So Close (Jon McLaughlin song)

"So Close" is a song written by composer Alan Menken and lyricist Stephen Schwartz for Walt Disney Pictures' Enchanted. Performed by Jon McLaughlin, the song was released on November 20, 2007 in the United States as part of the soundtrack for Enchanted.

The song is a contemporary ballad that contrasts in style to songs featured in earlier parts of the film like "True Love's Kiss", "Happy Working Song" and "That's How You Know", which are sung by characters in the film. Unlike these songs, which were written in part as a parody of classic Disney films, the song is "totally genuine" in tone as it is used to express the emotional journey that the main character Giselle undergoes. Also unlike the two other songs, it received negative reviews from critics. ^{[1] [2]}

The song was a nominee at the 80th Academy Awards in the Best Original Song category, in which "Happy Working Song" and "That's How You Know" were also nominated.

Composition

"So Close" is a "modern",^[2] "contemporary pop"^[2] ballad.

Reception

Critical reception towards "So Close", although for the most part taciturn, has been generally negative. However, some film critics, such as Betty Jo Tucker of ReelTalk Movie Reviews, vied for "So Close" to receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song, with Tucker commenting, "if 'So Close' doesn't win an Oscar nod I'll be extremely disappointed."^[3]

Filmtracks.com gave "So Close" a negative review, describing the song as "stale".^[2] Criticizing its slow tempo, the Houston Chronicle's Amy Biancolli wrote of "So Close", "musical nitpickers ... might wish that a climactic ballroom 'waltz' had actually been in three-four time."^[4]

Context

In the film, singer Jon McLaughlin performs the song as a band vocalist in the ballroom sequence where Giselle (Amy Adams) and Robert (Patrick Dempsey) dance the King's and Queen's waltz. The song itself is in 12/8 time, in the key of E major.

The song reflects both Robert and Giselle's feelings as they dance and realize they are falling in love. Visual aspects of the sequence mirror Belle and the Beast's dance in Beauty and the Beast to the title song.^[5]

The song was featured in Disney California Adventure Park's World of Color's family/romance sequence.

Versions

McLaughlin, who recorded the song for the film, also performed the song at the 80th Academy Awards ceremony in a recreation of the King's and Queen's Ball scene from the film, where the roles of Giselle, Robert, Prince Edward and Nancy Tremaine were portrayed by look-alike dancers.^[6]

The Russian version of "So Close" is entitled "Так Близко (Tak Blizko)" and is sung by Aleksandr Panaiotov.^[7]

John Barrowman covered the song on his self-titled album as a duet with Jodie Prenger. He dedicated the song to his niece Clare.

Daniel Boys has also covered "So Close" on his 2009 album, also titled So Close.

References