God's Top Ten Explained

God's Top Ten
Type:single
Artist:INXS
Album:Switch
Recorded:2004–2005
Genre:Alternative rock
Label:Epic
Producer:Guy Chambers
Prev Title:Perfect Strangers
Prev Year:2006
Next Title:Dream on Black Girl (Original Sin)
Next Year:2006

"God's Top Ten" is a song by Australian band INXS, which was released as the fifth single from their eleventh studio album, Switch (November 2005). The album was the first with new lead singer, J.D. Fortune, winner of the competition. The single was released in 2006, but only in Poland and Canada as an airplay single, where it peaked at No. 18 and No. 88 respectively.

Song information

"God's Top Ten" was written by INXS guitarist and keyboardist, Andrew Farriss, and is predominantly about the late INXS frontman Michael Hutchence (1960–1997), his partner, Paula Yates (1959–2000), and their daughter, Tiger Lily. Andrew and Tim Farriss (his brother, on guitar) have both separately said in TV interviews that this song is actually a gift for Tiger. In addition to new lead singer, J. D. Fortune's vocals, "God's Top Ten" also features the vocals of his fellow contestant Suzie McNeil.[1] Jane Stevenson of the Toronto Sun reviewed Switch (November 2005) and described this track "A pretty piano hook kicks off this soulful, strings-laden tribute to [the couple and their daughter] with McNeil and Fortune trading verses and singing together".[2]

During a radio interview with the BBC, Andrew changed the lyrics around to the song from "When you hear his songs, on the radio, I don't need to tell you what you already know" to "When she hears his songs on the radio, I don't need to tell her what she already knows" and also changed "He's on God's top ten, where heaven never ends" to "He's on God's top ten, he'll always be my friend". The term "God's Top Ten" was also used in the band's song "Here Comes", off their album Shabooh Shoobah. The lyrics read "Here comes my kamikaze, Here comes God's top ten, Nothing to be done to stop it, Nothing to get in its way".

Charts

Chart (2006)Peak
position
Canadian Hot 10088
Polish Singles Chart18

Notes and References

  1. Web site: [{{Allmusic|class=album|id=r808929|pure_url=yes}} ''Switch'' – INXS ]. . Collar, Matt . 10 September 2014 .
  2. News: Never tear us apart . https://archive.today/20130101011759/http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Artists/I/INXS/AlbumReviews/2005/11/25/1323689-sun.html . usurped . 1 January 2013 . . . Stevenson, Jane . 25 November 2005 . 10 September 2014 .