It’s taken four years, but INXS superfan Stu Hirayama and I to get through all of INXS’ singles, but at long last, here we are. As I mentioned in the last two entries, I ranked these songs in 2019 and I’m sometimes surprised at where I ranked certain songs. None-the-less, finishing this list at this time means not tampering with it, so let’s wrap this up!
10. Suicide Blonde
First single from X (1990), released as a single in 1990
According to Doyle – “Suicide Blonde,” like “Disappear” (#13), was inspired in part by Hutchence’s relationship with Kylie Minogue – in this case, specifically by the name of the color wig Minogue wore in the film The Delinquents. Presumably the lyrics – which are much more focused on how the woman in the titular wig will break your heart and destroy your life – are not about Minogue. I initially dismissed this song when it was released, but it has grown on my over the past 31 (holy cats) years. The song itself is a classic peak period INXS tune, a little funk, a little rock and a lot of attitude. I especially love Tim Farriss’ guitar work on this one – the little doodle he does periodically (you know the one if you know the song) is the first thing that comes to mind when I think of “Suicide Blonde.”
According to Stu – Something that a lot of my favorite songs have in common is a pace and/or rhythm that propels you forward. In the INXS library, “What You Need”, “The One Thing”, and “Don’t Change” fit that description. I would include “Suicide Blonde” on that list as well.
There are a number of overlapping hooks in this song – the harmonica sample, the rhythm guitar – but the opening foray – the three repeated chords, as simple as they may be, are the tonesetters. Also, it’s a small thing, but the and-four in the bass line propels you from measure to measure, filling the gap in the rhythm guitar. The song pushes you ever-forward.
I’m not overly familiar with too many of their music videos, but this has got to be one of the best matches of song to video. The stream of images coming at you gives you that feel of being propelled forward, and the visuals convey the energy of the song and oozes sex appeal.
After waiting three years for X to come out, “Suicide Blonde” was such a satisfying first release.
9. Devil Inside
Second single from Kick (1987), released as a single in 1988
According to Stu – Upon first undertaking this project, I pondered where I’d put “Devil Inside” in my own list. Of the “Big 4” singles from Kick, I would generally say that it’s my least favorite.
But listening to the song again (and again, and again) for this project, I am reminded of how many things grab your attention in this song. I hesitate to call them all ‘hooks’, though some might qualify. It all starts with the percussion intro (is it Jon or a synth loop?) and the guitar lick. The song progresses through a variety of stages, and Michael’s vocal shifts through different parts of his range, but always with a sultry tone.
It’s quite fitting that a band named In Excess recorded a song about the dark side in humanity (temptation?) with such an alluring sound and feel.
Upon further consideration, “Devil Inside” is still a captivating listen. Like the devil himself, its allure endures.
According to Doyle – “Ha ha ha ha” and I was completely sold on “Devil Inside.” And then the guitar line kicks in and I’m pretty much yelling “Shut Up and Take My Money.”
8. Taste It
Third single from Welcome to Wherever You Are (1992), released as a single in 1992
According to Doyle – I don’t think I’d heard “Taste It” before I picked up Shine Like It Does: The Anthology 1979-1997. This is weird, because I purchased Welcome to Wherever You Are on cassette in 1992 when it first came out. As near as I can figure, I was already moving away from listening to anything on cassette and probably just listened to “Not Enough Time” (#5) and hit rewind. Presumably, this means I at least heard the ending of “Taste It,” since it is the track right before “Not Enough Time.”
Anyhow, I love volume changes when they’re well done and the switch from Hutch singing “Sweet sweet sweet can you taste it” to every single instrument INXS plays blasting in for the rest of the chorus is an enormous joy for me. I also love the little “Taste It” backing vocal that pops in on the chorus.
According to Stu – I really like Welcome to Wherever You Are. I think it’s a vastly underappreciated album in the INXS catalog. However, I don’t think there’s any single track that stands out on the album, and I think the best way to listen to any of the tracks on it is to listen to the album as a whole. It’s not that I’ve found some overarching theme or deeper meaning to the album – it’s about the way the album is sequenced. Some tracks flow into the next without a break between them.
The track “Communication” ends with a descending whoosh into “Taste It”, so it’s tricky for me to consider Taste It without the connection to the previous track. Though there are numerous aspects of the song I like, it doesn’t grab me the same way that other songs do. But in the flow of Welcome to Wherever You Are, I like it a little better.
7. Burn for You
Third single from The Swing (1984), released as a single in 1984
According to Stu –This is another of their early-ish songs that took me a while to get into. I didn’t like the tone of the keyboard fills in the vocal. It’s still not my favorite part of the song, but now, I’m okay with it. Other than that, I rather like the song. So I guess that once I more or less accepted that one thing, I appreciated the song more.
The other thing that helped me to like “Burn For You” more was the realization (years after first hearing the song) that a word from the first verse is changed when it’s repeated at the end of the song, altering the meaning. It was an Aha! moment that made everything make more sense.
