Songfacts®:

• Ne-Yo told Artist Direct about this Euro-disco sounding track: "I spent a lot of time in Europe last year, and the first single on the album is definitely inspired by that. It's called 'Closer,' and it has a dance, trance-type feel to it. Pretty much all the music over in Europe is like that. They'll put that four-on-the-floor beat over 'Mary Had a Little Lamb,' if you let them [laughs]. You feel it. It's energy, and it's sexy. It's kind of dark, and I dig it. So I gave it a try. It's a little different for me, but not too much."
• The Norwegian production team Stargate produced this.
• This topped the UK chart after an eight week climb. It was the first single to reach #1 on the UK single chart as late as eight weeks into its chart career since "Heartbeat/Tragedy" by Steps hit the top in January 1999 on its eighth week on sale.
• Ne-Yo explained the inspiration behind this track to The Boston Globe September 18, 2008: "I knew I wanted to do something that was very much U.K.-inspired, very much along the lines of house, trance, techno, but I knew I couldn't do a straight-up house record or a straight-up techno record. I had to do something that had elements of it but still had elements of R&B, which is my base, and that's exactly what that track was. (Stargate) played the track, and it was exactly where I wanted to go, anyway. I think that's why we work. We're getting to the point where we finish each other's sentences musically."