"Never Tear Us Apart" is a power ballad by Australian rock band INXS, released in June 1988 by WEA as the fourth single from their sixth studio album, Kick (1987). The music was written by keyboardist Andrew Farriss, and the lyrics were written by vocalist Michael Hutchence for his then-girlfriend, Michele Bennett.
The music was written by keyboardist Andrew Farriss, who recorded a blues-style demo;[6] vocalist Michael Hutchence wrote the lyrics for his then-girlfriend, Australian film producer Michele Bennett, who was described as Hutchence's "first real love",[7] with whom he was in a relationship from 1982 to 1987[8] and remained close friends until his death – Bennett was the last person that Hutchence called on the morning of his death, on 22 November 1997.[9] In a 2019 interview with NME, Richard Lowenstein, who was friends with Hutchence and directed the music video for "Never Tear Us Apart", said of the song after reading Hutchence's diaries as part of his research for his 2019 documentary Mystify: Michael Hutchence:
He felt guilt over every break-up because it brought back memories of his parents' divorce and their break-up. When he got successful he'd feel the guilt of leaving his brother and it just seemed to be everywhere. Going back into his diaries, we'd find evidence of the guilt – it wasn't just all happy-go-lucky rockstar. There was always problems being presented. His break-up with Michele (Bennett, his childhood flame), he was utterly torn between this woman he loved and how their lives were going in so many different directions. That’s why it inspired ‘Never Tear Us Apart’. Kick had gone to Number One and suddenly there's this kid-in-a-candy store mentality – he was travelling around the world and thought he'd never settle down. There was the hedonistic side to him, but always an almost catholic sense of self-flagellation too.[10]
A reviewer from Cash Box said that "more impassioned crooning from Hutchence elevates this song" and also praised the "searing sax solo."[11] The Stud Brothers of Melody Maker wrote, "This pleads for passion by jump-starting a cello-like synth that kangaroos unhappily along until it collides with a great fairy of a saxophone which ultimately drags it to a sad demise."[12]
As of January 2025, the video has a total view count of more than 150 million on YouTube from two versions, making it their most popular song on the platform.[16][17]
In March 2024, to celebrate the 35th anniversary of "Never Tear Us Apart", INXS shared a video on their official YouTube channel featuring behind-the-scenes footage from the music video, deleted scenes and interviews with Michael Hutchence and Andrew Farriss.[6]
Impact and legacy
After Hutchence's death in 1997, his coffin was carried out of St Andrew's Cathedral by the remaining members of INXS and his younger brother Rhett as "Never Tear Us Apart" was played in the background.[18]
In January 2018, as part of Triple M's "Ozzest 100", listing the 'most Australian' songs of all time, "Never Tear Us Apart" was ranked number 18.[19]
The song appears in Euphoria Season 2 Episode 3. During the cold open flashback, Cal dances and embraces his friend Derek to the song.[21]
Chart performance
The single reached No. 24 in the UK, and stayed on the charts for seven weeks. In the US, it reached No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100.
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 No. 11 on the ARIA Singles Chart, surpassing its original peak position of No. 14 back in 1988.[22][23]
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.
INXS re-recorded "Never Tear Us Apart" with Ben Harper and French singer Mylène Farmer, who wrote new French lyrics, for their twelfth studio album, Original Sin. The song was released on iTunes on 12 August 2010, and also as a promotional single to radio stations prior to the release of the album.
"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.[58] Faith later confirmed that the song would be released as her next single on 23 September 2012.[59] She commented "I have always loved this song and I feel honoured to sing it."[59] "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.[59] The artwork for the song shows the singer saluting, while wearing a metallic gold dress, with "a honeycomb-like bottom half".[59]
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 the Netflix series Umbrella Academy. Faith's version also appeared in the first episode of the Showtime series Yellowjackets.[60]
Reception
Digital Spy's Lewis Corner gave Faith's version of the song four out of five stars.[61] 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."[61] He added that while it was always going to be tough topping the original, Faith comes "admirably close."[61]
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."[67]
Use by Port Adelaide Football Club
Since March 2014, Australian Football League club Port Adelaide has adopted "Never Tear Us Apart" as an unofficial anthem leading up to the opening bounce at its home ground, Adelaide Oval.[68] It is a reference to various difficulties the club faced when trying to enter the AFL.[69][70]
Port Adelaide's use of the song stemmed from a trip to Anfield in November 2012 when Port Adelaide was in England to play an exhibition match against the Western Bulldogs.[70] Seeing the Anfield crowd's rendition of "You'll Never Walk Alone", Matthew Richardson, Port's general manager of marketing and consumer business, sought to replicate the pre-match experience. At a meeting in mid-2013, the idea of an anthem was raised; various songs were suggested, including "Power and the Passion" by Midnight Oil and "Power to the People" by John Schumann. "Never Tear Us Apart" was suggested by Port Adelaide's events manager Tara MacLeod. It was eventually accepted, as it resonated with Port Adelaide's history: when Port Adelaide entered the AFL in 1997, it was forced to cut ties with its traditional base, the Port Adelaide Magpies, forming separate administrations and causing division amongst supporters.[70]
Initially, the song was introduced to coincide with the 60-second countdown before the start of a match, with the music playing over a video montage. Fans adopted the song, raising scarves above their heads as it was sung.[70] By June 2014, the club printed 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.[70][71]
^"Top 100 Singles of '88"(PDF). RPM. Vol. 49, no. 10. 24 December 1988. p. 9. Archived(PDF) from the original on 15 November 2021. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
