Showing posts with label Duran Duran. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Duran Duran. Show all posts

Saturday 18 November 2023

Do you believe in shame? - Duran Duran

Back in 1989, I already bought 'Do you believe in shame?', Duran Duran's third single from their album 'Big Thing'. My copy was an American one, bought from a record shop that supplied the occasional import. 

I didn't know back then that the UK edition came in three varieties, that together would make up a collectable set. When I did find out, about eight years ago, those singles were hard to get. Online no dealer would have all three and the combined shipping costs would make collecting these singles quite an expensive experience.

I was glad when I bumped into a UK dealer at last week's record fair, who happened to have all three of these singles. I had no doubt that I really wanted to have them, because as you know I am a sucker for limited editions and strange single sets.

Part one comes with a sleeve in which you can house all three singles, whereas the actual single features the band's frontman Simon Le Bon. Nick Rhodes and John Taylor appear on the cover of parts 2 and 3 respectively. 

A successful legal challenge over the close resemblance of the melody of 'Do you believe in shame?' to that of the Dale Hawkins classic 'Suzie Q' (more famously covered by Creedence Clearwater Revival and The Rolling Stones), means the three writers of 'Suzie Q' were added to the official ASCAP credits for royalties on 'Do you believe in shame?'. Duran Duran always denied intentionally copying any other works, and that the similarity of the two songs was based on a "basic blues progression". 

My collection: 7" single no. 7072, 7073 and 7074
Found: Record fair, Den Bosch, 11 November 2023
Tracks: 'Do you believe in shame?' / 'The Krush Brothers LSD edit' // 'Do you believe in shame?' / 'God (London)', 'This is how a road gets made', 'Palomino' // 'Do you believe in shame?' / 'Drug (It's just a state of mind'

Saturday 18 January 2020

Perfect day - Duran Duran

I originally bought Duran Duran's version of 'Perfect day' in 1995, when it was released. That was the UK edition, complete with a 'scratch 'n' sniff' sleeve. This American pressing comes with a different B-side: 'Success', also taken from the covers album 'Thank you', released that same year.

I wouldn't even have this single if it weren't for the fact that I was ordering a rare CD from the USA and decided to order two 7" singles along with it. As long as you're paying for postage you might as well get a few extra items in, right?

My collection: 7" single no. 6230
Found: Discogs.com, received January 7, 2020
Cost: $3
Tracks: 'Perfect day' / 'Success'

Saturday 30 September 2017

Is there something I should know? - Duran Duran

The trick of Record Store Day for record companies is to get people to buy stuff they already have another time. Many different strategies are followed: exclusive tracks, posters, different formats, and of course... coloured vinyl.

In the case of 'Is there something I should know' by Duran Duran, which I already owned as a single, the coloured vinyl route was used in 2013. To celebrate the 30th anniversary of this song, EMI released this single on thick blue vinyl. I doubted for a little while but in the end I couldn't resist this one.

My collection: 7" single no. 5859
Found: Record Bag, Vienna, September 25, 2017
Cost: 10 euro
Tracks: 'Is there something I should know' / 'Faith in this colour'

Sunday 25 March 2012

Come undone - Duran Duran

When the cd-single became the preferred format in the late Eighties, vinyl was quickly pronounced dead by the record companies, not realising they were digging their own graves at the time. But before they did, there were some efforts made to sell vinyl discs, for instance with exclusive tracks.

This 12" single of Duran Duran's 1993 single 'Come undone' for instance features the 'TV synth strings' mix of 'Come undone', which was not available on either of the two (!) cd-singles available in the UK. But it is suspicious that this 12" single was released in Italy in. So buying this in a shop in Amsterdam two years after its release was a bit of a fluke...

My collection: 12" single no. 237
Found: Concerto, Amsterdam, 1995
Cost: 2,5 guilders
Tracks: 'Come undone (edit)', 'Ordinary world (acoustic version)' / 'Come undone (FGI Phumpin' 12"), 'Come undone (La fin de siecle)', 'Come undone (TV synth strings)'

Thursday 20 October 2011

Planet earth - Duran Duran

Finding the debut single of Duran Duran has become something of a nightmare for me in recent years. I think I have all of their 7" singles, but this one eluded me - until this weekend. It's not that I never saw a copy, it's just that I wasn't prepared to spend double digits in any western currency for it.

The single was released on February 2, 1981, and was an immediate hit in the UK, peaking at number 12 later that month. The track was the first to explicitly acknowledge the New Romantic fashion movement, with the line 'Like some New Romantic looking for the TV sound'.

My collection: 7" single no. 5209
Found: Out on the floor, London, October 15, 2011
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Planet earth' / 'Late bar'

Wednesday 16 February 2011

Boys keep swinging - Duran Duran / Absolute beginners - Carla Bruni

'We were so turned on: A tribute to David Bowie' was released worldwide on September 6, 2010 as a charity for War Child UK. It is the only tribute album that has been approved by David Bowie and his management.

This single was released from the album, featuring the tracks by Duran Duran and Carla Bruni. It is the first Duran Duran 7" vinyl single since 1995's 'Perfect day'. Upon first listen, I have to say I like the cover by French president Nicolas Sarkozy's wife Carla Bruni better: she has turned the wonderfully rich original into an intimate piano-and-vocal song - and that works very well.
This single is a limited edition and was pressed on clear vinyl.

My collection: 7" single no. 5039
Found: HMV, London, received February 16, 2011
Cost: 4 pounds
Tracks: 'Boys keep swinging' (Duran Duran)' / 'Absolute beginners' (Carla Bruni)

Monday 25 January 2010

Perfect day - Duran Duran

This limited edition 'scratch 'n' sniff' sleeve still works after 15 years: there is a sweet strawberry/cherry smell coming from the front when you rub it. It's a good gimmick, but fortunately the music on the disc is very good too.

Duran Duran recorded an album of covers in 1995, entitled 'Thank you'. Lou Reed called Duran Duran's version of 'Perfect day' 'the best cover ever done of one of my songs', and rightfully so. The song was notable for a rare appearance by Roger Taylor. He had been Duran Duran's first drummer, but left the band at the height of their fame in 1986, and had had little contact with them in the ten years since. He rejoined Duran Duran in the studio to record 'Perfect day', 'Watching the detectives' and 'Jeepster'. 'Perfect day' reached number 28 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 2258
Found: Record fair, April 8, 1995
Cost: 10 guilders
Tracks: 'Perfect day' / 'Femme fatale (alternative mix)'

Monday 18 January 2010

Come undone - Duran Duran

Duran Duran's guitarist at the time, Warren Cuccurullo, is credited with developing the instrumentation for 'Come undone', most importantly its guitar hook, which he developed while trying to do a re-interpretation of 'First Impression' from their 1990 album Liberty. The lyrics were written by vocalist Simon Le Bon as a birthday gift for his wife, Yasmin le Bon.

The single reached number 13 in the UK and number 7 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. By contrast, it did not chart in the Netherlands at all.

My collection: 7" single no. 1915
Found: Record fair, May 22, 1993
Cost: 8 guilders
Tracks: 'Come undone' / 'Ordinary world (acoustic)'

Thursday 14 January 2010

Ordinary world - Duran Duran

'Ordinary world' was written by Simon Le Bon as the second of a trilogy of songs for his late friend David Miles; the others being 'Do you believe in shame?' (1988) and 'Out of my mind' (1997). The song can be credited for bringing back Duran Duran into the public eye after the commercial failure of their 1991 album 'Liberty' and associated singles.

When Capitol leaked 'Ordinary world' to a radio station in Florida, the track proved so popular that the release date had to be brought forward in the USA. The single reached number 3 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. In the UK, the single was almost equally popular, peaking at number 6. In the Netherlands, it would prove to be the band's last hit single, reaching number 14 in the Dutch Top 40.

In 1993, the 7" vinyl format had become so rare that it was impossible for me to find this single on vinyl. In 1995, I suddenly found a jukebox promo copy, which I bought immediately. Two years after that, I finally saw a commercial copy (with picture sleeve) of the 7" single. It had been sold in the UK all along, I just didn't know about it.

