Never Tear Us Apart
"Never Tear Us Apart" | ||||
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Single by INXS | ||||
from the album Kick | ||||
B-side |
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Released | 8 August 1988 | |||
Recorded | 1987 | |||
Genre | Pop rock,[1] blues rock[2] | |||
Length | 3:02 (Single Version) 3:43 (Video Version) | |||
Label | Atlantic | |||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) | Chris Thomas | |||
INXS singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Never Tear Us Apart" on YouTube |
"Never Tear Us Apart" is a single released by Australian rock group INXS in August 1988. It was included on the band's sixth studio album, Kick.
INXS version
The music was written by keyboardist Andrew Farriss, who recorded a blues-style demo; vocalist Michael Hutchence wrote the lyrics.
"Never Tear Us Apart" is a ballad, written in the tempo of a modern Viennese waltz, layered with synthesizers and containing dramatic pauses before the instrumental breaks. Kirk Pengilly lends a saxophone solo near the end. According to the liner notes of Shine Like It Does: The Anthology (1979–1997), the song was composed on piano as a bluesy number in the style of Fats Domino. Producer Chris Thomas suggested a synth-based arrangement instead.
The video for the song, featuring an extended intro, was filmed in various locations in Prague[3] along with "Guns in the Sky" and "New Sensation", all directed by Richard Lowenstein.
The single reached #24 in the UK, and stayed on the charts for seven weeks. In the U.S., it reached #7 on the Billboard Hot 100.
After his death in 1997, Michael Hutchence's coffin was carried out of St Andrews Cathedral by the remaining members of INXS and younger brother Rhett as "Never Tear Us Apart" was played in the background.[4]
In February 2014, after the Channel 7 screening of INXS: Never Tear Us Apart mini-series, "Never Tear Us Apart" charted again in Australia via download sales. It peaked at #11 on the ARIA Singles Chart, surpassing its original peak position of #14 back in 1988.
In January 2018, as part of Triple M's "Ozzest 100", the 'most Australian' songs of all time, "Never Tear Us Apart" was ranked number 18.[5]
Charts and certifications
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
Certifications
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Tom Jones feat. Natalie Imbruglia version
"Never Tear Us Apart" | ||||
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Single by Tom Jones feat. Natalie Imbruglia | ||||
from the album Reload | ||||
Released | 27 September 1999 | |||
Recorded | 1998 | |||
Genre | Rock | |||
Length | 3:08 | |||
Label | ||||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) | Johnny Douglas | |||
Tom Jones singles chronology | ||||
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The song was covered by Tom Jones for his 1999 album Reload featuring the Australian singer Natalie Imbruglia. The cover version also includes a music video.
Track listing
CD single
- "Never Tear Us Apart" – 3:08
- "Sunny Afternoon" – 3:26
- "Looking Out My Window" – 3:19
- "Sometimes We Cry" – 5:00
Remix version: "Precious Heart"
"Precious Heart" | ||||
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Single by Tall Paul vs. INXS | ||||
from the album INXS²: The Remixes | ||||
Released | 6 August 2001[24] | |||
Label | Mercury | |||
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) | Paul Newman | |||
INXS singles chronology | ||||
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In August 2001, a remix called "Precious Heart" was released as a single, and credited as Tall Paul vs. INXS.
Track listing
Australian CD single
- "Precious Heart" (Radio Edit) – 3:36
- "Precious Heart" (Original Mix) – 7:40
- "Precious Heart" (Riva Mix) – 7:40
- "Precious Heart" (Marc O'Toole Remix) – 8:41
- "Precious Heart" (Lush Mix) – 8:42
UK CD single
- "Precious Heart" (Radio Edit) – 3:36
- "Precious Heart" (Original Mix) – 7:40
- "Precious Heart" (Lush Mix) – 8:42
Official versions
- "Precious Heart" (Original Mix) – 7:40
- "Precious Heart" (Radio Edit) – 3:36
- "Precious Heart" (Lush Mix) – 8:42
- "Precious Heart" (Marc O'Toole Remix) – 8:41
- "Precious Heart" (Riva Mix) – 7:40
Charts
Chart (2001) | Peak position |
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Australia (ARIA)[25] | 27 |
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[26] | 57 |
Ireland (IRMA)[27] | 30 |
Scotland (OCC)[28] | 10 |
UK Singles (OCC)[29] | 14 |
UK Dance (OCC)[30] | 2 |
US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[31] | 6 |
Never Tear Us Apart (2010 re-recording with Ben Harper and Mylène Farmer)
![]() | This article needs to be updated.(June 2011) |
"Never Tear Us Apart" | ||||
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Single by INXS featuring Ben Harper | ||||
Released | 12 August 2010 | |||
Recorded | 2010 | |||
Genre | Rock | |||
Length | 4:00 | |||
Label | Petrol Electric | |||
Songwriter(s) |
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INXS singles chronology | ||||
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"Never Tear Us Apart" was re-recorded by INXS with Ben Harper for their twelfth studio album, Original Sin. The song has been released on iTunes and as a promotional single to radio stations prior to the release of the new album.