According to Doyle – When I picked up The Swing on vinyl in 1984, I was already very familiar with “Original Sin” (#23) and somewhat familiar with “I Send A Message” (#16). The former had gotten quite a bit of local radio airplay in Fairfield County, CT (probably on WXCI, but maybe on rock station I-95 too) though I’m not quite sure where I’d first heard “I Send a Message.” This is just to say that I would probably have not have discovered “Burn for You” for years if I hadn’t bought the album, thus missing out on decades of enjoying this great song. I did, on the other had, completely miss the award winning video until researching this song. Bummer.
The single version is kind of inferior to the album version (I believe the video is the album version, but I could be wrong), IMO. I’m not going to go into detail about this now (or maybe ever) because I really, really want to get this posted before either Stu or I expire from old age and ennui.
6. The Gift
First single from Full Moon, Dirty Hearts (1993), released as a single in 1993
According to Doyle – As I’ve mentioned earlier (I think), I’d sort of written INXS off for a few years after X and, thus, first encountered a number of their songs primarily due to the Shine Like It Does anthology. And thus it was that my first exposure to “The Gift” from Full Moon, Dirty Heart was about five years after it was first released.
I wish I’d listened to it at the time because it would have fit in perfectly with my 1993 era KTUH radio show, but on the other hand I might have thought they were trying to hard to sound grunge? I have no idea what my snobbish 25 year old brain would have made of this. On the one hand, I embraced U2’s changes, on the other hand Michael Hutchence was so much prettier than me, so who knows?
According to Stu – I don’t think I can entirely separate this song from its music video, which was banned by MTV due to its imagery, which includes footage of war. It’s a powerful video, though I can’t say whether the images or message really align with those of the song itself. I think there’s quite a bit of room for interpretation of the song’s lyrics. Perhaps their meaning lies in the vocal and instrumental performances instead of the words themselves. But for me, the most interesting lyrical tidbit is the repeated backing vocal toward the end of the song – “all lies, all truth” – that mirrors what the guitar had been playing for most of the song.
“The Gift” has a grittier edge than pretty much anything else the band put out – it’s indicative of the band continuing to play with their sound. A guitar rasps a cadence over a rumbling bassline, anchoring the song. Unlike much of their other music, this isn’t really dance floor material, it’s more message-driven.
5. Not Enough Time
Fourth single from Welcome to Wherever You Are (1992), released as a single in 1992
According to Stu – As the kids might say these days, this song is Sexy AF.
According to Doyle – So, “Not Enough Time.” I mean, every song on this theme seems eerie after the songwriter passes on (looking at you “Time in a Bottle” by Jim Croce). At the time it was released, I was still pretty anti-INXS but I somehow heard this song anyways (MTV? Somebody else played it on KTUH? Who knows). I liked it almost immediately and played it at least a bit – and, of course, bought the cassette of Welcome to Wherever You Are on the strength of this song.
I’m just going to second Stu’s “Sexy AF” and move on.
4. Need You Tonight
First single from Kick (1987), released as a single in 1987
According to Doyle – I wrote a (both unproduced and almost never shared) play called Sharks in the Dating Pool at some point in the early 90’s. One of the key scenes in it is the main character – a 20-something dude reeling from being dumped by his female fiancé – is hooking up with a woman whose had a huge crush on him. As he’s ruminating about his break up, she puts “Need You Tonight” on the cassette deck and starts dancing about enticingly. He is completely unaware what’s going on, but she’s convinced he’s transfixed on her. Why? Because you can’t dance to this song and not start to feel like you are the sexiest person in the entire world. That is the effect of “Need You Tonight.” You automatically become sexy when you dance to it.
When Kick first came out, I probably played this on my radio show at WRBC approximately 700 times. And, yes, danced to it in the musty basement studio every single time.
This song is forever linked with “Mediate” in my head because, on both Kick and in the extended music video, they’re linked together – “Mediate” following immediately after “Need You Tonight.”
According to Stu – I’ve mentioned ‘hooks’ numerous times, especially in these last ten or twenty songs. “Need You Tonight” is yet another song built on hooks. It all starts with the drum intro – I could easily identify this song just from the way the first two beats sound. I also love how Jon incorporates the rims into this groove. And if that doesn’t grab you, the guitar motif may be the most memorable phrase the band has ever recorded. I also really like how the bass part moves to the guitar in the call-and-response section.
And like many INXS tunes, it’s driven by Michael’s sultry vocals. And in an age where visual images on MTV could catapult you to greater heights, Michael’s prancing in the music video surely boosted their popularity. Speaking of the music video, the section where the rest of the band responds to Michael’s calls (‘I’m lonely”, “Can’t think at all”, etc.) reminds me of Van Halen’s “Hot for Teacher” video.
Going back to the band’s appearance on the Mark and Brian’s radio show – Michael told a story about being at a bar or club, and a woman recognizing him and telling him that she wanted to show him something. She tells him to follow her to the ladies’ room – but it wasn’t for… that. She tells him to wait outside a stall while she goes in. She then goes on to… control her “stream”… to the rhythm of the opening guitar phrase. Sorry, that isn’t nearly as interesting or amusing as Micheal telling the story and vocalizing the sound of the woman’s er…. stream.
