Closer to Free

"Closer to Free"
Single by BoDeans
from the album Go Slow Down
Released	1993
Length	3:09
Label	Slash Reprise
Songwriter(s)	Kurt Neumann Sam Llanas
Producer(s)	T-Bone Burnett
BoDeans singles chronology
"Feed the Fire" (1993) "Closer to Free" (1993) "Hurt by Love" (1996)

"Closer to Free" is a 1993 song by American rock band BoDeans featured on their fifth studio album, Go Slow Down. It is the band's biggest hit,^[1] peaking at number 16 on the US Billboard Hot 100, number 11 in Australia, and number one in Canada after its re-release in 1996. It was featured as the theme of the TV series Party of Five.

Track listings

US 7-inch, CD, and cassette single (1995, 1996)^[2][3][4]

1. "Closer to Free" (studio album version) – 3:09
2. "Closer to Free" (live album version) – 3:54

Australian CD single (1994)^[5]

1. "Closer to Free"
2. "Texas Ride Song"
3. "Idaho"

European and Australian CD single (1996)^[6]

1. "Closer to Free"
2. "She's a Runaway"
3. "Don't Be Lonely"

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1996) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[7] 11 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[8] 1 Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[9] 16 US Billboard Hot 100[10] 16 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[11] 31 US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)[12] 3 US Top 40/Mainstream (Billboard)[13] 6

Year-end charts Chart (1996) Position Australia (ARIA)[14] 85 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[15] 35 US Billboard Hot 100[16] 67 US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)[17] 23 US Top 40/Mainstream (Billboard)[18] 26

In popular culture

"Closer to Free" was featured as the theme of the TV series Party of Five^[19] and was featured on the show's accompanying soundtrack. The song was also played in the 1994 film Milk Money and during the opening credits of the 1995 film Heavyweights.

References

1. Atashian, John (September 19, 2018). "Concert Connection: BoDeans coming to Infinity Hall Hartford". The Middletown Press.
2. Closer to Free (US 7-inch single vinyl disc). BoDeans. Slash Records, Reprise Records. 1995. 7-17674.
3. Closer to Free (US CD single disc notes). BoDeans. Slash Records, Reprise Records. 1996. 9 17674-2, 2-17674.
4. Closer to Free (US cassette single sleeve). BoDeans. Slash Records, Reprise Records. 1996. 9 17674-4.
5. Closer to Free (Australian CD single liner notes). BoDeans. Slash Records, Liberation Records. 1994. D11560.
6. Closer to Free (European & Australian CD single liner notes). BoDeans. Slash Records, London Records, Polydor Records (Australia). 1996. 850 655-2.
7. "BoDeans – Closer to Free". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
8. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 2969." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
9. "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 2964." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
10. "Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. May 4, 1996. Retrieved October 21, 2023.
11. "Adult Contemporary". Billboard. March 2, 1996. Retrieved October 21, 2023.
12. "Adult Pop Airplay". Billboard. May 4, 1996. Retrieved October 21, 2023.
13. "Pop Airplay". Billboard. April 27, 1996. Retrieved October 21, 2023.
14. "The ARIA Australian Top 100 Singles 1996". ARIA. Archived from the original on November 2, 2015. Retrieved January 13, 2019 – via Imgur.
15. "RPM Year End Top 100 Hit Tracks". RPM. Retrieved November 25, 2018 – via Library and Archives Canada.
16. "Billboard Top 100 – 1996". Billboardtop100of.com. Retrieved February 25, 2021.
17. "The Year in Music: Hot Adult Top 40 Singles & Tracks". Billboard. Vol. 108, no. 52. December 28, 1996. p. YE-86.
18. "Airplay Monitor Best of '96: Top 40/Mainstream Titles". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 4, no. 53. December 27, 1996. p. 30.
19. "50 TV Theme Songs That Made the Billboard Charts: Listen". Billboard.