Ben Harper has been known to perform "Never Tear Us Apart" at his concerts since 2009, especially when in Australia. He revealed in an interview on Australia's Nova FM on 2 August 2010, "At this point, I've lived that song. I've lived enough years and gone through enough in my life to have earned the right to sing that song." On Sydney's Triple M, he stated "covering 'Never Tear Us Apart' is like covering 'Dock of the Bay'. I'm not here to make grandiose over-statements - it's just a fuckin' fact. That's one of the greatest soul songs ever written."
On 1 August 2010, the song was made available on INXS.com (a playable version only, not available for download). The audio version was accompanied by a YouTube video of Ben Harper performing the song with Jon Farriss at the "Splendour in the Grass" festival at Woodford, Queensland, Australia, filmed on 30 July 2010.
The song was released on iTunes on 12 August 2010.
INXS re-recorded "Never Tear Us Apart" with Ben Harper and French singer Mylène Farmer who wrote new French lyrics for this new version. The song was to be the first single from the 2010 INXS album in November in France and Belgium.
Paloma Faith version
"Never Tear Us Apart" | ||||
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Single by Paloma Faith | ||||
from the album Fall to Grace | ||||
Released | 23 September 2012 | |||
Recorded | 2012 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 3:05 | |||
Label | RCA Records | |||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Paloma Faith singles chronology | ||||
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"Never Tear Us Apart" was recorded by British singer Paloma Faith for a television advertisement campaign for John Lewis. The advert began airing in the UK from 15 September 2012.[32] Faith later confirmed that the song would be released as her next single on 23 September 2012.[33] She commented "I have always loved this song and I feel honoured to sing it."[33] "Never Tear Us Apart" was released as the first single from the reissued version of Faith's second studio album Fall to Grace and serves as the third single overall.[33] The artwork for the song shows the singer saluting, while wearing a metallic gold dress, with "a honeycomb-like bottom half".[33]
Faith's version of the song can be heard on the opening scene of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit fifteenth-season episode "Beast's Obsession." It is also heard in Netflix Series "Umbrella Academy".
Reception
Digital Spy's Lewis Corner gave Faith's version of the song four out of five stars.[34] He stated "It's a brave task to reinterpret a much-loved hit, but Faith's soulful tones immediately thwart any doubts that she can't do the song justice."[34] He added that while it was always going to be tough topping the original, Faith comes "admirably close."[34]
Track listing
- Digital download[35]
- "Never Tear Us Apart" – 3:05
- "Never Tear Us Apart" (Orchestral Version) – 3:05
Charts
Chart (2012) | Peak position |
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Ireland (IRMA)[36] | 42 |
Scotland (OCC)[37] | 18 |
UK Singles (OCC)[38] | 16 |
Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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United Kingdom (BPI)[39] | Silver | 200,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
Release history
Country | Release date | Format |
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United Kingdom[33] | 23 September 2012 | Digital download |
The Teskey Brothers version
In April 2021, The Teskey Brothers released a cover of "Never Tear Us Apart" in dedication to Michael Gudinski. Upon released, Josh said "This is an all-time classic Australian song that all of us love, its a pleasure to sing it and I don't know why we didn't do it earlier. We're very proud to dedicate this release to our friend Michael Gudinski who was a huge supporter of Australian music and The Teskey Brothers. Our two worlds collided and we will always be grateful for that."[40]
Use by Port Adelaide Football Club
Ever since March 2014, Australian Football League club Port Adelaide has adopted "Never Tear Us Apart" as the club's unofficial anthem leading up to the opening bounce at its home ground, Adelaide Oval. It is a reference to the various and unique difficulties the club faced when trying to enter the AFL.
