"The Reflex" | ||||
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Single by Duran Duran | ||||
from the album Seven and the Ragged Tiger | ||||
B-side |
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Released | 16 April 1984 [1] | |||
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Duran Duran singles chronology | ||||
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Alternative cover | ||||
Music video | ||||
"The Reflex" on YouTube |
"The Reflex" is the eleventh single by the English pop rock band Duran Duran,released on 16 April 1984. The song was heavily remixed for single release and was the third and last to be taken from their third studio album Seven and the Ragged Tiger (1983). The single became the band's first to reach the top of the Billboard Hot 100 and their second to top the UK Singles Chart.
"The Reflex" became the band's most successful single,topping the UK chart on 5 May 1984. It was their second UK No. 1,after 1983's "Is There Something I Should Know?",and would prove to be their last. The single entered the charts in the US on 21 April 1984 at No. 46,became Duran Duran's first of two singles to hit No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 (2 weeks) on 23 June 1984,and was a huge hit internationally. (Their only other single to hit No. 1 in the US was the title song to the 1985 James Bond film A View to a Kill .) It was also the first of two songs that kept "Dancing in the Dark" by Bruce Springsteen out of the top spot (the other one being Prince's "When Doves Cry"). The band wanted it to be the lead single from Seven and the Ragged Tiger (1983),but their label did not like the warbling singing during the "why don't you use it" segments,thinking this would hinder its success as a stand-alone single track.[ citation needed ]
The remixes for both the 7" and 12" singles were created by Nile Rodgers,of Chic fame. It was his first work with the band,and he would go on to produce "The Wild Boys" single as well as the album Notorious (1986) and several tracks on Astronaut (2004).
Producer Ian Little recalled the sound Nick Rhodes came up with on his Roland Jupiter-8 keyboard:"...whenever I hear that steel-drum part it always brings a smile to my face because it's so out of tune. Steel drums always are,but it was exactly right in terms of rhythm and tone. So a wood-block sound was mixed in to make it even more percussive and,successfully,it did the job." [6]
The song was interpreted as being about ejaculation,and when asked about it by WWDC's Elliot in the Morning in 2000,Le Bon confirmed it by joking about the scene in the music video showing a wave of water splashing in a woman's face.
Cash Box said,"Spotlighting the slick vocals of Simon Le Bon and the tight Euro-pop rhythms set to a funk beat,'The Reflex' will certainly cause a stir for current fans and it will probably reach a new,more dance oriented crowd." [7]
Main photography of the music video for "The Reflex" took place during the Seven and the Ragged Tiger tour at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto,Ontario,Canada,on 5 March 1984. Director Russell Mulcahy filmed some of the close-up footage in the indoor arena that afternoon,and the band's performance was filmed live during that evening's concert. [8]
"The Reflex" is primarily a concert video,accurately portraying Duran Duran's performance style during the Sing Blue Silver tour. However,in keeping with the band's insistence that their music videos "never be ordinary",the video screen above the stage displayed bits of naked models wearing collars and chains illuminated with black light,occasionally interrupted by computerized video white noise. At one point,a computer graphics–generated waterfall appears to pour out of the video screen above the stage to soak the audience.
Keyboard enthusiasts have taken note of the Fairlight CMI (the first digital sampling synthesiser) that Rhodes operated with a light pen in this video,and throughout the tour.[ citation needed ]
Some symbolic scenes from the official video were taken and later mixed with the alternate version shown in the band's concert film Arena (An Absurd Notion) (1985),in the final segment when the band,the crowd and the fans undertake the final and crucial battle against the evil Dr. Durand Durand.
In addition to the 4:26 single remix,the 12" also included an extended remix of "The Reflex". The live B-side "Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)" is a cover version of a Steve Harley &Cockney Rebel song,recorded 16 November 1982 at Hammersmith Odeon in London,England,with lead Rebel Steve Harley joining the band onstage.
A second live B-side released on the US single,"New Religion",was recorded 7 February 1984 at the Forum in Los Angeles,California. This is not the same live version that appears on the album Arena (1984).
