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.
Official Websites:
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http://www.youtube.com/DuranDuran
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Fame
Duran Duran Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Fame, lets him loose, hard to swallow
Fame, puts you there, where things are hollow
Fame
Fame, hurts your brain, just a flame
A funny tin to dip you inside
Fame
Fame, what you like is in the Limo
Fame, what you get is no tomorrow
Fame, what you need you have to borrow
Fame
Fame, the dirty swine, it's just his line
He's only trying to drive you to crime (crime)
Fame
Is it any wonder
I'll reject you first
Is it any wonder
You're too cool to prove
Fame
A ticket for you, a ticket for me
I've gotta get to Witchitta
Fame..
Fame ( x23)
What's your name?
What a game..
What a shame...what a shame..
The lyrics to Duran Duran's "Fame" speaks of the effects of fame on an individual. While fame can bring success, power, and wealth, it also brings attention, scrutiny, and pressure. The first verse is about how fame can consume a once humble man and make him take things over. It lets him loose, and the fame becomes something hard to swallow. The following lines talk about how fame puts you in a place where things are hollow, emphasizing the isolation and loneliness that often comes with fame.
The chorus describes how fame can be both a blessing and a curse. It hurts your brain, just a flame, a funny tin one can easily be dipped in. The next few lines talk about the perks of fame: what you like is in the limo, and what you get is no tomorrow. However, fame comes with a cost, and what you need, you have to borrow. The bridge speaks of how the dirty swine (referring to fame) is just a line that tries to drive you to crime.
The song's final lines imply that being famous can be exhausting and soul-draining. It is no wonder that the singer is rejecting fame. They are tired of the pressure and expectations. Fame can be seductive, but it often comes at a cost.
Line by Line Meaning
Fame, makes a man take things over
Achieving fame motivates a person to gain control over everything around them.
Fame, lets him loose, hard to swallow
Fame loosens a person's behavior and attitude, and it can be difficult to handle.
Fame, puts you there, where things are hollow
Fame can put you in a position where everything around you feels insincere and empty.
Fame, hurts your brain, just a flame
Fame can cause mental stress and is temporary like a flickering flame.
A funny tin to dip you inside
Fame is a strange and amusing experience that one is immersed in.
Fame, what you like is in the Limo
Fame provides materialistic pleasures, like a luxurious limousine ride, to people who desire it.
Fame, what you get is no tomorrow
The fame one acquires can fade away quickly, much like tomorrow disappears in the blink of an eye.
Fame, what you need you have to borrow
People may have to go to great lengths to sustain their fame, which might include seeking help from others.
Fame, the dirty swine, it's just his line
Fame is often associated with negative connotations and people may use dirty tricks to sustain it.
He's only trying to drive you to crime (crime)
People who want fame may resort to unlawful means to achieve their goals.
Is it any wonder
Isn't it strange that..
I'll reject you first
I will refuse to associate with you before you get the chance to reject me.
You're too cool to prove
You are not interested in impressing anyone else, as you are already self-assured.
A ticket for you, a ticket for me
We both have an opportunity to achieve fame.
I've gotta get to Witchitta
The singer wants to go to a small town in Kansas, perhaps to achieve fame in an unexpected way.
What's your name?
What is your identity?
What a game..
Fame is a game that people have to play to achieve success.
What a shame...what a shame..
Fame has negative consequences, which is unfortunate.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Carlos Alomar, David Bowie, John Lennon
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind