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
http://www.youtube.com/07duranduran
http://www.myspace.com/duranduran
Planet Earth
Duran Duran Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I heard you making patterns rhyme
Like some new romantic looking for the TV sound
You'll see I'm right some other time
Look now, look all around, there's no sign of life
Voices, another sound, can you hear me now?
This is planet earth you're looking at planet earth
My head is stuck on something precious, let me know
If you're coming down to land
Is there anybody out there trying to get through?
My eyes are so cloudy I can't see you
Look now, look all around
There's no sign of life
Voices, another sound
Can you hear me now?
This is planet earth, you're looking at planet earth
Bop bop bop bop bop bop bop bop this is planet earth
Look now, look all around
There's no sign of life
Voices, another sound
Can you hear me now?
This is planet earth, you're looking at planet earth
Bop bop bop bop bop bop bop bop this is planet earth
Bop bop bop bop bop bop bop bop calling planet earth
Bop bop bop bop bop bop bop bop looking at planet earth
Bop bop bop bop bop bop bop bop this is planet earth
The lyrics to Duran Duran's song "Planet Earth" are a reflection on the state of the world and humanity's place in it. The singer is taking a moment to observe the world around them at nightfall, with rain falling around them. They hear someone else making patterns rhyme, like they are searching for meaning or a way to make sense of the chaos in the world. There is a reference to the New Romantic movement of the 1980s, which was a subculture characterized by an emphasis on fashion, art, and music as a form of rebellion against the monotony of mainstream culture.
As the song continues, the singer implores anyone out there who might be listening to let them know if they are coming down to land. The cloudy eyes mentioned could be a metaphor for a lack of clarity or understanding in the face of the world's problems. The chorus repeats several times, emphasizing that this is indeed planet Earth that we are looking at, but in that repetition there is a sense of urgency and a plea to look around and realize that we need to do better.
Overall, "Planet Earth" is a commentary on the state of humanity and the environment during the 1980s, but its message still rings true today. It asks the listener to take a step back and truly observe the world around them, to see what needs to change and to take action to make those changes happen.
Line by Line Meaning
Only came outside to watch the nightfall with the rain
I only went outside to watch the sunset while it rained.
I heard you making patterns rhyme
I heard you creating a musical pattern with rhyming lyrics.
Like some new romantic looking for the TV sound
You seem like a person who is always looking for new music and inspiration on TV.
You'll see I'm right some other time
Someday, you'll understand that I was correct.
Look now, look all around, there's no sign of life
Observe what surrounds you and see that there is no sign of living organisms.
Voices, another sound, can you hear me now?
I hear other sounds, can you hear me?
This is planet earth you're looking at planet earth
The place you're looking at is planet earth.
Bop bop bop bop bop bop bop bop this is planet earth
This is planet earth, simply put.
My head is stuck on something precious, let me know
My mind is held closely to something important, please inform me.
If you're coming down to land
If you're landing on the planet.
Is there anybody out there trying to get through?
Is anyone else trying to communicate?
My eyes are so cloudy I can't see you
I can't see you because my vision is obscured.
Bop bop bop bop bop bop bop bop calling planet earth
Calling planet earth.
Bop bop bop bop bop bop bop bop looking at planet earth
Observing planet earth.
This is planet earth
This is planet earth.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes, Andy Taylor, John Taylor, Roger Taylor
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@scottbrandts610
1981...
2024...
Planet Earth is absolutely a different place to what it was when this song came out.
Let this track be the eternal, anthemic tribute to way, way, WAY better times!
@jamigoddess
😂
@REEDRICHARDS2
THIS is a timeless bassline! This guy is BRILIANT!!!
@markwood3440
Tru dat!
@jomc6734
John Taylor is amazing.
@darrylwaites7747
He was mentored by Nile Rogers
@REEDRICHARDS2
@@darrylwaites7747 Wow! Makes 100% sense!!!
@user-gy8co5qy2z
Completely underrated.
@davidriley9194
2023 anybody? I absolutely love this tune when I was younger and still do day by day!❤
@aprilsky8474
Yes, I'm here. Loved them then and now. 🔥