Kiss the Dirt (Falling Down the Mountain)

Last updated

"Kiss the Dirt (Falling Down the Mountain)"
Kiss the Dirt.jpg
Cover art for Australian and US vinyl editions
Single by INXS
from the album Listen Like Thieves
ReleasedMarch 1986
22 August 1986 (UK) [1]
RecordedAugust 1985
Studio Rhinoceros Studios, Sydney
Genre Alternative rock, pop rock, college rock [2]
Length3:56
Label Atlantic
Songwriter(s) Andrew Farriss
Michael Hutchence
Producer(s) Chris Thomas
INXS singles chronology
"What You Need"
(1985)
"Kiss the Dirt (Falling Down the Mountain)"
(1986)
"Listen Like Thieves"
(1986)
Music video
Kiss the Dirt on YouTube

"Kiss the Dirt (Falling Down the Mountain)" is a song by the Australian rock band INXS. It was written by Andrew Farriss and Michael Hutchence from the 1985 album Listen Like Thieves .

It was released as the album's third single in March 1986 and reached #15 on the Australian singles chart, [3] becoming the band's tenth Top 20 hit in their country. [3] It was, however, the band's seventh single that failed to chart in the United States, but it did manage to reach #24 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. [4]

In 2002, "Kiss the Dirt (Falling Down the Mountain)" was included on the soundtrack of the popular and critically acclaimed Rockstar video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City on its in-game radio station "Flash FM".

The music video shows the band performing on a salt lake and on the moon plains in Coober Pedy in South Australia. The band flew direct from the United States to the site and filmed the clip overnight then flew back to the United States. In the bridge, the band is shown performing while fire and gloom cover the area, before the skies clear up at the end.

It was directed by Alex Proyas.

Charts

Chart (1986)Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report) [3] 15
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) [5] 42
UK Singles Chart [6] 54
US Billboard Album Rock Tracks [4] 24

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">INXS</span> Australian rock band (1977–2012)

INXS were an Australian rock band, formed as the Farriss Brothers in 1977 in Sydney. The founding members were bassist Garry Gary Beers, main composer and keyboardist Andrew Farriss, drummer Jon Farriss, guitarist Tim Farriss, lead singer and main lyricist Michael Hutchence, and guitarist and saxophonist Kirk Pengilly. For 20 years, INXS was fronted by Hutchence, whose magnetic stage presence made him the focal point of the band. Initially known for their new wave/pop style, the band later developed a harder pub rock style that included funk and dance elements.

Real Life are an Australian new wave and synth-pop band that achieved international chart success with their 1983 singles "Send Me an Angel" and "Catch Me I'm Falling", both of which were taken from their debut studio album, Heartland (1983). The band originally consisted of David Sterry, Richard Zatorski, Allan Johnson (bass), and Danny Simcic (drums). Steve Williams (keyboards) replaced Zatorski in 1986, and was replaced by George Pappas in 1995 after a long hiatus of band activity.

<i>Kick</i> (INXS album) 1987 studio album by INXS

Kick is the sixth studio album by Australian rock band INXS, released on 19 October 1987 through WEA in Australia, Mercury Records in Europe, and Atlantic Records in the United States and Canada. The album was produced by British producer Chris Thomas, recorded by David Nicholas in Sydney and Paris and mixed by Bob Clearmountain at AIR Studios in London.

<i>Listen Like Thieves</i> 1985 studio album by INXS

Listen Like Thieves is the fifth studio album by Australian rock band INXS. It was released on 14 October 1985. It spent two weeks at number one on the Australian Kent Music Report Albums Chart. Considered an international breakthrough album for the band, it peaked at No. 11 on the United States Billboard 200, No. 24 on the Canadian RPM 100 Albums and in the top 50 in the United Kingdom.

<i>X</i> (INXS album) 1990 studio album by INXS

X is the seventh studio album by Australian rock band INXS, released on 25 September 1990 through WEA in Australia, Mercury Records in Europe, and Atlantic Records in the United States and Canada. The follow-up to the massive seller Kick, X scored hits with "Suicide Blonde" and "Disappear". Both singles were later used in the soundtrack to the 1991 American teen comedy Mystery Date. Two other singles from X were "Bitter Tears" and "By My Side" but they had less chart success. A fifth single, "The Stairs", was only issued in the Netherlands to coincide with the release of the Live Baby Live album.

<i>Shabooh Shoobah</i> 1982 studio album by INXS

Shabooh Shoobah is the third studio album by Australian rock band INXS. It was released on 13 October 1982. It peaked at No. 5 on the ARIA Albums Chart and remained on the chart for 94 weeks. It was the band's first album to be released worldwide and appeared on the United States Billboard 200 and on the Hot Pop Albums Chart. The album spawned four singles, "The One Thing", "Don't Change", "To Look at You" and "Black and White". It was produced by Mark Opitz for WEA Australia with most tracks written by band members Andrew Farriss and Michael Hutchence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">What I Like About You (The Romantics song)</span> 1979 single by The Romantics

"What I Like About You" is a song by American rock band the Romantics, released in December 1979 as the lead single from their 1980 self-titled debut album. The song was written by band members Wally Palmar, Mike Skill and Jimmy Marinos. Marinos, the band's drummer, is the lead vocalist on the song. The band filmed a music video for the song that appeared frequently on MTV during the early 1980s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kiss discography</span> Cataloging of published recordings by Kiss

