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"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. The music was written by keyboardist Andrew Farriss, who recorded a blues-style demo and gave it to vocalist Michael Hutchence who wrote the lyrics.
"Never Tear Us Apart" is a sensuous 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 cathartic 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 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.
The song was used in the opening sequence of Donnie Darko: The Director's Cut. It would have been featured in the original release had the rights for it not been deemed too expensive by the producers. ("The Killing Moon" by Echo & the Bunnymen served as its replacement.)
In 2006, the song was voted "Nation's Favourite Lyric" by viewers of pay TV music channel VH1 in Australia.
The song has been adopted by The Squadron, the Newcastle United Jets supporter group, and sung in unison at the start and 90th minute of their A-League association football matches. This is in homage to the line, "cause we all have wings, but some of us don't know why", used now in reference to the Jets symbol of their club. The song's popularity among supporters has prompted a move to have the song be played at the beginning of each match, first happening on 18 October 2008, when the Jets defeated the Melbourne Victory 1−0.
The song, sung by Emma Louise, was included in an advertising campaign for South Australian Tourism Commission, released on 2 February 2014.
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.
Tom Jones covered this song in his album Reload.
The song was also covered by Joe Cocker for his 2002 album Respect Yourself.
Bono, a good friend of Hutchence, sometimes snippets the chorus during live performances of several U2 songs.
The hardcore band, This Is Hell, covered the track on their 2009 EP Warbirds. "Never Tear Us Apart" was also covered by 2010 X Factor Australia winner Altiyan Childs for his self-titled debut album. In 2011, punk rock supergroup Me First and the Gimme Gimmes recorded a cover of the song on their all Australian covers EP, Go Down Under.
The Vitamin String Quartet covered the song in the 100th episode of Gossip Girl.
Beck with St. Vincent on vocals, recorded a cover of the song in May 2010 for Beck's Record Club, which invites musicians to cover an album in one day (sans rehearsal and redos) and then release one song each week as a single.
The Horrible Crowes recorded a cover version live on Sirius XM radio, that was used as the b-side to their single "Ladykiller".
In June 2012, American singer Carrie Underwood covered the song during one of the shows of the Australian leg of her Blown Away World Tour.
Also in 2012, Indie/Folk artist Cary Brothers covered the song as the opening track of his EP Covers Volume One.
Paloma Faith covered the song for a John Lewis TV advert, aired from 15 September 2012, and released it as the third single from her Brit Award nominated album Fall To Grace.
In 2014, Samantha Jade covered the song. It was the B-side to her single "Up!".
In 2015, Tina Arena covered the song and included it on the European edition of her Songs of Love & Loss album.
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"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. The music was written by keyboardist Andrew Farriss, who recorded a blues-style demo and gave it to vocalist Michael Hutchence who wrote the lyrics.
"Never Tear Us Apart" is a sensuous 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 cathartic 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 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.
The song was used in the opening sequence of Donnie Darko: The Director's Cut. It would have been featured in the original release had the rights for it not been deemed too expensive by the producers. ("The Killing Moon" by Echo & the Bunnymen served as its replacement.)
In 2006, the song was voted "Nation's Favourite Lyric" by viewers of pay TV music channel VH1 in Australia.
The song has been adopted by The Squadron, the Newcastle United Jets supporter group, and sung in unison at the start and 90th minute of their A-League association football matches. This is in homage to the line, "cause we all have wings, but some of us don't know why", used now in reference to the Jets symbol of their club. The song's popularity among supporters has prompted a move to have the song be played at the beginning of each match, first happening on 18 October 2008, when the Jets defeated the Melbourne Victory 1−0.
The song, sung by Emma Louise, was included in an advertising campaign for South Australian Tourism Commission, released on 2 February 2014.
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.
Tom Jones covered this song in his album Reload.
The song was also covered by Joe Cocker for his 2002 album Respect Yourself.
Bono, a good friend of Hutchence, sometimes snippets the chorus during live performances of several U2 songs.
The hardcore band, This Is Hell, covered the track on their 2009 EP Warbirds. "Never Tear Us Apart" was also covered by 2010 X Factor Australia winner Altiyan Childs for his self-titled debut album. In 2011, punk rock supergroup Me First and the Gimme Gimmes recorded a cover of the song on their all Australian covers EP, Go Down Under.
The Vitamin String Quartet covered the song in the 100th episode of Gossip Girl.
Beck with St. Vincent on vocals, recorded a cover of the song in May 2010 for Beck's Record Club, which invites musicians to cover an album in one day (sans rehearsal and redos) and then release one song each week as a single.
The Horrible Crowes recorded a cover version live on Sirius XM radio, that was used as the b-side to their single "Ladykiller".
In June 2012, American singer Carrie Underwood covered the song during one of the shows of the Australian leg of her Blown Away World Tour.
Also in 2012, Indie/Folk artist Cary Brothers covered the song as the opening track of his EP Covers Volume One.
Paloma Faith covered the song for a John Lewis TV advert, aired from 15 September 2012, and released it as the third single from her Brit Award nominated album Fall To Grace.
In 2014, Samantha Jade covered the song. It was the B-side to her single "Up!".
In 2015, Tina Arena covered the song and included it on the European edition of her Songs of Love & Loss album.
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