Into Temptation

Album: Temple of Low Men (1988)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Crowded House lead singer Neil Finn wrote this song after a very memorable evening. He told Goldmine magazine: "The first few lines of it related to being in a motel in New Zealand. There was a rugby team there, and a netball team – netball's like women's basketball. And they were having a really big night in the bar together while I was playing my guitar. And one by one a lot of them paired off.

    I went back to my room, and just before I went to sleep I heard a knock on the door next door, and I kind of thought it was my door. I went out to open it, and as I did, one of these netball players was knocking on this guy's door. They both sort of saw me and went 'Ooops!' and he ushered her in. And then they proceeded to get it on in the room.

    Those were the first few lines: 'You opened up your door, I couldn't believe my luck.' I was kind of speculating about this guy's reaction to it. These probably sound strange, but this is actually the origin of a lot of stuff. You get them from weird places.

    The chorus was to do with LA, really. When there was a big earthquake there, and people were espousing the theory that it was punishment from God for all of LA's excess and sin. So it was 'Into temptation, knowing full well the earth will rebel.' That was the origin of it. It became a song written in the first person, so it related like a personal experience. But really the origin was actually different."

Comments: 2

  • The Singing Sydney Bus Driver from SydneyOne of my all time favourite songs, and my favourite Crowded House song. I was fearful in a way of liking this song because the lyrics may be interpreted as a desire to have you-know-what with an under-age girl: "the cradle was soft and warm, it couldn't do me no harm" line made me feel quite uneasy. But now that I have learnt about the origins of these lyrics, I don't feel so bad. I love Paul Hester's drum-brush technique and the string section accompaniment. It makes the song's character come alive and emotive.
  • Martha from Knoxville, TnI was always sure it was about an affair. I was going through a similar experience before I was married.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Prince

PrinceFact or Fiction

Prince is shrouded in mystery, making him an excellent candidate for Fact or Fiction. Is he really a Scientologist? Does he own an exotic animal?

Songs in Famous Movie Scenes: '80s Edition

Songs in Famous Movie Scenes: '80s EditionMusic Quiz

You know the scenes - Tom Cruise in his own pants-off dance off, Molly Ringwald celebrating her birthday - but do you remember what song is playing?

Graham Bonnet (Alcatrazz, Rainbow)

Graham Bonnet (Alcatrazz, Rainbow)Songwriter Interviews

Yngwie Malmsteen and Steve Vai were two of Graham's co-writers for some '80s rock classics.

P.F. Sloan

P.F. SloanSongwriter Interviews

P.F. was a teenager writing hits and playing on tracks for Jan & Dean when he wrote a #1 hit that got him blackballed.

Def Leppard Quiz

Def Leppard QuizMusic Quiz

Can you name Def Leppard's only #1 hit in America? Get rocked with this adrenalized quiz.

Ralph Casale  - Session Pro

Ralph Casale - Session ProSongwriter Interviews

A top New York studio musician, Ralph played guitar on many '60s hits, including "Lightnin' Strikes," "A Lover's Concerto" and "I Am A Rock."