Electric Barbarella
"Electric Barbarella" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Duran Duran | ||||
from the album Medazzaland | ||||
Released | 16 September 1997 (1997-09-16) | |||
Genre |
| |||
Length |
| |||
Label |
| |||
Songwriter(s) |
| |||
Producer(s) | TV Mania | |||
Duran Duran singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Music video | ||||
"Electric Barbarella" on YouTube | ||||
"Electric Barbarella" is the 29th single by English rock band Duran Duran, and the first official single from the album Medazzaland. In 1997, the single and album were released only in the United States; "Electric Barbarella" was not issued as a single in the UK until January 1999 on the back of the late 1998 release of the compilation album Greatest.
The band's previous single, "Out of My Mind", was another track from Medazzaland, but was released as a single from The Saint soundtrack album instead.
Background
"Electric Barbarella" is a direct tribute to the 1968 Roger Vadim film Barbarella, from which a character named Durand Durand inspired the band's name.[1] It is considered as the first ever single by a major label artist available for digital purchase/download on the internet.[2]
Music video
The video, directed by photographer Ellen von Unwerth, involved a robot sex doll played by American model Myka Dunkle. Simon Le Bon stated during an interview with Carson Daly on Total Request Live that von Unwerth specifically requested to use Dunkle, despite the fact that the band had other models and friends (including Devon Aoki and Sophie Dahl, both of whom appear in the video's party scene) in mind, due to her background as a dancer, and her ability to "do the mime that would actually make her appear to be a robot."[3] The video had to be mildly censored before receiving airplay on MTV or VH1; by the time the modified video was delivered, the song had already fallen off the charts.
B-sides, bonus tracks and remixes
The B-sides for individual "Electric Barbarella" releases included remixes of previously released singles, such as "Girls on Film" or "Out of My Mind". Numerous remixes of the track were also issued on various promo releases and on the internet as well.[4]
Formats and track listings
12": EMI / 12ELEC 2000 United Kingdom
- "Electric Barbarella" (Tee's club mix) – 5:54
- "Electric Barbarella" (Electric Sex mix) – 5:02
- "Girls on Film" (Salt Tank mix) – 6:27
- Released in November 1998
CD: EMI / CDELEC 2000 United Kingdom
- "Electric Barbarella" (radio edit) – 4:15
- "Girls on Film" (Tin Tin Out radio mix) – 4:51
- "Electric Barbarella" (Tee's radio mix) – 4:05
- Released in November 1998
MC: EMI / TCELEC 2000 United Kingdom
- "Electric Barbarella" (radio edit) – 4:15
- "Girls on Film" (Tin Tin Out radio mix) – 4:51
- "Electric Barbarella" (Tee's radio mix) – 4:05
7": Capitol / S7-724381972175 United States
- "Electric Barbarella" (album version) – 5:19
- "Out of My Mind" (album version) – 4:20
12": Capitol / Y 7243 8 58674 15 United States
- "Electric Barbarella" (Tee's club mix) – 5:54
- "Electric Barbarella" (Tee's dance mix) – 6:16
- "Electric Barbarella" (All Fired Up mix) – 7:12
- "Electric Barbarella" (Barbarella bonus beats) – 4:49
12": Capitol / SPRO 12098 (Promo) United States
- "Electric Barbarella" (Tee's club mix) – 5:41
- "Electric Barbarella" (Tee's Speed dub) – 6:15
- "Electric Barbarella" (Tee's dance mix) – 6:03
- "Electric Barbarella" (TNT In-House mix) – 5:12
- "Electric Barbarella" (Tee's capella) – 2:11
- US promo 12" labelled "Todd Terry Remixes"
12": Capitol / SPRO 7087 6 12098 15 (Promo) United States
- "Electric Barbarella" (Tee's dance mix) – 6:03
- "Electric Barbarella" (TNT In-House mix) – 5:12
- "Electric Barbarella" (Tee's capella) – 2:11
- "Electric Barbarella" (Tee's club mix) – 5:41
- "Electric Barbarella" (Tee's Speed dub) – 6:15
12": Capitol / SPRO 7087 6 12097 16 (Promo) United States
- "Electric Barbarella" (All Fired Up mix) – 7:12
- "Electric Barbarella" (Barbarella bonus beats) – 4:49
- "Electric Barbarella" (album version) – 5:19
- "Electric Barbarella" (radio edit) – 4:15
12": Harvest / SPRO 7087 6 12085 11 (Promo) United States
- "Electric Barbarella" (Electric Sex remix) – 5:02
- "Electric Barbarella" (Electric Sex instrumental remix) – 5:04
- "Electric Barbarella" (The Americruiser remix) – 6:17
- "Electric Barbarella" (Yo Shorty Americruiser remix) – 5:05
CD: Capitol / C2 7243 8 58674 0 8 United States
- "Electric Barbarella" (album version) – 5:15
- "Electric Barbarella" (Tee's club mix) – 5:41
- "Electric Barbarella" (All Fired Up mix) – 7:09
- "Out of My Mind" (Perfecto mix) – 5:51
- "Sinner and Saint" – 4:12
- "Electric Barbarella Video" (director's cut) – 5:01
- Track 6 is in Quicktime format, 320x240, Apple Cinepak codec
Digital download
- "Electric Barbarella" (Internet-only mix) – 4:20 [Dom T. remix edit]
- "Electric Barbarella" (Dom T remix) – 7:08
- First commercially downloadable song; sold for 99 cents
Media references
The cosmetics company Hard Candy was preparing to launch a colour of nail polish named "Electric Barbarella" at the same time the single was released, but had to halt it because the proper permissions had not been received from the owners of the Barbarella name.
