Notorious (Duran Duran song)

"Notorious"
Single by Duran Duran
from the album Notorious
B-side "Winter Marches On"
Released 20 October 1986
Format 7", 12"
Recorded 1986
Genre
Length 4:18
Label
  • EMI
  • Capitol - DDN 45
Producer(s)
Duran Duran singles chronology
"A View to a Kill"
(1985)		 "Notorious"
(1986)		 "Skin Trade"
(1987)
Notorious track listing
"Notorious"
(1)		 "American Science"
(2)
Greatest track listing
"The Wild Boys"
(12)		 "Notorious"
(13)		 "I Don't Want Your Love"
(14)

"Notorious" is the 14th single by Duran Duran. It was released internationally by EMI on 20 October 1986. "Notorious" was the first single issued from the album Notorious, and the first released by Duran Duran as a 3-piece band after the departure of Roger and Andy Taylor. It was a success worldwide, reaching #7 in the UK, and #2 on the US Billboard Hot 100, only behind "Walk Like an Egyptian" by The Bangles, and was a success in various other countries.

About the song

"Notorious" marked the debut of the new streamlined trio version of Duran Duran, as Andy Taylor and Roger Taylor had left the band by the time the album was released. In fact, the acrimonious nature of Andy Taylor's departure was reflected in the song to a certain degree. According to songwriter Simon Le Bon, the lyric "Who really gives a damn for a flaky bandit" was a direct dig at the guitarist.

As a trio, the band had enlisted the help of Nile Rodgers to take over production duties. His funk influences can be heard throughout the single - for example, the tempo and the use of The Borneo Horns brass section. Rodgers also played the guitar on the single.

Music video

The video for "Notorious" was shot on 23 September 1986 by directors Peter Kagan and Paula Greif, and bore an uncanny resemblance to the video the duo had filmed in June of that year for Steve Winwood's "Higher Love". The video was shot in black and white Super-8 with a hand-held camera, with quick cuts and changes of zoom and focus. It featured the three-piece band performing the song on a sound stage, with scantily clad dancers in the background choreographed by Paula Abdul.

The young model Christy Turlington appeared in outdoor scenes with the band. A still photo from this location was used as the cover of the album Notorious.

B-side and official remixes

For the first time, the B-side to the 7" single was not an original recording; "Winter Marches On" was an unaltered version of the Notorious album track. Before this, Duran Duran had always provided either completely original songs or previously unheard remixes on the B-side.

As a first for the band, "Notorious" was released as two separate 12" singles. The first had a Nile Rodgers produced "Extended Mix" while the second featured a remix by The Latin Rascals.

There are 4 official mixes of "Notorious":

and 1 DJ Remix

As a perennially popular song in their back catalogue, "Notorious" appears in various Duran Duran megamixes, most notably:

Chart positions

When the track made its debut on Montreal radio station CHOM during the 20 October 1986 edition of the nightly radio show "Rock And Roll News," DJ Randy Renaud declared that by the next night, the song "Amanda" by Boston (which had been holding on to the number one spot on CHOM's charts for several weeks) could "kiss the number one spot goodbye." Sure enough, by the next night, CHOM had received enough requests for the song that it supplanted "Amanda" from the #1 spot on the stations nightly countdown show, "The Top Six At Six."

Track listing

All release details pertain to the UK only.

7": EMI / DDN 45

  1. "Notorious" (45 Mix) - 3:58
  2. "Winter Marches On" - 3:25

12": EMI / 12 DDN 45

  1. "Notorious" (Extended Mix) - 5:14
  2. "Notorious" (45 Mix) - 3:58
  3. "Winter Marches On" - 3:25

12": EMI / 12 DDNX 45

  1. "Notorious" (The Latin Rascals Mix) - 6:23
  2. "Notorious" (45 Mix) - 3:58
  3. "Winter Marches On" - 3:25

CD: Part of "Singles Box Set 1986-1995" boxset

  1. "Notorious" (45 Mix) - 3:58
  2. "Winter Marches On" - 3:25
  3. "Notorious" (Extended Mix) - 5:14
  4. "Notorious" (The Latin Rascals Mix) - 6:23

Covers and other appearances

Apart from the single, "Notorious" has also appeared on:

Albums:

Singles:

Films:

Sampled:

Personnel

Duran Duran are:

With:

Production:

External links