"Meet El Presidente" | ||||
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Single by Duran Duran | ||||
from the album Notorious | ||||
B-side | "Vertigo (Do the Demolition)" | |||
Released | 13 April 1987 [1] | |||
Recorded | June–September 1986 | |||
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Duran Duran singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Meet El Presidente" on YouTube |
"Meet El Presidente" is a song by the English pop rock band Duran Duran, released on 13 April 1987 as the third and final single from their fourth studio album, Notorious (1986). It reached number 24 in the UK Singles Chart and stalled at number 70 in the Billboard Hot 100.
The album version of the song is different from the single versions and remixes. The original key and tempo are maintained, but mixes elements of the master to differing degrees with increased percussion, stronger basslines, brass and backing vocal tracks. The idea of remixing "Meet El Presidente" came from at the behest of studio executives at Capitol Records, who intended to capitalize on the growing Latin scene in Miami and other markets in the US. [2]
During the band's appearance on the show Soul Train on 4 April 1987, lead singer Simon Le Bon referred to the single as the "political flagship of the album". Duran Duran first performed the song on The Late Show Starring Joan Rivers on 27 February 1987, and on the final episode of British music show The Tube . [3]
In a contemporary review, Cash Box said it has a "smooth, sophisticated groove" and praised Le Bon's vocals saying, "he has learned to get the lower range of his voice without emotional intensity." [4]
By the time "Meet El Presidente" was released as a single, interest in the Notorious album had already waned. Poor sales led the single to stall at number 24 on the UK Singles Chart and failed to chart in the Top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100, stalling at number 70. It performed slightly better in Belgium reaching number 13 and number 16 in Italy. This was Duran Duran worst charting single up until that point.
"Meet El Presidente" was the third video directed for Duran Duran by duo Peter Kagan and Paula Greif. It was a basic concert video, featuring the band in their stagewear from the Strange Behaviour tour which supported the release of the Notorious album and was filmed during rehearsals, being was also filmed in black and white Super 8.
"Meet El Presidente" was backed by album track "Vertigo (Do the Demolition)". This was the second single from Notorious to have an album track as B-side.
It was also the first single that Duran Duran released as a CD single, on which they included the "Meet El Beat" remix.
Note:
Chart (1987) | Peak position |
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Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) [5] | 13 |
Europe (European Top 100 Singles) [6] | 27 |
Ireland (IRMA) [7] | 13 |
Italy ( Musica e dischi ) [8] | 10 |
Netherlands (Single Top 100) [9] | 31 |
UK Singles (OCC) [10] | 24 |
US Billboard Hot 100 [11] | 70 |
US Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi Singles Sales | 40 |
Duran Duran
Additional musicians
Technical
Duran Duran are an English pop rock band formed in Birmingham in 1978 by singer Stephen Duffy, keyboardist Nick Rhodes and guitarist/bassist John Taylor. After several early changes, the band's line-up settled in May 1980 as Rhodes, Taylor, singer Simon Le Bon, guitarist Andy Taylor and drummer Roger Taylor.
So Red the Rose is the only studio album by the Duran Duran-spinoff group Arcadia, released on 18 November 1985 by Parlophone. It included the singles "Election Day", "The Promise", "Goodbye Is Forever" and "The Flame". The album peaked at #23 on the Billboard 200 in January 1986 and at #30 on the UK Albums charts in December 1985.
Big Thing is the fifth studio album by the English pop rock band Duran Duran. It was released on 17 October 1988 by EMI Records. Produced by the band, Jonathan Elias and Daniel Abraham, it continued the sonic musical change the band explored with their previous album Notorious (1986).
Notorious is the fourth studio album by the English pop rock band Duran Duran, released on 24 November 1986 by EMI Records. Produced by the band with Nile Rodgers, its musical style differed from the band's previous albums with a funk rock sound. It is the first album to feature the band as a trio with singer Simon Le Bon, keyboardist Nick Rhodes and bassist John Taylor as drummer Roger Taylor and guitarist Andy Taylor both left by the time the album was released. Andy Taylor would later be replaced by former Missing Persons guitarist Warren Cuccurullo, who completed recording parts of the album in addition to Rodgers and session drummer Steve Ferrone.
English new wave band Duran Duran have released 16 studio albums, four live albums, four compilation albums, two remix albums, two box sets, seven extended plays, 46 singles and 14 video albums. Duran Duran have sold over 100 million records. The band have achieved UK top-five albums in five consecutive decades, and US top-10 albums in three decades.
Strange Behaviour is a remix album by the English pop rock band Duran Duran. It was released by EMI in March 1999.
"Notorious" is a song by the English pop rock band Duran Duran, released internationally by EMI on 20 October 1986 as the first single from their fourth studio album of the same name. It showcased a new direction for Duran Duran with a funk rock sound.
"Skin Trade" is a song by the English pop rock band Duran Duran, released in January 1987 as the second single from their fourth studio album, Notorious (1986). It showcased a drastic change from their previous singles, with R&B influences, brass solos and funk guitar riffs, in addition to a Prince-style falsetto from lead vocalist Simon Le Bon.
"Do You Believe in Shame?" is a song by the English pop rock band Duran Duran, released on 10 April 1989 as the third and final single from their fifth studio album, Big Thing (1988).
The Singles 1986–1995 is a box set by the English pop rock band Duran Duran. Comprising 14 CDs, it was released on 13 September 2004 by EMI and features the singles covering the era from Notorious (1986) to Thank You (1995).
"My Own Way" is the fourth single by English new wave band Duran Duran, originally released on 16 November 1981.
"Union of the Snake" is the ninth single by the English pop rock band Duran Duran, released on 17 October 1983.
"The Wild Boys" is the twelfth single by the English pop rock band Duran Duran, released on 22 October 1984 in the United Kingdom.
"A View to a Kill" is a song by the English pop rock band Duran Duran, released on 7 May 1985. Written and recorded as the theme for the James Bond film of the same name, it became one of the band's biggest hits. It is the only James Bond theme song to have reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100; it also made it to number two for three weeks on the UK Singles Chart while stuck behind Paul Hardcastle's "19". The song was the last track recorded by the most famous five-member lineup of Duran Duran until their reunion in 2001 and was also performed by the band at Live Aid in Philadelphia, their final performance together before their first split.
"Ordinary World" is a song by English rock band Duran Duran, released in December 1992 by Parlophone, EMI and Capitol as the first single from their self-titled album (1993), commonly known as the Wedding Album. The ballad, both written by the band and co-produced with John Jones, reached No. 1 on the US Billboard Top 40/Mainstream chart, the Canadian RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart, and the Italian Singles Chart. It also peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, No. 2 in Iceland and Sweden, and No. 6 on the UK Singles Chart. The song's music video was directed by Nick Egan and filmed in California.
"I Don't Want Your Love" is a song by the English pop rock band Duran Duran, released on 19 September 1988 as the first single from their fifth studio album, Big Thing (1988).
"Burning the Ground" is a song by the English pop rock band Duran Duran, released on 4 December 1989 as a stand-alone single to promote the compilation album Decade. The song is a megamix of Duran Duran's history created by producer John Jones, featuring snippets of the band's biggest hits from the previous decade into a new piece of music. However, the track was not included on the Decade album itself.
"Election Day" is the first single released by Duran Duran offshoot band, Arcadia.
"The Flame" is the fourth single released by the Duran Duran offshoot band, Arcadia. It was released by Parlophone in 1986 and was the group's third UK single. It reached number 58 in the UK Singles Chart.
Master Mixes is a remix EP by the English pop rock band Duran Duran. This double 12" compilation was released commercially in the United States by Capitol under the production label of Masterdisk Corporation and in Brazil by EMI in 1987.