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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Zoom In
Duran Duran Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You understand
I've been waiting forever
Come rain, come shine
In the wind and the snow
In the filthy weather
You got it all worked it
Yeah, but it knocks you out
I'm zoomin' in
Now she arrives
In a flaming crash
Like a falling star
Heading straight for the dive
Gonna make some cash with that avatar
You got it all worked out
I know you know I don't want you to go
Yeah, but it knocks you out
I'm zoomin' in on you, on you
(Don't look back you're a heart attack)
(Don't look back you're a heart attack)
(Don't look back you're a heart attack)
(Don't look back you're a heart attack)
You got it all worked out
Yeah, but it knocks you out
We're not alone in the second life
There are millions like us
Right here in the stones
In the air too bright
All of you inside us
You got it all worked out
I know you know I don't want you to go
Yeah, but it knocks you out
I'm zoomin' in on you on you
Na na na na na na
I know you know I don't want you to go
Na na na na na na
I'm zoomin' in and out on you
I'm zoomin' in and out on you
Zoomin' in and out on you
Na na na na na na
I know you know I don't want you to go
I'm zoomin' in and out on you
The lyrics of "Zoom In" by Duran Duran paint a picture of a futuristic world where people are deeply engaged in their online lives. The opening lines suggest that the singer has been waiting for a long time for someone to arrive, someone who is familiar with the same online world. He seems to imply that this online world has elements of physical danger and discomfort, predicting crashes and filthy weather, yet users are still addicted to it. The phrase, "got it all worked out," could mean that the singer believes this individual is particularly skilled at navigating this world, which both intrigues and intimidates him.
The chorus then turns to the arrival of a new user, someone who is depicted as a fallen star. The singer suggests that this new user has a valuable avatar and that she is there to make cash, presumably by using it. The second time, the "you" mentioned in the chorus could be referring to either the new user or the previous person being addressed.
The last section of the song talks about the vastness of the online world, painting it as a place where millions of people can connect and experience the same thing together. The singer seems to want to hold onto this connection with the other person, wanting them to stay and not leave. The repeated phrase "zoomin' in" could represent the act of the singer focusing on the other individual and their connection.
Overall, "Zoom In" is a song about the deep connection people can form through the internet and the way it blurs the lines between physical and digital realities.
Line by Line Meaning
Stood on the line
I've been waiting for you for a long time, through all kinds of weather and conditions.
You understand
I know you know that I've been waiting for you.
I've been waiting forever
I have been waiting for you for a very long time.
Come rain, come shine
I have waited for you through all kinds of weather conditions.
In the wind and the snow
I have waited for you even when the weather has been harsh and difficult.
In the filthy weather
I have even waited for you when the weather has been dirty or unpleasant.
You got it all worked it
You have figured out how to make everything work for you.
Yeah, but it knocks you out
But it has also been challenging for you and has left you feeling worn out.
I'm zoomin' in
I'm taking a closer look at you and your life.
Now she arrives
A new person has entered the picture.
In a flaming crash
This new person has arrived in a dramatic and intense way.
Like a falling star
This person has fallen into your life and caught your attention like a shooting star.
Heading straight for the dive
They are taking big risks and diving headfirst into a new situation.
Gonna make some cash with that avatar
This person is taking advantage of online opportunities to make money with a digital representation of themselves.
We're not alone in the second life
There are others like us who live in virtual worlds and environments.
There are millions like us
There are many people who live and interact in virtual worlds and environments.
Right here in the stones
Even in our physical world, people are interacting with each other digitally and virtually.
In the air too bright
These digital interactions and connections are bright and vivid in our minds and online spaces.
All of you inside us
All of these digital connections and interactions become a part of us and our lives.
I'm zoomin' in and out on you
I'm taking a closer look at you and your life while also considering the bigger picture.
Na na na na na na
A meaningless vocalization that serves as a transition between lines.
I know you know I don't want you to go
I don't want this person to leave my life.
I'm zoomin' in and out on you
I'm taking a closer look at you and your life while also considering the bigger picture.
Lyrics © ANTHEM ENTERTAINMENT LP, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Floyd Nathaniel Hills, Nick Rhodes, Nigel John Taylor, Roger Taylor, Simon John Charles Le Bon, Timothy Z Mosley
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind