“They Long to Be Close to You” (1979) – Jimmy “Bo” Horne * Written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David * 45: “You Get Me Hot” / “They Long to Be Close to You” * LP: Goin’ Home for Love * Produced by Harry Wayne Casey and Richard Finch * Label: Sunshine Sound Disco
Produced by the Sunshine Band’s KC and Richard Finch, this disco-era version of the Burt Bacharach-Hal David standard will carry you off on a love cloud if you keep listening until the glockenspiel motif comes in at 2:50. Although Horne—who first made his mark with the 1975 bubblegum soul hit “Gimme Some”—appears cagey on the album cover, he sings his heart out, then drifts into spoken Isaac Hayes territory for the outro.