My collection: 7" single no. 2241 / no. 2882
Found: Record fair, February 18, 1995 / House of Rhythm, London, October 28, 1997
Cost: 10 guilders / 60p
Tracks: 'Ordinary world' / 'My Antarctica'

Tuesday 5 January 2010

Serious - Duran Duran

By the time 'Serious' was released as the second single from Duran Duran's 1990 album 'Liberty', interest in the album had already waned. Poor promotion, including a decision not to tour in support of the album, led the single to stall at number 48 in the UK singles chart. This was the band's worst charting single up until then.

Due to the commercial failure of this single, plans for future singles were shelved. The third single in the USA was to have been the rock track 'First impression', while in Europe EMI would have released the album's title track 'Liberty'.

My collection: 7" single no. 2276
Found: April 23, 1995
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Serious' / 'Yo bad Azizi'

Sunday 20 December 2009

Violence of summer - Duran Duran

After the compilation album 'Decade', Duran Duran found themselves in a period of less commercial success, with a new album and a new line-up. The first single from the new album 'Liberty' was 'Violence of summer', a simple rock song.

The single was released in July 1990 and managed to reach number 20 in the UK singles chart, while it was unsuccessful in most other territories.

My collection: 7" single no. 2274
Found: Record fair, April 23, 1995
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'Violence of summer (Love's taking over)' / 'Violence of summer (Love's taking over) (The story mix)'

Sunday 13 December 2009

Burning the ground - Duran Duran

When Duran Duran's compilation album 'Decade: Greatest hits' was released in 1989, 'Burning the ground' was released as the accompanying single (although the track did not appear on the album). It is essentially a megamix of Duran Duran hits, created by producer John Jones.

'Burning the ground' contains elements from 'Save a prayer', 'Hungry like the wolf', 'Rio', 'The reflex', 'The wild boys', 'Skin trade', 'A view to a kill', 'Notorious', 'I don't want your love', 'Planet earth' and 'Girls on film'. The song also uses several samples from the 1968 erotic science fiction movie 'Barbarella', from which the band took their name.

My collection: 7" single no. 2319
Found: Record fair, June 3, 1995
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'Burning the ground' / 'Decadance'

Wednesday 9 December 2009

Do you believe in shame? - Duran Duran

'Do you believe in shame?' was dedicated to three of the band's fallen friends: record producer Alex Sadkin, artist Andy Warhol, and Simon Le Bon's childhood friend David Miles. Le Bon later commented that the song is the first part of a trilogy of songs written as a tribute to Miles, the other songs being 'Ordinary world' and 'Out of my mind'.

The single reached number 30 in the UK singles chart and number 17 in Ireland. It was considerably less successful in the USA, where it peaked at number 72.

My collection: 7" single no. 791
Found: April 15, 1989
Cost: 7 guilders
Tracks: 'Do you believe in shame?' / 'The Krush brothers LSD edit'

Monday 30 November 2009

All she wants is - Duran Duran

The title of the second single from Duran Duran's 1988 album 'Big Thing' is 'All she wants is'. It doesn't become obvious during the course of this track what it is exactly 'she' wants, but from the panting and high-pitched screaming, the listener does get some kind of idea.

The single was reasonably successful, reaching number 9 in the UK singles chart and number 22 in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 730
Found: Free Record Shop, Den haag, February 2, 1989
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'All she wants is' / 'I believe/All I need to know'

Thursday 19 November 2009

I don't want your love - Duran Duran

Duran Duran released 'I don't want your love' as the first single from their 1988 album 'Big thing'. The single version was a remix by Shep Pettibone.

The single peaked at number 14 in the UK singles chart and number 16 in the Dutch Top 40. It did much better in Italy, where the single spent six weeks at number 1, and in the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, where the single peaked at number 4.

