43 years ago today (9 August 1982), Duran Duran released “Save a Prayer" - the third single from their second studio album “Rio”. The track, which peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart, quickly became their biggest hit at the time, solidifying the band's prominence in the music world.
AllMusic journalist Donald A. Guarisco praised the song, stating, "The music maintains the stormily romantic quality of the lyric by combining meditative verses with an aching chorus that swells and ebbs in a way that perfectly captures the song's heartbreak." This sentiment echoes the craftsmanship behind the song's structure, which Simon Le Bon based on Gordon Lightfoot's "If You Could Read My Mind."
The music video, directed by Russell Mulcahy, was filmed in Sri Lanka. Featuring iconic locations such as the ancient rock fortress of Sigiriya and the ruins of a Buddhist temple at Polonnaruwa, the video received substantial airplay on MTV, further propelling the song's popularity. However, the shoot was not without its challenges. Andy Taylor fell into a water body used as an animal latrine, leading to his hospitalization with dysentery. His dazed expression at 3 minutes and 40 seconds into the video is a testament to the mishap. Taylor later recounted in his autobiography Wild Boy, "If you smoke dope and drink Jack Daniel's in the tropical heat, don't fall into a lagoon full of elephant's urine."
In the early 1980s, record companies were still uncertain about the commercial viability of music videos. Despite this, Duran Duran was encouraged to shoot three promotional videos during their trip to Sri Lanka, a decision that proved to be a shrewd gamble. The band's good looks, energy, and extravagant budgets made them the poster boys for a new era of music promotion. The "Save a Prayer" video, shot during a crepuscular evening and balmy afternoon, showcased the band's enviable lifestyle, making being in Duran Duran look like the best fun in the world.
"Save a Prayer" was a significant departure from the band's previous dance-floor hits. As their first ballad released as a single, it featured a unique, almost arabesque musical ululation at the outset and throughout. The song's success extended beyond the UK and Ireland, reaching number one in France. It also became synonymous with tragedy, as Le Bon dedicated it to Marvin Gaye during the filming of their concert film Arena (An Absurd Notion) in 1984 and to his friend Michael Hutchence in 1998.
The song's creation began with Andy Taylor and Nick Rhodes picking out chords together, later built around a sequencer track. Le Bon wrote the lyrics while the band was on tour, describing them as "realistic, and not romantic." The lyrics tell the story of a chance meeting that turns into a one-night stand, a theme that resonated with many listeners. The song opens with an arpeggiated, delay-treated synthesizer riff, which plays throughout, adding to its hypnotic quality.
Critical reception for "Save a Prayer" was overwhelmingly positive. Cash Box noted that the live version "attests to the faithful sound of Duran Duran's show while betraying a certain sedimentary element of the arrangement." Annie Zaleski, in a retrospective review, described the song as "a moody ballad driven by lush, pirouetting keyboards and acoustic guitars, and a rhythm section that propelled the song forward with nuanced grooves." She credited the blend of acoustic and electronic elements as a key factor in the song's enduring success.
The video shoot in Sri Lanka was a memorable experience for the band. Upon arriving in Colombo, they were struck by the poverty they witnessed. Rhodes, uncomfortable in his leather jacket and trousers, had little time to change after a hectic schedule in London. During the filming, a female elephant's mating call caused a chaotic moment when the elephant carrying Roger Taylor charged downhill. Andy Taylor's fall into a lagoon during an intoxicated state led to a tropical virus, adding to the shoot's challenges. Despite these difficulties, the video was completed, capturing the band's adventurous spirit.
A live version of "Save a Prayer" was released in 1985, with Le Bon dedicating the song to Marvin Gaye, who had been fatally shot the day before the concert was recorded. The live footage was taken from Duran Duran's Oakland, California, concerts for the Arena (An Absurd Notion) video.
Released as a single in the UK on August 9, 1982, "Save a Prayer" became the highest-charting hit from the Rio album in their home country. Its midtempo, moody ballad style was a departure from the band's previous dance hits. The song's lyrics elevated a casual fling into a sweet romantic dalliance, with Le Bon's protagonist reassuring a crush object that the night would be worth it: "And you wanted to dance so I asked you to dance / But fear is in your soul / Some people call it a one-night stand but we can call it paradise." The chorus, "Don't say a prayer for me now. Save it 'til the morning after," highlights the carefree nature of the encounter.
The song coalesced in Duran Duran's rehearsal space at the Rum Runner in Birmingham. Nick Rhodes' experimentation with the Roland SH-2 synthesizer and CSQ-100 sequencer, combined with Andy Taylor's acoustic guitar chords, resulted in a hypnotic and magical sound. Rhodes' use of the Roland Space Echo added a unique delay effect, contributing to the song's distinctive character.
Despite being prevented from topping the UK chart by Survivor's "Eye of the Tiger," "Save a Prayer" enjoyed a lengthy lifespan in the US. MTV played the video in 1983, and the song was released as a single in the States in early 1985, peaking at number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100. By then, Duran Duran's side project, Power Station, was also gaining traction.
"Save a Prayer" remained a fan favourite, especially in live performances. The band delivered a memorable rendition of the track alongside an orchestra at the opening ceremony of the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, marking 40 years since its debut.
You saw me standing by the wall
Corner of the main street
And the lights are flashing on your window sill
All alone ain't much fun
So you're looking for the thrill
And you know just what it takes and where to go
Don't say a prayer for me now
Save it 'til the morning after
No, don't say a prayer for me now
Save it 'til the morning after
Feel the breeze deep on the inside
Look you down into your well
If you can, you'll see the world in all his fire
Take a chance
Like all dreamers can't find another way
You don't have to dream it all, just live a day
Don't say a prayer for me now
Save it 'til the morning after
No, don't say a prayer for me now
Save it 'til the morning after
Save it 'til the morning after
Save it 'til the morning after
Pretty looking road
Try to hold the rising floods that fill my skin
Don't ask me why I'll keep my promise
Melt the ice
And you wanted to dance so I asked you to dance
But fear is in your soul
Some people call it a one night stand
But we can call it paradise
Don't say a prayer for me now
Save it 'til the morning after
No, don't say a prayer for me now
Save it 'til the morning after
Save it 'til the morning after
Save it 'til the morning after
Save it 'til the morning after
Save it 'til the morning after
(Doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo doo)
Save a prayer 'til the morning after
Save a prayer 'til the morning after
Save a prayer 'til the morning after
Save a prayer 'til the morning after
Save a prayer 'til the morning after
Save a prayer 'til the morning after
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發表於 2025-8-9 21:09:05
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