The Gift (INXS song)

"The Gift" is the first single from the 1993 album Full Moon, Dirty Hearts, by Australian rock band INXS. The song was written by Jon Farriss and Michael Hutchence.

The lyric appears to touch on the subject of war and AIDS, with the author questioning the promises made while looking at an "empty sky". The song ends with the strained and repeated verse:

"I was thinking, got the feeling,

The gift you gave is gonna last forever.

All the lies you find, all the truth you see,

Rise and fall, but I know what's mine".

Video

The music video for "The Gift" dramatises issues ranging from war and terrorism to famine and pollution with the band appearing to crash through the TV screen in anger. The video was banned by MTV, formerly INXS's greatest ally, owing to its use of Holocaust and Gulf War footage.^[1]

In an interview with the director and long-term collaborator, Richard Lowenstein; "The video uses harrowing visuals in order to portray man's ability to create havoc and destruction. The message behind the video is to show how as viewers, we have become accepting of, and increasingly apathetic to images of gross human suffering and violence." ^[2]

B-sides

The B-sides on the first of two UK CD Single releases include two remixes of The Gift, a live version of Heaven Sent and a cover of Steppenwolf's Born to Be Wild which was specially recorded for the April 1993 launch of Virgin Radio in the UK.^[3]

Track listings

CD Single 1 INXCD25

The Gift
The Gift (Bonus Beats Mix)
Born to Be Wild

CD Single 2 INXCT 25

The Gift
The Gift (Extended Mix)
Heaven Sent (Live)

CD Single 3 Atlantic 85722-2

The Gift
Born to Be Wild
The Gift (Extended Mix)
The Gift (Bonus Beat Mix)
Heaven Sent (Live)

7" Vinyl and Cassette single INXS25

The Gift
The Gift (Extended Mix)

Charts

Chart (1993)	Peak position
Australian ARIA Singles Chart	16
UK Singles Chart	11
U.S. Billboard Modern Rock Tracks	6

References

INXS

Garry Gary Beers Andrew Farriss Jon Farriss Tim Farriss Michael Hutchence Kirk Pengilly Jon Stevens J.D. Fortune Ciaran Gribbin

Studio albums	INXS Underneath the Colours Shabooh Shoobah The Swing Listen Like Thieves Kick X Welcome to Wherever You Are Full Moon, Dirty Hearts Elegantly Wasted Switch Original Sin

EPs	Dekadance Bang the Drum

Compilations	INXSIVE The Greatest Hits Shine Like It Does: The Anthology (1979–1997) Definitive INXS/The Best of INXS The Years 1979–1997 Stay Young 1979–1982 INXS²: The Remixes Original Sin – The Collection Taste It: The Collection The Very Best

Live albums	Live Baby Live INXS: Live at Barker Hangar Live Germany 1984 Live at Wembley Stadium 1991

Singles	"Simple Simon" "Just Keep Walking" "The Loved One" "Stay Young" "Underneath the Colours" "Night of Rebellion" "The One Thing" "Don't Change" "To Look at You" "Black and White" "Original Sin" "I Send a Message" "Burn for You" "Dancing on the Jetty" "This Time" "What You Need" "Kiss the Dirt (Falling Down the Mountain)" "Listen Like Thieves" "Good Times" "Need You Tonight" "Mediate" "Devil Inside" "New Sensation" "Never Tear Us Apart" "Mystify" "Suicide Blonde" "Disappear" "By My Side" "Bitter Tears" "The Stairs" "Shining Star" "Heaven Sent" "Baby Don't Cry" "Not Enough Time" "Taste It" "Beautiful Girl" "The Gift" "Please (You Got That ...)" "Time" "Freedom Deep" "The Strangest Party (These Are the Times)" "Elegantly Wasted" "Everything" "Don't Lose Your Head" "Searching" "Precious Heart" "I'm So Crazy" "Tight" "One of My Kind" "I Get Up" "Mystify" (Remix) "Pretty Vegas" "Afterglow" "Devil's Party" "Perfect Strangers" "God's Top Ten" "Dream on Black Girl (Original Sin)" "Never Tear Us Apart" (featuring Ben Harper & Mylène Farmer) "Mediate" (featuring Tricky)

Related articles	Discography Australian Made Rock Star: INXS Max Q Michael Hutchence (album) Terence Trent D'Arby Jimmy Barnes Dogs in Space The Dead Daisies INXS: Never Tear Us Apart

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