"Closedown" is a song by English rock band the Cure, released as the third track on their eighth studio album, Disintegration (1989). The song is characterized by its long instrumental introduction, prominent percussion, and lyrics concerning self-doubt and the passage of time.
"Closedown" was written by Robert Smith as a "creative exercise" to address the physical and mental exhaustion he felt while preparing for the recording of Disintegration. Smith originally intended the song to be a list of everything he felt he was "losing" as he approached age 30.
Musically, the song is built around a heavy, tribal drum pattern by Boris Williams and layers of shimmering synthesizers played by Roger O'Donnell. The track features a significant instrumental section that lasts for nearly half the song's duration before the vocals begin. Smith's vocal delivery is often described as "breathy" and "resigned," reflecting the song's themes of spiritual and emotional depletion.
The song has been praised for its contribution to the "wall of sound" production style of the album. AllMusic reviewer Stephen Thomas Erlewine noted that the song helps establish the album's "alluringly gloomy" atmosphere early on. In a retrospective review, Rolling Stone described the track as a "slow-motion explosion," highlighting the interplay between the drums and the melodic bassline.
"Closedown" was a staple of the band's 1989 Prayer Tour. It was frequently used as the second or third song in the setlist to maintain the atmospheric momentum following the opener, "Plainsong." A live version appears on the 1991 live album Entreat.
The band revived the song for the Curiosa Tour in 2004 and the Reflections shows in 2011, where they performed Disintegration in its entirety.