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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Hold Me
Duran Duran Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Shall we walk?
Shall we run through my head, you understand?
Does the body you conceal
Need the touch of someone's hand?
Ashes; violations
Who would they burn for?
In your isolation what can't you see?
I wonder if the light's down
I wonder if they're listening
Hold me lay your shame away
Show me where your lovers stay
Hold me lay your ghost away
Show me for yourself
You are lost and alone
But a prisoner of your pride
When the passions you ignore
You can never hide
One of these days you're gonna find out
Cause one of these days you're gonna try
And what did I say
To make you wind up
With this spear of guilt inside
I wonder if the light's down
I wonder if they're listening
Hold me lay your shame away
Show me where your lovers stay
Hold me lay your ghost away
Show me for yourself
Na na na na na na na hold me
Na na na na na na show me
No na na na na na na na na na
Hold me lay your shame away
Show me where your lovers stay
Hold me lay your ghost away
Show me for yourself
The lyrics of Duran Duran's song "Hold Me" appear to be about confronting feelings of shame, guilt, and loneliness. The singer is speaking to someone who may be struggling with their own inner demons, asking if they can walk or run through "my head," indicating that they are asking if they can talk about what is going on and if the other person can understand. The second stanza mentions "ashes" and "violations," possibly references to past mistakes or regrets. The following line "who would they burn for?" asks who is being punished for these actions, possibly implying that the person is carrying guilt that belongs to someone else.
The chorus repeats the lines "hold me, lay your shame away, show me where your lovers stay" which seems to suggest that the singer is asking the other person to confide in them and let them help to heal the wounds causing them shame. The line "one of these days you're gonna find out, 'cause one of these days you're gonna try" could imply that the singer is saying that eventually, the person they're speaking to will have to face their problems.
Overall, Hold Me seems to be a plea for emotional connection, healing, and intimacy with the person they are speaking to.
Line by Line Meaning
Yeah, this time
The singer is eager to begin a conversation.
Shall we walk?
The singer suggests taking a walk together.
Shall we run through my head, you understand?
The singer is willing to open up and share their thoughts and emotions.
Does the body you conceal, need the touch of someone's hand?
The artist asks if the listener is in need of physical touch and intimacy.
Ashes; violations. Who would they burn for?
The artist questions the motive behind past destructive actions.
In your isolation, what can't you see?
The singer wonders if the listener is unable to perceive something important due to their emotional detachment.
I wonder if the light's down
The singer is unsure if the listener is open and receptive to their words.
I wonder if they're listening
The artist is uncertain if the listener is taking in what they're saying.
Hold me, lay your shame away
The artist seeks comfort and relief from feelings of guilt and regret in the arms of the listener.
Show me where your lovers stay
The artist wants to know more about the listener's past relationships and who they've loved.
Hold me, lay your ghost away
The singer asks the listener to help them let go of past traumas and haunting memories by holding them.
Show me for yourself
The artist requests that the listener physically demonstrate their feelings and commitment.
You are lost and alone, but a prisoner of your pride
The singer recognizes that the listener can feel isolated and alone, but is held back by their stubbornness and refusal to ask for help.
When the passions you ignore, you can never hide
The singer warns that it's impossible to conceal or suppress one's true emotions and desires forever.
One of these days you're gonna find out
The singer predicts that the listener will eventually come to the realization that they cannot keep hiding from their feelings.
Cause one of these days you're gonna try
The artist believes that the listener will eventually make an effort to confront their emotions.
And what did I say to make you wind up with this spear of guilt inside
The artist reflects on whether they said or did something to trigger the listener's current feelings of guilt or regret.
Na na na na na na na hold me
The repetition of the phrase 'hold me' expresses the singer's strong desire for physical intimacy and emotional connection with the listener.
Na na na na na na show me
The repetition of the phrase 'show me' underscores the singer's request to see tangible evidence of the listener's love and commitment.
No na na na na na na na na na
These lyrics serve as a musical interlude and contribute to the song's overall rhythm and flow.
Lyrics © DistroKid, Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOHN TAYLOR, NICK RHODES, SIMON LE BON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind