B-side "Everybody's Hero" | Released 1991 | |
Format 7" single, CD single (promo) Length 3:10 (edited version)4:00 (album version) Label Curb Records (under MCA) | ||
"Come a Little Closer" is a single by American country rock band The Desert Rose Band. The song was released as the second of two singles released in early 1991 from the band's first compilation album A Dozen Roses – Greatest Hits, the first being "Will This Be the Day".
Contents
Background
Continuing the band's commercial decline on the American and Canadian Country Singles Chart since the beginning of 1991, the single was the band's second single not to make the top 40 in America and Canada. "Will This Be the Day" peaked at number 65 on the American Billboard Hot Country Songs Chart and number 67 on the Canadian RPM Country Singles Chart in late July 1991. In Canada, the single debuted at number 99 in June 1991 and remained in the top 100 for a total of 10 weeks.
The song was written by the band's frontman Chris Hillman and frequent collaborator Steve Hill. It was produced by both Paul Worley and Ed Seay who had produced all five of the band's albums, except for late 1991's True Love, whilst only Worley produced the band's self-titled 1987 debut.
Release
The single was released in America and Canada only, via Curb Records (under MCA), on 7" vinyl and promotional CD. For the single's release, "Come a Little Closer"'s original four-minute-long album version was edited and cut by almost a minute, where the new version was dubbed "Edited Version" on both releases of the single.
Although the CD version of the single only included the one track, the 7" version of the single featured the Pages of Life album track "Everybody's Hero" as the B-Side, which was written by Hillman and Michael Woody.
The 7” vinyl single featured no artwork and was released in a plain sleeve, whilst the CD single came with a basic plain sleeve with only basic black text.
Promotion
No music video was created to promote the single, however a live performance of the song would later be professionally recorded in Aspecta, Kumamoto, Japan, on October 18, 1992.
Since appearing on YouTube in September 2009, the live performance video has gained approximately 17,000 views.
Track listing
- "Come a Little Closer" - 3:10
- "Everybody's Hero" - 3:17
- "Come a Little Closer" - 3:10
Critical reception
In a 1991 review of the album A Dozen Roses – Greatest Hits, the publication CD Review, Volume 7, Issues 7-12 (published by WGE Pub.), spoke of the song, stating ""Come a Little Closer" ranks as one of Hillman and Hill's best compositions. Crafty and commercial, the Desert Rose Band offers a seamless blend of country and rock styles..."
In a December 6, 1990 review of the compilation album, Randy Lewis for the Los Angeles Times stated ""Come a Little Closer," teeters too close to rock cliche for comfort, something this group avoids for the most part."
In a December 5, 1990 article based on the band, again written by Randy Lewis for the Los Angeles Times, the article spoke of the compilation album, stating "Two new songs introduced were driving rockers; one, "Come a Little Closer" and two, "Will This Be the Day"."
In a February 3, 1991, issue of Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, a review of the album described the track as a "country rock/reggae fusion tune."
In a January 25, 1991, issue of Fresno Bee, a review of the compilation album wrote "The best of the bunch on this collection are "Come a Little Closer" and "Price I Pay"."