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
The Sunrise
Duran Duran Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I wish that I could take the time to go and find me
Cause I know that you're the one for me
But I know I'm no good for you
Cause I see time moving all around me
I feel like these loose cigarettes and black olives
Just might be the death of me
Now I'm just being honest
Momma, I'm so tired
Help me til the morning
I feel like the sunrise never gon' recharge me well
Like this my seed I plant it for the world to sell
Embrace it like it's show and tell
Embrace it like it's show and tell
Yeah, embrace it like it's show and tell before it's gone
Yeah, embrace it like it's show and tell before it's gone
I see time moving all around me
I wish that I could take a chance to go and find me
In Duran Duran's song Sunrise, the lyrics describe the turning point in a person's life where they are ready to embrace change and start anew. The song opens with the repetition of "Lalalala lalalala lalalala-la," which is a common technique to grab the listener's attention through repetition. The first verse suggests that the "night" (a metaphor for a period of darkness or struggle) is coming to an end, and that only change can bring the individual out of it. The lines "In this moment, everything is born again" indicate the idea of rebirth or renewal, which further emphasizes that this is a turning point in one's life.
The chorus instructs the listener to "reach up for the sunrise, put your hands into the big sky" to touch the sunrise and feel the new day enter their life. The sunrise is a powerful symbol of hope and new beginnings, and the lyrics suggest that this is a moment for the listener to seize and embrace. In the second verse, the sun is compared to a "fireball" which is burning and causing the planet to turn into the light. This metaphor suggests that the listener can also become a source of light and positivity for themselves and for others.
The final chorus highlights the message of the song's lyrics - that we all have the power to embrace change and start anew, to reach for the sunrise and feel the new day enter our lives, and to watch out for one another as we do so.
Line by Line Meaning
Now the time has come,
The time for change has arrived
The music between us
The connection between us
Though the night seems young-
Even though it feels like there is still time
Is at an end
It is over
Only change will bring
Change is necessary to move forward
You out of the darkness
To escape from a difficult situation
In this moment everything is born again
This is a chance to start over
Now the fireball burns,
The sun rises
We go round together
We are all in this together
As the planet turns into the light
The world is illuminated by the sun
Something more than dreams to
Something real to hold onto
Watch out for each other?
Take care of each other
Coz we know what it means to be alive
Because we understand the importance of life
Feel the new day,
Embrace the start of a new day
Enter your life,
Become a part of your life
Reach up for the sunrise
Embrace the new day
Put your hands into the big sky
Feel connected to the world
You can touch the sunrise
You can feel the new day
Feel the new day enter your life
Accept the new opportunities and possibilities of the new day
Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: Gabriel Herrera-Duran
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@justmeonthebeach
Now the time has come
The music's between us
Though the night seems young
Is at an end
Only change will bring
You out of the darkness
In this moment everything is born again
Reach up for the sunrise
Put your hands into the big sky
You can touch the sunrise
Feel the new day enter your life
Reach up for the sunrise
Put your hands into the big sky
You can touch the sunrise
Feel the new day enter your life
Now the fireball burns
We go round together
As the planet turns into the light
Something more than dreams to
Watch out for each other
Coz we know what it means to be alive
Reach up for the sunrise
Put your hands into the big sky
You can touch the sunrise
Feel the new day enter your life
Reach up for the sunrise
Put your hands into the big sky
You can touch the sunrise
Feel the new day enter your life
Feel the new day enter your life
Feel the new day
Reach up for the sunrise
Put your hands into the big sky
You can touch the sunrise
Feel the new day enter your life
Reach up for the sunrise
Put your hands into the big sky
You can touch the sunrise
Feel the new day enter your life
Reach up for the sunrise
Put your hands into the big sky
You can touch the sunrise
Feel the new day enter your life
@patrickstocks3576
Now the the time has come
The musics between us
Though the night seems young
Is at an end
Only change will bring
You out of the darkness
In this moment everything is born again
Reach up for the sunrise 🌄
Put your hands into the big sky
You can touch the sunrise 🌄
Feel the new day enter your life
Reach up for the sunrise 🌄
Put your hands 🙌 into the big sky 🌌
You can touch the sunrise 🌄
Feel the new day enter your life
Now the fireball burns
We go round together
As the planet 🌍 turns into the light 💡
Something more than dreams too
Watch out for each other
Coz we know what it means to be alive
Reach up for the sunrise 🌄
Put your hands into the big sky 🌌
You can touch the sunrise 🌄
Feel the new day enter your life
Reach up for the sunrise 🌄
Put your hands into the big sky 🌌
You can touch the sunrise 🌄
Feel the new day enter your life
Feel the new day
Reach up for the sunrise 🌄
Put your hands into the big sky 🌌
You can touch the sunrise 🌄
Feel the new day enter your life
Reach up for the sunrise 🌄
Put your hands into the big sky 🌌
You can touch the sunrise 🌄
Feel the new day enter your life
Reach up for the sunrise 🌄
Put your hands into the big sky 🌌
You can touch the sunrise 🌄
Feel the new day enter your life
@vladimirmacko1481
Their music is like the Sunrise, you need it, it's real, no fake, full of energy, you can listen to it all over again and again and never have enough.
@juliedaw9184
Great Video Love Guys.
@errolcuthbert1649
Indeed, its energy is vitality.
@squirtgun100
Amen!
@xxdeathlixx5374
This is very true!! They’re literally my adrenaline 💙
@squirtgun100
Amen!!!
@charlottebrooks3671
I’m so glad to see that these guys are going to be inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame later this year. They are truly deserving of it x
@Tubes12AX7k
And it's about time, right?!
@garycarr3857
@Tubes12AX7k Duran Duran
@louisbrunn1441
You've got to be kidding me these guys should have been put into the Rock and roll Hall of Fame the first five albums that they put out for crying out loud I never heard such a great band probably never will you got to keep the boys going keep encouraging them we need it now more than ever thanks for all the years that Simon