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
Serious
Duran Duran Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh, woman you make it real, it's the only way for me
So, if we sometimes fight, doesn't mean we got problems
Ain't always black and white, who cares anyway?
Ooh - doesn't have to be serious
Ooh - doesn't have to be serious
(serious)
Doesn't have to be serious
Oh baby you get so wild, Mmm too much understanding
Oh baby you're such a child, put up with all the tears and cryin'
Don't worry if you're confused, we all tend to be sometimes
The whole world is getting used, its just the way it is...
Maybe right, Oh, but maybe wrong
Doesn't have to be serious, being hard isn't being strong
Doesn't have to be serious, fighting for love, fighting for pain
Ooh doesn't have to be serious, and if you win, oh what do you gain?
Doesn't have to be serious..
Ooh, doesn't have to be serious maybe right, Ooh, but maybe wrong
Ohh doesn't have to be serious, fighting for love, fighting for pain
Ooh doesn't have to be serious, and if you win, oh what do you gain?
Ooh doesn't have to be serious, maybe right, oh but maybe wrong
Doesn't have to be serious, being hard, isn't being strong
Doesn't have to be serious, fighting for love, fighting for pain
Ohh doesn't have to be serious and if you win...
The song "Serious" by Duran Duran is about the ups and downs of a tumultuous relationship. The lyrics imply that although there may be fights and disagreements, it's important to remember that things don't always have to be taken seriously. Love and emotions are complex and it's okay to have moments of confusion and doubt, but it's not necessary to turn everything into a big, serious issue. The song suggests that sometimes it's best to just let things go and enjoy the moment.
The chorus emphasizes the idea that things don't have to be serious all of the time, and that the pressure to constantly be perfect or make everything a big deal can be more harmful than helpful. The verses discuss various aspects of a relationship, from feeling passion and fire to dealing with tears and misunderstandings. The lyrics suggest that even though things may not always be easy, it's important to keep things in perspective and not get too caught up in the seriousness of it all.
Overall, "Serious" is a song that encourages listeners to relax, let go of their fears, and enjoy life as it comes. It reminds us that relationships can be messy at times but that's okay, it's about the journey and not the destination. Sometimes you have to fight for love and fight through pain, but it doesn't always have to be taken so seriously.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, woman you make me feel, like I'm on fire
You make me feel immensely passionate and alive
Oh, woman you make it real, it's the only way for me
You make my dreams and desires become reality, it's the only way I want it to be
So, if we sometimes fight, doesn't mean we got problems
Fights and disagreements don't always indicate real problems in our relationship
Ain't always black and white, who cares anyway?
Situations and issues aren't always straightforward and clear-cut, but it doesn't ultimately matter
Ooh - doesn't have to be serious
It doesn't have to be a severe or grave situation
Oh baby you get so wild, Mmm too much understanding
You can become exceedingly passionate, to the point where your intellect and reason appear to lose importance
Oh baby you're such a child, put up with all the tears and cryin'
You can be quite immature at times, causing me to endure moments of sadness and upset
Don't worry if you're confused, we all tend to be sometimes
It's okay to be unsure or uncertain, we all experience moments of confusion
The whole world is getting used, its just the way it is...
The world is constantly changing and adapting, it's just the natural way of things
Maybe right, Oh, but maybe wrong
We might be correct in our actions and decisions, but then again, we might also be mistaken
Doesn't have to be serious, being hard isn't being strong
We don't need to take things too seriously, being tough doesn't necessarily equate to being strong
Doesn't have to be serious, fighting for love, fighting for pain
We don't need to be solemn or intense, whether we're fighting for love or struggling with pain
Ooh doesn't have to be serious, and if you win, oh what do you gain?
It doesn't necessarily have to be grave, and even if we come out on top, what is there to gain?
Doesn't have to be serious..
It's not essential to treat the situation with utmost gravity
Ooh, doesn't have to be serious maybe right, Ooh, but maybe wrong
It may not be essential to take everything so solemnly, and we might be right or we might be wrong in our decisions
Doesn't have to be serious, being hard, isn't being strong
We don't need to take everything so heavily, and being firm doesn't equate to being strong
Doesn't have to be serious, fighting for love, fighting for pain
It's not necessary to approach things so seriously, whether we're fighting for love or dealing with pain
Ohh doesn't have to be serious and if you win...
It doesn't need to be momentous, and even if you come out on top...
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOHN TAYLOR, NICK RHODES, SIMON LE BON, STERLING CAMPBELL, WARREN CUCCURULLO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Kate123Wills
I think true Duran Duran fans are the only ones that appreciate this exact song….underrated is so true!! It’s my fav! All about how relationships struggle…you fight you cry…nothing is black and white so why be so serious??? Enjoy it, doesn’t matter who wins…or how tough you are…if you have love, why make matters so serious all the time❤️
@CodeBleu724
The Liberty album was ignored after "Big Thing" in '88. They came back stronger than ever with the wedding album in '93. I've been trying to track down Sterling's bass drum head of the screaming girl...not the original, but maybe a copy to put on my wall.
@JorgeLopez-jj5fh
Is my fav too!
@brandonyoung8169
I've actually had people look at me like I have 2 heads when I say this is my favorite DD song...😆
@funkysexy69
Ditto!!...and totally agree!
Still play this on repeat!...Timeless + Class! 😎💗💿🎶
@redskies4530
Hi I recommend an indie song called 'The Bond Villain' by Robert Nix
@ryanhunter130
This song has aged beautifully…they just weren’t ready for this back in 1990.
@electroborg
Personally I had already my socks blown off by 7 and the ragged tiger which IMHO is a stellar production to this day. I bought Liberty without knowing anything apart the first single because all DD albums used to have gems in it, and sure enough...
@mik5703
No doubt the most sophisticated song. I hope Serious is played in the future concerts.
@Mr.Robot777
So much underrated tune
30 years has been passed , and still fresh and out of time