Close Your Eyes (Parmalee song) explained

Close Your Eyes
Cover:CloseYourEyes.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Parmalee
Album:Feels Like Carolina
Recorded:2013
Genre:Country
Label:Stoney Creek
Producer:New Voice Entertainment
Prev Title:Carolina
Prev Year:2013
Next Title:Already Callin' You Mine
Next Year:2015

"Close Your Eyes" is a song recorded by American country music group Parmalee. It was released in February 2014 as the third single from their album Feels Like Carolina. The song was written by Adam Craig, Trent Tomlinson, and Shane Minor.[1]

Critical reception

The song received a favorable review from Taste of Country, which said that "this love song is easy to embrace, and even easier to sing along with."[2] Bobby Peacock of Roughstock gave the song four stars out of five, calling it "more detailed than most other songs that tread the same ground" while adding that "lead singer Matt Thomas has a subtle vocal delivery with a hint of Dierks Bentley grain, and the production is tight, with enough electric guitar and drums to give it a pulse, but enough banjo to keep it country."[3]

Music video

The music video was directed by Wes Edwards and premiered in July 2014.[4]

The video shows the band performing on top of a hill, while people prepare for a party and set up a portable water slide. Some women arrive, including one that appears to be the girlfriend of one of the men. The couple undress, before using the slide. The couple is later shown sitting in the back of a pickup truck. People then run towards the area carrying a large thermos box. At night, the couple dance in front of the band, with everyone else. At around two minutes, 56 seconds through, the woman undresses and uses the water slide, while everyone else sits by a fire. When she arrives at the bottom, her boyfriend is there waiting with a towel, ready to dry her. He wraps the towel around her, and the two kiss, concluding the video.

Chart performance

"Close Your Eyes" debuted at number 55 on the U.S. Billboard Country Airplay chart for the week of February 22, 2014.[5] It also debuted at number 49 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart for the week of May 3, 2014. The song has sold 279,000 copies in the U.S. as of January 2015.[6]

The song reached Top 10 on Country Airplay in its 40th week, beating the band's own record set by their previous single "Carolina" for the slowest ascent into that chart's top 10 since the charts were first tracked via Nielsen SoundScan in January 1990.[7]

Year-end charts

Chart (2014)Position
US Country Airplay (Billboard)[8] 46
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[9] 53
Chart (2015)Position
US Country Airplay (Billboard)[10] 70
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[11] 86

Notes and References

  1. News: Whitaker. Sterling. Parmalee 'Keep on Plugging': Singer Matt Thomas Talks Hot New Single, 'Close Your Eyes'. July 28, 2014. The Boot. June 25, 2014.
  2. News: Parmalee, 'Close Your Eyes' [Listen]]. July 28, 2014. Taste of Country. February 6, 2014.
  3. News: Peacock. Bobby. Single Review: Parmalee – Close Your Eyes. July 28, 2014. Roughstock. March 17, 2014. https://archive.today/20140805204724/http://roughstock.com/news/single-review-parmalee-close-your-eyes/. August 5, 2014. dead.
  4. News: Thompson. Gayle. Parmalee Release 'Close Your Eyes' Video. July 28, 2014. The Boot. July 7, 2014.
  5. News: Morris. Edward. Florida Georgia Line, Luke Bryan Still Reign on Country Charts. https://web.archive.org/web/20140226163230/http://www.cmt.com/news/country-music/1722384/florida-georgia-line-luke-bryan-still-reign-on-country-charts.jhtml. dead. February 26, 2014. July 28, 2014. Country Music Television. February 15, 2014.
  6. News: Country Music's Top 30 Digital Singles: Week of January 16, 2015 . Matt Bjorke . January 16, 2015 . Roughstock .
  7. Web site: 'Neon' extends Shelton's No. 1 streak; Parmalee scores 2nd top 10. Billboard. 6. 11 November 2014.
  8. Web site: Best of 2014: Country Airplay . . . 2014 . December 9, 2014.
  9. Web site: Best of 2014: Hot Country Songs . . . 2014 . December 9, 2014.
  10. Web site: Billboard Country Update for December 14, 2015. 7. December 14, 2015. Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. December 15, 2015.
  11. Web site: Best of 2015: Hot Country Songs . . . 2015 . December 9, 2015.