Desire (Talk Talk song)

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"Desire" was the third song on Talk Talk's 1988 album Spirit of Eden. Note that in European versions of the album it was combined as one track with the previous two songs, "The Rainbow" and "Eden".

Although its first few seconds are basically a reprise of the musical themes of those opening two tracks, "Desire" shifts to a combination of mellow woodwinds and horns before Mark Hollis' first guitar part, which is very simple, austere and slow, enters. This part is played almost consistently throughout the two verses of the song, which express Hollis' dissatifaction with the rat race of contemporary culture.

For the chorus, though, "Desire" undergoes a complete change (described by The Rough Guide to Rock as "a rude awakening"). The sparse, soft guitar lines give way to visceral, fiery guitar and drums, backed up by melodic woodwinds and almost incomprehensible singing by Hollis.

"Desire" was included in a slightly edited form on the 1991 Talk Talk best of, Natural History: The Very Best of Talk Talk.

• Composed by: Mark Hollis and Tim Friese-Greene
• Length: 7 minutes 17 seconds (on Spirit of Eden)