‘Temptation’ is a single by British band Heaven 17, originally released in April 1983, peaking at number two on the UK Singles Chart. This was the second single to be taken from their second album, The Luxury Gap, after "Let Me Go" in November 1982. ‘Temptation’ was certified silver by the BPI in May 1983, for sales exceeding 250,000 copies. Martyn Ware said in Q magazine February 2009 that this song was designed to, "sound like sex, building up until the final explosive moment. We had a battle with the label to get it released."
Martyn Ware explained the subject matter of the song as "I woke up one morning and thought I've got to write a song about sex, I've never written a song about sex. So, the song is about rising sexual tension; it has chords that keep going up like an [M. C.] Escher staircase and in the end there's this big release." Glenn Gregory later recalled that he laughed "when Martyn walked in and said he had this great idea for a song based on the Lord’s Prayer with a never-ending chord structure" (the line "lead us not into temptation" is taken from the Lord's Prayer).
Heaven 17 were a synthpop group formed by former Human League members Ian Craig Marsh and Martyn Ware (both keyboards) with Glenn Gregory (vocals). They were named after the band in Anthony Burgess' novel and Stanley Kubrick's film A Clockwork Orange. This song was the trio's biggest hit, though they achieved two other Top 20 placings in the UK singles chart, with "Come Live With Me" (#5) and "Crushed by the Wheels of Industry" (#17). However Heaven 17 were more of an album band, and their debut set Penthouse And Pavement spent 76 weeks in the UK album chart between 1981 and 1983. Ware together with Marsh later helped relaunch Tina Turner's career and also produced for Terence Trent D'Arby, Alison Moyet and Erasure.
Label – Virgin
Songwriters – Glenn Gregory, Ian Craig Marsh, Martyn Ware
Producers – B.E.F., Greg Walsh
SONG LYRICS
[Verse 1: Glenn Gregory]I've never been closer
I've tried to understand
That certain feeling
Carved by another's hand, no
[Verse 2: Glenn Gregory]
But it's too late
To hesitate
We can't keep on
Living like this
[Pre-Chorus: Glenn Gregory]
Leave no track
Don't look back!
[Chorus: Carol Kenyon & Glenn Gregory]
All I desire
Temptation
Keep climbing higher and higher
Temptation
Adorable creatures
Temptation
With unacceptable features
Temptation
Trouble is coming
Temptation
It's just the high cost of loving
Temptation
You can take it or leave it
Temptation
But you'd better believe it
[Verse 3: Glenn Gregory]
You've got to make me an offer
That cannot be ignored
So, let's head for home now!
Everything I have is yours
[Verse 4: Glenn Gregory]
Step by step
And day by day
Every second counts
I can't break away!
[Pre-Chorus: Glenn Gregory]
Leave no trace
Hide your face
[Chorus: Carol Kenyon & Glenn Gregory]
All I desire
Temptation
Keep climbing higher and higher
Temptation
You can take it or leave it
Temptation
But you'd better believe it
[Verse 5: Carol Kenyon]
Step by step
And day by day
Every second counts
I can't break away!
[Bridge: Glenn Gregory & (Carol Kenyon)]
Keep us from temptation (oh)
Keep us from temptation
Keep us from temptation
Lead us not into temptation, oh
[Chorus: Carol Kenyon & Glenn Gregory]
Trying to find it
Temptation
You've got to get up behind it
Temptation
Put your dime in the hot slot
Temptation
But it's a million to one shot
Temptation
You think that you're right now!
Temptation
You're going to fake it tonight now!
Temptation
Give me a breakdown!
Temptation
Because it's time for a shakedown!
[Post-Chorus: Glenn Gregory]
Temptation
Temptation
Temptation
Temptation
Temptation
Temptation
Temptation
Temptation
[Outro: Glenn Gregory]
It's just a temptation
Temptation
Temptation
Temptation
Temptation
Temptation
Temptation
Temptation
Temptation
Temptation