My collection: 7" single no. 1565
Found: All that music, Leiden, January 2, 1992
Cost: 3 guilders
Tracks: 'I don't want your love' / 'I don't want your love (album version)'

Sunday 15 November 2009

Skin trade - Duran Duran

The title 'Skin trade' was derived from the Dylan Thomas book 'Adventures in the skin trade'. The music for the song was written long before Simon Le Bon wrote the lyrics. They reflect on how everyone is selling themselves, and 'there's a little hooker in each of us'. The single was quite a departure for the band. Not only was Simon LeBon singing in a Prince-style falsetto, but a horn section played a prominent role in the track, as played by The Borneo Horns.

The single reached number 22 in the UK singles chart and number 14 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 516
Found: Free Record Shop, Den Haag, 1987
Cost: 6 guilders
Tracks: 'Skin trade' / 'We need you'

Saturday 24 October 2009

The wild boys - Duran Duran

The idea for 'The wild boys' came from Duran Duran's video director Russell Mulcahy, who wanted to make a full-length feature film based on the 1971 novel 'The wild boys: a book of the dead' by William S. Burroughs. He suggested that the band might create a modern soundtrack for the film. Singer Simon Le Bon began writing some lyrics based on Mulcahy's quick synopsis of the book, and the band created a harsh-sounding instrumental backdrop for them.

Although the movie never came to be, Mulcahy did direct the ambitious music video for 'The wild boys', which cost over one million dollars to make (a staggering sum for a music video at the time) and also delivered an urban myth about Simon le Bon supposedly nearly drowning while he was strapped to a windmill. The single reached number 1 in Germany and Canada and number 2 in the UK singles chart and the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 4123
Found: Kringloop, Den Haag, October 24, 2009
Cost: 0,5 euro
Tracks: 'The wild boys' / '(I'm looking for) Cracks in the pavement (live)'

Friday 16 October 2009

Notorious - Duran Duran

After a break for a year during which one half of Duran Duran formed Arcadia and the other half formed the Power Station, the group came back together. However, Roger and Andy Taylor left the band by the time the new album 'Notorious' and the lead single of the same name were released.

As a trio, the band had enlisted the help of Nile Rodgers to take over production duties. Rodgers also plays guitar on the single. It was a good return for the band: the single reached number 7 in the UK singles chart and number 6 in the Dutch Top 40.

My collection: 7" single no. 2297
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 199X
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'Notorious' / 'Winter marches on'

Wednesday 7 October 2009

The reflex - Duran Duran

Duran Duran had the biggest hit of their career in 1984 with 'The reflex'. It was the third and last single from their album 'Seven and the ragged tiger'. Originally the band wanted it to be the lead single, but the record company was afraid that the warbling singing during the 'Why don't you use it' segments would hinder its success as a single. How wrong they were! The single hit number 1 in the UK, America and the Netherlands.

The video appeared on television almost every hour at the time, until I got quite sick of it. I never bought the single as a result. Just recently I found out it was released as a limited edition with a poster sleeve in the UK. It took some time to find it for a reasonable price, but I'm glad I waited: instead of the usual 4 to 6 pounds asked for it, I paid a measly 1 pound. Plus postage, but oh well.

My collection: 7" single no. 4099
Found: eBay.co.uk, received October 6, 2009
Cost: 4 pounds
Tracks: 'The reflex' / 'Make me smile (Come up and see me) (live)'

Friday 11 September 2009

A view to a kill - Duran Duran

Duran Duran was chosen to do the theme song of the 1984 James Bond movie 'A view to a kill' after bassist John Taylor (a lifelong Bond fan) approached producer Cubby Broccoli at a party and asked: 'When are you going to get someone decent to do one of your theme songs?'. As a result, the band was introduced to Bond composer John Barry. Simon le Bon comments: 'He didn't really come up with any of the basic musical ideas. He heard what we came up with and he put them into an order. And that's why it happened so quickly because he was able to separate the good ideas from the bad ones, and he arranged them.'

The song was completed in April, and was released worldwide in May 1984. It was the last track that the original five members of Duran Duran recorded together until their reunion sixteen years later, in 2001.

My collection: 7" single no. 1866
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, February 13, 1993
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'A view to a kill' / 'A view to a kill (That fatal kiss)'

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