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:
http://www.duranduran.com
http://twitter.com/duranduran
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Duran-Duran
http://www.youtube.com/DuranDuran
http://www.youtube.com/07duranduran
http://www.myspace.com/duranduran
Notoriousaurus Rex
Duran Duran Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Twist it in a vice
Nobody said it was easy
Just use your naked eyes, oh
How to see and how to hide it
How to save it well, maybe, maybe, maybe
You can take it and eat it
Where′s the real life, in your illusion?
On the dark side, your power's in confusion
Do the dance, do the demolition
And lose the chance to hear when you don′t listen
The reason for this strange behaviour
In exploitation's name
We must be working for the skin trade
(I can see you)
It's a little bit late now
But there′s times you will
Get a little bit out of hand
Making all of a spill
And if we can lay this down
You′re going all the way
Take a look and I'll check it out
′Cause I can always find it
Such a lonely place, ooh
This room without your face, ooh
Ooh, American science
All night long, she can two-step and sway
Ooh, it's such awful manners
Don′t keep me waiting, come and lie beside me
A quiet word is my proposition
A promise made of a fierce day
A body bleeds for this coalition
Without surrender if you stay
(No-no-no-no-no)
(No-no-no-no-no)
(No-no-no-no-no)
(No-no-no-no-no)
(No-no-no-no-no)
Notorious
That's why I′ve done it again (again, again)
Again, again
Again, again
You own the money
You control the witness
I'll leave you lonely
Don't monkey with my business
You pay the prophets to justify your reasons
I heard your promise, but I don′t believe it
That′s why I've done it again
No-no-notorious
(No-no-no)
(No-no-no)
(No-no-no)
(No-no-no)
(Yeah, mhmm, miss)
(Yeah, yeah-yeah, hmm, yeah)
You might adopt an attitude (attitude)
Look on the moral side (looking on the moral side)
But if police are after you (after you)
Where′s the best place to hide?
For this production
They gave her a gun
Ain't no director, so watch out actors
Ooh, ooh, when the chamber′s empty
She said "Ooh, ooh Meet El Presidente"
The lyrics to Duran Duran's song "Notorious" highlight the idea of self-deception and exploitation in the entertainment industry. The song encourages listeners to question their reality and to see beyond the illusions that may be presented to them. The title of the song, "Notorious," suggests that the behaviors and actions observed in the industry are widely recognized as wrong, but they continue nonetheless.
The first verse begins with the line, "Hey guys, turn it up to get sleazy," which sets the tone for the entire song. The lyrics carry a connotation of self-awareness, and the line "just use your naked eyes, oh" suggests that things are not always as they seem. The chorus of the song reinforces this sentiment, with lyrics that ask, "where's the real life, in your illusion?" The second verse continues with this theme, highlighting the exploitation that takes place in the industry, with the line "we must be working for the skin trade."
Overall, the lyrics of "Notorious" encourage listeners to think critically about the entertainment industry and to realize that things are not always as they seem. By shining a light on the darker side of the industry, Duran Duran challenges listeners to question the reality that is presented to them.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey guys, turn it up to get sleazy
Let's raise the volume and get wild
Twist it in a vice
Push beyond the limits
Nobody said it was easy
This is going to be tough
Just use your naked eyes, oh
Trust your instincts
How to see and how to hide it
Knowing when to reveal or conceal things
How to save it well, maybe, maybe, maybe
Trying to keep things together but uncertain if it will work
You can take it and eat it
Accepting a challenge and making it your own
And chew your life supply, oh
Putting everything into it
Where's the real life, in your illusion?
Questioning what is true and what is just superficial
On the dark side, your power's in confusion
Feeling lost and unsteady while trying to hold on to power
Do the dance, do the demolition
Tearing apart the old way of doing things to make room for the new
And lose the chance to hear when you don't listen
Missing opportunities due to being stubborn
The reason for this strange behaviour
The justification for acting out of character
In exploitation's name
Doing things for personal gain at the expense of others
We must be working for the skin trade
It's as if they are working in a red light district or a less-respectable field
(I can see you)
I am aware of what you are up to
It's a little bit late now
Things have gotten out of hand and it might be too late to fix them
But there's times you will
There will be moments where things go right
Get a little bit out of hand
Losing control
Making all of a spill
Causing a scene
And if we can lay this down
If we can sort things out
You're going all the way
Committing fully to the situation
Take a look and I'll check it out
I'll investigate and see what's going on
'Cause I can always find it
I am always on top of things
Such a lonely place, ooh
Feeling isolated
This room without your face, ooh
Yearning for someone who is not present
Ooh, American science
The phenomenon of American culture
All night long, she can two-step and sway
Dancing all night with ease
Ooh, it's such awful manners
This behavior is not acceptable
Don't keep me waiting, come and lie beside me
Join me and don't keep me waiting
A quiet word is my proposition
Suggesting a peaceful solution
A promise made of a fierce day
A promise made to face difficult situations
A body bleeds for this coalition
Everyone works hard for this team
Without surrender if you stay
A commitment to continue fighting
(No-no-no-no-no)
An interruption
Notorious
Famously known
That's why I've done it again (again, again)
This is a recurring pattern
You own the money
Having control over finances
You control the witness
Having power over testimonies
I'll leave you lonely
Isolating oneself from others
Don't monkey with my business
Do not interfere with my work
You pay the prophets to justify your reasons
Paying someone to spin things in your favor
I heard your promise, but I don't believe it
Distrusting what has been said
No-no-notorious
Infamous in some negative way
(Yeah, mhmm, miss)
Recognition and approval
(Yeah, yeah-yeah, hmm, yeah)
Positive agreement
You might adopt an attitude (attitude)
Having a particular demeanor
Look on the moral side (looking on the moral side)
Examining the ethical implications
But if police are after you (after you)
When the authorities are looking for you
Where's the best place to hide?
Finding the optimal place to remain unseen
For this production
For this performance
They gave her a gun
She has been armed for this role
Ain't no director, so watch out actors
Without clear guidance, it's up to each person to act wisely
Ooh, ooh, when the chamber's empty
When someone is defenseless
She said "Ooh, ooh Meet El Presidente"
A catchphrase to signify something is about to happen
Writer(s): Simon Lebon
Contributed by Leo T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.