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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Skin trade (Parisian Mix
Duran Duran Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She's working all through the night.
A jump into the deep end,
Gave her the evidence she required.
Take five, she's got pearls,
Don't fake it when it comes to making money -
So... she smiles, but that's cruel
If you knew what she'd think, if you knew what she was after...
Would someone please explain...
The reason for this strange behaviour
In exploitation's name...
We must be working for the skin trade.
Doctors of the revolution gave us, the medicine we desired.
Besides being absolutely painless it's a question of compromise
You've got steel, it's so cool,
Get angry at the weekend then go back to school
So big deal, it's what rules
When it comes to making money, say yes, please, thank you...
Sometimes you wonder, and you ask yourself the question
Would someone please explain...
The reason for this strange behaviour
In exploitation's name...
We must be working for the skin trade.
Would someone please explain...
The reason for this strange behaviour
In exploitation's name...
We must be working for the skin trade.
I know the answer... but I'm asking you the question...
Would someone please explain...
The reason for this strange behaviour
In exploitation's name...
We must be working for the skin trade.
Would someone please explain...
The reason for this strange behaviour
In exploitation's name...
We must be working for the skin trade.
Would someone please explain...
The reason for this strange behaviour
In exploitation's name...
We must be working for the skin trade.
The lyrics to Duran Duran's "Intro to Skin Trade" explore themes of work, money, and exploitation. The song begins with a description of a woman who is working hard for her money, even sacrificing her weekends and nights. The lyrics suggest that she may be involved in something morally dubious, as she is "making money" and "smiling" but also "cruel" and "frustrated." The chorus then asks for an explanation for this strange behavior, implying that it may be part of a larger system of exploitation.
The second verse introduces the idea of "doctors of the revolution" who provide a painless medicine but also require compromise. The lyrics suggest that people are willing to compromise their values in order to make money and that this is what "rules." The verse also includes the line "get angry at the weekend then go back to school," which could be interpreted as a criticism of the way people compartmentalize their lives, separating their work and personal selves. The chorus repeats, asking for an explanation for this behavior.
Overall, the lyrics to "Intro to Skin Trade" are complex and layered, exploring ideas related to work, money, and exploitation in a way that is both critical and ambiguous.
Line by Line Meaning
Working on the weekend baby
She has to work even on weekends to make money
She's working all through the night.
She works long hours, even during the night
A jump into the deep end,
She took a risk and got involved deeply
Gave her the evidence she required.
Her experience gave her the proof that she needed
Take five, she's got pearls,
She has gained wealth and success, so she takes a break
Don't fake it when it comes to making money -
She is serious about making money and doesn't pretend otherwise
So... she smiles, but that's cruel
Her smile hides the harsh reality of her situation
If you knew what she'd think, if you knew what she was after...
Her thoughts and motivations are not readily apparent
Sometimes she wonders... and she laughs in her frustration
She questions her situation and feels helpless, but laughs it off
Would someone please explain...
The singer is urging someone to give an explanation
The reason for this strange behaviour
He wants to know why people act in this particular way
In exploitation's name...
He believes that this behavior is due to exploitation
We must be working for the skin trade.
He thinks that people are being exploited in the entertainment industry
Doctors of the revolution gave us, the medicine we desired.
Those in power gave people what they wanted, like medicine
Besides being absolutely painless it's a question of compromise
Getting what you want involves compromising
You've got steel, it's so cool,
Having strength and being cool is important
Get angry at the weekend then go back to school
It's okay to have fun on the weekend, but then you have to go back to work/school
So big deal, it's what rules
Making money is the most important thing
When it comes to making money, say yes, please, thank you...
Being polite and cooperative is the best way to make money
Sometimes you wonder, and you ask yourself the question
People may question their situation and wonder why things are the way they are
I know the answer... but I'm asking you the question...
The singer knows what he thinks, but is asking others to weigh in
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: SIMON LEBON, NICK RHODES, JOHN NIGEL TAYLOR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind