359:
argues that the friendship between Ray and
Saliers, and the melody/counter-melody singing it gives rise to, gives the song "extremely high singalong potential". Saliers agreed with the idea an interview, commenting that "it's got a very easy melody and really easy chorus, and the chorus repeats".
369:. It was played on three occasions in the film, first as the song that plays when the titular character takes a road trip to leave Barbieland for the real world. It also appears in the trailer. Reviewers noted that the song was an anomaly among tracks by contemporary pop stars such as
244:, Saliers said she felt that the song advised making life a little better by seeking small pieces of knowledge from a wide variety of sources, instead of looking for a universal truth in one place.
240:
The song does not directly answer the question of meaning, instead advising to take life less seriously – one lyric reads "it's only life, after all". In an interview with
870:
222:
introspectively and in the wider world. The verses of the song, which are sung over four chords, build to the chorus, louder and resting an octave higher:
381:
covered the song with backup vocals from her wife in the film's accompanying soundtrack, although the original is the version that appears in the movie.
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ranked it 15th on its list of the 50 best tracks of 1989. Billboard ranked it 17th on its list of the 65 best
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363:"Closer to Fine" experienced a resurgence in popularity when it was featured on the 2023 film
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196:"Closer to Fine" is written by Emily Saliers, half of the Indigo Girls duo. Both Saliers and
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501:"Why is everyone suddenly listening to a staple of my angsty adolesence?"
182:. "Closer to Fine" was reviewed favorably, and appeared in the 2023 film
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Sullivan, Steve (2013). "Closer to Fine (1989)—Indigo Girls".
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as "slightly inscrutable", center around the search for
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Live with the
University of Colorado Symphony Orchestra
403:"Three songs for the perfect summer road trip playlist"
470:"How the Indigo Girls brought Barbie 'Closer to Fine'"
377:, but spoke positively to its placement in the movie.
339:
Reception for "Closer to Fine" was positive. In 2016,
349:
anthems. Reviewers have hailed "Closer to Fine" as a
228:
I looked to the children, I drank from the fountains
401:Thompson, Stephen; Lorusso, Maria (June 19, 2023).
563:"Indigo Girls Chart History (Alternative Airplay)"
234:And the less I seek my source for some definitive,
545:"Indigo Girls Chart History (Adult Contemporary)"
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427:
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230:There's more than one answer to these questions
581:"Indigo Girls Chart History (Mainstream Rock)"
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434:Encyclopedia of Great Popular Song Recordings
226:I went to the doctor, I went to the mountains
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166:, an American songwriting duo consisting of
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204:and sing on this track, giving the song a
174:. The single, released in 1989 from their
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212:. The lyrics, termed by Trish Bendix of
254:Chart performance for "Closer to Fine"
1063:Song recordings produced by Scott Litt
1035:
600:"NME's best albums and tracks of 1989"
527:"Indigo Girls Chart History (Hot 100)"
467:
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396:
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628:"65 top LGBTQ+ anthems of all time"
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499:Polgreen, Lydia (August 8, 2023).
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843:4.5: The Best of the Indigo Girls
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864:Staring Down the Brilliant Dream
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468:Bendix, Trish (July 24, 2023).
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232:Pointing me in a crooked line.
200:, the other band member, play
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1:
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903:I Don't Wanna Talk About It
790:Poseidon and the Bitter Bug
16:1989 single by Indigo Girls
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783:Despite Our Differences
353:song: Maria Lorusso of
836:Back on the Bus, Y'all
176:eponymous second album
162:" is a folk single by
1058:Lesbian-related songs
977:Didn't It Feel Kinder
734:Nomads Indians Saints
408:All Things Considered
356:All Things Considered
236:Closer I am to fine.
1048:Epic Records singles
1005:If It All Goes South
146:"Hammer and a Nail"
804:Beauty Queen Sister
303:Alternative Airplay
255:
1053:Indigo Girls songs
1019:Murmuration Nation
924:Dear Mr. President
776:All That We Let In
762:Come On Now Social
755:Shaming of the Sun
608:. October 10, 2016
506:The New York Times
475:The New York Times
285:Adult Contemporary
253:
242:The New York Times
215:The New York Times
123:singles chronology
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935:What Are You Like
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132:"Land of Canaan"
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741:Rites of Passage
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440:. p. 247.
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220:meaning in life
202:acoustic guitar
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180:meaning in life
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55:"History of Us"
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38:from the album
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636:. June 2, 2023
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748:Swamp Ophelia
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712:Studio albums
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702:Emily Saliers
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259:Chart (1989)
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210:countermelody
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172:Emily Saliers
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100:Emily Saliers
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94:Songwriter(s)
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1043:1989 singles
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1013:Saliers solo
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984:Lung of Love
982:
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917:Shame on You
910:Power of Two
888:
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850:1200 Curfews
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828:Other albums
816:
811:One Lost Day
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727:Indigo Girls
725:
720:Strange Fire
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683:Indigo Girls
638:. Retrieved
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610:. Retrieved
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164:Indigo Girls
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121:Indigo Girls
41:Indigo Girls
39:
32:Indigo Girls
192:Composition
108:Producer(s)
1037:Categories
769:Become You
640:August 30,
612:August 30,
512:August 31,
481:August 31,
414:August 31,
385:References
114:Scott Litt
818:Look Long
633:Billboard
586:Billboard
568:Billboard
550:Billboard
532:Billboard
351:road trip
326:Billboard
308:Billboard
290:Billboard
272:Billboard
264:position
248:Reception
957:Ray solo
926:" (with
857:Rarities
371:Dua Lipa
60:Released
896:Galileo
881:Singles
695:Amy Ray
274:Hot 100
198:Amy Ray
168:Amy Ray
148:(1990)
143:(1989)
134:(1989)
998:Holler
444:
366:Barbie
208:and a
206:melody
185:Barbie
50:B-side
28:Single
375:Lizzo
347:LGBTQ
81:Label
69:Genre
970:Prom
963:Stag
928:Pink
642:2023
614:2023
514:2023
483:2023
442:ISBN
416:2023
373:and
262:Peak
170:and
86:Epic
74:Folk
63:1989
605:NME
589:.
571:.
553:.
535:.
342:NME
332:48
319:US
314:26
301:US
296:48
283:US
278:52
269:US
30:by
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