NEVER TEAR US APART (WITH INXS AND BEN HARPER)

“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; 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 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.

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.

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.

Never tear us apart with INXS and Ben Harper is the first single from INXS twelfth studio album, Original Sin released on 16 November 2010  It is a tribute album to the group consisting of covers of songs by different artists.

Mylène adapts part of the lyrics in French as she records it with Ben Harper in early August 2010 in Paris in the greatest secrecy.

This title does not appear on anywhere in Mylène Farmer’s discography.

Did you notice how she connected this song’s lyrics with another? “”Bulle d’amour” (bubble of love)…yes! of course Ainsi soit je….

If you get a chance, watch “Mystify” https://variety.com/2019/film/reviews/film-review-mystify-michael-hutchence-1203198746/— a portrayal of charismatic INXS singer Michael Hutchence, who died in 1997 at the age of 37 — makes powerful use of family and personal footage to tell the story of a talented man beset by personal demons but illuminates the influence of a serious head injury that he hid from the public. The doc premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival.

“Never tear us apart has always been a must-have song for me. I was very touched when I was asked to join the INXS tribute project. Ben Harper brought a new take on this song to it putting all his soul and his intensity. ” (Mylène Farmer – 2010)

Curiously, Mylène and Ben Harper did not meet in person and recorded their parts separately.

“I have known Jon Farriss, one of the founders of INXS, for a few years now. He was preparing this tribute and asked me if I would agree to sing on Love Will Tear US Apart, especially since I have covered this song live in the past. I accepted and recorded my voices. I liked the production. Then he talks to me about Mylène. I was quite surprised;

I wasn’t sure I wanted a duet with her especially since I didn’t know her. I was interested in her music and her universe. I loved her voice.

She seemed talented to me … Jon Farriss insisted. So, I decided to stop being my music snob and give the idea a chance. She recorded and I liked the result.

She is full of soul and emotions. But I have never met Mylène before. Although I can say that I am a fan today. I would sing with her again.” (Ben Harper- musiquemag.com – 04/28/2011)

On October 1, 2010, a first extract of the duo is circulating on the Internet. On October 27, 2010, Belgian radio stations received the Original Sin promo album as well as a Promo CD for the duo Never tear us apart duet.

Promo CD Never tear us apart MP3 is the first single from the album in France and Belgium.

On November 17, 2010: Uploading on YouTube by Universal Music France of a video revealing the backstage of the duo’s recording. On November 29, 2010: Album release Original Sin in France.

No official music video for the song Never tear us apart. (Mylène & Ben Harper version)

Benjamin Chase Harper (born October 28, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Harper plays an eclectic mix of blues, folk, soul, reggae, and rock music and is known for his guitar-playing skills, vocals, live performances, and activism. He has released twelve regular studio albums, mostly through Virgin Records and has toured internationally.

Harper is a three-time Grammy Award winner and seven-time nominee, with awards for Best Pop Instrumental Performance and Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album in 2004 and Best Blues Album in 2013.

At the 40th Blues Music Awards ceremony, Harper’s joint composition with Charlie Musselwhite, “No Mercy in This Land”, was named Song of the Year.

Harper was born in Pomona, California. His late father, Leonard Harper, was of African-American and Cherokee ancestry, and his mother, Ellen Verdries Chase Harper, is Jewish. His maternal great-grandmother was a Russian-Lithuanian Jew. His parents divorced when he was five years old, and he grew up with his mother’s family. Harper has two brothers, Joel Harper and Peter Harper.

Harper began playing guitar as a child. His maternal grandparents’ music store, the Folk Music Center and Museum, laid a foundation of folk and blues for the artist, complemented by regular patrons Leonard Cohen, Taj Mahal, John Darnielle, and David Lindley and quotes of William Shakespeare and Robert Frost made often by his grandfather.

In 1978, at the age of 9, Harper attended Bob Marley’s performance in Burbank, California, where Marley was joined by former bandmate Peter Tosh for the encore. It was, according to Harper, an important influence.

Sarah Grace McLaughlin, known professionally as Bishop Briggs, is a Scottish American singer and songwriter.) Born: July 18, 1992 (age 28 years) in London recorded a gorgeous version of the Never Tear Us Apart for the movie soundtrack “Fifty Shades Freed” in 2018

more remixes and versions: https://soundcloud.com/search?q=never%20tear%20us%20apart

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lyrics with translation

[Mylène Farmer]
Reste près de moi
Ton souffle est ma voix
Qui sussure à peine
Qui ose deviner qu'on s'aime
Toi... Bulle d'amour,
Une faille au grand jour
Two worlds collided
And they could never tear us apart.

[Ben Harper]
We could live for a thousand years
But if I hurt you
I'd make wine from your tears
I told you
I told you we could fly
Cause we all have wings

[Mylène Farmer et Ben Harper]
But some of us don't know why

[Mylène Farmer]
Toi... Bulle d'amour

[Ben Harper]
You were there

[Mylène Farmer et Ben Harper]
Two worlds collided
And they could never tear us apart

[Ben Harper]
We all have wings, we all have wings, but some of us don't know why

[Ben Harper et Mylène Farmer]
I was standing
You were there
Two worlds collided
And they could never...ever
Tear us apart!

[Mylène Farmer] : Tear us apart

[Ben Harper]
You were standing

[Mylène Farmer]
I was there

[Mylène Farmer et Ben Harper]
Two worlds collided
And they could never

[Ben Harper]
Never tear us apart ...

[Ben Harper]
I was standing
You were there
Two worlds collided
And they could never... ever
Tear us apart!

[Mylène Farmer]
Stay by me
Your breath is my voice
Who barely suss
Who dares to guess that we love each other
You ... bubble of love,
A flaw in broad daylight
Two worlds collided
And they could never tear us apart.

[Ben Harper]
We could live for a thousand years
But if I hurt you
I'd make wine from your tears
I told you
I told you we could fly
Cause we all have wings

[Mylène Farmer and Ben Harper]
But some of us don't know why

[Mylène Farmer]
You ... bubble of love

[Ben Harper]
You were there

[Mylène Farmer and Ben Harper]
Two worlds collided
And they could never tear us apart

[Ben Harper]
We all have wings, we all have wings, but some of us don't know why

[Ben Harper and Mylène Farmer]
I was standing
You were there
Two worlds collided
And they could never ... ever
Tear us apart!

[Mylène Farmer]: Tear us apart

[Ben Harper]
You were standing

[Mylène Farmer]
I was there

[Mylène Farmer and Ben Harper]
Two worlds collided
And they could never

[Ben Harper]
Never tear us apart ...

[Ben Harper]
I was standing
You were there
Two worlds collided
And they could never ... ever
Tear us apart!