Duran Duran – Rio

Released in 1982 as the title track of Duran Duran’s second album, “Rio” captures the band at their most exuberant, combining sleek synth-pop with funk, rock and the influence of New Romantic style. Written by Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes, John Taylor, Andy Taylor and Roger Taylor, the song was produced by Colin Thurston during sessions at AIR Studios in London.

The lyrics revolve around an alluring, seemingly unattainable woman named Rio, with Le Bon’s vivid imagery giving the song a glamorous, exotic atmosphere. The character was not intended simply as a literal person, but as part of the song’s larger fantasy of beauty, desire and escapism. Musically, John Taylor’s distinctive, highly melodic bassline provides much of the song’s momentum, while Rhodes’ keyboards and Andy Taylor’s guitar add layers of colour and sophistication.

The atmospheric opening was created by Rhodes dropping metal rods onto the strings of a grand piano and reversing the resulting recording. The song’s spectacular promotional film, directed by Russell Mulcahy and filmed around Antigua, placed the band aboard a yacht against a backdrop of sun, sea and expensive fashion. Its striking imagery became almost inseparable from the music, helping establish Duran Duran as one of the defining visual bands of the early 1980s.

The song peaked at No. 09 in the UK singles chart on the 11th December 1982.