Election Day (song)
Encyclopedia
"Election Day" was the first single released by the Duran Duran
off-shoot band, Arcadia
. It was released by Parlophone Records in October 1985 and subsequently hit the top ten on both sides of the Atlantic, peaking at #6 in the US and #7 in the UK, but was the most successful in Ireland, peaking at #5 and in Italy, peaking at #1 (also reaching the Top 25 in Germany). Along with the Arcadia
members, "Election Day" features Grace Jones
on vocals and speech segments.
published the lyrics in their magazine, they published the complete lyric, which included a verse that was subsequently dropped from the released version of the song:
's 1946 film, La Belle et la Bête
— was shot in and around Paris in late September 1985. It was directed by Roger Christian
. There was a short cameo appearance by William S. Burroughs
. A documentary film was made on the filming and production of the music video.
There were a total of seven mixes of "Election Day":
On Duran Duran
's 'Strange Behaviour' tour, they performed a medley of "Election Day" and the Power Station single, "Some Like It Hot
".
Singles:
Also credited:
Duran Duran
Duran Duran are an English band, formed in Birmingham in 1978. They were one of the most successful bands of the 1980s and a leading band in the MTV-driven "Second British Invasion" of the United States...
off-shoot band, Arcadia
Arcadia (band)
Arcadia were the pop group formed in 1985 by Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes and Roger Taylor of Duran Duran, during a break in that band's schedule. However, Roger Taylor appeared in only a few band photographs and in none of the music videos, and stated he was only to be involved in the recording side...
. It was released by Parlophone Records in October 1985 and subsequently hit the top ten on both sides of the Atlantic, peaking at #6 in the US and #7 in the UK, but was the most successful in Ireland, peaking at #5 and in Italy, peaking at #1 (also reaching the Top 25 in Germany). Along with the Arcadia
Arcadia (band)
Arcadia were the pop group formed in 1985 by Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes and Roger Taylor of Duran Duran, during a break in that band's schedule. However, Roger Taylor appeared in only a few band photographs and in none of the music videos, and stated he was only to be involved in the recording side...
members, "Election Day" features Grace Jones
Grace Jones
Grace Jones is a Jamaican-American singer, model and actress.Jones secured a record deal with Island Records in 1977, which resulted in a string of dance-club hits. In the late 1970s, she adapted the emerging electronic music style and adopted a severe, androgynous look with square-cut hair and...
on vocals and speech segments.
About the song
When Smash HitsSmash Hits
Smash Hits was a pop music based magazine, aimed at teenagers and young adults and originally published in the United Kingdom by EMAP. It ran from 1978 to 2006 and was issued fortnightly for most of that time...
published the lyrics in their magazine, they published the complete lyric, which included a verse that was subsequently dropped from the released version of the song:
- Don't even try to induce, In all my restrain there's no hesitation
- All the signs on the loose 'cause sanity's rare this end of the hard day
- Shadows are crawling out of the subway
- Any way that you choose in every direction just to confuse me
Music video
The dark and moody video — with Gothic imagery inspired by Jean CocteauJean Cocteau
Jean Maurice Eugène Clément Cocteau was a French poet, novelist, dramatist, designer, playwright, artist and filmmaker. His circle of associates, friends and lovers included Kenneth Anger, Pablo Picasso, Jean Hugo, Jean Marais, Henri Bernstein, Marlene Dietrich, Coco Chanel, Erik Satie, María...
's 1946 film, La Belle et la Bête
Beauty and the Beast (1946 film)
Beauty and the Beast is a 1946 French romantic fantasy film adaptation of the traditional fairy tale of the same name, written by Jeanne-Marie Le Prince de Beaumont and published in 1757 as part of a fairy tale anthology . Directed by French poet and filmmaker Jean Cocteau, the film stars Josette...
— was shot in and around Paris in late September 1985. It was directed by Roger Christian
Roger Christian (filmmaker)
-External links:*...
. There was a short cameo appearance by William S. Burroughs
William S. Burroughs
William Seward Burroughs II was an American novelist, poet, essayist and spoken word performer. A primary figure of the Beat Generation and a major postmodernist author, he is considered to be "one of the most politically trenchant, culturally influential, and innovative artists of the 20th...
. A documentary film was made on the filming and production of the music video.
Official remixes
This was the first Duran Duran–related single to have more than one remix of the lead track, a feature that would continue on "Notorious" a year later.There were a total of seven mixes of "Election Day":
- Album Version 5:29 - original mix; all bar the Early Rough Mix are different permutations of this version
- Single Version 4:30 - edited Album Version
- Consensus Mix 8:39 - 12" and promo video version
- "She's Moody and Grey, She's Mean and She's Restless" 4:28 - instrumental B-side; the title comes from the song's first verse
- Cryptic Cut/Fact and Story Mix 9:06 - largely instrumental, featuring extended passages and a short 'political speech'
- Cryptic Cut No Voice 8:27 - the Cryptic Cut mix, with the speech edited out
- Early Rough Mix 9:04 - an early, mostly instrumental version
Covers, samples, & media references
"Election Day" is still popular with televised election coverage in the U.S.On Duran Duran
Duran Duran
Duran Duran are an English band, formed in Birmingham in 1978. They were one of the most successful bands of the 1980s and a leading band in the MTV-driven "Second British Invasion" of the United States...
's 'Strange Behaviour' tour, they performed a medley of "Election Day" and the Power Station single, "Some Like It Hot
Some Like It Hot (song)
"Some Like It Hot" is a song recorded by Power Station. It was the first single released from the group's 1985 eponymous debut album. Released by Parlophone Records in 1985, the song features heavy drum beats from Tony Thompson and vocals from Robert Palmer. It was the band's biggest hit, peaking...
".
7": Parlophone / NSR 1 (UK)
- "Election Day" (Single version) - 4:30
- "She's Moody And Grey, She's Mean And She's Restless" - 4:28
- B-side is an instrumental version of "Election Day"
12": Parlophone / 12 NSR 1 (UK)
- "Election Day" (Consensus Mix) - 8:39
- "Election Day" (Single version) - 4:30
- "She's Moody And Grey, She's Mean And She's Restless" - 4:28
12": Parlophone / 12 NSRA 1 (UK)
- "Election Day" (Cryptic Cut No Voice Mix) - 8:27
- "Election Day" (single version) - 4:30
- "Election Day" (Consensus Mix) - 8:39
12": Townhouse / PSLP393 (UK)
- "Election Day" (Cryptic Cut / Fact and Story Mix) - 9:06
- 1-sided UK promo, unlabeled
- this version was later referred to by LeBon and Rhodes as "Cryptic Cut". The name "Fact and Story Mix" comes from the spoken word part in the mix and was first referred to by this name on a bootleg remix album.
Other appearances
Albums:- So Red the RoseSo Red the RoseSo Red the Rose is the platinum-selling album by the Duran Duran-spinoff group Arcadia, which was released in 1985 — the only album the band ever released...
(1985)
Singles:
- "The FlameThe Flame (Arcadia song)"The Flame" is the fourth single released by the Duran Duran off-shoot band, Arcadia. It was released by Parlophone Records in 1986 and was the group's third UK single. It reached number 58 in the UK Singles Chart.-Music video:...
" (1986)
Personnel
Arcadia are:- Simon Le BonSimon Le BonSimon John Charles Le Bon is an English musician, best known as the lead singer, lyricist and musician of the band Duran Duran and its offshoot, Arcadia.-Early life:...
- vocals - Nick RhodesNick RhodesNick Rhodes is an English musician, is best known as the keyboardist of the pop rock band Duran Duran...
- keyboards - Roger TaylorRoger Andrew TaylorRoger Andrew Taylor is an English double grammy award winning musician who is best known as the drummer of British rock band Duran Duran from their inception until 1985, and again from 2001 onwards, the band selling in excess of 80 million records worldwide in the process.-Early life:Taylor began...
- drums
Also credited:
- Alex SadkinAlex SadkinAlex Sadkin is best remembered as a record producer in the early 1980s, but actually got his start in the music industry as a saxophonist for the Las Olas Brass in Fort Lauderdale, Florida....
- producer and engineer - Grace JonesGrace JonesGrace Jones is a Jamaican-American singer, model and actress.Jones secured a record deal with Island Records in 1977, which resulted in a string of dance-club hits. In the late 1970s, she adapted the emerging electronic music style and adopted a severe, androgynous look with square-cut hair and...
- guest vocalist
External links
- Simon Le Bon and Nick Rhodes being interviewed on Arcadia and the theme of Election Day - filmed at the time of the release of Election Day in 1985.