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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Falling Down feat. Justin Timberlake
Duran Duran Lyrics
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He thought nothing could touch him
But here and now it's a different storyline
Like the straw he is clutching
Why has the sky turned grey
Hard to my face and cold on my shoulder
And why has my life gone astray
Because I'm falling down
With people standing round
But before I hit the ground
Is there time
Could I find someone out there to help me?
Howl at the wind rushing past my lonely head
Caught inside its own motion
How I wish it was somebody else instead
Howling at all this corrosion
Why did the luck run dry
Laugh in my face, so pleased to desert me
Why do the cruel barbs fly?
Now when disgrace can no longer hurt me
Because I'm falling down
With people standing round
But before I hit the ground
Is there time
Could I find someone out there to help me?
Because I'm falling down
With people standing round
But before I hit the ground
Is there time
Could I find someone out there to help me?
I don't know. Why?
The Duran Duran song "Falling Down" is a haunting and emotional exploration of the feeling of helplessness and despair in the midst of personal struggle. The lyrics describe a man who once felt invincible and believed that nothing could bring him down, but who is now facing difficult circumstances and is at risk of losing everything. He is desperately reaching out for help, searching for someone who can pull him out of his downwards spiral.
The first verse sets the scene of a man who lived his life without worrying about consequences, but is now struggling to cope with the changes that have arisen. The line "Like the straw he is clutching" suggests that he is holding on to something that is fragile and insignificant, and that he feels as though he has lost his grip on everything that was once important to him. The chorus repeats the line "But before I hit the ground, is there time, could I find someone out there to help me?" as a desperate plea for someone to save him from his impending doom.
The second verse continues to describe the man's despair, with imagery such as "Howling at all this corrosion" and "Caught inside its own motion" creating a sense of overwhelming emotion and a loss of control. The lines "Now when disgrace can no longer hurt me" suggest that the man has already hit rock bottom and is no longer afraid of the consequences of his actions. Ultimately, the song is a poignant reflection on the need for connection and support during difficult times, and highlights the loneliness that can come from feeling like you are falling down with nobody there to catch you.
Line by Line Meaning
Once was a man who consumed his place and time
There was a time when he took charge of his life and made the most of it.
He thought nothing could touch him
He was so self-absorbed that he believed no one or nothing could affect him.
But here and now it's a different storyline
Things have changed and he's now experiencing the consequences of his actions.
Like the straw he is clutching
He's grasping at anything to help him avoid falling down.
Why has the sky turned grey
The world seems bleak and hopeless.
Hard to my face and cold on my shoulder
He's feeling the weight of his troubles on his whole being.
And why has my life gone astray
His life has taken a turn for the worse, and he doesn't understand why.
Scarred by disgrace, I know that its over
He's been shamed and humiliated, and he realizes that it's the end of his old life.
Because I'm falling down
He's losing control and spiraling towards rock bottom.
With people standing round
Others are watching him struggle, but not offering any help or support.
But before I hit the ground
He's hoping for a chance to turn things around before hitting rock bottom.
Is there time
Is it too late to make a change?
Could I find someone out there to help me?
He's asking for help, hoping for a lifeline to pull him out of his troubles.
Howl at the wind rushing past my lonely head
He's feeling lost and alone, with no one to turn to in his struggles.
Caught inside its own motion
He's trapped in his own problems and can't seem to find a way out.
How I wish it was somebody else instead
He wishes someone else would take on his problems and rescue him.
Why did the luck run dry
He's lost all the good fortune he once had and can't seem to catch a break.
Laugh in my face, so pleased to desert me
The world seems to be mocking him, leaving him behind in his troubles.
Why do the cruel barbs fly?
He's being attacked by the harshness of reality and can't seem to fend it off.
Now when disgrace can no longer hurt me
He's already experienced the lowest point and has nothing more to lose.
I don't know. Why?
He's still looking for answers but can't seem to find them.
Lyrics © DistroKid, Universal Music Publishing Group, Capitol CMG Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: NICK RHODES, SIMON JOHN LE BON, JOHN NIGEL TAYLOR, ROGER ANDREW TAYLOR, JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind