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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So Long Suicide
Duran Duran Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's time to break the habit that you fed,
Sweet sorrow while the cherished dead
Blow in my mouth every breath I take
Although I need you
I don't want to bleed for you.
So long suicide
Out of mind,
Leave me alone and abandoned
Hello I'm alive
I'm loaded alive,
Yes I know
In my bones I know what is going to do it for me.
I steal the beauty and I taste the hurt.
There's always time for pretty flowers growing in the dirt
But time is your needle aimed to my heart
And I must be hollow
Because I can't follow there.
So long suicide
Gone right out of sight, out of mind.
Leaving me alone and abandoned
Hello I'm alive
I'm loaded alive and I know
In my bones I know what I'm good for
Hello I'm alive
I'm loaded alive yes I know
In my bones I know what I'm doing.
And I'm scared of being ordinary.
God I swear to live like anyone
(And) you know it's hard to make it
But Life goes on.
And after all the crash and swell
We're only human.
You're out of sight and out of mind
I'm saying so long suicide
The half dreamed shade of yesterday
In bloom tomorrow.
The lyrics of Duran Duran's song So Long Suicide can be interpreted as a message of liberation from a toxic or destructive relationship. The song starts by addressing the listener as "Rock a bye baby," which can be seen as a condescending, infantilizing term. The rest of the first verse seems to refer to a person who has died, but whose memory or influence still haunts the singer. The lines "Although I need you / I don't want to bleed for you" suggest a conflicted attachment, where the singer acknowledges that they may be dependent on the other person, but also recognizes that this dependence is harmful.
The chorus, with its repetition of the phrase "So long suicide," can be interpreted in different ways. On the one hand, it could be seen as a farewell to self-harm or suicidal ideation, as if the singer is saying goodbye to a part of themselves that has been causing them pain or sadness. On the other hand, it could be directed at the other person, as if the singer is telling them that they won't be dragged down by their negative influence anymore. The second verse seems to reference substance abuse or addiction, as the singer describes themselves as "loaded alive." However, they also express a sense of purpose or self-awareness, as they claim to know "what I'm good for" and "what I'm doing."
Line by Line Meaning
Rock a bye baby,
It's time to let go and move on from something that has been a source of comfort and habit, even though it may also bring sadness for those that are gone.
It's time to break the habit that you fed,
It's necessary to break free from something that has become a pattern, even if it has been relied upon for a sense of stability.
Sweet sorrow while the cherished dead
The pain of losing loved ones is bittersweet, because even though they are gone, they are still cherished and remembered fondly.
Blow in my mouth every breath I take
The memory of those who have passed is felt with every breath, and it's something that is impossible to escape.
Although I need you
Even though something or someone may be needed, it doesn't mean that it's good or healthy to keep holding onto it/them.
I don't want to bleed for you.
I don't want to keep sacrificing myself for something that is ultimately not worth it or reciprocated.
So long suicide
Goodbye to the self-destructive tendencies that have held me back and caused pain.
Going right out of sight,
Leaving behind what once was and moving forward, out of sight and out of mind.
Out of mind,
Not allowing negative influences to continue occupying mental space and causing harm.
Leave me alone and abandoned
Allowing oneself to be disconnected from the things that bring negativity and harm, even if it has become a comfort zone.
Hello I'm alive
Acknowledging that there is still life to live and opportunities to better oneself.
I'm loaded alive,
Feeling empowered and inspired to live life to the fullest.
Yes I know
Having the confidence and knowledge of what has the potential to bring happiness and fulfillment.
In my bones I know what is going to do it for me.
Intuitively knowing what paths and choices will lead to personal satisfaction and success.
I steal the beauty and I taste the hurt.
Experiencing both the good and bad in life, and understanding the value of both.
There's always time for pretty flowers growing in the dirt
Even in difficult situations, there are still beautiful things to be appreciated and acknowledged.
But time is your needle aimed to my heart
The passage of time can inflict pain and wounds that may be difficult to heal.
And I must be hollow
Feeling emptied and vulnerable due to the pain of past experiences.
Because I can't follow there.
Unable to continue down a path that will only bring more harm and pain.
And I'm scared of being ordinary.
Fearing a life of mediocrity and unfulfillment.
