Gold: The Spandau Ballet Singles Poll

today marks the first time I have ever heard someone speak fondly of "some like it hot"

aero, when Christgau dismissed Duran for writing "lyrics that rearrange received language from several levels of discourse into a noncommital private doggerel," he really means Gary Kemp.

I don't care if it's good technique, it's terrible

I'm going to preserve this in amber

xpost And Duran*2 too.

also no one ever listened to Duran Duran because of lyrical quality; it was bright-sounding New Wave stream-of-consciousness pop music where the sounds were much more important than the actual words, which is why the song "Union of the Snake" actually has the words "union of the snake" in it

I think we just need to go for it here and link up all the videos, so in batches of three:

"Gold"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntG50eXbBtc

"True"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AR8D2yqgQ1U

"Only When You Leave"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlLCC_gF8QY

actually I think the closest DD came to a lyrically coherent song was "I Don't Want Your Love"

"Lifeline"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJjMqsGk07Q

"Communication"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-QqRewb7V8

"Instinction"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PebH4X097Lg

like I can see how it might be ok if you can't understand what people are singing, but when your line is "the union of the snake is on the climb" and you sound like you're actually singing "IBM stock split two for one yesterday, I'm rich" then your technique is balls whether it's the recommended one or no

NED GOD DAMMIT I WAS ENJOYING THE DISCUSSION AND NOW IT'S A BUNCH OF YOUTUBES

"Narrative Coherence in Duran Duran" is a course taught by vocalist and noted musicologist D@n Perry, offered once a year at Boston University.

My apologies, aero. But the evidence must be presented to the assembled. (I do love your IBM stock line there.)

"Chant No. 1"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRN96eSMbFU

"To Cut a Long Story Short"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JE2sCISQmpE

"The Freeze"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29ZCX21VsQc

like I can see how it might be ok if you can't understand what people are singing, but when your line is "the union of the snake is on the climb" and you sound like you're actually singing "IBM stock split two for one yesterday, I'm rich" then your technique is balls whether it's the recommended one or no

yeah but "voices in your body comin' through on the radio-ho-ho" is awesome and you know it

well first off, a stock split would not increase your net worth at all because the stock price is halved in order to keep the valuation constant

secondly, it absolutely sounds like he's saying "The Union of the Snake is on the climb", it's the next line that's unintelligible but that's okay because everyone is just sitting there going "wtf is the union of the snake" and not paying attention

not "INSTANTLY" increase, that should say

"Union of the Snake" sounded very, very weird on upstate NY top 40 radio when it debuted.

"Musclebound"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08M-9kHB_20

"Paint Me Down"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmKCnmQx4jw

"She Loved Like Diamond"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9JxbTQ5SPg

GO AWAY

really "Rio" is the only classic-era Duran Duran song I hate but that's mostly because of a dude in college who would play it three or four times at every Glee Club party

Wait, every time without fail? That's insane.

I have never SBd Ned but winging into a discussion and forcing me to change my prefs to show videos as links is really pushing it

xp lol Rio is one of 3 Durhan Durhan songs I'll ride for

Was a comma missing, or have you nearly SBd Ned before?

Durhan Durhan

My god, middle school flashbacks.

Wait, every time without fail? That's insane.

YES IT IS

he also did this with the MTV Dance Mix that had "Now That We Found Love" mixed into "Good Vibrations" but that was okay

I don't really like "Rio" either but only because "Hungry Like The Wolf," "New Moon on MOnday," "The Reflex," "Planet Earth," "Notorious" and "Careless Memories" are 9's or 10's.

that MTV Party To Go volume is ALWAYS in my car!

It's nice to see someone else stand up for "Notorious," actually. That album's surprisingly good.

Alfred knows what's up (although I'd sub "Girls On Film" for "New Moon on Monday" and "I Don't Want Your Love" for "Careless Memories")

It's nice to see someone else stand up for "Notorious," actually. That album's surprisingly good.

their second best studio album

"Careless Memories" actually works best for me on the Arena version. I have no idea why, Le Bon sounds ridiculous even for him.

(adds Alfred and DJP to Xmas card list, removes aero)

man I love "Save a Prayer" too

add my voice to the notorious chorus, haven't played it in years but at the time i positively reviewed it in ned's favorite magazine, instantly sacrificing any shred of rock critic "credibility" on the altar of nile rodgers worship

today marks the first time I have ever heard someone speak fondly of "some like it hot"

ha, it bears a re-listen cos I heard it again recently and it sounds surprisingly solid. i know it's got those clattery 80s drums and all, but it's still a p good groove and i actually like the guitar on it which is mostly this one tickly talking headsy line (i agree that andy's guitar was really shit and loud on some of their other songs e.g. get it on).

"Some Like It Hot" has always been fantastic, wtf

I reappraised Notorious not long ago. I'm pretty sure I was lol drunk when writing it.

"Notorious" never needed reappraisal either, it was fantastic from the jump

oh I mean the album. Plenty of non-Durannies stanned for "Notorious" even in '86.

oh gotcha

tbh I don't think I've heard an entire DD album aside from Big Thing, which I thought was terrible aside from "I Don't Want Your Love"

instantly sacrificing any shred of rock critic "credibility" on the altar of nile rodgers worship

Rightly so. I'm surprised that didn't happen sooner, him producing them.

to be fair to Nile he went straight to Let's Dance after the last Chic album.

actually I may have heard Seven and the Ragged Tiger but I strongly suspect that I just kept playing "Union of the Snake" over and over

I heard Big Thing's "Do You Believe in Shame" a few weeks ago at CVS!

xpost -- You mean you didn't play it all the way through so you could hear Simon looking into the eyes of a straaaaaAAAAAnnnnguhhhhhhhhhr

I never had any desire to own Duran Duran albums, just the singles, which is why Decade is near-perfect for me

Their fault for not including "New Moon on Monday" though.

That's almost a perfect comp but no "New Moon on Monday."

Haha xpost!

an actual top ten while "Skin Trade" barely scrapped the top 40 and boasts Simon doing a Prince imitation.

I don't think I've heard an entire DD album aside from Big Thing

!!!

You should definitely listen to the entire S/T album and Rio.

So you can hear this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7a3DGP65m2o

and "Is Anyone Out There"!