Let us praise (or not, if you're mean) Duran Duran's "Hold Back the Rain"

At the beginning, when under his breath Simon goes, "Hungry like the wolf" (at least I think he does), was possibly my first exposure to self-referential art.

If you're talking about "Hold Back The Rain", which I think you are, um... he's actually saying, "Holding back the rain". So sorry hon. Hate to be the bubble burster and all.

I am still pissed the mix of this CD is different than the LP--particularly "My Own Way."

I know just what you're saying. Maybe you should try to make a homemade version of Rio, with the David Kershenbaum remixes comprising the first half of the CD... ? I dunno. Little suggestion. FYI, I do adore the disco-fied "Night Version" of "My Own Way" as well as the popular US Rio vinyl version, which is the one you're talking about.

We’re miles away from nowhere
And the wind doesn’t have a name
So call it what you want to call it
Still blows down the lane

People tell me, I haven’t changed at all
But I don’t feel the same
And I bet you’ve had that feeling too
You just can’t laugh all the time

And if the fires burn out there’s only fire to blame
(hold back the rain)
No time for worry cause we’re on the roam again.
(hold back the rain)
The clouds all scatter and we ride the outside lane
(hold back the rain)
Not on your own so help me please.. hold back the rain

-

So what if the words ain’t rhyming
Did you think that it’s just a game
I probably didn’t even say that right
And I really don’t give a damn

Okay go off and wander
I’m guilty just the same
Sometimes you’re needed badly
So please come back again

(chorus)

-

And if the stars burn out, theirs only fire to blame
(hold back the rain)
No time for worry cause we’re on the roam again.
(hold back the rain)
The clouds all scatter and we ride the outside lane
(hold back the rain)
Not on your own so help me please.. hold back the rain

*does slightly awkward New Wave dance moves*

Hey Alex, great call with the "New Religion" mention! I need to listen to that next. I love to sing along with that one, esp. the spoken word parts. "Take another chance boy, carry the fight, you can take him if you're fast/Didn't I say if you were holding on you'd be laughing at the last/I get along fine with them friends of mine but you have to make the choice/I'm singing out of tune but the beat's in time and it's us who make the noise!" *sighs happily* And yes, I did type all that out from memory.

but they shine so cold!

an excellent song (and album) for adventuring in the suburbs when you're ten. so vaguely dramatic, so energizing for the imagination. my favorite was always "lonely in your nightmare" though:

must be lucky weather when you find
the kind of wind that you need

i don't like the original single version of my own way, it's too fast. i don't like the version on the remastered CD, either. it has to have the synthesized handclaps or it's pointless.

-fh

Definitely a high point in their career, as are the other songs mentioned upthread. I also have a serious addiction to "Lonely In Your Nightmare" - a very underrated and incredibly well-written song.

Well, if you're talking about the US version of the Carnival EP, which I believe you are, then everything is the same except for the version of "My Own Way". The version of "My Own Way" found on the Essential Night Versions CD is what's known as the Night Version, which is disco-ey and not at all like the Carnival Version of "My Own Way". FYI, the Carnival Version is my absolute all-time favorite version of this song and I curse EMI for never having released it on CD format. Grrr.

I must get this Carnival EP you peoples speak so highly of. *snort*

Oh, hon, you most certainly should! Well, either that or get the vinyl version of Rio that you will most likely find in secondhand music stores. Its matrix # will be ST-1-12211-Z18 and will likely be a regular Capitol release, although it could also be found as a Harvest/Capitol release. In fact, this thread is inspiring me to play my vinyl copy of Rio, because my favorite version of "Hold Back The Rain" is also on it. I feel that once you get that and listen to it, you will never be able to listen to the regular CD version of the album ever again, because IMHO these Kershenbaum-influenced versions are the best ones out there.

*laughs* I hope I'm not confusing you.

either that or great minds think alike?

Essential Night Versions: Released only in the U.S. back in 1998. One regular CD and one so-called "enhanced" CD that works only on the computer and contains the "extended version" of "New Moon On Monday" combined with this very low-tech scroll showcase of all the covers of the early Duran singles, with a picture of the band ca. 1981 serving as the background. It was very exciting back in 1998, but I have a feeling I'd laugh at it today.