God I swear to live like anyone
Making a promise to live authentically and not allow societal pressures to dictate one's path.
(And) you know it's hard to make it
Acknowledging that it's not always easy to live a fulfilling life, but still having the determination to do so.
But Life goes on.
Remembering that life will continue to move forward, regardless of the difficulties faced.
And after all the crash and swell
Despite the ups and downs experienced in life,
We're only human.
Remembering that we are all imperfect and prone to making mistakes.
You're out of sight and out of mind
Choosing to move away from negative influences and hurtful people, even if it may bring sadness or feelings of abandonment.
I'm saying so long suicide
Making a definitive choice to move away from self-destructive tendencies and patterns.
The half dreamed shade of yesterday
The fading memory of past pain and difficulties.
In bloom tomorrow.
The hope of a better future, full of new potential and opportunities.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: NICK RHODES, SIMON LE BON, WARREN CUCCURULLO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Franny Bellotti
Rock a bye baby it’s time to break
habits that you fed Sweet sorrow while the cherished dead blow in my mouth every breath I take . Although I need you I don't want to bleed for you.
So long suicide
Going right out of sight Out of mind
Leave me alone and abandoned
Hello I'm alive . I know I'm alive
And I know in my bones I know I’m good for.
Hello I’m alive I know I’m alive yes I know in my bones I know what I’m doin’.
I’ve stole the beauty and taste the hurt.
There's always time for pretty flowers growing in the dirt .
But time is your needle aimed to my heart
And I must be hollow cause I can't follow there.
So long suicide
Gone right out of sight, out of mind.
Leaving me alone and abandoned
Hello I'm alive
I'm loaded alive and I know
In my bones I know what I'm good for
Hello I'm alive
I'm loaded alive yes I know
In my bones I know what I'm doing.
And I'm scared of being ordinary.
God I swear to live like anyone
And you know it's hard to make it
But Life goes on.
And after all the crash and swell
We are just human.
And after all is said and done we are only human.
You're out of sight and out of mind
I'm saying so long suicide
The half dreamed shade of yesterday
In bloom tomorrow.
that boring dude
What a tune! This is why they've been my favorite band since 1981.
Steve Preston
One of their unknown greatest.
Greg McKinney
Time is your needle into my heart. Mind blowing lyrics. No pun intended.
Paulo Melo
Esse album do Duran Duran tem umas musicas muito boas.. na verdade todas são excelentes.. e essa é espetacular!
Parabéns pelo canal!
Franny Bellotti
Rock a bye baby it’s time to break
habits that you fed Sweet sorrow while the cherished dead blow in my mouth every breath I take . Although I need you I don't want to bleed for you.
So long suicide
Going right out of sight Out of mind
Leave me alone and abandoned
Hello I'm alive . I know I'm alive
And I know in my bones I know I’m good for.
Hello I’m alive I know I’m alive yes I know in my bones I know what I’m doin’.
I’ve stole the beauty and taste the hurt.
There's always time for pretty flowers growing in the dirt .
But time is your needle aimed to my heart
And I must be hollow cause I can't follow there.
So long suicide
Gone right out of sight, out of mind.
Leaving me alone and abandoned
Hello I'm alive
I'm loaded alive and I know
In my bones I know what I'm good for
Hello I'm alive
I'm loaded alive yes I know
In my bones I know what I'm doing.
And I'm scared of being ordinary.
God I swear to live like anyone
And you know it's hard to make it
But Life goes on.
And after all the crash and swell
We are just human.
And after all is said and done we are only human.
You're out of sight and out of mind
I'm saying so long suicide
The half dreamed shade of yesterday
In bloom tomorrow.
Reysol Rodriguez
Written by Duran Duran, the song was produced by Nick Rhodes and Warren Cuccurullo's TV Mania.
The track has a rock flavour which highlights Warren Cuccurullo guitar playing. It also features strong raucous vocals by Simon Le Bon, in a similar style to "The Wild Boys".
The song was written as a reaction to the death of Kurt Cobain and others, which features John Taylor on bass before he left the band in January 1997.
fernandoferdinand
Great, great song! Love it!
fernandoferdinand
The guitar in this song it's amazing!
Mariano Banegas
Very good song!
multiplesifl
Miss you terribly, Kurt. Always.