Music Review: INXS "Never Tear Us Apart"
INXS
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Never Tear Us Apart
Album: Kick
Year: 1988
Michael Hutchence consoles his somber girlfriend in the enamoured ballad “Never Tear Us Apart.”
Poignant synths open the single, setting a profound tone. In the first verse, tears are streaming down his girlfriend’s face. As her lips quiver, she quietly asks, “do you—.” He touches her face and wipes away the water from her eyes. He whispers to her that there’s no need to question his devotion to her. She’s a wonderful woman who always thinks of others first. She takes care of her parents, setting aside money from her paycheck, to help pay their own bills. He couldn’t’ imagine being with anyone else.
Album: Kick
Year: 1988
Michael Hutchence consoles his somber girlfriend in the enamoured ballad “Never Tear Us Apart.”
Poignant synths open the single, setting a profound tone. In the first verse, tears are streaming down his girlfriend’s face. As her lips quiver, she quietly asks, “do you—.” He touches her face and wipes away the water from her eyes. He whispers to her that there’s no need to question his devotion to her. She’s a wonderful woman who always thinks of others first. She takes care of her parents, setting aside money from her paycheck, to help pay their own bills. He couldn’t’ imagine being with anyone else.
“Don't ask me/What you know is true/Don't have to tell you/I love your precious heart.”
In the chorus, he explains fate led him to her. He was waiting for his then-girlfriend to pick him up from the grocery store when he saw her reading one of his favorite books in the cafeteria right across from him. They exchanged polite grins. He decided to go up and talk to her. Although he initially resisted the attraction at first, they eventually got together after figuring their feelings out and he broke up with his then-girlfriend. He fell hard for her and would do anything to help her. Nothing, absolutely nothing, could convince him to leave her.“I was standing/You were there/Two worlds collided/And they could never tear us apart.”
A protective guitar has a solo.
In the second verse, he says even if they were immortal and had every day on the earth forever, life would be perfect. However, if during any of those years, he brings her pain, he will remain at her side and listen to her. Then, he will be mindful and remember what he said or did that upset her as to not to do it again.“We could live/For a thousand years/But if I hurt you/I'd make wine from your tears.”
In the bridge, he reminds that he told her they are capable of doing anything they wanted. As a couple, nothing could ever stop them. He tells everyone has the potential to love. However, there are people who don’t know how to love or to be someone’s partner. Love isn’t something he always understands and he may screw up once in a while. To this day, he doesn’t know how he had the luck to meet and open himself up to her. No one else ever made him want to reveal himself entirely.“I told you/That we could fly/'Cause we all have wings/But some of us don't know why.”
The chorus is sung again.
The protective guitar has another solo.
A tender saxophone solo follows.
In the second chorus is sung twice to close the single. The rest of INXS sing the part of the first verse in their background vocals.“I (don’t ask me)/I was standing you (you know it’s true)/You were there (worlds collided)/Two worlds collided (we’re shining through)/And they could never ever tear us apart/I (don’t ask me)/I was standing you (you know it’s true)/You were there (worlds collided)/Two worlds collided (we’re shining through)/And they could never ever tear us apart.”
Hutchence and his girlfriend have been going through a rough time lately. She’s scared she might not be able to make it through her illness. Soon, she will have a procedure that will remove her uterus and make her unable to have children. They’ve gotten serious in the past and have discussed marriage. The topic of children came up and he said, without a doubt, he woud like to have children. She fears he will resent for not being able to have any babies like they planned.
Hutchence’s passionate, faithful vocals are creamy and lush. He’s deeply in love with her and losing her would break him. She’s made his world bright and engaging. He has to hold onto her as strongly as she’s is to him.
The emotive arrangement entwines the heartache and adoration together into a cherished, personal moment only the lovers could share.
The moving “Never Tear Us Apart” is an iconic tear-jerker.