Obsession

by

Animotion

Album: Obsession: The Best of Animotion      Released: 1985

US Chart: 6     UK Chart: 5

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This was written by Holly Knight and Michael Des Barres, who recorded the song as a duet in 1983. Des Barres is an actor who was also in the bands Silverhead and Detective. Knight is an accomplished songwriter whose credits include "The Best " by Tina Turner and "Love Is A Battlefield" by Pat Benatar. She explains: "I wrote many songs for Michael Des Barres, but that's the only one we ever went and tried to get a cover on. I came up with a sequence riff, and Michael came up with some lyrics, and it was the perfect marriage. It's very simple."

This is about a stalker, and he seems to get more obsessed as the song progresses. At first, it appears that he has a serious crush on the girl, but he later becomes more dangerous and intent on "capturing" the girl.

Holly Knight cites this as a song that came true for her later in life. She says, "I guess it comes with the territory, you have a very creative imagination, therefore your life can be wonderful, or a living hell. Because your mind is so creative it goes to places that aren't necessarily realistic. You feel things a lot. I can't imagine anyone in their life never having a moment where they're not obsessed with somebody or something." (Thanks to Holly Knight for speaking with us about this song. Her full interview is available in the Songfacts Songwriter Interviews.)

Animotion picked up this song in 1985, and their version, helped by a slick video, was a big hit. Here's what you need to know about Animotion: Cynthia Rhodes, who played Penny Johnson in the movie Dirty Dancing, became their lead singer in 1988 and sang on their hit "Room To Move," which went to #9 in the US in 1989. She then married Richard Marx and retired from music and acting.

This was used in the movie A Night In Heaven, which is about an older woman who is obsessed with a young guy.

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Comments:

First heard this during the early to mid ninties on VH1's fashion catwalk show
- Chris, Claremont, CA

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