"Closing Time" Quotes

Context

This line is from the song "Closing Time" by Semisonic from the album Feeling Strangely Fine (1998).

From the video and the lyrics, you'd think the line was about romance—lovers passing in the night. Maybe. Dan Wilson, the band's singer, says it's about being born: "A lot of people think it's about being bounced from a bar but it's about being bounced from the womb." His daughter was born extremely premature and, after a year in the hospital, she was ready to go home… take me home, Dad.

But for some reason (songs about babies aren't sexy enough?), he also said the song was about "seeing someone in a crowded room." The place is closing down, "and you have now seven minutes left to meet this person or you'll never see her again…."

So why limit ourselves to one story or the other? Pick whichever one appeals to you more and go with that. If the songwriter can do it, so can you.

Where you've heard it

You'll hear this outside shopping malls, nightclubs, and concert halls. Guys standing on the corner as untouchable ladies in Audis and BMWs drive by. Those dudes know who they want to take them home.

Additional Notable References:

• Some history behind the song.
• A parody of Target stores closing in Canada.

Pretentious Factor

If you were to drop this quote at a dinner party, would you get an in-unison "awww" or would everyone roll their eyes and never invite you back? Here it is, on a scale of 1-10.

Your date stormed off hours ago and you've got no ride. The host offers to take you home and you accept 'cause it's better than walking 10 miles in the dark. But you know who you really want to take you home. You wish your good-for-nothin' date would come back to get you. Wah.