7":EMI / Duran 2 United Kingdom
12":EMI / 12 Duran 2 United Kingdom
7":Capitol / B-5345 United States
12":Capitol / V-8587 United States
CD:Part of Singles Box Set 1981–1985
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
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As of October 2021 [update] , "The Reflex" was the fourth-most streamed Duran Duran song in the UK. [39]
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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Canada (Music Canada) [40] | Platinum | 100,000^ |
Netherlands (NVPI) [41] | Gold | 75,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI) [42] | Silver | 250,000^ |
United States (RIAA) [43] | Gold | 500,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
Cover versions have been recorded by Less Than Jake [44] and the duo of Kylie Minogue and Ben Lee. [45]
A chain of 1980s-themed nightclubs in the UK is named after the song. [46] The Birmingham branch is located directly opposite the former site of the Rum Runner, Duran Duran's early home base. [47] American stand-up comedian Dave Chappelle sings an excerpt from the song during a "Stereotype Pixies" sketch from Chappelle's Show . [48]
The song is featured in the sixth episode of the sixth season of Better Call Saul , "Axe and Grind". [49] It is also on the soundtrack of the 2008 video game Saints Row 2 , on the fictional radio station 107.77 The Mix FM. [50]
The song is used in American Wedding as Stifler and Bear dance-off in a night club.
"Is There Something I Should Know?" is the eighth single by the English pop rock band Duran Duran, released on 14 March 1983.
"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.
Singles Box Set 1981–1985 is a box set by the English pop rock band Duran Duran. Consisting of 13 CDs, it was released on 12 May 2003 by EMI and covers the era from Duran Duran (1981) to Arena (1984), as well as the non-studio album single "A View to a Kill" (1985).
"Atomic" is a song by American rock band Blondie from their fourth studio album, Eat to the Beat (1979). Written by Debbie Harry and Jimmy Destri and produced by Mike Chapman, the song was released in February 1980 as the album's third single.
"Just Can't Get Enough" is a song by English electronic music band Depeche Mode. It was their third single, released on 7 September 1981, a month before the release of their debut studio album, Speak & Spell. It was recorded during the summer of that year at Blackwing Studios, and was the band's first single to be released in the United States, on 18 February 1982. A riff-driven synth-pop song, "Just Can't Get Enough" was the final single to be written by founding member Vince Clarke, who left the band in November 1981.
"It's My Life" is a song by the English new wave band Talk Talk. Written by Mark Hollis and Tim Friese-Greene, it was the title track on the band's second album, It's My Life (1984), and released as its first single in January 1984. It reached number 46 on the UK Singles Chart, but did better in several other countries, reaching number 33 in Germany, number 32 in New Zealand, number 25 in France and number 9 in Italy. In North America, it entered the Top 40 in both the United States and Canada. It peaked at number 1 on the US Dance Club Songs chart.
"People Are People" is a song by British electronic music band Depeche Mode, released on 12 March 1984 as the lead single from their fourth studio album, Some Great Reward (1984). Recorded at Hansa Mischraum in West Berlin, it was the band's first top-20 single in the United States, peaking at number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100.
"Save a Prayer" is a song by the English new wave band Duran Duran, released on 9 August 1982 as the third single from their second album Rio (1982). It became Duran Duran's biggest hit on the UK Singles Chart, reaching number two. As of October 2021 "Save a Prayer" is the sixth most streamed Duran Duran song in the UK.
"Addicted to Love" is a song by English rock singer Robert Palmer released in 1986. It is the third song on Palmer's eighth studio album Riptide (1985) and was released as its third single. The single version is a shorter edit of the full-length album version.
"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).
"Rio" is the seventh single by English rock band Duran Duran. It was first released as a single in Australia, in August 1982, followed by a UK release on 1 November 1982.
"The Wild Boys" is the twelfth single by the English pop rock band Duran Duran, released on 22 October 1984 in the United Kingdom.
"Talking in Your Sleep" is a song by American rock band the Romantics. Released in September 1983, It became the band's most successful single in the US, reaching No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in early 1984, being their only US Top 10 hit. The song would have a release two months later in Australia and New Zealand, a release later that year in Japan, and in January 1984 in the UK. It failed to chart in both countries. It became a UK hit in August that year for British group Bucks Fizz. The song is in natural minor.
"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.
"New Moon on Monday" is the tenth single by the English pop rock band Duran Duran, released on 23 January 1984 in the United Kingdom.
"Dancing in the Dark" is a song written and performed by American rock singer Bruce Springsteen. It was the first single released ahead from his 1984 album, Born in the U.S.A., and became his biggest hit, helping the album become the best-selling album of his career.
"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).
"Automatic" is a song recorded by American vocal group the Pointer Sisters for their tenth studio album Break Out (1983). The song was released by the Planet label on January 13, 1984, as the second single from the album. It was written by Brock Walsh and Mark Goldenberg.
"So in Love" is a 1985 song by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released as the first single from their album Crush. It reached the top 30 of both the UK Singles Chart and the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming their first entry on the latter. The track was a top 10 hit in Belgium and Holland.
...[Duran Duran] finally got to #1 with the big and overstated dance-pop track "The Reflex".