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 Wild Boys
Duran Duran Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Wild Boys
Wild Boys
Wild Boys
Wild Boys
The wild boys are calling
On their way back from the fire
In august moon's surrender to
Wild boys fallen far from glory
Reckless and so hungered
On the razors edge you trail
Because there's murder by the roadside
In a sore afraid new world
They tried to break us
Looks like they'll try again
Wild boys never lose it
Wild boys never chose this way
Wild boys never close your eyes
Wild boys always shine
You got sirens for a welcome
And there's bloodstain for your pain
And your telephone been ringing while
You're dancing in the rain
Wild boys wonder where is glory
Where is all you angels
Now the figureheads have fell
And lovers war with arrows over
Secrets they could tell
They tried to tame you
Looks like they'll try again
Wild boys never lose it
Wild boys never chose this way
Wild boys never close your eyes
Wild boys always shine
Relax, don't do it
When you want to to go to it
Relax, don't do it
When you want to come
Relax, don't do it
When you want to sock it to it
Relax, don't do it
When you want to come
When you want to come
When you want to come
When you want to come
Let's do it in the right direction
Make making it your intention
Gotta live those dreams
Scheme those schemes
You got to hit me
Hit me
Hit me with those laser beams
Wild boys never lose it
Wild boys never chose this way
Wild boys never close your eyes
Wild boys always
Wild boys never lose it
Wild boys never chose this way
Wild boys never close your eyes
Wild boys always
Wild boys
Wild boys
Wild boys
Wild boys
The lyrics to Duran Duran's song "The Wild Boys" paint a vivid picture of a dystopian society in which young men are wandering through a desolate wasteland, longing for glory and a brighter future. The opening lines of the song describe the "wild boys" as they make their way back from a fire, drifting through a cloud of dust created by the blaze. The lyrics suggest that these young men are not only physically wild, but also emotionally and spiritually untamed, driven by a hunger for something more than the world around them can offer.
The imagery of the song is dark and vivid, with references to bloodstains, murder, and arrows flying in lovers' wars. The lyrics suggest that the world in which the wild boys find themselves is one in which hope and glory are distant memories, and the only thing left to do is struggle to survive. Despite this bleak outlook, however, the song is ultimately a celebration of the wild boys' spirit and resilience. The chorus repeats several times, insisting that these young men will "never lose it," and that they will always shine, no matter what challenges they face.
Line by Line Meaning
The wild boys are calling
The adventurous and untamed young men are reaching out to each other.
On their way back from the fire
These wild boys are coming from a place of excitement, danger and possible destruction.
In August moon's surrender to
During a time of surrendering, maybe to fate or circumstance.
A dust cloud on the rise
An uncertain and chaotic time lies ahead.
Wild boys fallen far from glory
These daring and adventurous youths have lost their former glory or have never known it.
Reckless and so hungered
They act impulsively and with great desire for something they may not even define or understand.
On the razors edge you trail
Living on the edge of danger, with an uncertainty in the near future.
Because there's murder by the roadside
Life is filled with danger and death possibly lurking around any corner.
In a sore afraid new world
Facing an unfamiliar and frightening future.
They tried to break us
Someone has attempted and failed to change the wild boys and their lifestyles.
Wild boys (wild boys) never lose it
These individuals never lose the qualities that make them wild, untamed and free-spirited.
Wild boys (wild boys) never chose this way
They have always been wild, and they never chose to be any other way.
Wild boys (wild boys) never close your eyes
They are always alert, watching their surroundings even when others aren't.
Wild boys always shine
Their free-spirited and wild ways always stand out and are highly visible.
You got sirens for a welcome
Their arrival is noisy and chaotic with the sound of sirens around them.
There's bloodstain for your pain
Life is not gentle, and it can be painful, where there are scars and bruises, and bloodstains are a reminder of this.
And your telephone been ringing
There are others trying to reach out to the wild boys, possibly urging them to change their ways.
