Intro
This is Jason D’Orazio welcoming you from New Wave Beat. Hope you had a great Thanksgiving (for those in the US). We analyzed Duran Duran's debut album, last time, so now let's do a track-by-track of their follow-up, Rio. This album is considered by most music experts to be Duran Duran’s best album, and I certainly agree. For starters, there's the iconic album cover, designed by pop artist Patrick Nagel. My wife and I found a reprint of another of Nagel's works at a flea market, which we bought and hung in our hallway. Had I seen an actual copy of the Rio album cover there , I probably wouldn't have chosen it because (as Frasier Crane would say) it would be a bit too much on the nose. Instead, that honor went to my phone wallpaper. Back to Rio, it was the first Duran Duran album I listened to besides their greatest hits Decade. A whopping six memorable videos and four singles came out of the beast Rio. I'll discuss the singles first, then move on to album tracks and B-sides.My Own Way
My Own Way was the lead single for the album Rio. This original version of the song features disco strings and a fast tempo. The video backs this up by showing flamenco dancers, along with a black/red/white color palette. The dancers are interspersed with the band playing live while a parrot messes with the band members. Towards the end of the song, the band triumphantly dances with the flamencos with confetti being blown about. The song was remixed for the release of the Rio album with echoing synths replacing the disco strings. Also, the tempo was taken down a notch, making the album version a minute slower. While the original version is great, the album version plays nicer sonically with the other Rio tracks. The lyrics to My Own Way reference a couple of nightclubs in New York City. I did hear the song was about John Taylor’s drug habit, but I'm not sure.
Hungry Like the Wolf
After a woman giggles in the intro, Hungry Like The Wolf has a perfect interplay between high-pitched synth and power-chord guitars. The lyrics talk of desire of and pursuit of a lust interest. LeBon also adds to the instrumentation with doo-wop sounds. Yes, the do-do-do-do-do-do-do’s that help make the song memorable. The quiet, slower bridge allows the song to breathe a bit and whet the anticipation for the last chorus.
While Duran Duran previously made solid videos, Hungry Like The Wolf catapulted their videography to classic status. While My Own Way did not get much airtime, the flegdling MTV eagerly placed Hungry Like The Wolf in heavy rotation. In it. Nick, Andy, John, and Roger are walking around Sri Lanka looking for an errant Simon but get distracted easily. It turns out that Simon is frantically seeking out a lady across the island, who he eventually finds and has a literal roll in the hay near the video's climax. As an aside, this is one of my go-to songs at karaoke. In my book, Hungry Like The Wolf is the best song of Duran Duran’s best album.
Save a Prayer
Save A Prayer was the followup single, which is a slow-burning vigil, but still a real goody. It has a synth hook near the beginning that is pretty catchy. Also Andy’s lead guitar and John's sliding bass add flavor to the chorus. As usual, Roger's drumming is spot-on as well, and complements the other instruments. The lyrics speak of a chance encounter and subsequent one-night stand between the narrator and another. LeBon tries to reframe it to them as paradize, rather than a one-and-done. paradise, and that the perceived judgment by them and perhaps others can be reserved for later.
Save a Prayer's video, like Hungry Like The Wolf's, was filmed in Sri Lanka and showcases its beautiful scenery. Kids are dancing in circles to add atmosphere. Simon walks along the beach with the rest of the band performing by the surf. Incidentally, very little is shown of LeBon’s lust interest. But at least Save a Prayer is a relaxing and picturesque video to enjoy.
Rio
The song Rio has been Duran Duran’s set closer on their tours for quite a while. It begins with a 20-second crescendo, then hooks you in with a really good bass line and a quick synth melody. Andy’s guitar also plays a strong role though, particularly in the choruses. There was a show about the meaning of song lyrics on VH1, and it revealed that Rio is actually about the United States, with “Rio” being the Rio Grande at its southern boundary. It could also be seen as double entendre, with the literal meaning being the narrator fawning over the girl with that cherry ice cream smile.
The music video for Rio was one of the most iconic, with the band enjoying themselves on boats, the beach, etc. The vivid imagery and colors, and sharp editing make it a standout. Rio is also another go-to song for me at karaoke. Rio has an almost one-minute saxophone solo, which gives me a chance to flex my air sax muscles when performing this song. I'd venture that Rio, along with Hungry Like The Wolf, are the two most well-known songs from Duran Duran in 2017.
Lonely in Your Nightmare
A mellower song, Lonely In Your Nightmare is about a woman who is experiencing a trauma. As LeBon put it, her lights of hope are fading quickly. LeBon himself offers to be the beacon of light at the end of her tunnel. A five-note synth melody is played throughout the verses, while the outro has some nifty guitar by Andy. While not a single, Lonely In Your Nightmare had a video shot for it. It closely follows the narrative of the lyrics. A woman is tossing and turning in bed, having some bad dreams, and in other shots, LeBon is with her as, from his point of view, a pillar of comfort.
The Chauffeur
The Chauffeur is a brooding track that is one of the best Duran Duran songs. The synth intro, repeated throughout most of the song. This serves to make The Chauffeur equal parts catchy and haunting, and a drum machine is judiciously used to add flavor. Simon LeBon’s vocals are spot-on, matching the tone of the instrumentation. The ocarina outro, also by LeBon, is pretty poignant. The video is in black and white, which adds to the hauntedness, but there is more to it than just that.
A brunette is being chauffeured to meet a blonde woman in a parking lot. Once they’re together, the two women act sexually suggestive to each other while a third watches while topless. Such content was not shown a lot in mainstream media of the 1980s, music videos included. The lyrics mostly match the video in its narrative. It's told from the point of view of the chauffeur, who lusts for a woman who's into another woman.
Other Tracks
There are a few more tracks I'd like to discuss.
Hold Back The Rain is a fun, galloping track. The lead guitar accents the synth nicely during the verses, while the drums do more of the accenting in the choruses. While not a single, NASA uses it as an anti-rain dance, so it’s still known these days.
The brooding and verbose New Religion is a fan favorite, and reminds me a bit of Night Boat off their debut, what with the creepy synths in the intros. I beleive it's about cult mentality and false gods, or, em, paper gods. The bridge has a standout half-spoken, half-sung bridge by LeBon.
The midtempo Last Chance On The Stairway features LeBon giving adulation to a romantic interest. I believe the Last Chance On The Stairway part refers to the two of them meeting by chance and LeBon doesn’t know if he'll see her again unless she agrees to go out with him. Both the bass and lead guitar give the song punch in the choruses and bridge.
The Rio singles only spurred one B-side: Like An Angel. It’s a straightforward but enjoyable song about two lovers. LeBon focuses on his lover’s eyes, similar in topic to Roxy Music's song Angel Eyes. The most prominent instrumentation is a tropical-sounding guitar. It didn't make the cut for the album, but it’s still pretty solid and would've held its own if there was more room on it.
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Reception
Rio was the album that catapulted Duran Duran to superstardom. Sure, it was an instant hit in Europe, but took a few months for Rio to get heavy sales in United States. Eventually, Duran Duran's music videos gave them their US break the rest is history. But they were still not playing the largest venues, settling for places like the 900-seat Park West in Chicago. However, in the UK they played at the roughly 4000-seat Hammersmith Odeon.
The schedule of making new song and video material, along with worldwide touring, was hectic, to say the least. You could say the band was running themselves, well, ragged, but that’s a story for another day.
This is Jason D’Orazio from New Wave Beat. Thank you for listening today!
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