Torn – Apart?

Well, I dug up a gem in my archives. I’m pretty darn sure that a lot of you out there have heard of this song. However, I’d be willing to bet a lot that you were unaware that the girl that made this an international hit (Natalie Imbruglia) didn’t actually write it. It was written by Anne Previn of a band called Ednaswap. I’m not sure where I came across this recording, but I’m not willing to just give it away. Maybe you already own the song in its more popular format. If you don’t you’ll probably want it anyway. They’re both really damn good.

I can remember when I first heard the radio version. I was in Paris France. My first night there hanging with my Mom, her sister and her sister’s hubby. I was on a Jet Lag High. I couldn’t sleep, so I decided to trip around town solo as they all went to sleep. I think I asked the hotel clerk where a good bar was. They attempted to explain it to me in my limited ability to speak French and also tried to draw me a map. Well, I had no clue exactly where I was going, but I did end up finding some bar that was like a cave in a back alley of Paris. Mind you, it was probably a dangerously stupid thing to do; travel solo through the streets at night in Paris barely able to speak much French. C’est La Vie.

I can remember the darkly lit tavern that had very loud music playing and it had a catacomb type of vibe between rooms. I can remember attempting to speak over the music with some locals, while tuggin on some beers. It wasn’t easy. I then spent some time on the dance floor. Not something I normally do. But there was a very tall blonde that I had to meet and she was cutting it up without a guy there. I was able to find out that she was from Denmark. Right after that was when I first heard Torn. There I am in Paris, on the dance floor with a hottie from Denmark when Torn comes on. Afterwards, I went to get myself another drink then come back to the tall blonde. Unfortunately somewhere along the line, some ridiculously ugly French girl started hounding me and following me around. When I tried to hook back up with the lovely girl from Denmark, she wouldn’t have anything to do with me – due to the girl in tow.

I attempted to tell her I wasn’t interested, but no matter what I did, she wouldn’t leave. Unfortunately, I never got the Danish girls name. I ended up having to leave before I got too drunk. Plus it was my only way to get away from the disaster of a woman that wouldn’t take no for an answer.

As for this song and this version. It’s very raw. But I feel it really, really works like this. Sometimes I’m disappointed in the fact that the label screwed Anne over with not making her the star with a version like this. It’s so powerful. The lyrics also take on a whole new meaning. If you have the Natalie Imbruglia version, what do you think of this version? If you get Natalie’s version, let me know what you think the goods and the bads are. By all means, buy it!