American hard rock band Kiss has released 20 studio albums, 13 live albums, and 60 singles. Formed in New York City in 1973, the group initially consisted of bassist Gene Simmons, rhythm guitarist Paul Stanley, lead guitarist Ace Frehley, and drummer Peter Criss; this most recognizable and successful lineup lasted until Criss' departure in 1980. The band is known for its makeup and on-stage antics, which influenced many artists who later used similar effects in their concerts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elegantly Wasted (song)</span> 1997 single by INXS

"Elegantly Wasted" is the title track and first single released from the album Elegantly Wasted by Australian band INXS. The single was released in Europe, Japan, Australia, South Africa, Canada, and the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Invisible Touch (song)</span> 1986 single by Genesis

"Invisible Touch" is the title track and first single from the 1986 studio album of the same name by the English rock band Genesis. The song is a group composition which featured lyrics written by drummer and lead vocalist Phil Collins.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">What You Need (INXS song)</span> 1985 single by INXS

"What You Need" is a song recorded by the Australian band INXS. It is the leadoff track from their 1985 album, Listen Like Thieves. "What You Need" was the lead single off the album in Australia and New Zealand, while it was in USA and Europe the second single after "This Time" and was the band's first American Top Ten hit, peaking at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Need You Tonight</span> 1987 single by INXS

"Need You Tonight" is a song by the Australian rock band INXS, released as the first single from their 1987 album, Kick, as well as the fourth song on the album. It is the only INXS single to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. It also achieved their highest charting position in the United Kingdom, where the song reached number two on the UK Singles Chart; however, this peak was only reached after a re-release of the single in November 1988. On its first run on the UK charts in October 1987, it stalled at No. 58. It was one of the last songs recorded for the album, yet it would arguably become the band's signature song.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reason to Live</span> 1987 single by Kiss

"Reason to Live" is a song by the American rock band Kiss. It is featured on the band's 1987 studio album Crazy Nights.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Don't Change</span> 1982 single by INXS

"Don't Change" is a song by Australian rock band INXS. It was released as a single from the album Shabooh Shoobah in October 1982. It has been described as the song that made the band internationally famous.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Poison discography</span>

The following is a comprehensive discography of Poison, an American glam metal band that achieved huge success in the mid-1980s to mid-1990s. Poison sold more than 16 million records in the United States alone. The band has also charted ten singles to the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100, including six Top 10 singles and the Hot 100 number-one single, "Every Rose Has Its Thorn". The band became icons of the 1980s MTV era and have had widespread commercial success. The band's breakthrough debut album, the multi-platinum Look What the Cat Dragged In was released in 1986 and they hit their peak with the second album, the multi-platinum selling Open Up and Say... Ahh! which became the band's most successful album ever. The popularity continued into the new decade with their third consecutive multi-platinum selling album Flesh & Blood.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Listen Like Thieves (song)</span> 1986 single by INXS

"Listen Like Thieves" is the title song and fourth and final single from Australian rock band INXS's fifth album, Listen Like Thieves.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Good Times (The Easybeats song)</span> Easybeats song

"Good Times" is a song by the Australian rock band the Easybeats, written by George Young and Harry Vanda. It was released in June 1968 on their album Vigil, and as a single in July 1968 through Parlophone. It features guest vocals by Steve Marriott of Small Faces, and piano by Nicky Hopkins. The original Easybeats recording reached #22 in Australia. When broadcast by BBC radio, it was reportedly heard by Paul McCartney on his car radio; McCartney apparently rang the station immediately to request a repeat playing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The One Thing (song)</span> 1982 single by INXS

"The One Thing" is a song by Australian rock group INXS, released in July 1982 as the first single ahead of their third studio album, Shabooh Shoobah, which appeared in October that year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Send a Message</span> 1984 single by INXS

"I Send a Message" was the second single released by Australian rock band INXS from their fourth album The Swing. The music video was directed by Yamamoto San and filmed in Tokyo at the city's oldest Buddhist temple in Main Old City Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Darling It Hurts</span> 1986 single by Paul Kelly and the Coloured Girls

"Darling It Hurts" is a song by Australian rock group Paul Kelly and the Coloured Girls released in September 1986 as the second single from their first double album, Gossip. The song, written by Kelly with lead guitarist Steve Connolly, reached No. 25 on the Australian Kent Music Report Singles Chart in October. It was issued in 1987 on A&M Records in the United States, where it reached No. 19 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Chart. Due to possible racist connotations the band changed its name, for international releases, to Paul Kelly and the Messengers. According to Allmusic's Mike Gagne, "Kelly's pain can be felt as he describes an ex-girlfriend of his who has turned to prostitution."

References

  1. Smith, Robin (16 August 1986). "News Digest". Record Mirror . p. 49.
  2. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. INXS - Shine Like It Does: The Anthology (1979-1997) (2001) Review at AllMusic. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
  3. 1 2 3 Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (Illustrated ed.). St. Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 149. ISBN   0-646-11917-6. N.B. the Kent Report chart was licensed by ARIA between mid 1983 and 19 June 1988.
  4. 1 2 "Billboard > Artists / INXS > Chart History > Mainstream Rock Songs (page 2)". Billboard . Retrieved 30 March 2016.
  5. "charts.nz > INXS – Kiss the Dirt (Falling Down the Mountain) (song)". Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
  6. "Official Charts > INXS". The Official UK Charts Company . Retrieved 30 March 2016.