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
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Sinner or Saint
Duran Duran Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Right now, you know that is the place to be
To watch humankind stumble into another century
Take no prisoners
They're sure at giving you the run-around
Violence on your mind
'cause your attention is the battleground
What are you?
A sinner or saint
You gotta be
A sinner or saint.
Ice cool waylayers
Straight up and guarantee your gonna get
All that you deserve
Sit down, blockin your way, seen nothin' yet.
What are you?
That is your fate
You gotta be
A sinner or saint.
Some people love too fast
Some people live too long
And so I've got to ask
Do you know right from wrong?
Disassembler, will you ever, really be a saint?
Still on for the ride
Who cares if you lose or win
They can bleed you dry
When you're a pumpin' the adrenalin
What are you?
It's never too late
You gotta be
A sinner or saint.
The opening lines of Duran Duran’s “Sinner or Saint” encourage the listener to be brave and stand with boldness to watch humankind stumble into another century. The following lines discuss not taking prisoners and the idea that people will give you the runaround. The battle for attention is a theme that runs through the song. The question of “what are you?” is repeated throughout the song, making it clear that the decision whether to be a sinner or saint is up to the individual.
The second verse mentions that there are people who will cause trouble and block your way. The lyrics emphasize that people will always get what they deserve. The bridge of the song questions morality and whether we know right from wrong. The song then delves into the idea that there are people who will never be saints, no matter how they present themselves. Finally, the song urges the listener to continue on and to embrace the idea of being a sinner or a saint.
Overall, Duran Duran’s “Sinner or Saint” is a song about the battle for attention in a world where there are people who will use violence and block your path. The lyrics encourage the listener to be brave, stand up for themselves, and make a choice between being a sinner or a saint.
Line by Line Meaning
Stand bold, for the ride
Be confident and brave as you embark on this journey
Right now, you know that is the place to be
You're in the right place at the right time
To watch humankind stumble into another century
To witness humanity's progression into a new era
Take no prisoners
Be ruthless and uncompromising
They're sure at giving you the run-around
People will try to deceive and confuse you
Violence on your mind
Your thoughts are consumed by aggression
'cause your attention is the battleground
Your focus is the key to victory
What are you?
Are you a sinner or a saint?
A sinner or saint
Which one will you choose to be?
Ice cool waylayers
Deceptive individuals who remain calm under pressure
Straight up and guarantee your gonna get
They promise to deliver what you want
All that you deserve
Everything you feel entitled to
Sit down, blockin your way, seen nothin' yet
They're obstructing your path and there's more to come
That is your fate
Your destiny is determined
Some people love too fast
Some individuals rush into relationships
Some people live too long
Some individuals outlive their usefulness
And so I've got to ask
Therefore, I need to know
Do you know right from wrong?
Do you have a strong sense of morality?
Disassembler, will you ever, really be a saint?
Someone who breaks things down or dismantles them, could they ever truly be a saint?
Still on for the ride
You're still up for the challenge
Who cares if you lose or win
It doesn't matter if you triumph or fail
They can bleed you dry
Others can take advantage of your energy and resources
When you're a pumpin' the adrenaline
When you're feeling the excitement and rush
It's never too late
It's not too late to choose your path
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: NICK RHODES, SIMON LE BON, WARREN CUCCURULLO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Bluesilva Halo
You can literally hear the "eighties songs only" Duranies heads exploding after listening to this 🤯😁 LOVE the Medazzaland era! 💎
John Skinner
DD in their element.... this is how they often sound live!! A guitar heavy edge with epic bass lines and goth keyboards. Who could want more!!! Best band in the world.
Bawbster1
always said, this band needs to put out a hard rock album.
Vladimir Vlahovic
Or PunkRock album :)
Bawbster1
@ElectronicCrickett I heard that also... apparently it was very "funky", moreso than Notorious with a few tracks with a bit of a Reggae feel.
ElectronicCrickett
REPORTAGE! Their Unreleased Hard Rock Album
francesco toni
True!
Pta
I feel ashamed, I've been a Duran fan for 40 years and only just heard this amazing track. As others have said, it would be great for them to do a more rocky/ guitar album I really believe they would pull it off and be successful with it.
fernandoferdinand
Great track! Why at this time they didn't make a rock album? This is super!
alejandro lauterstein
ROCK IT