"So Close" is a song by American singer

Diana Ross Diana Ross (born Diane Ernestine Earle Ross March 26, 1944) is an American singer and actress. Known as the "Queen of Motown Records", she was the lead singer of the vocal group the Supremes, who became Motown#Major divisions, Motown's most suc ...

from her thirteenth studio album ''

Silk Electric ''Silk Electric'' is the thirteenth studio album by American R&B singer Diana Ross, released on September 10, 1982, by RCA Records. It was Ross' second of six albums released by the label during the decade. It reached No. 27 on the US ''Billbo ...

'' (1982). The song was written by

Bill Wray William York Wray (born March 24, 1956) is an American cartoonist, animator and landscape painter widely known for his contributions to '' Mad'' and ''The Ren & Stimpy Show'',

Rob Mounsey Rob Mounsey (born December 2, 1952) is an American musician, composer, and arranger. Music career Mounsey was born in Berea, Ohio, and grew up in Seattle, Washington, spending a few years each in Findlay and Granville, Ohio. At the age of 17, ...

and Diana Ross and produced by the latter. The song was released as the album's second single on January 7, 1983 by

RCA Records RCA Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Group Corporation. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside Columbia Records (its former longtime rival), Arista Records and Epic R ...

(US) and

Capitol Records Capitol Records, LLC (known legally as Capitol Records, Inc. until 2007), and simply known as Capitol, is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group through its Capitol Music Group imprint. It was founded as the first West Coast-base ...

(internationally). In the US, for release on the single, the song was remixed by

Richard Perry Richard Van Perry (June 18, 1942 – December 24, 2024) was an American record producer. He began his musical career as a performer while attending Poly Prep, his high school in Brooklyn. After graduating from college he rose through the late ...

, with whom the singer had previously worked on the album ''

Baby It's Me ''Baby It's Me'' is the eighth studio album by American singer Diana Ross, released on September 16, 1977, by Motown Records. It peaked at No. 18 on the ''Billboard'' Top 200 and No. 7 on the R&B album chart. The album was produced by producer R ...

'' (1977). The song reached the top 40 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, becoming Ross' 23rd solo hit in the Top 40, also charting at number 76 on the Hot Black Singles chart.

Critical reception

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...

called the song one of the best on the album. ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...

'' magazine wrote that the song evokes nostalgia for the 1950s. Daniela Soave of ''

Record Mirror ''Record Mirror'' was a British weekly music newspaper published between 1954 and 1991, aimed at pop fans and record collectors. Launched two years after ''New Musical Express'', it never attained the circulation of its rival. The first UK Album ...

'' also called the track "nostalgic" with a "sugar coating", but not at all suitable for Ross, and also advised the singer to forget about producing. '' Cashbox'' magazine noted supremely synthesized R&B. Don Shewey from ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known fo ...

'' highlighted the track against the background of the entire superficial album, noting the "snazzy vocals arranged by

Luther Vandross Luther Ronzoni Vandross Jr. (April 20, 1951 – July 1, 2005) was an American Soul music, soul and Contemporary R&B, R&B singer, songwriter, and record producer. Over his career, he achieved eleven consecutive RIAA certification, RIAA-certified ...

Track listing

; 7" single (US) : A. "So Close" – 3:48 : B. "Fool for Your Love" (Bill Wray,

Ray Chew Ray Chew (born 7 September 1958) is an American musician who plays keyboards and is a contemporary and orchestral arranger. He has been the music director of ABC's ''Dancing with the Stars'' since 2014. Biography Chew grew up in the Grant Hous ...

, Diana Ross) – 3:47 ; 7" single (World) : A. "So Close" – 4:12 : B. "Fool for Your Love" – 3:47

Personnel

* Diana Ross – vocals, production *

– arrangements, keyboards *

– backing vocals, background vocal arrangements *

Tawatha Agee Tawatha Agee (born November 14, 1954) is an American vocalist and songwriter. Her voice has been described in ''The New York Times'' as an "acrobatic, gospel-charged soprano." She was the lead singer of funk and soul band Mtume; her soulful lead ...

– backing vocals *

Cissy Houston Emily Drinkard (September 30, 1933 – October 7, 2024), known professionally as Cissy Houston, was an American soul and gospel singer. Born in Newark, New Jersey, Houston began singing with three of her siblings in the family gospel group, T ...

– backing vocals * Paulette McWilliams – backing vocals *

Neil Jason Neil Jason, is an American musician, songwriter, producer and composer. In a career spanning more than 40 years, he has worked with some of the biggest recording artists, including John Lennon, Billy Joel, Roxy Music, Mick Jagger, Pete Townshend, ...

– bass *

Yogi Horton Lawrence "Yogi" Horton (October 1, 1953June 8, 1987) was an American R&B, funk, jazz and rock drummer. Horton worked and recorded as a session and touring drummer with a wide variety of musicians such as Aretha Franklin, Luther Vandross, John Le ...

– drums *

Eric Gale Eric Gale (September 20, 1938 – May 25, 1994) was an American jazz and jazz fusion guitarist. Biography Eric Gale was born in Bedford–Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, New York. His grandfather was English, and Gale had relatives in Venezuela and Bar ...

– guitar * Jeff Mironov – guitar * Steve Goldstein – synthesizers Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes.

Charts

References

External links

* {{Authority control 1982 songs 1983 singles Diana Ross songs Songs written by Bill Wray (composer) RCA Records singles Capitol Records singles