Duran Duran (1993 album)

Untitled

Duran Duran is the seventh studio album, and the second self-titled album, by Duran Duran, released in 1993. The album is informally known as The Wedding Album (for Stephen Sprouse's cover art which features the four band members' parents' actual wedding photos) to distinguish it from the band's debut 1981 release.

Recording of the album was completed in early 1992 with an impending release by Capitol Records in the U.S.A. Duran Duran's new management company, Left Bank, was distressed at the apparent lack of enthusiasm for the album and had it pulled from the release schedule. During this hiatus, the band began working on what would become the Thank You album, and a Warren Cuccurullo-derived riff of "First Impression" led to the rapid inclusion of the song "Come Undone".

The swift commercial and critical success of this album came as a surprise to many who considered Duran Duran to be a purely "eighties" phenomenon who had already faded to oblivion. It hinged on the Adult Contemporary singles "Ordinary World", which was forced onto radio playlists months earlier than planned by listener demand for the leaked single, and "Come Undone", a slinky number primarily written by Cuccurullo. Some critics seemed to consider the band as a modern act for the first time, and to re-evaluate their back catalog as deeper and more significant than that of a throwaway "teeny-bop" band.

Both the band and the record label seemed to be caught by surprise by the sudden success. Bassist John Taylor, who had begun recording solo material on the side and was considering leaving the band, agreed to stay instead.

In 1994, to commemorate their UK tour, the album was reissued with a second disc of b-sides and remixes.

Track listing

All songs produced by Duran Duran and John Jones, except "Come Undone" and "Femme Fatale" produced by Duran Duran. All songs written by Duran Duran, except where noted:

1. "Too Much Information" – 4:56
2. "Ordinary World" – 5:39
3. "Love Voodoo" – 4:58
4. "Drowning Man" – 5:15
5. "Shotgun" – 0:54
6. "Come Undone" – 4:38
7. "Breath After Breath" (Duran Duran, Milton Nascimento) – 4:58
8. "UMF" – 5:33
9. "Femme Fatale" (Lou Reed) – 4:21
10. "None of the Above" – 5:19
11. "Shelter" – 4:25
12. "To Whom It May Concern" – 4:24
13. "Sin of the City" – 7:14 (about the Happy Land Fire)

• Extra Tracks

1. "Time for Temptation" [Alternate Version]* 3:46
2. "Stop Dead" [Edit]* 3:52

Tracks 14, 15 - Japanese bonus tracks

UK tour edition

1. "Falling Angel" – 4:35
2. "Stop Dead" – 4:31
3. "Time For Temptation" – 4:09
4. "Come Undone [12" Mix Comin' Together]" – 7:21
5. "Ordinary World [Acoustic Version]" – 5:07
6. "Too Much Information [David Richards 12" Mix]" – 4:14

Singles

1. "Ordinary World"
2. "Come Undone"
3. "Too Much Information"
4. "None Of The Above" (Japan only)
5. "Drowning Man" (released only to clubs in America)
6. "Breath after Breath" (Brazil only)
7. "Femme Fatale" (France only)

Personnel

Duran Duran are:

• Nick Rhodes - keyboards
• Simon Le Bon - vocals
• John Taylor - bass guitar
• Warren Cuccurullo - guitar

Also credited:

• John Jones - co-producer, engineer, programming, keyboards, guitar, vocals
• Milton Nascimento - Vocals on track 7 ("Breath After Breath")
• Steve Ferrone - Drums on tracks 1 ("Too Much Information") & 2 ("Ordinary World") and Percussion on track 10 ("Femme Fatale")
• Vinnie Colaiuta - Drums on track 7 ("Breath After Breath")
• Bosco - Percussion on track 7 ("Breath After Breath")
• Lamya - Backing vocals on track 3 ("Love Voodoo")
• Tessa Niles - Backing vocals on track 6 ("Come Undone")
• Karen Hendrix & Jack Merigg - Vocal samples on track 4 ("Drowing Man")
• Fergus Gerrand - Drums