⚡ A Band at Their Peak
By 1987, INXS had become unstoppable. Their album Kick was a cultural earthquake — every track radiated confidence, rhythm, and desire.
But among the bright energy of hits like “New Sensation” and “Need You Tonight,” there was one song that carried a different kind of power — darker, slower, more dangerous.
That song was “Devil Inside.”
With its hypnotic groove, shadowy lyrics, and seductive edge, “Devil Inside” became one of INXS’s most iconic hits. It wasn’t a party anthem — it was a pulse. A slow burn of lust and control, wrapped in Michael Hutchence’s smoky voice and the band’s razor-sharp musicianship.
Where other tracks from Kick celebrated life, “Devil Inside” explored what happens when desire becomes obsession. It showed the world that INXS weren’t just pretty faces with catchy hooks — they were storytellers of the human condition, unafraid of the darkness that lived within.
😈 The Meaning Behind the Madness
“Devil Inside” is about duality — the conflict between our public faces and our private desires.
The line “The devil inside, the devil inside, every single one of us, the devil inside” isn’t about evil — it’s about truth.
Michael Hutchence and Andrew Farriss, who co-wrote the track, were fascinated by the tension between light and shadow, attraction and danger. The song suggests that beneath every smile lies something raw and uncontrollable — a pulse that drives us toward pleasure, power, and sometimes self-destruction.
Hutchence once said he was drawn to the “animal” side of human nature, not in a moral sense but in an emotional one. “Devil Inside” was his confession and his mirror. When he sang it, it felt like he was revealing something personal — and maybe that’s why it still feels intimate, decades later.
🎤 The Seduction of Michael Hutchence
If “Need You Tonight” made Michael Hutchence a sex symbol, “Devil Inside” turned him into a myth.
The way he performed it — slow, hypnotic, predatory — was mesmerizing. He didn’t shout; he whispered. He didn’t dance wildly; he moved like smoke.
His charisma wasn’t just physical — it was spiritual. On stage, “Devil Inside” became a ritual. The lights would dim, the beat would throb, and Hutchence would step into the darkness like he owned it.
Fans weren’t just watching a singer; they were witnessing transformation. He became both angel and demon, both seducer and confessor. It was dangerous — and that’s what made it irresistible.
Even now, few frontmen have ever captured that same mix of vulnerability and dominance. Hutchence didn’t just perform “Devil Inside.” He was the devil inside.
🎸 Building the Sound of Seduction
Musically, “Devil Inside” is a masterclass in tension and release.
Andrew Farriss built the track around a looping guitar riff and a steady, hypnotic rhythm. It’s minimalist, but every note matters. The bassline slithers, the drums lock into a tight groove, and Michael’s voice rides just above it all — restrained yet explosive.
Unlike most rock songs of the era, “Devil Inside” doesn’t rely on big choruses or flashy solos. It thrives on repetition and rhythm — like the slow heartbeat of temptation. The more it plays, the more it pulls you in.
Chris Thomas’s production gave the track its cinematic edge. Every sound feels close, like it’s whispering in your ear. It’s music that breathes, sweats, and smolders — a rare balance between rock and sensuality.
It’s not surprising that “Devil Inside” became a favorite among live audiences. Played at full volume, it was more than a song — it was a spell.
🎬 A Video from the Shadows
The music video, directed by Joel Schumacher (yes, the same man who later directed The Lost Boys and Batman Forever), captured the eerie sensuality of the song perfectly.
Filmed in Los Angeles, it follows a surreal mix of characters — lovers, fighters, dreamers — moving through the neon-lit night.
Schumacher once said he wanted to capture “the contradiction between beauty and danger,” and that’s exactly what he achieved. Hutchence appears as a ghostly figure, both observer and participant, embodying the seductive chaos the song describes.
It was one of the first times INXS fully embraced cinematic storytelling, turning a four-minute song into a visual poem about temptation and human nature.
🌍 Global Impact
“Devil Inside” became a global hit, reaching No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and charting across Europe, Canada, and Australia.
But beyond commercial success, it solidified INXS’s identity — a band that could merge funk, rock, and sensual energy without losing authenticity.
In the late 1980s, rock music was full of hairspray and glamour, but INXS stood apart. They were sleek, stylish, and intelligent. “Devil Inside” proved they could be provocative without being vulgar — seductive without being shallow.
And while many ’80s songs have faded into nostalgia, this one still feels modern. Its groove has been sampled, covered, and referenced by countless artists — from pop producers to indie bands — proving its timeless influence.
💔 The Tragic Echo
After Michael Hutchence’s death in 1997, “Devil Inside” took on a haunting new meaning.
Lines that once felt playful — “Here comes the world, with the look in its eye…” — began to sound like prophecy. It reminded fans that Hutchence lived on the edge of intensity, driven by emotion and vulnerability.
But perhaps the song’s lasting power comes from that very honesty. Hutchence never pretended to be perfect — he sang about the contradictions inside us all. “Devil Inside” was never about sin; it was about self-awareness.
Every time it plays, it’s like hearing him again — raw, alive, untamed.
🔥 The Legacy of “Devil Inside”
Today, “Devil Inside” stands as one of INXS’s defining works — the perfect balance between their physical, sensual energy and their deep, poetic undercurrent.
It’s a song that feels alive every time it’s played, like a living pulse of temptation and truth.
You can still feel its fingerprints on artists who understand the beauty of tension — from Depeche Mode’s later work to modern acts like The Weeknd and Arctic Monkeys. They all, in some way, chase the same intoxicating mix of rhythm and danger that INXS perfected in 1987.
More than 35 years later, “Devil Inside” continues to seduce. It’s the sound of midnight — where the lights dim, the air thickens, and the truth of who we are begins to surface.