From the recording Worth Giving
About “Closing Time”
This song was written in and copyrighted in 1997. Closing Time by Semisonic was
released March 10, 1998. The songs have the same title but are nothing alike.
In 1974 I lived in a small town in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, called Marinsco.
When I first moved there, there were 21 bars operating and there was a real
community bond with good neighbors and even the local law enforcement,
George Gerovac. I moved there when I was 21 years old. It was a great place to
be young. There were a lot of young people there at that time.
The young people spent a lot of time in bars after work as a social gathering
place. We played pool and darts and hung out. Sometimes we stayed until closing
time, when the night was wrapping up, to see who left with who and that sort of
nosy thing you do in a small town.
This is when I noticed older women who came in and drank alone for hours. Not
together, often only one at a time. They watched the door to see who came in and
who left. They looked around the bar sizing up who was left. They seemed lonely
and sad to me when I was 21. This song is dedicated to Mabel and Patty, the
women who inspired this song.
Track 10: Closing Time – lead guitar: Dennis Flink, acoustic guitar and vocals: Pauline Trabert
Lyrics
Closing Time
©1997 Pauline Trabert, All Rights Reserved
I've been sitting here drinking for hours talking to people I can hardly see
We've been solving all the world's problems and spending all of our money
My pile of cash is getting low, I’m nearly down to my last dime
Now it's getting very late, it's almost Closing Time
It's nigh on to Closing Time and there's nowhere else to go
Just home to that empty place that only lonely people know
Every body's heading out the door I was hoping I would find
Somebody looking for someone like me at Closing Time
The bell rings for last call and everybody starts slamming them down
Heading out the door I can hear those Harley's roaring back into town
And I was hoping to find someone special, being lonely is no crime
Now it's getting very late, it's almost Closing Time
It looks like no one else is alone here but me
Oh what I wouldn't give for some warm company
It's nigh on to Closing Time and there's nowhere else to go
Just home to that empty place that only lonely people know
Every body's heading out the door I was hoping I would find
Somebody looking for someone like me at Closing Time
It's nigh on to Closing Time and there's nowhere else to go
Just home to that empty place that only lonely people know
Every body's headed out the door I was hoping I would find
Somebody looking for someone like me at Closing Time
Are you looking for someone like me at Closing Time