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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Hold Back The Rain
Duran Duran Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And the wind doesn't have a name
So call it what you want to call it
Still blows down the lane
People tell me, I haven't changed at all
But I don't feel the same
And I bet you've had that feeling too
And if the fires burn out there's only fire to blame
(Hold back the rain)
No time for worry 'cause we're on the roam again
(Hold back the rain)
The clouds all scatter and we ride the outside lane
(Hold back the rain)
Not on your own so help me please, hold back the rain
So what if the words ain't rhyming
Did you think that it's just a game
I probably didn't even say that right
And I really don't give a damn
Okay go off and wander
I'm guilty just the same
Sometimes you're needed badly
So please come back again
And if the fires burn out there's only fire to blame
(Hold back the rain)
No time for worry 'cause we're on the roam again
(Hold back the rain)
The clouds all scatter and we ride the outside lane
(Hold back the rain)
Not on your own so help me please, hold back the rain
And if the stars burn out, there's only fire to blame
(Hold back the rain)
No time for worry 'cause we're on the roam again
(Hold back the rain)
The clouds all scatter and we ride the outside lane
(Hold back the rain)
Not on your own so help me please, hold back the rain
Hold back the rain
Hold back the rain
Hold back the rain
Hold back the rain
Hold back the rain
Hold back the rain
Hold back the rain
Hold back the rain
The lyrics to Duran Duran's song "Hold Back the Rain" describe a sense of displacement and restlessness. The singer feels far from home ("miles away from nowhere"), and the wind, which "doesn't have a name," adds to the sense of disorientation. However, despite the uncertainty of the situation, the singer suggests that we can still make meaning out of it by "calling it what you want to call it." The wind might be nameless, but we can still define it in our own terms.
The second verse addresses the idea of change. The singer is told that they haven't changed, but they don't feel the same. The lyrics suggest that change is inevitable, and that everyone experiences it at some point. Despite this, there are times when we all feel like we can't laugh all the time - in other words, we can't ignore the challenges and struggles that life can bring.
Throughout the song, the refrain "hold back the rain" repeats. This phrase seems to be a plea for help, a recognition that sometimes we can't do everything on our own. The imagery of rain and fire suggests natural forces that are beyond our control, and the repeated refrain emphasizes the need for support from others.
Line by Line Meaning
We're miles away from nowhere
We are far from any civilization
And the wind doesn't have a name
The wind is not a recognizable force
So call it what you want to call it
You can name the wind whatever you desire
Still blows down the lane
The wind continues unobstructed
People tell me, I haven't changed at all
My appearance hasn't altered according to others
But I don't feel the same
I don't feel constant
And I bet you've had that feeling too
I believe you know this feeling
You can't laugh all the time
Life isn't always happy and funny
And if the fires burn out there's only fire to blame
If the situation worsens, we will be responsible
(Hold back the rain)
Let's try to avoid this outcome
No time for worry 'cause we're on the roam again
We have no time to fret because we are exploring a new place
(Hold back the rain)
Let's try to avoid this outcome
The clouds all scatter and we ride the outside lane
The sky clears and we can travel freely
(Hold back the rain)
Let's try to avoid this outcome
Not on your own so help me please, hold back the rain
I am not alone, so I need you to help me avoid this outcome
So what if the words ain't rhyming
Who cares if the lyrics are not in a poetic form
Did you think that it's just a game
Did you believe this was all for fun?
I probably didn't even say that right
I likely did not express myself correctly
And I really don't give a damn
I genuinely do not care
Okay go off and wander
You can continue your journey
I'm guilty just the same
I feel responsible regardless
Sometimes you're needed badly
At times there is a significant need for you
So please come back again
Please return when possible
And if the stars burn out, there's only fire to blame
If the situation worsens, we will be at fault
(Hold back the rain)
Let's try to avoid this outcome
No time for worry 'cause we're on the roam again
We have no time to fret because we are exploring a new place
(Hold back the rain)
Let's try to avoid this outcome
The clouds all scatter and we ride the outside lane
The sky clears and we can travel freely
(Hold back the rain)
Let's try to avoid this outcome
Not on your own so help me please, hold back the rain
I am not alone, so I need you to help me avoid this outcome
Hold back the rain
Prevent the storm from happening
Hold back the rain
Prevent the storm from happening
Hold back the rain
Prevent the storm from happening
Hold back the rain
Prevent the storm from happening
Hold back the rain
Prevent the storm from happening
Hold back the rain
Prevent the storm from happening
Hold back the rain
Prevent the storm from happening
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ANDY TAYLOR, JOHN TAYLOR, NICK RHODES, ROGER TAYLOR, SIMON LE BON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind