Songfacts®:

• "Closing Time in California" is a country ballad where Luke Bryan delves into the bittersweet realities of a long-distance relationship. He details the isolation and yearning of a small-town man whose romantic partner is pursuing dreams out west in Los Angeles. They battle to keep the relationship together amid the challenges of time zones and physical separation.
• Luke Bryan, known for his deep, smooth vocals, experiments a bit in this track. He steps into falsetto territory, something he hasn't done much before.
  
  "I knew it was an opportunity to show that I had that in my bag, in my arsenal," Bryan told Billboard. "We've heard the story [in this song] a million times—a small-town girl moves to Hollywood and there's always that love interest that gets left behind. But you can feel the pain of all of that in the song, and the first time I heard it, I knew it was special."
• John Byron, Mark Holman, Hillary Lindsey and Chase McGill wrote the song.
  
  John Byron is one of Morgan Wallen's go-to collaborators - he co-penned nine tracks on the country star's huge-selling One Thing at a Time album, including the smash hit "Last Night."
  
  Mark Holman's other songwriting credits include Cole Swindell's "Single Saturday Night" and Morgan Wallen's "Don't Think Jesus."
  
  Hillary Lindsey is a two-time Grammy Award winner for Best Country Song, once for Carrie Underwood's "Jesus, Take The Wheel" and again for Little Big Town's "Girl Crush." She's also written #1 hits for Tim McGraw and Lady A. Her talent extends beyond country music. She's also collaborated with pop stars like Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, and Shakira.
  
  Hailing from the small town of Columbus, Mississippi, Chase McGill signed his first publishing deal with Universal Music Publishing Group in December 2012. A wide range of artists have recorded his songs, including Kane Brown ("Lose It") and Cole Swindell ("Break Up In The End"). He's co-penned several of Bryan's hit singles, including "Sunrise, Sunburn, Sunset" and "Waves."
• Jeff Stevens and Jody Stevens produced "Closing Time in California." They are a father-son production duo known for their work in country music. Jeff Stevens has produced for Luke Bryan since the country star's debut album, I'll Stay Me,, and in 2015, Jody Stevens joined his father as co-producer on Bryan's Kill the Lights album.