Original Sin (INXS song)
{{Use Australian English|date=May 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Original Sin
| cover = Original Sin INXS.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Cover art for Australian release
| type = single
| artist = INXS
| album = The Swing
| B-side = {{hlist|"In Vain"|"Just Keep Walking"}}
| released = December 1983
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = {{hlist|New wave{{cite magazine|title= INXS' 'Original Sin' Short Film and Soundtrack Coming Soon |magazine= Billboard |date= 7 September 2021 |url= https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/inxs-original-sin-short-film-soundtrack-9598666/}}{{cite web|title= 10 Best Inxs Songs of All Time |website= Singers Room |date= 18 October 2023 |url= https://singersroom.com/w25/best-inxs-songs-of-all-time/#6_Original_Sin/}}|funk rock{{cite book|first=Martin|last=Strong|title= The Essential Rock Discography|chapter= INXS|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CsooY_e1w8kC|date=10 October 2006|publisher=Canongate Books|isbn=1-84195-860-3|pages= 526–529}}|dance-rock{{Cite podcast|url=https://slate.com/podcasts/hit-parade/2021/01/nile-rodgers-bernard-edwards-chic-influenced-disco-pop-rap-new-wave|title=These Are the Good Times Edition|website=Hit Parade {{!}} Music History and Music Trivia|publisher=Slate|last=Molanphy|first=Chris|date=January 19, 2021|access-date=February 3, 2024|archive-date=1 February 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240201022832/https://slate.com/podcasts/hit-parade/2021/01/nile-rodgers-bernard-edwards-chic-influenced-disco-pop-rap-new-wave|url-status=live}}}}
| length = {{unbulleted list|5:19 (album version)|3:45 (single edit)|6:35 (12" extended version)}}
| label = WEA
| writer = {{unbulleted list|Michael Hutchence|Andrew Farriss}}
| producer = Nile Rodgers
| prev_title = Black and White
| prev_year = 1983
| next_title = I Send a Message
| next_year = 1984
}}
"Original Sin" is a song by Australian rock group INXS, released as the first single from the band's fourth album, The Swing. It was written by Michael Hutchence and Andrew Farriss, and produced by Nile Rodgers.
Released as a single in December 1983,{{cite web|title= INXS Singles > Original Sin (Dream On) (Dec 1983) |website= Inxsweb.com |access-date= 11 July 2014 |url= http://inxsweb.com/discography/singles/swing_s.shtml#11}} it became the group's first single to reach the Australian top 10, reaching No. 1 in early 1984; it was the group's only No. 1 hit in Australia. The song also reached No. 20 in Canada and No. 58 in the US.
Composition
Pengilly said, "Michael wrote the lyrics and each time I ask him what they mean I get something different. The main theme of it really is — it's almost a hippy song! — it's about everyone joining together, and it's also about people's desires, and waking up the next morning and finding them washed away."{{cite web|first= Clinton |last= Walker |author-link= Clinton Walker |title= INXS — a Group in Search of Identity |work= Rock's Backpages |url= https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/inxs--a-group-in-search-of-identity}} {{subscription required|s}}
Details
Daryl Hall sings the chorus with Hutchence. During an interview in Australia, Hall said Nile Rodgers called him and asked him to sing on the song.{{cite web |title= Nile Rodgers Talks About "Original Sin's" Original Lyrics |website= Waisthigh.net |date= 14 February 2012 |access-date= 11 July 2014 |url= http://www.waisthigh.net/2012/02/photo-weekender-playground-via.html |archive-date= 15 October 2014 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20141015213408/http://www.waisthigh.net/2012/02/photo-weekender-playground-via.html |url-status= live }} Rodgers had participated in remixing the single "Adult Education" for Hall & Oates the previous year.
