The sensual ballad Never Tear Us Apart is one of the most beautiful songs in the discography of the Australian rock band INXS.
The music for it was written by Andrew Farriss, and the words were composed by Michael Hutchence, who, apparently, put some personal experiences into the text.
Let’s find out how the composition was written and what the composition is about.
The story of creation and meaning
Farriss had this to say about the story behind Never Tear Us Apart:
In 1986 I sat down at the piano and started working on the chords that would eventually become “Never Tear Us Apart”. I thought she had potential and asked Michael what he thought of her. He told me he really liked it, so I recorded a blues-style demo for him. I gave the demo to Michael and the lyrics he then wrote were inspired. Straight from the heart. I know how much that text meant to him. Then for him it was a personal love lyric.
In another interview, Farriss also revealed the following:
We were in New Zealand and the rest of the band was playing outdoor tennis with a recording studio guy called Jimi Hendrix when I first wrote the music for Never Tear Us Apart.
A brief history of the song’s creation was also published in the background information on the double disc cover of Shine Like It Does: The Anthology (1979-1997). It states that the original version was in the vein of Fats Domino, but at the urging of producer Chris Thomas, the song was recorded in a synth-based arrangement.
Release and achievements
Never Tear Us Apart was featured on INXS’s sixth studio album, Kick (1987), and was released as a single in August 1988. The song peaked at number 24 on the UK Singles Chart and peaked at number seven on the Billboard Hot 100.
Never Tear Us Apart has been covered by many artists including Tom Jones, Beck, Ben Harper and Mylene Farmer. It is sometimes sung in concert by U2’s Bono, who was a close friend of Michael Hutchence.
Listen to Never Tear Us Apart by Bishop Briggs. This version was featured on the Fifty Shades Freed soundtrack.
In 2010 INXS re-recorded the song Never Tear Us Apart in French for the album Original Sin. It was sung by Ben Harper and Mylene Farmer, who composed the new lyrics.
Music video
The music video for Never Tear Us Apart – INXS was directed by Richard Lowenstein. Filming took place in Prague.
Interesting Facts
- At Michael Hutchence’s funeral, his younger brother and bandmates carried his body out of the church to the song Never Tear Us Apart.
Never Tear Us Apart Lyrics by INXS
Don’t ask me
What you know is true
Don’t have to tell you
I love your precious heart
I
I was standing
You were there
Two worlds collided
And they could never tear us apart
We could live
For a thousand years
But if I hurt you
I’d make wine from your tears
I told you
That we could fly
‘Cause we all have wings
But some of us don’t know why
Lyrics Never Tear Us Apart by INXS Alternate
Do not ask me
What do you know is true
I don’t have to tell you
I love your precious heart
I
I was standing
You were there
Two worlds collided
And they couldn’t tear us apart
We could live
a thousand years
But if I hurt you
I would make wine from your tears
I told you
that we can fly
‘Cause we all have wings
But some don’t know why we need them
Quote about the song Never Tear Us Apart
…a love song from a man who knew how to compose songs that didn’t sound unbearably pretentious and boring
Ned Raggett, Almusic
