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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She's Too Much
Duran Duran Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She's everything head first
So happy to be causing trouble
Sometimes the pressure gets to much
And you think she's going to burst
And shatter like a Christmas bauble
I'll be there when the world is coming down upon her
She cries when she's alone
For all life's little knocks
Everything is supposed to make us tougher
Thinking it doesn't really show
But I know how she hurts
And I can't bear to see her suffer
I'll be there when the world is coming down upon her
When she's scared, I'll be there fighting in her corner
I'll be there when the walls are closing to surround her
In the air as she falls with my arms around her
Holding on I'm looking out for her thin skin
Because she's everything
And I don't think she knows
She is such a gentle touch
She's too much, a gentle touch
She likes to catch the sun
Plays with it like a ball
And never mind whatever keeps it burning
Someday she might just be the one
Whose going to save us all
If this apocalypse is coming
I'll be there when the world is coming down upon her
When she's scared, I'll be there fighting in her corner
I'll be there when the walls are closing to surround her
In the air as she falls with my arms around her
Holding on I'm looking out for her thin skin
Because she's everything
But I don't think she knows
I don't think she knows
I don't think she knows
I don't think she knows
She is such a gentle touch
I don't think she knows
She's too much, a gentle touch
The lyrics to Duran Duran's song She's Too Much describe a person who is both delicate and strong. The first verse highlights her gentleness and how she tends to throw herself into things headfirst, causing trouble and taking risks. However, the pressure can sometimes become too much for her, and she feels like she might shatter like a Christmas bauble. The second verse describes how the person cries when alone and how life is supposed to toughen us up, but the singer knows how much she hurts and doesn't want to see her suffer. The chorus pledges the support the singer will give to her in times of need, to be there to fight in her corner, and hold her up when the world falls down.
The bridge of the song speaks volumes about how much the singer cares for her, emphasizing that she is everything, but she doesn't know it. The song ends with the singer identifying her uniqueness and how she plays with the sun and never minds what keeps it burning. The singer believes that someday she might be the one to save us all in case an apocalypse happens. The repeated line "I don't think she knows" suggests that the person under discussion is unaware of her inner strength and value, which only the singer seems to recognize.
Overall, the song She's Too Much highlights the fragile yet strong nature of the person under discussion, while also celebrating their strength, courage, and unique qualities. It is the perfect anthem for anyone who is fighting their battles silently and needs someone to be there for them, hold them up, and fight in their corner.
Line by Line Meaning
She's gentle to the touch
She has a soft and tender demeanor
She's everything head first
She lives life with passion and strong conviction
So happy to be causing trouble
She enjoys ruffling feathers and stirring things up
Sometimes the pressure gets to much
She can become overwhelmed and stressed
And you think she's going to burst
Her stress and anxiety may cause her to break down
And shatter like a Christmas bauble
She may fall apart or lose control of herself
I'll be there when the world is coming down upon her
I will support her even in her toughest times
When she's scared, I'll be there fighting in her corner
I will defend and protect her when she is afraid
She cries when she's alone
She is emotional and has moments of vulnerability
For all life's little knocks
She feels the impact of even small setbacks
Everything is supposed to make us tougher
Society expects us to be resilient and strong
Thinking it doesn't really show
Although she tries to hide her pain, it is still evident
But I know how she hurts
I understand her pain and suffering
And I can't bear to see her suffer
I cannot stand to watch her in pain
In the air as she falls with my arms around her
I will be there to catch her and offer support
Holding on I'm looking out for her thin skin
I am protective of her vulnerability and emotional sensitivity
Because she's everything
She means everything to me
And I don't think she knows
I don't believe she fully understands her impact on me
She is such a gentle touch
She has a tender and loving nature
She's too much, a gentle touch
She is so wonderful and special that it's almost overwhelming
She likes to catch the sun
She enjoys simple and beautiful moments
Plays with it like a ball
She has a childlike and playful spirit
And never mind whatever keeps it burning
She doesn't dwell on the logistics or complexities of life
Someday she might just be the one
She has great potential and could make a big impact
Whose going to save us all
She could be a beacon of hope and inspiration for others
Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: SIMON JOHN CHARLES LE BON, NICK RHODES, JOHN NIGEL TAYLOR, ROGER ANDREW TAYLOR, FLOYD NATHANIEL HILLS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind