Meet El Presidente

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"Meet El Presidente"
Duranduran meetelpresidente.jpg
Single by Duran Duran
from the album Notorious
B-side "Vertigo (Do the Demolition)"
Released18 April 1987 (1987-04-18) (US) [1]
RecordedJune–September 1986
Genre
Length
  • 4:21 (album version)
  • 3:46 (7-inch version)
  • 5:34 (Meet El Beat)
  • 7:16 (Presidental Suite Mix)
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Duran Duran singles chronology
"Skin Trade"
(1987)		"Meet El Presidente"
(1987)		"I Don't Want Your Love"
(1988)
Music video
"Meet El Presidente" on YouTube

"Meet El Presidente" is the sixteenth single by English rock band Duran Duran. Released on 18 April 1987 as the third and final single from their fourth studio album, Notorious , it only reached number 24 in the UK Single Charts and stalled at number 70 in the Billboard Hot 100.

Contents

Background

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 played this song live, first on The Late Show Starring Joan Rivers on 27 February 1987, and on the final episode of British music show The Tube . [3]

Critical reception

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]

Commerical performance

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.

Music video

"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.

B-side and remixes

"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.

Formats and track listings

7": EMI / Tour 1 United Kingdom

  1. "Meet El Presidente" (7" remix) – 3:38
  2. "Vertigo (Do the Demolition)" – 4:43

12": EMI / 12 Tour 1 United Kingdom

  1. "Meet El Presidente" – 7:12
  2. "Meet El Presidente (Meet El Beat)" – 5:30
  3. "Meet El Presidente" (7" remix) – 3:38
  4. "Vertigo (Do the Demolition)" – 4:43 [5]

12": EMI / 12 Club Tour 1 (Promo) United Kingdom

The Presidential Suite:

  1. "Meet El Presidente" – 7:12
  2. "Meet El Presidente (Meet El Beat)" – 5:30
  3. "Meet El Presidente" (45 mix) – 3:38
  4. "Skintrade" (Parisian mix) – 8:10
  5. "Skintrade" (S.O.S. dub) – 7:16

7": Capitol / B-44001 United States

  1. "Meet El Presidente" (7" remix) – 3:38
  2. "Vertigo (Do the Demolition)" – 4:43

12": Capitol / V-15294 United States

  1. "Meet El Presidente (The Presidential Suite)" – 7:12
  2. "Meet El Presidente (Meet El Beat)" – 5:30
  3. "Meet El Presidente" (7" remix) – 3:38
  4. "Vertigo (Do the Demolition)" – 4:43 [5]

12": Capitol / SPRO-79008 (Promo) United States

The Presidential Suite:

  1. "Meet El Presidente (The Presidential Suite)" – 7:12
  2. "Meet El Presidente (Meet El Beat)" – 5:30
  3. "Meet El Presidente" (radio) – 3:38
  4. "Skintrade" (Parisian mix) – 8:10
  5. "Skintrade" (S.O.S. dub) – 7:16

CD: The Singles 1986–1995 box set

  1. "Meet El Presidente" (7" remix) – 3:38
  2. "Vertigo (Do the Demolition)" – 4:43
  3. "Meet El Presidente" – 7:12
  4. "Meet El Presidente (Meet El Beat)" – 5:30

Symbol information vote.svg  Note:

Charts

Chart (1987)Peak
position
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) [6] 13
Europe (European Top 100 Singles) [7] 27
Italy ( Musica e dischi) [8] 16
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

Personnel

Duran Duran

Additional musicians

Technical

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References

  1. ↑ https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/80s/1987/CB-1987-04-18.pdf.{{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  2. ↑ Duran Duran Three To Get Ready Full Long Version , retrieved 25 March 2024
  3. ↑ Duran Duran Performing Meet El Presidente, Skin Trade and Band Interview on Joan Rivers Show - 1987 , retrieved 23 November 2023
  4. ↑ "Single Releases" (PDF). Cash Box. 18 April 1987. p. 9.
  5. 1 2 https://musicbrainz.org/release/577905e6-5c52-4ec8-9f69-58a9e9d85b9c at MusicBrainz
  6. ↑ "Duran Duran – Meet El Presidente" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 6 November 2022.
  7. ↑ "European Top 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media . 23 May 1987. pp. 14–15.
  8. ↑ "HPI - Settimana del 27/06/87". www.hitparadeitalia.it. Retrieved 25 March 2024.
  9. ↑ "Duran Duran – Meet El Presidente" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  10. ↑ "Duran Duran: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
  11. ↑ "Billboard Hot 100 – Week of May 16, 1987". Billboard . Retrieved 2 March 2024.
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