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Thursday, May 19, 2022

"Do You Believe in Shame?" by Duran Duran

Song#:  3834
Date:  03/18/1989
Debut:  91
Peak:  72
Weeks:  5
Genre:  Rock, New Wave, Soundtrack


Pop Bits:  The band's sixth album, Big Thing, continued their streak of having at least one single from each of their releases crack the Pop Top 10. The winner from Big Thing was the #4 "I Don't Want Your Love." A second single, "All She Wants Is," didn't do as well stopping at #22. This follow up single not only served as the third one from the LP, but it was also the second one from the soundtrack to the film Tequila Sunrise (released just as the first single, "Surrender to Me" by Ann Wilson and Robin Zander peaked at #6). Unfortunately, the song didn't get very far spending only a few weeks near the bottom of the Pop chart. It would be the final single from the album and the band's last charting song of the 80s, an era in which they scored nine Pop Top 10s including two #1s.

ReduxReview:  While I liked Big Thing, it wasn't an album that was chock full of catchy singles. I'm guessing that the label chose to push this tune out due to it being a cross-promotional item for the album and the associated movie soundtrack, but it wasn't a good choice. It worked as an album track, but it certainly wasn't a memorable, radio-ready track. I think "Drug (It's Just a State of Mind)" would have done better in a remix version and could have been a hit on the Dance chart. Yet we got served this moody single and no one was biting.

ReduxRating:  4/10

TriviaBig Thing signaled a decline in the band's popularity with the LP only reaching gold level sales. That downward trend continued into the 90s with their next album, 1990's Liberty, only reaching #46 and failing to go gold or produce a Top 40 single. With their career and status as relevant hit makers in jeopardy, the band went into the studio to record their next album. Titled Duran Duran, it was given the nickname of The Wedding Album due to the cover photo and to help distinguish it from their 1981 self-titled debut. Finished near the start of '92, there was a feeling from the band's new management and the label that the LP was going to be a hard sell. Duran Duran had their time in the 80s sun and trying to rally support for a comeback was getting difficult. The album lingered on the shelf for months until Capitol decided to test the track "Ordinary World" on some radio stations in Florida. The response was immediate and demand for the song began to grow. Capitol had to quickly get the single printed up and the album set for release. "Ordinary World" would end up reaching #3 on the Pop chart and go gold. Its follow-up, "Come Undone," would then reach #7. The pair of hits would send the album to #7 and it would go platinum. While the songs and the album would be a big last blast for the band, it was certainly a sweet comeback that boosted their status and career. They would continue to record and tour over the years and in 2015 they returned to the Top 10 with their 14th studio album Paper Gods.

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