Video hit Cutting Crew

Cutting Crew - (I Just) Died In Your Arms

(I Just) Died in Your Arms is the title of a song written by Nick Van Eede and introduced by his band, Cutting Crew, in 1986. It was their biggest hit, peaking at number-one in the United States, Canada and Finland, and reaching the top five in the UK, South Africa, Sweden and Switzerland.

The actual words "I just died in your arms tonight" originally came to him while he was having sex with his girlfriend, the French phrase "la petite mort", or "a little death", being an obscure metaphor for orgasm. After writing down his version of the phrase, he later used it as the opening line to the song as well as using it as the chorus.

There were two music videos produced. The UK version was filmed both in color as well as in black and white in a film studio (first of this post).

The USA version featured artistic fragmented shots using a model, with the band performing to camera (is here):

First released in Britain, the song peaked at #4 on the UK charts in August 1986. Upon its release in the United States, the previously unknown band's debut single shot to number one on May 2, 1987, and stayed there for two weeks. It also reached #4 on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, #24 on Billboard's Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart and (in a remix version) #37 on the Hot Dance/Club Play chart. The song spent three weeks at #1 in Canada.

The lyrics:

Oh I, I just died in your arms tonight

It must have been something you said

I just died in your arms tonight

I keep looking for something I can't get

Broken hearts lie all around me

And I don't see an easy way to get out of this

Her diary it sits on the bedside table

The curtains are closed, the cats in the cradle

Who would've thought that a boy like me could come to this

Oh I, I just died in your arms tonight

It must've been something you said

I just died in your arms tonight

Oh I, I just died in your arms tonight

It must've been some kind of kiss

I should've walked away, I should've walked away

Is there any just cause for feeling like this?

On the surface I'm a name on a list

I try to be discreet, but then blow it again

I've lost and found, it's my final mistake

She's loving by proxy, no give and all take

'cos I've been thrilled to fantasy one too many times

Oh I, I just died in your arms tonight

It must've been something you said

I just died in your arms tonight

Oh I, I just died in your arms tonight

It must've been some kind of kiss

I should've walked away, I should've walked away

It was a long hot night

And she made it easy, she made it feel right

But now it's over, the moment has gone

I followed my hands not my head, I know I was wrong

Oh I, I just died in your arms tonight,

It must've been something you said,

I just died in your arms tonight

I, I just died in your arms tonight,

It must've been some kind of kiss

I should've walked away, I should've walked away