Created by Nick Rhodes (keyboards) and John Taylor (bass) in Birmingham, England in 1978, it later add took in Roger Taylor (drums), Andy Taylor (guitar), and Simon Le Bon (lead vocals). The band has sold more than 100 million records over their more than 40 years of existence, making them one of the best-selling groups in history.
Their songs are often vivid, hook-laden pieces dance pop that have fared well on the radio, but what many remember best about Duran Duran is their iconic music videos. Though many of the videos were tongue-in-cheek, the band has never quite escaped the glamorous and decadent 'jet set' image that their early videos projected. Their flashy outfits and strident, art rock influenced music showed an immense debt to 70s English glam artists such as David Bowie and Roxy Music, yet the band grasped a sense of their own identity and became one of the keystones of the new romantic movement.
Their first singer and one of their original founding members was Stephen Duffy, and their original bassist was Simon Colley. Several drummers and guitarists were subsequently tried, as well as a handful of vocalists, after Duffy left Duran Duran early in 1979. The band felt that they had something special with vocalist Simon Le Bon, and the group smashed into the pop scene shortly afterwards when "Planet Earth", their debut single, was released on 2 February 1981.
"Planet Earth" became an immediate hit in the band's native U.K., reaching #12 on the U.K. Singles Chart on 21 February, and it did even better in Australia, hitting #8 there. Being Duran Duran's first Top 10 hit anywhere in the world, the song showed the group's interest in international stardom. The band's eponymous debut album came out promptly afterwards in June 1981. 'Duran Duran' hit #3 on the album charts and remained in the U.K. Top 100 for 117 weeks, achieving platinum status by December 1982. The initial United States release failed to generate much interest at first, but the group was a British sensation due to their strident mix of pop rock and electronic music.
Music videos for hit singles "Planet Earth" and "Careless Memories" were filmed in December 1980. As they also experienced considerable success with "Girls on Film", which hit #5 on the UK Singles Chart and #11 on the Australian Singles Chart, the group firmly grasped the opportunity to make a name for themselves in musical television. As their fame grew, some fans worried that Duran Duran could have peaked too early. They headed into AIR Studios in London in early 1982 anxious to somehow top themselves.
Band member John Taylor came up with the new album's title, 'Rio', as a product of his fascination with the flaunting sexuality and diverse atmosphere of Brazil. He later said, "Rio, to me, was shorthand for the truly foreign, the exotic, a cornucopia of earthly delights, a party that would never stop." The band had their own plans and ambitions for promotion and reunited with director Russell Mulcahy (who was behind the video for "Planet Earth") to plan out the release of a full length 'video album'— eleven videos in total. Totally dedicated to on-site filming, guitarist Andy Taylor even contracted a tropical virus and ended up hospitalized, thankfully getting better relatively quickly.
'Rio' was, simply, a commercial juggernaut. The band's second studio album, originally released worldwide on 10 May 1982, reached #2 in the UK and #1 in Australia. Massively popular in the U.S., it earned a gold disc on 1 March 1983 and went platinum on 26 April 1983, eventually reaching double-platinum status. As songs such as "Hungry Like the Wolf" and "Rio" received considerable airplay, critical acclaim also grew for the release. With MTV heavily playing the band's music videos, the album is still held as one of the best new wave albums ever. In April 2013, 'Rio' was even voted #3 in BBC Radio 2's 'Top 100 Favourite Albums of all time' list.
In 1985, Duran Duran performed "A View To A Kill" for the the James Bond film of the same name. The song appeared in the movie's title sequence and was also a best-selling single in its own right. In 1987, "Out Of My Mind" was featured at the end credits of the drama film 'The Saint' as well.
Like Depeche Mode, Duran Duran was among the earliest bands to work on their own remixes. From the very beginning, the band had a keen sense of style, and worked with stylist Perry Haines and fashion designers such as Kahn & Bell and Antony Price to build a sharp and elegant image, soon growing beyond the ruffles and sashes of the pirate-flavoured New Romantic look.
Although the group never disbanded, it went through several line-up changes over the years - American guitarist Warren Cuccurullo (formerly of Missing Persons) was also a member of the band from 1989 to 2001, and drummer Sterling Campbell was a member from 1989 to 1991. John Taylor, Roger Taylor and Andy Taylor all returned in 2001 and created a stir among music media and the band's fans. Duran Duran released the first album from the reunited line-up, Astronaut, in 2004, which was in turn followed up by many sold out shows in England, most notably Wembley Arena, where a live DVD of the tour was filmed in 2004/2005.
