, and reached only number 99 on the Billboard R&B Chart.

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.

Track listing

Details given for Prince-related tracks only:

CD

US version:

1. I Want U (Inner City Blues) (Earth Mama Version) (6:34) *
2. Are You Ready
3. Closer Than Close
4. Googaga
5. Turn Your Lights Down Low
6. My Tender Heart (5:10) *
7. I Almost Lost You
8. Slowman
9. Can U Handle It
10. Concrete Jungle
11. Get The Ghetto Off Your Mind
12. December 25th
13. I Want U (Purple Version) (3:36) *

* Written by Rosie Gaines and Prince.

International version

1. I Want U (Purple Version) (3:36) *
2. Are You Ready
3. Closer Than Close
4. Googaga
5. Ooh La La
6. Turn Your Lights Down Low
7. My Tender Heart (5:10) *
8. I Almost Lost You
9. Slowman
10. Can U Handle It
11. Concrete Jungle
12. Get The Ghetto Off Your Mind
13. December 25th
14. Bubbly World
15. Do What You Wanna Do

Japanese version

1. I Want U (Inner City Blues) (Earth Mama Version) (6:34) *
2. Are You Ready
3. Closer Than Close
4. Googaga
5. Turn Your Lights Down Low
6. My Tender Heart (5:10) *
7. I Almost Lost You
8. Slowman
9. Can U Handle It
10. Concrete Jungle
11. Get The Ghetto Off Your Mind
12. December 25th
13. I Want U (Purple Version) (3:36)*
14. Bubbly World
15. Do What You Wanna Do

20 Anniversary Edition version

1. I Want U (Inner City Blue) (Earth Mama Version) (6:34) *
2. Are You Ready
3. Closer Than Close
4. Googaga (Making It Up As We Go Along)
5. Ooh La La
6. Turn Your Lights Down Low (4:29)
7. My Tender Heart (5:10) *
8. I Almost Lost You
9. Slowman
10. Can You Handle It
11. Concrete Jungle
12. Get The Ghetto Off Your Mind
13. December 25th
14. Bubbly World
15. Do What U Wanna Do
16. Closer Than Close (Mentor Remake)
17. I Want U (Purple Version) (3:36)
18. Are You Ready (Chickhaboom Version)
19. Closer Than Close (Daydreams of You Version)
20. Swing Hard
21. Poor Little Girlie
22. I Want U (Paisley Version) (3:51) *
23. My Tender Love (My Tender Heart Demo) (5:05) *
24. December 25th (Alternate Version)
25. Slowman (Alternate Version)
26. Turn Your Lights Down Low (Alternate Version) (4:30)
27. Closer Than Close (Instrumental)
28. A Song for You (Live In Switzerland)
29. Get The Ghetto Off Your Mind (Live In Switzerland)
30. Are You Ready (Live In Switzerland)
31. Independent Woman (Live In Switzerland)
32. I Almost Lost You (Live In Switzerland)

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.

Singles released

• I Want U
• Are You Ready?
• Closer Than Close

Charts

Chart, Country	Entry Date	Peak Position	Weeks In Chart
Billboard R&B Chart, USA	1 Jul. 1995	99	1

Releases

Country	Format	Cat. Number	Comments	Front	Back	Label1	Label2
GER	CD	530 578-2

Variants, special editions and re-releases

• See tracklists above for international versions.

Album promotion

Time-of-release

• Information needed.

Awards, nominations, and certifications

• Information needed.

Quotations and trivia

• None.

References

• The Vault: The Definitive Guide to the Musical World of Prince (2004)

1995 Symbolic Beginning

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1995 Child Of The Sun