Strange Behaviour: Released in the UK, Japan, and Canada. Two regular CDs -- the first one contains remixes of the earlier songs, in the same time frame covered by Essential Night Versions, and the second one contains remixes of latter-era songs, up to and including The Wedding Album-era remixes. The versions of "Planet Earth", "Hungry Like The Wolf", and "Hold Back The Rain" found on this remix compilation are different from the versions found on Essential Night Versions, and it's important to note that the version of "Hold Back The Rain" that North American fans grew to love and adore can be found on Essential Night Versions, not Strange Behaviour.

Oh yes, and just in case you're interested, yes, you can purchase both these releases no matter where you are, thanks to the magical wonderment of the Internet! I believe Amazon carries both, in fact.

Yay alike!

Funny what you remember when you think about it.

Wow, after only about eight months? You move fast, darlings. ;)

ILM, bringing music geeks together like everah day.

Heh. Difference is, I can only manage to geek out over one musical artist. You guys can talk at length about lengthy lists of artists.

Hon, check your cassette. Does it have a matrix number of 4XT-12211? If so, then that version of "My Own Way" is the Carnival version, i.e. the "that one's my favorite!" one I've been talking about. If not, then it should have a matrix number of C4-46003 and the whole of the cassette should sound like the whole of the regular Rio CD release. If that's the case, then that's just the regular album version, which is indeed the "fourth version" you were referencing. It's not really like the Carnival version, though; it's slowed down considerably from what I remember the track sounding like, so it's not got as much oomph as the Carnival version.

That "really don't give a DAMN!" line shocked my preteen ears into adulation.

Heh! I too was shocked when I first heard that line as a little 12-year-old kiddo. At first I thought, "What? Did I hear that correctly?", and then when I listened to the album again I thought, "Yeah, that is what they're saying!" For about three years of my life I made damn (heh!) sure my parents never heard that particular song, but by the time I turned 16 I figured, "Eh, no big deal." *laughs*

"Hold Back The Rain" is awesome, isn't it? But now I'm stuck on "My Own Way", which I feel is probably because it's become apparent to me how hard it would be to acquire the version that I adore on any non-vinyl format. Plus, it's got that ultra-cool keyboard riff with the descending notes.

Well, if I follow you correctly, the version you adore is available on CD. In the Singles box set, it's the fourth track on the Rio CD. My cassette does indeed have the matrix number 4XT-12211, and the version on my cassette is identical to the one I ripped from the Rio CD from the Singles box set. It's the one I like best too!

-fh

*squeals* Ok, I am so getting the singles box, then. I wasn't too totally bent out of shape over the singles box, but damn, hon, this is the best news anyone could ever give me. I will be selling two of my books at the end of this semester and should receive enough from that to get the singles box AND have a small sum to deposit in the bank.

... I'll take that a bold step further and say I positively love the uber-histrionic, Diamond Dogs-cribbing rendition of same on the much-maligned Thank You album (re-titled "Driveby")

Alex, I want to hug you now. I truly, seriously want to hug you. So few people seem to adore "Drive By" and I think it's the bee's knees and one of the highlights from Thank You and it's ultrafabulous to hear of someone else loving that track!

Have you seen the video for "The Chauffeur", btw? I figure any red-blooded hetero male would absolutely go wild for it, because of its subtle sexual overtones.

Well, listen to this mp3 of the My Own Way I ripped from the singles box first to make sure it's the one you're looking for. Although the box set itself is quite nice, although I do think they wasted all that unused space on each of the CDs by not sticking the videos on there.

-fh

fortunate hazel, you have made my fangirl life, hon. That is the version I was referring to! I'm currently swooning back and forth because it has been so damned long since I've been able to hear that version. I feel like I've turned 13 again and am excitedly playing my Rio cassette over and over and over again on my Walkman after school and doing pre-algebra homework.

That's it. That singles box set is mine. Oh yes, and as for the wonderful video idea -- well, that's Capitol Records for you, the glorious group of individuals with absolutely no vision whatsoever when it comes to musical artists they don't feel like pushing to the masses. *snort* But I should really shut up about them, because they (well, actually their parent co., EMI) actually decided to take that long, filmic version of the "New Moon On Monday" video off the shelves and put it into the new Greatest DVD collection.

I'm almost crying here, fyi. It's meant that much to me to hear this again. Thank you.

You know, I thought it would be great, but it just kind of creeped me out. "Girls on Film" at least offered exactly that, this one had women playing pattycake... Still, the song is good!

I actually think it'd be fantastic to hear the "alternate slow mix" of "Faith In This Colour" in CD format. In crystal-clear CD format. In "it was probably remastered" CD format. Same goes for "Faster Than Light".

You know, I thought it would be great, but it just kind of creeped me out.

What element of the video freaked you out? I'm not confused here -- I was just wondering whether you'd mention the things most people would mention.

As for "Girls On Film" -- you call mud wrestling topless "playing pattycake"? Or is there a part of the video I'm not remembering? Because I remember the pillow fight, the massage session, the bit with the lifeguard and the kiddy pool, the horse-riding session, and either the mud wrestling match and the ensuing hosedown (in that uncensored version) or the little danceathon thingy (in that censored version).

By that, you mean LEZZING UP?

*snorts and nods* Mm hmm. But it's not totally overt -- I mean, they're not exactly going at it in the video. They're just... dancing. Seductively. While looking at each other. While... ah, I'm just going to ruin that scene for anyone who hasn't seen it yet, so I'll just quit while I'm ahead.

-- Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (soto.alfre...), July 31st, 2006.

Yes. Following that they should study music or hire some people who have the ability to play music to write and perform some songs. Then they'd be, like, totally awesome and stuff.

It could be the end as we're sinking
Ooh, I don't know what you're thinking
I don't even know what you're drinking
But it keeps this heaven alive

Think of the 12" as the perfection of what the album version drives at.

"And if the fires burn out
There's only FIRE TO BLAME!"

Bimble is drunk and bimble loves this song forever. Amen.

(Well, should be 'stars burn out' but I prefer that take.)

Ned sounds like he's hammered too!

Yeah, um, I can't say enough about this tune. When I finally bought Rio in '93 or thereabouts I was amazed by how insistently it demanded your attention.

The song is Simon's warning to John!

Duran Duran was always awful and saying otherwise is futile yearning for one's childhood

even the "good" DD songs are totally pukeful

not that I don't love them

I only got into Duran Duran off the back of Red Carpet Massacre, so that's your theory debunked mr futile yearning.

That's a neat clip up there.

Finally got hold of the Rio volume in the Classic Albums DVD series.

The seventeen minute "US night mix version #574" is still the best ever.

Well, maybe the 13 minute "Italo morning mix version #173" is

There's an awesome version on Spotify which is 6.38 in length; is this the one Ned's talking about? Or is he waxing on a 7-minute version?

ok the whole album is amazing but the more i think about it, the more 'hold back the rain' and 'last chance on the stairway' reveal themselves as not just the dependable momentum-sustaining mood-enhancers but the crucial parts of the piece. like, i'd initially thought of them not as the 'main event' tracks but as very, very good filler, but for some reason this has mutated into them being both very, very good filler and the best songs on the album (and two of the best songs of the era)

"Last Chance..." actually boasts decent lyrics! By which I mean the "it could be the atmosphere sinking" part.

that bit is showstopping

This is the best Duran song ever. Sorry for finding this thread just now.

No need to apologize.

It is a great song, but out of the "Rio" non-single album tracks (besides "The Chauffeur", which is widely recognized as a classic by a lot of people anyway), I feel like "Lonely In Your Nightmare" is the real underrated gem there.

Looks like I said roughly the same thing 8 years ago. Oh well. Still standing for it. :) Anyway, all "Rio" tracs are great. :)

US night mix is the greatest thing ever.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NrKxtI6H2s

Yeah, I have a lot of time for this song. Probably even more for 'Last Chance On The Stairway', actually.