The Promise (Arcadia song)

Last updated
"The Promise"
Arcadia thepromise.jpg
Single by Arcadia
from the album So Red the Rose
B-side "Rose Arcana" (extended)
Released13 January 1986 (1986-01-13) [1]
RecordedStudio de la Grande Armée (Paris)
Length
  • 4:45 (7" mix)
  • 7:06 (extended remix)
Label Parlophone
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Alex Sadkin
Arcadia singles chronology
"Goodbye Is Forever"
(1986)
"The Promise"
(1986)
"The Flame"
(1986)
Music video
"The Promise" on YouTube

"The Promise" is the third single released by the Duran Duran offshoot band Arcadia. It was released by Parlophone in 1986 as the group's second UK single. It peaked at number 37 on the UK Singles Chart. [2]

Contents

The track features an uncredited backing vocal by Sting. Sometime during the band's stay in Paris to record So Red the Rose , they went to see a Sting concert there, and decided it would be interesting to have him come over and sing on the album, mainly because they liked the combination of Sting's and lead singer Simon Le Bon's voices on the "Do They Know It's Christmas?" single by Band Aid, and wanted to see what would result from putting them together again. Sting was very amicable about the whole idea, and it turned out to be one of the band's favourite moments on the record. [3]

B-sides, bonus tracks and remixes

The single mix for "The Promise" was heavily edited down from the album's hefty 7:28 to a leaner, more radio-friendly 4:45. In fact, even Alex Sadkin and Ron Saint Germain's "extended remix" clocked in at only 7:05, almost 25 seconds shy of the album cut.

The B-side to the single was an extended mix of the album track "Rose Arcana".

Formats and track listings

7": Parlophone / NSR 2 (UK)

  1. "The Promise" (7" mix) – 4:45
  2. "Rose Arcana" (extended) – 5:37

Symbol information vote.svg  Note:

12": Parlophone / 12 NSR 2 (UK)

  1. "The Promise" (extended remix) – 7:06
  2. "Rose Arcana" (extended) – 5:37
  3. "The Promise" (7" mix) – 4:45

Charts

Chart performance for "The Promise"
Chart (1986)Peak
position
UK Singles (OCC) [2] 37

Personnel

Arcadia

Additional musicians

Technical

Covers, samples, and media references

Novembre covered "The Promise" as a bonus track on their 2006 album Materia.

Related Research Articles

Arcadia were a British pop group formed in 1985 by Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes, and Roger Taylor of Duran Duran as a side project during a break in the band's schedule. The project was active only during 1985 and 1986 and for just one album, So Red the Rose, which was certified Platinum in the United States and included the singles "Election Day", "Goodbye Is Forever", "The Flame", and "The Promise". Drummer Roger Taylor appeared in only a few band photographs and one music video, and stated he was to be involved only in the recording side of the project.

<i>So Red the Rose</i> 1985 studio album by Arcadia

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.

<i>Seven and the Ragged Tiger</i> 1983 studio album by Duran Duran

Seven and the Ragged Tiger is the third studio album by the English pop rock band Duran Duran, released on 21 November 1983 through EMI and Capitol Records. Co-produced by Alex Sadkin, Ian Little and the band, recording sessions took place in France, the Caribbean and Australia between April and October 1983 following Duran Duran's decision to record outside the UK as tax exiles. Unlike their previous two studio albums, the sessions were marred by a lack of productivity and tensions rose between the band members over its direction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Is There Something I Should Know?</span> 1983 single by Duran Duran

"Is There Something I Should Know?" is the eighth single by English new wave band Duran Duran, released on 14 March 1983.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Notorious (Duran Duran song)</span> 1986 single by Duran Duran

"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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Do You Believe in Shame?</span> 1989 single by Duran Duran

"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).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Planet Earth (Duran Duran song)</span> 1981 single by Duran Duran

"Planet Earth" is the debut single by the English new wave band Duran Duran, released on 2 February 1981.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">My Own Way (song)</span> 1981 single by Duran Duran

"My Own Way" is the fourth single by English new wave band Duran Duran, originally released on 16 November 1981.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hungry Like the Wolf</span> 1982 song by Duran Duran

"Hungry Like the Wolf" is a song by English new wave band Duran Duran. Written by the band members, the song was produced by Colin Thurston for the group's second studio album, Rio (1982). The song was released on 4 May 1982 as the band's fifth single in the United Kingdom, and 8 June 1982 in the United States. It reached No. 5 on the UK Singles Chart, and received a platinum certification from the British Phonographic Industry (BPI).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Union of the Snake</span> 1983 single by Duran Duran

"Union of the Snake" is the ninth single by English new wave band Duran Duran, released on 17 October 1983.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ordinary World (song)</span> 1992 single by Duran Duran

"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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Moon on Monday</span> 1984 single by Duran Duran

"New Moon on Monday" is the tenth single by English new wave band Duran Duran, released on 23 January 1984 in the United Kingdom.

Meet <i>El Presidente</i> 1987 single by Duran Duran

"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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Don't Want Your Love</span> 1988 single by Duran Duran

"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).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Burning the Ground</span> 1989 single by Duran Duran

"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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Election Day (song)</span> 1985 single by Arcadia

"Election Day" is the first single released by Duran Duran offshoot band, Arcadia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Goodbye Is Forever</span> 1986 single by Arcadia

"Goodbye Is Forever" is the second single released by the Duran Duran offshoot band, Arcadia. The song achieved success only in the United States, peaking at number 33 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in March, 1986. It also was released by Capitol Records in January 1986 in many regions around the world except the UK.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Flame (Arcadia song)</span> 1986 single by 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Say the Word (Arcadia song)</span> 1986 single by Arcadia

"Say the Word" is the fifth and final single released by the Duran Duran offshoot band, Arcadia. Recorded for the soundtrack of Playing for Keeps, it was released as a single in the US by Atlantic Records.

<i>Heres to Future Days</i> 1985 studio album by Thompson Twins

Here's to Future Days is the fifth studio album by the British pop group Thompson Twins, released on 20 September 1985 by Arista Records. It was the third and final release for the band as a trio, which was their most successful and recognisable line-up. It peaked at No. 5 on the UK Albums Chart and No. 20 on the US Billboard 200.

References

  1. "New Singles" (PDF). Music Week . 18 January 1986. p. 18. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
  2. 1 2 "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 17 August 2024.
  3. "Sting on "The Promise"". duranduran.com. 21 November 2018. Retrieved 1 June 2022.