"The Gift" is the first single released from Australian rock band INXS's ninth studio album, Full Moon, Dirty Hearts (1993). The song was written by Jon Farriss, Michael Hutchence and Kirk Pengilly. Upon its release in October 1993 by East West Records, it reached number two in Portugal, number six on the US Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart, and number 16 in Australia. The accompanying music video was banned by MTV due to featuring controversial content.
| "The Gift" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| SinglebyINXS | ||||
| from the album Full Moon, Dirty Hearts | ||||
| Released | October 1993 (1993-10) | |||
| Genre | Industrial rock[1] | |||
| Length | 4:03 | |||
| Label | EastWest | |||
| Songwriter(s) | ||||
| Producer(s) |
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| INXS singles chronology | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| "The Gift"onYouTube | ||||
The music video for "The Gift" dramatises issues ranging from war and terrorism to famine and pollution with the band appearing to crash through the TV screen in anger. The video was banned by MTV owing to its use of Holocaust and Gulf War footage.[2]
In an interview with the director and long-term collaborator Richard Lowenstein: "The video uses harrowing visuals in order to portray man's ability to create havoc and destruction. The message behind the video is to show how as viewers, we have become accepting of, and increasingly apathetic to images of gross human suffering and violence."[3]
The B-sides on the first of two UK CD Single releases include two remixes of "The Gift", a live version of "Heaven Sent", and a cover of Steppenwolf's "Born to Be Wild", which was specially recorded for the April 1993 launch of Virgin Radio in the UK.[4]
| Chart (1993) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[5] | 16 |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[6] | 36 |
| Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[7] | 27 |
| Europe (European Hit Radio)[8] | 28 |
| Ireland (IRMA)[9] | 25 |
| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[10] | 38 |
| Portugal (AFP)[11] | 2 |
| Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[12] | 32 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[13] | 11 |
| UK Airplay (Music Week)[14] | 32 |
| USAlternative Airplay (Billboard)[15] | 6 |
| Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | October 1993 |
|
EastWest | [5] |
| United Kingdom | 11 October 1993 |
|
Mercury | [16] |
| Japan | 21 December 1993 | CD | EastWest | [17] |