While you're dancing in the rain
They continue to live their lives carefree amidst danger and drama.
Wild boys wonder where is glory
They question where their former glory and purpose lie.
Where is all you angels
They are searching for their soulmates or saviors that they believe will give meaning to their lives.
Now the figureheads of have fell
Those who once had power and influence have lost it.
And lovers war with arrows
Couples or partners in relationships are fighting with each other, attacking each other emotionally.
Over secrets they could tell
The source of their strife is due to information or actions that could be exposed.
They tried to tame you looks like they'll try again
Others have tried to control the wild boys and their lifestyles, but they will continue to resist.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Andy Taylor, John Taylor, Nick Rhodes, Roger Taylor, Simon Le Bon
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@pr3ttyb0n3z2
+Jennifer Compton 40 this year, LOVE them :-) Am loving their recent performances, not so keen on the beard but the stubble in Pressure Off seriously suits him.
Someone on that clip described what I swear is the perfect description for Simon and is pretty much the best way of describing what he pulls off in each clip for 30+ yrs & does so big time in that clip. Excuse the language but I have to admit many women our age 100% agreed lol, was said he "eye fucks you" through the camera lol. Never heard it put that way before but hey, it does indeed fit!
It says something when my 16 yr old thought I was slightly deranged when Pressure Off came on the tv & I may or may not have tried to lick the screen, and she then stood back and went "Ohhh...NOW I get it! Omg, I do NOT want to know how old he must be but wow, he is HOT!"...she has taste that kid ;-)
Oh yeah, for Xmas guess what she got? A record player! They are back in fashion, recent stuff is on vinyl...bloody expensive though, expect to pay about $70 a record!
Plus I bet I'm not the only one who LOVES the clip for this simply for the enjoyment of seeing him tied to a windmill & dunked in water...would be no surprise at all if he came up with that idea himself considering he knew (and his wife certainly knew) how many women would have made this hit the top of the charts for that alone ;-)
Would love to see the footage but there is indeed a concert they did when he was first married to Yasmin & she came on stage, grabbed his balls and said "MINE!"...I think every female (& half the males) there just had their hearts broken lol.
Moses Berkowitz, will come back to you in a sec...my name says it all - I've collected, worn & sold retro & vintage since the early 90's, can help you know what its what :-)
@costash457
in 1980s: The future will be amazing
In 2020s: Take me back to the 80's
@Maples01
Because you are realizing what the elderly knew in the 80's, you will always lone to go back to when you were growing up, because no matter how bad you thought it was then, things will get worse
@Maples01
@BeckyBoo Before the technology handicap
@alexisdowers2030
Yep, I wasn't born in the '80s (93) 🤣
@costash457
@@EpicObjectShows Actualy I am not but UR so pathetic
@EpicObjectShows
@@costash457 ok, but it was pathetic for you , not me as I was unaware and you were doing that to have me aware and be able to be yourself. Its funny cause ever since I went through all that pain for that purpose , how u guys been treating me and thinking there was another woman you had a "choice" in IS ALSO PATHETIC. ARE U EVER NOT PATHETIC?????
@user-yw4ix9fd3e
It's 2024, and I'm still listening to this!❤
@beadmore
I am 63 yrs. old and was in college when Duran Duran was popular. Many nites I pulled all nite study sessions to get ready for mid-terms or finals and would listen to them to stay awake. Some of the best music ever!
@jerradcampbell74
I am 47 years old and remember these videos during the dawn of MTV, definitely one of my favorites. College was never an option for me. I became successful and I hope college did you well, as for the Memories, priceless. :)
@jerradcampbell74
@@TimeTraveler.981 you must have misread my comment. I was 7 years old when MTV hit the airwaves. I believe it was either a Friday or Saturday night at 11 p.m., I had stayed up with my dad and watch the very first video when it launched. " Video Killed the Radio Star." It's a night I'll never forget.