“Torn” (30) was written in 1993 by Scott Cutler and Anne Preven with producer Phil Thornalley as a solo song for Preven. Cutler and Preven’s band Ednaswap performed it live, but did not initially release a recording. Ednaswap released a recorded version in 1995. The song followed the single “Glow” from their self-titled debut album. Thornalley and Cutler produced the session. The band later released several variations and remixes of the song as B-sides and on their album Wacko Magneto.
The first release recording of the song was in 1993 by the Danish singer Lis Sorensen as “Brændt” (“Burned”). It was featured on her album Under stjernerne et sted (“Under the stars somewhere”), and was also a radio single. It became a hit in Denmark. Sørensen had received the song through music producer Poul Bruun, as a suggestion for inclusion on her new album. The Danish lyrics were written by Elisabeth Gjerluff Nielsen.
A version of the song was recorded in 1996 by American-Norwegian singer Trine Rein and released on her album Beneath my Skin.
In 1997, Australian singer Natalie Imbruglia, working with Thornalley, covered the song for her debut studio album Left of the Middle (1997). Imbruglia’s version was recorded in Kilburn, London. It was mixed by Nigel Godrich. Released as a single, Imbruglia’s version became a worldwide hit. For the song, Imbruglia received a Grammy nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. The accompanying music video for “Torn” features British actor Jeremy Sheffield. In the UK, it is the 85th biggest selling single of all time. The track peaked at number two for three weeks, in November 1997.
In 2005, Brazilian girl group Rouge recorded a Portuguese version of the song, titled “O Amor é Ilusão” (lit.: “Love is an illusion”), included in the group’s 2005 fourth studio album Mil e Uma Noites. It was the album’s second and last single, and their last overall until “Bailando” in 2018. The lyrics were written by Milton Guedes, with production by Rick Bonadio.
