dark in the city night is a wire

Hungry Like The Wolf/View To A Kill/Skin Trade-Duran Duran

Although I wasn't quite the obsessed fan of some (or, alternatively, a Durani i think they are called?), I definitely dug them in the 80's (and still do). Anybody even remotely attached to pop music (or who liked pop music) had to have a favorite Duran Duran song in the 80's. These are my top 3.

Dismissed as shallow and light at the time by some, many of their hits have remarkable staying power. In many ways, they represent the spirit of the 80's, as many of their songs are sleek and shallow. And I don't mean that in a bad way. To me, Duran Duran always comment on glamour and decadance with a style and panache that really nobody (save Madonna, who hoisted the "Material Girl" mantle on herself) could match. Their songs are accurate reflections of the consumer-obsessed 80's, and Duran Duran cast on ironic eye on the high-life (I mean, "Girls on Film" and "Rio" if you need more evidence). What is so interesting about them, in retrospect, is that they were able to be fey and vulnerable and get away with it--because they were straight and all dated models. Something that would trip up Culture Club, their only real rival band-wise on the single chart.

"Hungry Like The Wolf" is the first Duran Duran song I ever heard. Consequently, as often is the case with 80's bands, it is also my favorite Duran Duran song. Consider it Exhibit A in a case to sum up the band (both in its sound and lyrically). When I first heard it, i thought it was wild and scandalous and amazing. For a 12-year old (or 13) boy from Indiana, this song was dangerous and sexual and almost a bit frightening. Which of course made me love it. I think it might have been banned in Utah. Or the video was only shown late night on MTV. Oh, the scandal!!!

"View To A Kill"--there are bands/artist who should sing Bond themes and there are artists (though they may be quite talented) going head to toe with James Bond. I love a-ha and Sheryl Crow is just fine, but both acts subtle charms would be lost on a Bond theme. Sheena Easton was great, partially because she was young and cute and could have been a Bond girl.

Think of this way, once Shirley Bassey has occupied the spot, you have very big shoes to fill. Tina Turner fit perfectly, KD Lang (whose song was in the credits but was not the theme during Sheryl Crow's year) was also great. You need the talent or the look (or preferably, both) to pull of something of this cultural magnitude. Madonna, Bjork, Goldfrapp...all great candidates. Jewel, Ashley Simpson, please dear God, no.

Oh, and Duran Duran. It's a great song (from a not-so-great film, though it did have Grace Jones) and there is no better band to pull it off. A match made in heaven.

"Skin Trade" Not one of their biggest hits, but in my mind, actually, one of their best. In many ways, it shows how they evolved into a one-trick pony (OK, 3 tricks tops) to a much more stylized and smart band. To hear Simon LeBon criticize (in Prince-esque falsetto, no less) the very same shallowness that launched Duran Duran is post post-irony (or just one post...you get my point).

All She Wants Is-SCSI 9

No amount of writing could convey why I think Kompakt is one of the most genius labels on the planet. It just is...trust me (I will say that I am not alone in this assessment). Time after time, artist after artist, compilation after compilation...brilliant stuff. The quality control there is amazing

And this, off of Kompakt Total 5, is typically sly and yet brilliant. Its an odd quiet cool-as-ice cover of Duran Duran's minor hit from the 90's. One thing I love about the Kompakt label is that when they do issue a cover, it tends to be very subtle and pushes the song in a new direction. This is the perfect song to ride around on the metro to...with the simplicity and beauty of the best pop and yet the intricacy of architecture.