Two music videos for the song were filmed in Japan. Riding on motorcycles, the band members accompany a convoy of trucks to a vacant lot, where a fairground is set up and later dismantled around them as they play; at the end, the band then rides away with the trucks.{{Cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTULqzrhBWA |title=The common version |website=YouTube |access-date=10 December 2022 |archive-date=10 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221210131135/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTULqzrhBWA |url-status=live }} The alternate version (in fact the original one) show an Asian woman appearing at certain moments and has a different ending.{{Cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_t1zkCfrJsU |title=The alternate, but original, version |website=YouTube |access-date=10 December 2022 |archive-date=10 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221210131133/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_t1zkCfrJsU |url-status=live }}
In 2010, INXS rerecorded "Original Sin" with American vocalist Rob Thomas and Cuban female rapper DJ Yalediys as a dance single. It is featured in the 2010 INXS tribute album Original Sin.{{cite web|title= INXS – Rob Thomas & DJ Yaleidys talk about recording "Original Sin" (Original Sin) |publisher= YouTube |date= 25 October 2010 |access-date= 11 July 2014 |url= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxKqG9FFUS4 |url-status= live |archive-url= https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/mxKqG9FFUS4 |archive-date= 21 December 2021}} {{cbignore}}
Reception
Cash Box said the song "is a politically clever track which dreams of a racially equal and peaceful world, while also working as a tight dance single."{{cite magazine|title=Reviews|magazine=Cash Box|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/80s/1984/CB-1984-04-12.pdf|date=April 21, 1984|accessdate=2022-07-23|page=11|archive-date=25 July 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220725133045/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/80s/1984/CB-1984-04-12.pdf|url-status=live}}
In February 2014, after the Seven Network airing of INXS: Never Tear Us Apart mini-series, "Original Sin" charted again in Australia via download sales. It peaked at no. 61 on the ARIA Singles Chart.
In January 2018, as part of Triple M's "Ozzest 100", the 'most Australian' songs of all time, "Original Sin" was ranked number 58.{{cite news |title= Here Are the Songs That Made Triple M's 'Ozzest 100' |work= Music Feeds |date= 27 January 2018 |access-date= 4 January 2020 |url= http://musicfeeds.com.au/news/songs-made-triple-ms-ozzest-100/ |archive-date= 13 August 2020 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200813034315/https://musicfeeds.com.au/news/songs-made-triple-ms-ozzest-100/ |url-status= live }}
Track listing
7" single Track listing
{{Track listing
| notes = yes
| title1 = Original Sin
| writer1 = M. Hutchence, A. Farriss{{cite web |title= "Original Sin" at APRA search engine |publisher= Australasian Performing Right Association |access-date= 6 March 2014 |url= http://www.apra-amcos.com.au/worksearch.axd?q=Original%20Sin |archive-date= 6 March 2014 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140306092152/http://www.apra-amcos.com.au/worksearch.axd?q=Original%20Sin |url-status= live }}
| length1 = 3:45
| title2 = In Vain/Just Keep Walking
| writer2 = G. Beers, M. Hutchence, A. Farris, J. Farris, T. Farris, K. Pingily{{cite web |title= "Just Keep Walking" at APRA search engine |publisher= Australasian Performing Right Association |access-date= 6 March 2014 |url= http://www.apra-amcos.com.au/worksearch.axd?q=Just%20Keep%20Walking |archive-date= 6 March 2014 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140306091940/http://www.apra-amcos.com.au/worksearch.axd?q=Just%20Keep%20Walking |url-status= live }}
| notes2 = Live
| length2 = 7:24
}}
12"/CD Maxi single Track listing
{{Track listing
| notes = yes
| title1 = Original Sin
| writer1 = M. Hutchence, A. Farriss
| note1 = Extended remix
| length1 = 6:23
| title2 = Jan's Song
| note2 = Live
| length2 = 3:06
| title3 = To Look at You
| note3 = Live
| length3 = 3:39
}}
Chart performance
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=Weekly charts=
1Kash vs. INXS – Dream on Black Girl (Original Sin)
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=Year-end charts=
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