"Listen Like Thieves" by INXS

Song#:  2713
Date:  05/10/1986
Debut:  92
Peak:  54
Weeks:  9
Genre:  New Wave, Rock



Pop Bits:  The Australian band grabbed their first US Top 10 hit with "What You Need," the second single from their album Listen Like Thieves. For a follow-up, this title track would be pushed out. It did well at Rock getting to #12, but it didn't quite click the same way at Pop where it missed out on the top half of the chart. A fourth single, "Kiss the Dirt (Falling Down)" was later released and it made it to #24 on the Rock chart. However, it failed to get on the Pop chart. Despite not being able to secure a second big Pop hit, the album did very well reaching #11. It would eventually be certified double platinum.

ReduxReview:  This was another groovy track from the band that wasn't too far from the feel of "What You Need." It just wasn't quite as catchy as that killer single. Still, it was a good tune that should have at least cracked the Top 40.

ReduxRating:  6/10

Trivia:  The b-side to this single was a song titled "Different World." The song was not included on the Listen Like Thieves album, but it was used in a film. The tune can be heard in the hit action comedy Crocodile Dundee. The movie, which starred Australian actor Paul Hogan, was released in the fall of '86 and it became a runaway hit. It would end up being the second biggest box office film of the year (behind Top Gun) and it made a star out of Hogan. He would go on to win a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Comedy or Musical. Hogan would also earn an Oscar nomination as part of the writing team who were up for Best Original Screenplay. The film would spawn two sequels but neither would do as well as the original. Although the INXS song was used in the film, it was not included on the official soundtrack album.

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