In his own words (from his myspace page):
“For me it’s all about the SONG. I remember watching my father sitting at our dining room table for hours and hours with his pencil and pad crafting his songs; spending the time to find the perfect word, the perfect chord, the perfect melody. That really made an impression on me. When I write a song it really is a kind of science, an operation; but it isn’t mathematical or calculated, it is alive and breathing and moving. At the risk of sounding like a hippie on a soapbox, music is still powerful and holy and sacred to me. You can turn it into a product and a business, but you can’t start it that way. To me the genesis of a song has to be honest and unassuming. I truly believe that God hands me these gifts and it is my job to translate them as honestly as I can. You have to let a song be what it is. We can’t lose that. When I write songs, I like to focus on the fact that we are all the same and we are all just searching for answers and trying to make sense of everything. It's about exploring life and celebrating truth when you find it.”
Close Enough
Sean McConnell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And even if you were the words that I speak
Even if you were the blood that I bleed
I could never be
Even if you could reach into my soul
Wrap your arms around it and never let go
Even if the two became one, all I know
Close enough
And near enough
To the sound of your voice
The warmth of your skin
And the taste of your kiss
And I can't begin to be
Close enough
And near enough
'Cos the more that I get
The more that I want of your love
And I can't get close enough
Even if you're every thought in my mind
And even if you're every dream, every night
Even if you're every song that I write
I could never be
Close enough
And near enough
To the sound of your voice
The warmth of your skin
And the taste of your kiss
I can't begin to be
Close enough
And near enough
'Cos the more that I get
The more that I want of your love
And I can't get close enough
So stay with me forever
And let me be the only one who will ever be
Close enough
And near enough
To the sound of your voice
The warmth of your skin
And the taste of your kiss
And I can't begin to be
Close enough
And near enough
'Cos the more that I get
The more that I want of your love
And I can't get close enough
Can't get close enough
Can't get close enough
The lyrics of Sean McConnell's song "Close Enough" convey a sense of longing and an inability to fully satisfy that longing. The singer is addressing a lover, saying that even if that person were the very air they breathe or the very thoughts in their mind, they could never be close enough, never fully satisfy the singer's desire for their love. The singer acknowledges that they are physically close to their lover, close enough to feel the warmth of their skin and taste their kiss, but they still can't get close enough, can't fully satisfy their desire for the other person.
Through this song, McConnell captures the paradox of human desire: that even when we have what we want, we still want more. The singer's desire is insatiable, even though they are physically close to their lover. The repetition of the phrase "Close enough and near enough" emphasizes this idea, as if the singer is trying to convince themselves that they are satisfied, when in fact they are not.
Overall, "Close Enough" is a poignant reflection on the nature of desire and the human need for connection. McConnell's lyrics and tender vocals perfectly capture the bittersweet feeling of wanting someone intensely and yet knowing that even if you had them completely, it might not be enough.
Line by Line Meaning
Even if you were the air that I breathe
Even if you were the most essential thing in my life
And even if you were the words that I speak
Even if I can only speak about you
Even if you were the blood that I bleed
Even if you were a significant part of my existence
I could never be
I could never be fully satisfied
Close enough
As close as possible
And near enough
Being in close proximity to someone
To the sound of your voice
To hear your voice in person
The warmth of your skin
To feel the warmth of your skin while in close contact
And the taste of your kiss
To sensually kiss and feel the taste of your lips
And I can't begin to be
I can't help but desire it more and more
'Cos the more that I get
The more I receive what I've wished for
The more that I want of your love
The more I desire to be with you
And I can't get close enough
No matter how close I already am, I crave even more
So stay with me forever
Promise me that you'll be there for me always
And let me be the only one who will ever be
For me, there's no one else and never will be
Can't get close enough
Continuing to crave more intimacy and closeness
Can't get close enough
Desperately wanting to be even more intimate
Contributed by Thomas T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.