Yvette Marie Stevens (born March 23, 1953), better known as Chaka Khan, and… Read Full Bio ↴Yvette Marie Stevens (born March 23, 1953), better known as Chaka Khan, and frequently referred to as the "Queen of Funk", is a 10-time Grammy Award winning American singer-songwriter from Chicago, Illinois who gained fame in the 1970s as the frontwoman and focal point of the funk band Rufus.

In 1964, at the age of 11, Khan formed her first musical group, the Crystalettes. While still in high school, she joined the Afro-Arts Theater, a group which toured with Motown great Mary Wells; a few years later, she adopted the African name Chaka Khan while working on the Black Panthers' breakfast program. After quitting high school in 1969, Khan joined the group Lyfe, soon exiting to join another dance band, the Babysitters — neither was on the fast track to success, but her fortunes changed when she teamed with ex-American Breed member Kevin Murphy and Andre Fisher to form Rufus.

Debuting in 1973 with a self-titled effort on the ABC label, Rufus was among the preeminent funk groups of the decade. Distinguished by Khan's dynamic vocals, the group earned half a dozen gold or platinum albums.

While still a member of the group in 1978, Khan embarked on a successful solo career. Her signature hits, both with Rufus and solo, include "Tell Me Something Good", "Sweet Thing", "Ain't Nobody", "I'm Every Woman", "I Feel for You" and "Through the Fire".

So Close
Chaka Khan Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

You've been keeping me in limbo
Playing hide and seek
You've been teasing me 'cause you know
That it makes me weak

You've done everything to fall in love
I know what you're running from
Kisses like these are few and far between

Now we're so close yet so far away
I'm breaking down the distance
With every move, with every touch
You're wearing down my resistance

You know your lonely days are numbered
There's nothing you can do

There'll be no more keeping us apart
I'm ready for the love to start
I can almost feel it breaking through

Now we're so close yet so far away
I'm breaking down the distance
With every move and every touch
I'm wearing down your resistance

I wanna get closer, closer to you
I can almost feel it breaking through

So close yet so far away
I'm breaking down the distance
With every move and every touch
I'm wearing down your resistance

So close yet so far away
I'm breaking down the distance

With every touch and every move
You're wearing down my resistance

Overall Meaning

Chaka Khan’s song So Close is a pleading track about the desire to reconcile with an estranged lover. The lyrics convey the emotional distance between two people who are so close to each other yet far away due to their past baggage. She states that even though they are close physically, there is still emotional distance between them. Throughout the verses, Chaka mentions the moments that feel like more than just friendship between them, such as the kissing, indicating that they have history between them. However, the chorus lets us know that they have never acted on their feelings, leaving them in a state of limbo.

The second verse portrays how the singer has grown frustrated with their situation and is now demanding action. Chaka sings that her lover's "lonely days are numbered", hinting that they will soon know her worth and what they stand to lose. She is determined to break down the barriers that are keeping them apart and is willing to take any necessary steps to make it happen. As the song builds, she begins to wear down his resistance, leading to the implication that they will inevitably be together.

The overall message of the song is that love is worth the effort, and you can’t let past hurt and fear prevent you from experiencing it. Instead, one must embrace vulnerability and take ownership of their feelings. The song highlights the intensity of the emotional connection despite physical distance, and how much effort it takes for two people to come together.

Line by Line Meaning

You've been keeping me in limbo
You've been leaving me uncertain and confused

Playing hide and seek
Being elusive and difficult to pin down

You've been teasing me 'cause you know
You've been taunting me because you understand its effect

That it makes me weak
That it has an overpowering hold on me

You've done everything to fall in love
You've made every effort to develop romantic feelings

I know what you're running from
I'm aware of what you're trying to avoid

Kisses like these are few and far between
The special connection we have is rare and infrequent

Now we're so close yet so far away
Our relationship is on the brink of fulfillment, yet it's still distant

I'm breaking down the distance
I'm overcoming the barriers between us

With every move, with every touch
Every interaction brings us closer and closer

You're wearing down my resistance
You're causing me to weaken and become more vulnerable

You know your lonely days are numbered
Your days of loneliness are coming to an end

There's nothing you can do
The outcome is inevitable; it's out of your control

There'll be no more keeping us apart
There will be no further obstacles to our love

I'm ready for the love to start
I'm prepared for our romance to begin

I can almost feel it breaking through
I can sense that our love is on the verge of being realized

I wanna get closer, closer to you
I desire to connect with you at the deepest level

So close yet so far away
We're approaching each other, but still have some distance to traverse

I'm wearing down your resistance
I'm slowly chipping away at your defenses

With every touch and every move
Each physical and emotional gesture brings us closer

Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: SHUKI LEVY, HAIM SABAN, CHERYL LYNN SABAN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS