Classic of the week (4): Too close

http://hitparade.ch/cdimg/next-too_close_s.jpg

Next: Too close (1997)

01 NZ

01 US

08 Holland

12 Australia

24 UK

39 Sweden

44 Belgium

44 Germany

46 Switzerland

Too Close is a song that was originally performed by R&B vocal group Next. It was released in 1998 as the second single from their album Rated Next. The song was written by producers Kay Gee and Darren Lighty along with Next group members. It samples "Christmas Rappin'" by J.B. Moore and Robert Ford Jr. (performed by Kurtis Blow). The song became Next's first top ten single and reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in April. It spent five non-consecutive weeks at the top of the chart and was ranked as the number-one single by Billboard magazine in its year-end survey. The song also reached number one in New Zealand. The video was directed by Bille Woodruff. The song ranks at #24 on Billboard's Greatest Songs of all time.