Animotion – “Obsession”:
Desire at full volume
Released in October 1984 as the lead single from their self-titled debut album, “Obsession” turned Animotion into one of the most electrifying one-hit wonders of the MTV era. With its slick synths, high-drama vocals, and hyper-stylized delivery, the track became an ’80s dancefloor staple — and a pop culture landmark.
Though widely associated with the band, “Obsession” actually began its life as a 1983 duet by Michael Des Barres and Holly Knight, written for the erotic drama A Night in Heaven. That version was moody and atmospheric — but when Animotion covered it a year later, they amped up the tempo, tension, and theatricality, capturing the decade’s over-the-top vibe in a single hook.
Hunger Without Restraint
“Obsession” doesn’t flirt — it lunges. The opening line “I will have you, yes I will have you” sets the tone: full-throttle fixation, desire turned demand. According to Des Barres, the lyrics were a metaphor for addiction, drawn from his own recovery from heroin use. What sounds like a twisted love song is actually about compulsion, loss of control, and the chaotic pull of craving — romantic, physical, or otherwise.
Lines like “Like a butterfly, a wild butterfly / I will collect you and capture you” nod to the 1965 psychological thriller The Collector, where obsession becomes something dangerous and consuming.
Soundtrack to a Synth-Fueled Standoff
Musically, the track blends bright synth stabs, pounding drum machines, and a pulsing bassline that refuses to sit still. The dueling vocals of Astrid Plane and Bill Wadhams — urgent, theatrical, and tense — play like a musical tug-of-war, equal parts seduction and confrontation.
It’s catchy, yes, but also confrontational. The tension is the appeal.
Chart Rise and Visual Firepower
“Obsession” peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 in June 1985 and reached No. 5 on the UK Singles Chart, giving Animotion international acclaim. It also made two appearances on the U.S. Dance charts — first in 1984 and again in 1986 as part of a double-sided club release with “I Engineer.”
The music video, directed by Ken Walz, matched the song’s intensity beat for beat — featuring the band in over-the-top costumes (Cleopatra, Mark Antony, Greek gods), mannequins, and surreal visuals straight out of an art-pop fever dream. It was pure MTV bait, and it worked.
Legacy in Neon
Beyond the charts, “Obsession” became an enduring symbol of ’80s style and sound. It served as the theme for FashionTelevision, popped up in South Park, American Dad!, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare, and even WWF’s Saturday Night’s Main Event from 1985–1988.
For Animotion, it remains their signature track — explosive, hypnotic, and unmistakably of its era.
“Obsession” endures because it commits. It doesn’t wink — it stares. Whether you’re dancing, driving, or deep in your own spiral of want, the track delivers a jolt of theatrical urgency that still holds up. It’s messy, magnetic, and undeniably alive.
Because when the feeling is that intense, subtlety is the first thing to go.
