With one of the biggest, boldest synth hooks you’ll ever hear, it was inescapable on radio. And its video, featuring the two lead singers alternately ogling and leering at each other, certainly made an indelible mark as well.
Videos by American Songwriter
We’re talking about “Obsession”, the debut single for the L.A. band Animotion. The song hit the Top 10 in both the US and the UK in 1984. But few people knew about the first version of the song that set the template.
The Actor and the Writer
Michael Des Barres had already fronted a couple of hard rock bands while also making a name for himself as an actor in television and film, circa 1983. At that time, Holly Knight, herself a budding artist, was on the cusp of an extremely successful stint as a writer-for-hire. (Her credits would include Pat Benatar’s “Love Is A Battlefield”, Tina Turner’s “Better Be Good To Me”, Aerosmith’s “Rag Doll”, and much more.)
Writing together, they built from an idea of Des Barres. Having dealt with drug addiction, he wanted to write a song that dealt honestly with the topic of obsession. But he innately understood that a dark song about drug abuse wouldn’t be fodder for radio. Thus, he switched the focus to romantic obsession.
Knight helped compose the music. The two released the song as a duet, and it made its way into a couple of 80s films. But it didn’t make an impact on the pop charts. At least not in the version done by Des Barres and Knight.
Animotion’s Alterations
Animotion formed in 1983 in Los Angeles. They featured a pair of lead singers in Bill Wadhams and Astrid Plane. Since “Obsession” featured male and female lead vocal parts, the band’s producer, John Ryan, thought it was an ideal song for their debut single. The band wasn’t so sure.
They made subtle changes. For one, Wadhams sang the verses in a more melodic fashion compared to the speak-singing that Des Barres did. In addition, the band came up with that striking, staccato synth hook that introduced itself so forcefully every time the song played.
“Obsession,” Animotion’s very first release, turned out to be their biggest hit. This was a resilient group, though. They even scored a Top 10 hit with “Room To Move” in 1989, despite both Wadhams and Plane having departed by then.
Behind the Lyrics of “Obsession”
Des Barres’ lyrics do an excellent job of describing that helpless feeling of being consumed by desire, and Wadhams and Plane sell them wonderfully. “I am a possession unopened at your feet,” Wadhams intones. “There is no balance, no equality,” he explains about the hierarchy in the relationship.
He can’t bear the thought of her leaving him. “You protest, you want to leave,” Wadhams sings. “Stay, oh, there’s no alternative.” Well, maybe not for him. On the other side of the coin, Plane coos unaffectedly, knowing that her character has the upper hand in the relationship. “Like a butterfly, a wild butterfly,” she promises. “I will collect you and capture you.”
That’s pretty dark, intense stuff, not nearly as sentimental as what you might expect from a huge pop hit. Give credit to Des Barres and Knight for creating this memorable “Obsession”. From there, Animotion brought it to the masses, all gleaming and glowering.
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
Leave a Reply
Only members can comment. Become a member. Already a member? Log in.