The “big choice” behind the INXS song ‘Taste It’
At the helm of the Australian band INXS, Michael Hutchence took the notion of the rockstar and redefined it.
He could, at once, be an exuberant and sensual stage presence that was near impossible to tear your eyes away from, and show a darker, more introspective side that manifested in his lyricism to provoke thought and heartbreak. All this, set to music that merged elements of rock, pop, and funk, and INXS were the perfect juxtaposition of sounds that made you dance while also harnessing the urge to look beyond the words.
By August 1992, INXS had reached an unprecedented peak, captivating Australian and international audiences with their irresistible music and Hutchence’s equal allure, expanding from their earliest new wave beginnings into more diverse territory. Their eighth album, Welcome to Wherever You Are, heard a stripped-back group experiment with sitars and massive orchestral compositions, a deeper exploration of their sound than ever before. Always writing with a penchant for subversion, Hutchence and composer/keyboardist Andrew Farriss, who together composed the majority of INXS’s catalogue, were compelled to channel this energy into their lyricism.
The album’s fourth single, ‘Taste It’, is a voyeuristic journey into the hidden parts of the self. The song depicts its literal interpretation in the music video as we peer into the windows of a suburban town and see Hutchence seduced by a woman, as strange characters (some being mirrored selves) look on, caught between giving in and fighting back. The resulting story is a bizarre trip into an uncanny world where the lines between reality and fantasy are permanently blurred, and choices become increasingly vague; and while the overt sexuality of the song and the controversy surrounding the video dominate its message, Hutchence had another motivation in mind while writing.
When asked about the meaning of ‘Taste It’, he noted, “It’s about the devil and the angel, and choice, I guess”. Living a life in excess (the pun in his band’s name, intended), Hutchence understood all too well the contrasting effects of good and evil, and the never-ending struggle between the two, with choices to make becoming a familiar dilemma.
Traversing through his emotions, Hutchence wages a battle as he sings: “If I agree to what comes next, / I would be faking with the best of them/ It seems a crime I would commit / Without the difference of all the world’s gifts”.
The frontman elaborated on the song’s concept, saying, “With all the things in life, not just sexual, it depends on how you choose the path you take, where it leads you, and whether it was wise to take it or not. Because the paths are always there, and you have to confront that choice. It’s a big question.”
Hutchence’s capture of his most introspective moments in spellbinding songs secured his place as one of music’s most fascinating frontmen. A song like ‘Taste It’ hears some of the finest of INXS’s work, a balance of sensuality and existential thought that made Hutchence so intriguing until his untimely, tragic death in 1997, ensuring that he would remain unforgettable.