In October of 2006, it was announced on Duran Duran's website that Andy Taylor had left the band. The band's latest album, 'Red Carpet Massacre' was released in November 2007. They performed the album live in New York City on Broadway at the Barrymore Theater, for what was originally scheduled as an unprecedented 10-night run. A stage hand union strike shortened the run by a few nights, but Duran Duran were able to re-schedule the shows elsewhere. They went on to tour the world, ending their successful run in December of 2008.
2008 also saw the release of a new DVD that documents the making of their now-classic "Rio" album (called "Classic Albums: Rio (Collector's Edition)"), and a book called "Would Someone Please Explain?"- a compilation of questions from the "Ask Katy" area of their popular website.
Duran Duran returned at the end of 2010 with their 13th album, the digital and self-released album All You Need Is Now which debuted at number one on the iTunes charts in many countries (including the USA). The physical version of the album will be released with bonus tracks in February 2011. The album was produced by Mark Ronson.
2015 saw the band return with the album Paper Gods, which was led by the single "Pressure Off" featuring Janelle Monae and Nile Rodgers. The album was the band's first top 10 chart success in the U.S. in over 20 years, and also reached number 5 in the U.K.
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Anyone Out There
Duran Duran Lyrics
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And now the day is over, just an hour to go
I tried to phone last night but you never answered
Just left me ringing on the line
Outside is there anyone out there, anyone else outside
Oh, outside love is there anyone out there, anyone else outside
A crack in the ocean which does not align
I tried to sleep last night but I've caught your dreaming
About days we used to wonder away
Outside is there anyone out there, anyone else outside
Oh outside love is there anyone out there, anyone else outside
Look out of the window maybe you can call by my name
Another night over babe another light comes on in vain
I tried to phone last night but you never answered
Just left me ringing in the air (outside)
Is there anyone out there
(Anyone out there, oh)
(Anyone out there, anyone out there, oh)
(Anyone out there, anyone out there, oh)
(Anyone out there, anyone out there, oh)
(Anyone out there, anyone out there)
The lyrics of Duran Duran's "Anyone Out There?" talk about the feeling of loneliness and the search for someone who can fill the void. The singer of the song is looking for someone to talk to, someone who can understand what they are going through. The song talks about the pain of not being able to get in touch with someone they care about but feel distant from. The lyrics highlight the frustration of being unable to reach out and communicate with them.
The song's instrumental creates a haunting, melancholic ambiance that matches the lyrics' mood. The vocals provide an atmosphere of longing and emptiness, while the music's repetitive beat adds to the feeling of isolation. The use of imagery of the ocean and mirrors adds to the song's overall haunting atmosphere.
Line by Line Meaning
I never found out what made you leave
I never discovered the reason for your departure.
And now the day is over, just an hour to go
The day is almost over, with only one hour remaining.
I tried to phone last night but you never answered
I attempted to call you last night, yet you didn't pick up the phone.
Just left me ringing on the line
You abandoned me by leaving the phone ringing.
Outside is there anyone out there, anyone else outside
I wonder if there's someone else out there, outside my immediate surroundings.
Oh, outside love is there anyone out there, anyone else outside
I yearn to know if there's anyone else outside in the world.
My face in the mirror shows the break in time
As I look at myself in the mirror, I can see the signs of aging and the passage of time.
A crack in the ocean which does not align
Metaphorically speaking, my life resembles a broken ocean, with waves that don't fit together harmoniously.
I tried to sleep last night but I've caught your dreaming
Last night, I had trouble sleeping because I kept dreaming about you.
About days we used to wonder away
My dreams were about the days when we would wander aimlessly together.
Look out of the window maybe you can call by my name
If you glance out the window, there's a slim chance that you might notice me and call out my name.
Another night over babe another light comes on in vain
Yet another night has passed, and the only thing that's changed is that another light has come on to no avail.
Just left me ringing in the air (outside)
Once again, you didn't answer my call, and I was left out in the open, with the phone ringing aimlessly.
Is there anyone out there
I'm beseeching the universe to tell me if I'm alone in this world or if there's someone else out there.
(Anyone out there, oh)
Is there really nobody else out there, or am I just imagining things?
(Anyone out there, anyone out there, oh)
I'm hoping and praying that somebody out there can hear my pleas and answer them.
(Anyone out there, anyone out there, oh)
It's a lonely feeling to be in this vast world surrounded by nobody, and yet it's also comforting to think that there might be somebody else out there who can hear me.
(Anyone out there, anyone out there, oh)
The repetition of this phrase underscores the sense of desperation and isolation conveyed by the song.
(Anyone out there, anyone out there)
This is a final plea from the singer, imploring anyone who might be listening to come forward and let him know that he's not alone in the world.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ANDY TAYLOR, JOHN TAYLOR, NICK RHODES, ROGER TAYLOR, SIMON LE BON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind