Infatuation

Album: Camouflage (1984)
Charted: 27 6
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • In this song, Stewart is incapacitated by his obsession with a woman. He's clearly unhinged, making some bad decisions that cause him to declare in the pre-chorus:

    Oh no not again
    It hurts so good
    I don't understand


    The woman who has both his heart and mind racing is Kelly Emberg, a fashion model who was his girlfriend at the time. Stewart wrote in his Anthology liner notes: "Written in the early days of my relationship with Kelly Emberg, my long-suffering girlfriend. Our situation was the inspiration."

    Stewart and Emberg never married but had a child together, daughter Ruby, in 1987. They split up in 1990.
  • This was the biggest hit from the Camouflage album, which came at a creative nadir for Stewart, as he had little interest in the project. The task of completing the album fell to Michael Omartian, who was assigned as producer. At his manager's suggestion, Stewart let Omartian steer the ship because Rod was in no condition to do so. "He did the best he could with an artist that wasn't involved," Stewart told Mojo. "I didn't care."
  • This song has a drum machine and keyboard feel that was very popular in 1984, but also a very crisp horn section that included Jerry Hey and Chuck Findley. The guitarist, often reported as Stewart's longtime mate Jeff Beck, was actually Michael Landau.
  • Stewart wrote this song with Duane Hitchings and Rowland Robinson, who worked together in The New Cactus Band.
  • The video, directed by Jonathan Kaplan, shows Stewart in full-on stalker mode, using binoculars to spy on his infatuation. The leading lady is Kay Lenz, who was in the film American Graffiti and appeared on a number of TV shows, including The Fall Guy and MacGyver. She was married to David Cassidy in the late '70s and early '80s.
  • The very first MTV Video Music Awards is remembered for Madonna's wedding-dress rendition of "Like A Virgin," but Stewart was the first performer on the show, doing "Infatuation."

Comments: 1

  • Rhonda Hodges / Wife Of Teenie Hodges from Hot Springs ArIt’s Roland Robinson not Rowland. He was my husband Teenie’s cousin.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Timothy B. Schmit of the Eagles

Timothy B. Schmit of the EaglesSongwriter Interviews

Did this Eagle come up with the term "Parrothead"? And what is it like playing "Hotel California" for the gazillionth time?

80s Video Director Jay Dubin

80s Video Director Jay DubinSong Writing

Billy Joel and Hall & Oates hated making videos, so they chose a director with similar contempt for the medium. That was Jay Dubin, and he has a lot to say on the subject.

Gilby Clarke

Gilby ClarkeSongwriter Interviews

The Guns N' Roses rhythm guitarist in the early '90s, Gilby talks about the band's implosion and the side projects it spawned.

Little Big Town

Little Big TownSongwriter Interviews

"When seeds that you sow grow by the wicked moon/Be sure your sins will find you out/Your past will hunt you down and turn to tell on you."

Dino Cazares of Fear Factory

Dino Cazares of Fear FactorySongwriter Interviews

The guitarist/songwriter explains how he came up with his signature sound, and deconstructs some classic Fear Factory songs.

Dave Edmunds

Dave EdmundsSongwriter Interviews

A renowned guitarist and rock revivalist, Dave took "I Hear You Knocking" to the top of the UK charts and was the first to record Elvis Costello's "Girls Talk."