Confide in Me
"Confide in Me" is a song by Australian singer Kylie Minogue from her self-titled fifth studio album (1994). It was released as the album's lead single on 29 August 1994 by Deconstruction, Imago, and Mushroom Records. The track was written by Steve Anderson, Dave Seaman, and Owain Barton, whilst production was handled by British trio Brothers in Rhythm. It was recorded in London, United Kingdom at DMC and Sarm West Studios. Musically, it is a pop song that incorporates elements of indie music, dance-pop, and Middle Eastern instrumentation such as strings and percussion, whilst the lyrical content talks about Minogue's earnest of seduction and manipulating people to confide into her.
For other uses, see Confide in Me (disambiguation)."Confide in Me"
- "Nothing Can Stop Us"
- "If You Don't Love Me"
29 August 1994
- DMC, Sarm West (London, England)
- Minogue's home (Chelsea, London)
5:54 (album version) 4:26 (single version)
Upon its release, "Confide in Me" received universal acclaim from music critics. Several critics selected the track as a standout from many of her records and compilation, whilst individual reviews commended Minogue's vocals, the production and influence of Middle Eastern elements. The track received nominations at some award ceremonies, along with being listed on critic's year-end lists. Commercially, the track experienced success in regions like Australia, United Kingdom, Scotland, Ireland, France, and New Zealand. It also became Minogue's only charting single in the US during the 1990s period, having peaked at 39 on the US Billboard Dance Club Songs chart.
An accompanying music video was directed by Paul Boyd in Los Angeles, California during July 1994; it featured six different videos of Minogue in a commercial to help the audience confide their numerous problems to each character. The song has been performed on several of Minogue's concerts, and most recently on her 2019 Summer Tour. "Confide in Me" has been noted by critics and publications as one of the most iconic and innovative singles from the 1990s era, and Minogue's singles history, and has been recognised by authors as an important period of Minogue's career and musical "re-inventions". Alongside this, it has been sampled and covered by musicians, and used in several media.
Composition[edit]
Brothers in Rhythm were "well aware" of a crossover dynamic between pop and dance music at the time, noting that Minogue's vocals and "willingness to experiment with music" made them able to "push the envelope" further.[3] Brothers in Rhythm composed the track, and is a pop song that incorporates elements of indie music, dance-pop, and Middle Eastern instrumentation such as strings and percussion.[5][6][7] The opening part of the track, which lasts 50 seconds, were from the original demo of the track, and features an orchestral arrangement from musician Will Malone and a piano section by Anderson, which was performed using a Bösendorfer.[6] The opening section also features a violin solo by Gavyn Wright, where Anderson and Wright commented that the inclusion was merely an "improvisation" to further help the record's sound.[6] During the song's opening and bridge section, a gated didgeridoo is played by Anderson.[6]
According to Jason Lipshutz, writing for the American magazine Billboard, "'Confide in Me' continued Minogue on her path away from simplistic pop atop a swath of strings and Middle Eastern influences".[7] Jude Rogers from The Guardian gave it a similar review, "before it pivots off the hook of an early-80s cult classic (the melody of Jane and Barton's 'It's a Fine Day', already revisited a few years earlier on Opus III's rave-era hit)".[8] She also noted that the track samples from the 1974 Jimmy Smith jazz cover of Barry White's "I'm Gonna Love You Just a Little More Baby".[8] Similarly, Nick Levine from Digital Spy labelled it "Middle Eastern pop", with elements of "string-swathed dance-pop".[9] Larry Flick labelled the sound as "atmosphere", and believed it was influenced by downtempo music,[10] while AllMusic's Tim Sendra described it as a "dramatic trip hop ballad".[11]
Lyrically, the content talks about Minogue's earnest of seduction and manipulating people to confide into her.[1] The message in the lyrics is that it is she who manipulates the situation between her and someone by saying "I can keep a secret/and throw away the key"; it also represents the respect as the "power remains hers".[3] It later explains that, in the bridge part where she sings "Stick or twist/The choice is yours", she teasers her lover that they hold the key to power.[3] According to William Baker, whom had written a biography with Minogue detailing her career and life, he says that the song "symbolizes internal power struggle that rages beneath her [Kylie's] surface" as he continues "she is both puppet and puppet master".[3]
Release[edit]
"Confide in Me" was released as the album's lead single on 29 August 1994 and was her first single to be distributed by Deconstruction; Imago and Mushroom also released it as a CD single, cassette tape and 12-inch and 7-inch vinyl.[12][13] Two CD sets were released in the UK and Australia; the first CD featured the master mix, plus two remixes of the track, whilst the second CD featured the extended mix and two B-sides titled "Nothing Can Stop Us", originally by Saint Etienne, and "If You Don't Love Me", originally by Prefab Sprout.[13][14] The European CD single featured the master mix and The Truth remix, whilst the US maxi CD included the radio edit, plus two remixes of the song and a remix of her song "Where Has the Love Gone?".[15][16] Two vinyl sets were published in the UK and US, and the UK and Australia; the first featured the master mix and two remixes, whilst the latter spawned three remixes of "Confide in Me" and two remixes of "Where Has the Love Gone?".[17][18] Released in the UK, a special 7-inch jukebox vinyl included two remixes, whilst two cassettes were distributed in the US and Australia respectively.[19][20][21] In 2003, to promote Minogue's success with her album's Fever (2001) and Body Language in Asia, a promotional disc with five remixes of the single was issued in Japan and Israel, whilst a limited edition 12-inch vinyl was released in the UK to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the release.[22][23]
Credits adapted from the CD liner notes of Kylie Minogue:[5]
Recording
Personnel