Chart positions
The song was released on 16 September in the United States, and peaked at No. 52 on the Billboard Hot 100 on 1 November and one year later reached No. 23 in UK singles charts. Due to the debacle over its download release, temporary censoring of the music video and late release to other markets the single is generally considered to have under-performed.
Release history
Region | Date |
---|---|
United States | 16 September 1997 (1997-09-16) |
United Kingdom | 23 January 1999 (1999-01-23) |
Personnel
Duran Duran
- Nick Rhodes – keyboards
- Simon Le Bon – vocals
- Warren Cuccurullo – guitar, bass
Additional musicians
- Anthony J. Resta – live drums
- Clem Burke – live drum fill
References
- ^ Hughes, Howard (2014). Outer Limits The Filmgoers' Guide to the Great Science-Fiction Films. I.B Taurisf.
- ^ Zaleski, Annie (11 September 2017). "20 Years Ago: Duran Duran Make Music History by Selling 'Electric Barbarella' as a Digital Single". diffuser.fm.
- ^ MTV's Total Request Live Nov. 1997
- ^ "Tom McClintock's Duran Duran discography" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 25 October 2006. (216 KiB)
- v
- t
- e
- Nick Rhodes
- John Taylor
- Roger Taylor
- Simon Le Bon
- Stephen Duffy
- Simon Colley
- Andy Wickett
- Alan Curtis
- Jeff Thomas
- Andy Taylor
- Warren Cuccurullo
- Sterling Campbell
- Duran Duran
- Rio
- Seven and the Ragged Tiger
- Notorious
- Big Thing
- Liberty
- Duran Duran (The Wedding Album)
- Thank You
- Medazzaland
- Pop Trash
- Astronaut
- Red Carpet Massacre
- All You Need Is Now
- Paper Gods
- Future Past
- Danse Macabre
- Arena
- Live at Hammersmith '82!
- A Diamond in the Mind: Live 2011
EPs and remixes
- Carnival
- Master Mixes
- Decade
- Night Versions: The Essential Duran Duran
- Greatest
- Strange Behaviour
- The Essential Collection
- Singles Box Set 1981–1985
- The Singles 1986–1995
- From Mediterranea with Love
- "Planet Earth"
- "Careless Memories"
- "Girls on Film"
- "My Own Way"
- "Hungry Like the Wolf"
- "Save a Prayer"
- "Rio"
- "Is There Something I Should Know?"
- "Union of the Snake"
- "New Moon on Monday"
- "The Reflex"
- "The Wild Boys"
- "A View to a Kill"
- "Notorious"
- "Skin Trade"
- "Meet El Presidente"
- "I Don't Want Your Love"
- "All She Wants Is"
- "Do You Believe in Shame?"
- "Burning the Ground"
- "Violence of Summer (Love's Taking Over)"
- "Serious"
- "Ordinary World"
- "Come Undone"
- "Too Much Information"
- "Perfect Day"
- "White Lines (Don't Do It)"
- "Out of My Mind"
- "Electric Barbarella"
- "Someone Else Not Me"
- "(Reach Up for The) Sunrise"
- "What Happens Tomorrow"
- "Nice"
- "Falling Down"
- Duran Duran Video 45
- Duran Duran
- Dancing on the Valentine
- Sing Blue Silver
- Arena (An Absurd Notion)
- 6ix by 3hree
- Decade
- Greatest
- Live from London
- Live at Hammersmith '82!
- A Diamond in the Mind: Live 2011
- Arcadia
- Neurotic Outsiders
- The Devils
- The Power Station
- Swahili Blonde
- TV Mania
- John Frusciante
- Dominic Brown
- Discography
- Songs
- Awards and nominations
- Reportage
- Tours
- All You Need Is Now
- Duran Duran's charity concert at Villa Park 1983
- Making Patterns Rhyme
- Drum
- Eilean
- Yasmin Le Bon
- Amber Le Bon