One Hit Wonders – Closing Time by Semisonic

“Closing Time” is a song by American rock band Semisonic. It was released in March 1998 as the lead single from their second studio album Feeling Strangely Fine. Their signature song, it was written by Dan Wilson and produced by Nick Launay. The single reached number one on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart and the top 50 in Australia, Ireland, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. It is certified silver in the latter country and was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Rock Song in 1999.

“Closing time
Time for you to go out go out into the world.
Closing time
Turn the lights up over every boy and every girl.
Closing time
One last call for alcohol so finish your whiskey or beer.
Closing time
You don’t have to go home but you can’t stay here.”

While the song is about people leaving a bar at closing time (also called last call), and widely interpreted as such, drummer Jacob Slichter has also indicated that the song was written by Wilson “in anticipation of fatherhood” and that it is about “being sent forth from the womb as if by a bouncer clearing out a bar.”

Listen to the one hit wonder here.

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