I mean, if that isn’t an indicator of the catchiness of that guitar part, I don’t know what is.
3. The One Thing
First single from Shabooh Shoobah (1982), released as a single in 1982
According to Stu – Regarding the title of this song… I can’t help but to think of City Slickers and Curly giving Mitch perspective about the meaning of life.
This is one of my all-time favorite songs. The bass/keyboard/percussion intro sets a driving momentum that lasts to the end of the song, and the guitar riff pushes the song even further (without actually speeding it up). Also the opening lyric – ‘Well you know just what you do to me / the way you move, soft and slippery’ – may be my favorite in their whole catalog.
Even the chorus, which is kind of strange in that it’s essentially eight whole notes, works well because of what’s going on underneath with Andrew’s keys and Jon’s drums. And again, Kirk’s sax solo works well because of the tone he generates. The story goes that he wasn’t getting it quite right and the producer, Mark Opitz, made him play it dozens of times. He got pissed, and took out his frustration in his playing, and that’s how they got the feel in this solo.
I also like how the song ends – sometimes it feels a band doesn’t know how to end a song. Ending The One Thing with the guitar riff and the snare/cymbal crash ringing gives it a clean finish.
This is a sultry, seductive song. Maybe, just maybe… that’s the meaning of life.
According to Doyle – “The One Thing” was my first exposure to INXS and, as I’ve probably mentioned earlier, the start of a months long research project to discover why there were no albums at Record World by a band named “In Excess” and why there was an album by a band whose name was probably pronounced “Inks.” I’ve also already mentioned that I was convinced that INXS would be to the Rolling Stones as Men at Work were to The Beatles. I knew there was a music video for the song but don’t think I saw it until the last twenty years.
Dude, this song is over 40 years old. I still feel like I just discovered it and want to share it with all my high school friends.
2. What You Need
First single from Listen Like Thieves (1985), released as a single in 1985
According to Doyle – I was a newly minted WRBC DJ when Listen Like Thieves came out and I was a pretty huge INXS fan. I played “What You Need” on one of my first shows and then kept on playing it on every show thereafter for months. I was not especially plugged in to the American Top 40 after I started college (I followed it obsessively as a high school student) so I am pleased to discover that this was a top 10 hit now, because if I had learned that info back then I would have IMMEDIATELY turned up my nose to INXS. How dare they become popular. What a betrayal to my young gatekeeping mind.
“What You Need” introduced us all to what ultimately became the classic INXS sound – that jangly Tim Farriss guitar, Garry Gary Beer’s meaty bass, and Jon Farriss’ the-dead-rise-to-the-beat-to-dance drumming. Hutchence always sounded good, but his vocals levelled up to rock star level on this track. Just so good.
According to Stu – Unlike some other songs that took a while for me to appreciate, What You Need was one that I loved from the get-go. I mean, what’s not to like about it? The song is laden with hooks that piggyback each other drawing you further and further into its grasp. For me, it’s the funky bass groove that drives the whole song. And over all these hooky grooves and licks and fills, Michael gives a spirited vocal that matches the uplifting lyrics.
After finishing the Listen Like Thieves sessions, the band were told the album lacked a hit, and they dug out an old demo to develop, and “What You Need” is the result. It’s crazy to imagine that the song might not have ever seen the light of day if not for that extra session.
1. New Sensation
Third single from Kick (1987), released as a single in 1988
According to Stu – This may be a prime example of a pop-rock megahit. It’s a feel-good track where every little part contributes to the whole. From the first note of the guitar – its clean attack starts the dancing and hopping rhythm that establishes the tone of the whole song – to Michael’s opening “Live, baby, live”, which wastes no time in declaring that this is no place for feeling down, “New Sensation” screams ‘C’mon! Let’s enjoy life and have a great time!’
This is such an infectious track, and I can’t imagine anyone being a better fit for this song than Michael. He may not be the best vocalist in popular music, but he’s right up there among the best front persons.
According to Doyle – When I ranked these songs in 2019, I put “New Sensations” at #1. Now, four years later, I still generally agree with this idea. I think the main change I’d have made on this list now is that I’d have moved “Never Tear Us Apart” into the top three. Maybe to my top choice, but more likely to #2 or #3.
I believe that this is the greatest example of the INXS sound (nay, the INXS ethos) in their whole catalog. Everything is here – the jangle guitar, the dance rock rhythm section, the great Hutchence vocal and the BOOM production. All this because that great chorus with the different variations on the phrase “New Sensations.” Totally love it.
Enormous thank you to Stu for his participation and patience. I’m glad to finally share this with all of you. I’ll try to come back to this project on a more regular basis. No promises.
Coming Eventually: Roxy Music? Pretenders?
INXS Singles Ranked – 61-65 – 51-60 – 41-50 – 31-40 – 21-30 – 11-20 – 1-10