The Power's use of the song stemmed from a trip the Power players and staff took to Anfield in November 2012 while the Power was in England to play an exhibition match against the Western Bulldogs.[41] In light of the rave reviews given by the Power players towards the Anfield crowd's rendition of "You'll Never Walk Alone", Matthew Richardson, Port's general manager of marketing and consumer business, along with the club's management, sought to replicate the pre-match experience they experienced at Anfield. At a meeting in mid-2013, the idea of an anthem was raised; a number of various songs were suggested, including "Power and the Passion" by Midnight Oil, "Power to the People" by John Schumann. Eventually, "Never Tear Us Apart" was suggested by Port Adelaide's events manager Tara MacLeod. It was eventually accepted, due to the fact that the song resonated with the Power's history: when the Power entered the AFL in 1997, it was forced to cut ties with its traditional base, the Port Adelaide Magpies, forming separate administrations, separate playing bases and causing division amongst supporters.[41]
Initially the song was introduced to coincide with the 60-second countdown before the start of a match, with the music playing over the top of a video montage. The song proved to be a success amongst the fans, with the fans adopting the song, as well as raising scarves above their heads as the song was being sung.[41] So successful was the song that by June 2014, the club were forced to print club colored scarves with the words "Never Tear Us Apart" on them that fans would hold aloft and sing in unison prior to the start of matches.
References
- ^ Andrew Jett. "10 Best Pop Rock Songs". Mademan. Break Media. Archived from the original on 11 November 2018. Retrieved 10 November 2018.
- ^ Van Sias (19 October 2017). "INXS' 'Kick': 10 Things You Didn't Know". Rolling Stone. Rolling Stone, LLC. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
- ^ "Never Tear Us Apart locations in Prague". Google.com. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
- ^ "More Than 2,000 People Turn Out for the Funeral Service Today for INXS Singer Michael". Apnews.com. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
- ^ "Here Are The Songs That Made Triple M's 'Ozzest 100'". Musicfeeds. 27 January 2018. Retrieved 4 January 2020.
- ^ a b "INXS – Never Tear Us Apart". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
- ^ "INXS – Never Tear Us Apart" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
- ^ "RPM Magazine (page 6) - November 5, 1988" (PDF).
- ^ "RPM Top 30 Retail Singles - October 15, 1988" (PDF).
- ^ "INXS – Never Tear Us Apart" (in French). Les classement single.
- ^ "INXS – Never Tear Us Apart" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
- ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Never Tear Us Apart". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
- ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – INXS" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
- ^ "INXS – Never Tear Us Apart" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
- ^ a b "INXS – Never Tear Us Apart". Top 40 Singles.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
- ^ "INXS Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
- ^ "INXS Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard.
- ^ "INXS Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard.
- ^ "1988 The Year in Music & Video: Top Pop Singles". Billboard. 100 (52): Y-20. 24 December 1988.
- ^ "Billboard Top 100 – 1988". Retrieved 3 October 2016.
- ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2020 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
- ^ "British single certifications – INXS – Never Tear Us Apart". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 2 January 2019. Select singles in the Format field. Select Silver in the Certification field. Type Never Tear Us Apart in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
- ^ "New Releases – For Week Starting August 6, 2001: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 4 August 2001. p. 23. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
- ^ "Tall Paul vs. INXS – Precious Heart". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
- ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 19, no. 35. 25 August 2001. p. 10. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
- ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Precious Heart". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
- ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
- ^ "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
- ^ "Tall Paul Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
- ^ "John Lewis ad turns clock back". The Scotsman. Johnston Press. Retrieved 16 September 2012.
- ^ a b c d e Corner, Lewis (20 September 2012). "Paloma Faith confirms new single 'Never Tear Us Apart'". Digital Spy. Hearst Magazines UK. Retrieved 20 September 2012.
- ^ a b c Corner, Lewis (26 September 2012). "Paloma Faith: 'Never Tear Us Apart' - Single review". Digital Spy. Hearst Magazines UK. Retrieved 26 September 2012.
- ^ "Never Tear Us Apart - Single". iTunes. Apple Inc. Retrieved 20 September 2012.
- ^ "Chart Track: Week 40, 2012". Irish Singles Chart.
- ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
- ^ "British single certifications – Paloma Faith – Never Tear Us Apart". British Phonographic Industry. Select singles in the Format field. Select Silver in the Certification field. Type Never Tear Us Apart in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
- ^ "The Teskey Brothers Dedicate INXS "Never Tear Us Apart" Cover To Michael Gudinski". Music Feeds. 9 April 2021. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
- ^ a b c McGuire, Michael. "Liverpool brings its football and its famous song to Adelaide Oval". The Advertiser. News Corporation. Retrieved 19 July 2015.
External links
- 1988 songs
- 1988 singles
- 1999 singles
- 2001 singles
- 2010 singles
- 2012 singles
- ARIA Award-winning songs
- INXS songs
- Joe Cocker songs
- Paloma Faith songs
- Songs written by Andrew Farriss
- Songs written by Michael Hutchence
- Song recordings produced by Chris Thomas (record producer)
- Australian pop rock songs
- 1980s ballads
- Rock ballads
- Atlantic Records singles
- Mercury Records singles
- RCA Records singles
- V2 Records singles
- Port Adelaide Football Club
- Newcastle Jets FC
- Pop ballads