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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Proposition
Duran Duran Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Cold is my baby's head blown by the wind of reason"
Even the rage behind cries out to see
We're still standing under the closing edge
Pay for the crime of feeling
When all your pride is dead you must be scared instead...
A quiet word is my proposition
A promise made of a fierce day
Without surrender if you stay
"Show me my youth," she cried "wasted for desolation"
Hold up the sacrifice, pull down your institutions
Resting while anger flies question's the same... who's deciding?
After the clouds have lain shame on your generation
When all your guilt lies dead you must be scared instead
A quiet word is my proposition
A promise made of a fierce day
A body bleeds for this coalition
Without surrender if you stay
When all your pain lies dead you must be scared instead
A quiet word is my proposition
A promise made of a fierce day
A body bleeds for this coalition
Without surrender if you stay
A quiet word is my proposition
A promise made of a fierce day
A body bleeds for this coalition
Without surrender if you stay
Proposition...
Proposition...
Proposition...
Proposition...
The lyrics of Duran Duran's song "Proposition" are complex and open to interpretation. The song seems to reflect on the struggles of a generation that has faced disappointment and disillusionment. The first verse talks about the singer pleading for someone to bring back their youthful innocence and dreams. The line "spare me the price of freedom" could be interpreted as a plea for the freedom to dream and hope for a better future without paying the price of disappointment.
The second verse seems to reflect on the anger and confusion of the singer's generation. The line "resting while anger flies question's the same... who's deciding?" suggests that the singer is frustrated with the lack of control they have over their own lives and the decisions that affect their future. The chorus repeats the phrase "a quiet word is my proposition", which could mean that the singer is calling for a peaceful solution to the struggles of their generation, rather than resorting to violence or aggression.
Line by Line Meaning
Bring back that child," she said "spare me the price of freedom.
She wants her child back and doesn't want to pay the price of freedom, which may have led to her losing her child in the first place.
Cold is my baby's head blown by the wind of reason
Her child's mind has been negatively influenced by the rational thoughts or opinions of others.
Even the rage behind cries out to see
Even though she is angry, she still wants to witness what is happening.
We're still standing under the closing edge
Despite the situation, they are still standing and haven't given up yet.
Pay for the crime of feeling
The act of having emotions can sometimes come at a price.
When all your pride is dead you must be scared instead...
Once you lose your pride, fear can take over.
A quiet word is my proposition
Her suggestion or offer is a subtle or gentle one.
A promise made of a fierce day
She promises something that will be strong and powerful.
A body bleeds for this coalition
Her group or alliance is worth putting in the effort and sacrifice, perhaps even causing physical harm.
Without surrender if you stay
If you remain in the fight and don't give up, you can succeed without having to surrender.
Show me my youth," she cried "wasted for desolation
She wants to see where her youth went wrong and how it led to devastation.
Hold up the sacrifice, pull down your institutions
Sacrifices must be made to bring down the systems in place that have caused problems.
Resting while anger flies question's the same... who's deciding?
Even when at rest, the question of who has the power to make decisions still remains and causes anger.
After the clouds have lain shame on your generation
After experiencing the negative consequences of the past, shame can be brought upon the entire generation for allowing it to happen.
When all your guilt lies dead you must be scared instead
Once you no longer feel guilty, fear can take over.
When all your pain lies dead you must be scared instead
Once you no longer feel pain, fear can take over.
Proposition...
The word "proposition" is repeated, perhaps as a reminder of the message being conveyed.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOHN NIGEL TAYLOR, NICK RHODES, SIMON JOHN CHARLES LE BON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind