So Red the Rose is the platinum-selling album by the 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...

-spinoff group 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...

, which was released in 1985 — the only album the band ever released. It included the singles "Election Day

Election Day (song)

"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...

", "Goodbye is Forever" and "The Flame

The 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:...

".

There were many musical guests on the album, including David Gilmour

David Gilmour

David Jon Gilmour, CBE, D.M. is an English rock musician and multi-instrumentalist who is best known as the guitarist, one of the lead singers and main songwriters in the progressive rock band Pink Floyd. In addition to his work with Pink Floyd, Gilmour has worked as a producer for a variety of...

, Herbie Hancock

Herbie Hancock

Herbert Jeffrey "Herbie" Hancock is an American pianist, bandleader and composer. As part of Miles Davis's "second great quintet," Hancock helped to redefine the role of a jazz rhythm section and was one of the primary architects of the "post-bop" sound...

, 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...

, and Sting (who provided backing vocals on "The Promise

The Promise (Arcadia song)

The Promise was the third single released by the Duran Duran offshoot band Arcadia. It was released by Parlophone Records in 1986 as the group's second UK single. It peaked at number 37 on the UK Singles Chart.-B-sides, bonus tracks and remixes:...

").

Musically, the album was a more lush, ambient affair than the previous output of Duran Duran. The songs explored new sonic spaces and a number of the tracks were quite lengthy.

The album's artwork featured painted ink drawings inspired by the sketches of Jean Cocteau

Jean 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...

 as well as an innovative "light space" photograph of the band by Dean Chamberlain

Dean Chamberlain

Dean Chamberlain is a photographer who specializes in unique lighting effects and extended exposure times. Famous models for his pictures sit for up to five hours as he leaves the camera shutter open and "paints" the space around them with carried and projected lights of various colors and shapes,...

, who also directed the video for the song, "Missing".

Box sets

As part of EMI's massive 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...

 reissue plans, a jewel case 3 disc (2CD, 1 DVD) boxset of So Red the Rose was released 12 April 2010. It included the entire album, single mixes, the b-sides "She's Moody and Grey, She's Mean and She's Restless" and "Flame Game (Yo Homeboy Mix)", four versions of non-album track "Say The Word

Say the Word (Arcadia song)

Say the Word was the fifth and final single released by the Duran Duran off-shoot band, Arcadia. Recorded for the soundtrack of Playing for Keeps, it was released as a single in the US by Atlantic Records.-Music video:...

" (a track specially commissioned for the soundtrack of Playing for Keeps

Playing for Keeps (film)

Playing for Keeps is a 1986 comedy film directed and written by brothers Bob and Harvey Weinstein. It stars Daniel Jordano, Matthew Penn and Leon W. Grant as a trio of inner-city teenagers attempting to strike it rich by turning a hotel into a rock 'n' roll resort...

), and an unreleased instrumental mix of "The Promise". The DVD contains the original 1987 video release Arcadia.

But in 2008 a previously existing, more complete LIMITED EDITION for Japan fan club (23-track digitally) was remastered into 6 CD single set, comprising all the singles ever released for the Arcadia project ('So Red the Rose' album LP), also including 'Say The Word'. The packaging is a 'so red the velvet', faithfully replicating the original single sleeve artwork, plus 8-page fold-out picture booklet of lyrics and biography.

Encrypted messages

Some versions of the album and related singles contained a numeric code in their artwork, this code allocated random numbers to letters. The numbers on the cover say "So Red the Rose" and then the surnames of the band members being "Rhodes, Le Bon and Taylor (as in Roger Taylor)".

The album title is almost (but not quite) palindromic, whether by accident or design. Reading backwards from the "s" in Rose, and swapping the "d" and "h" creates the palindrome.

1985 Original Release

• All Songs Written By LeBon-Rhodes-Taylor, except where noted.

1. "Election Day
   Election Day (song)
   "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...
   
   " - 5:29
2. "Keep Me in the Dark" - 4:31
3. "Goodbye Is Forever
   Goodbye Is Forever (song)
   "Goodbye Is Forever" was the second single released by the Duran Duran off-shoot band, Arcadia. It was released by Capitol Records in January 1986 in many regions around the world except the UK...
   
   " - 3:49
4. "The Flame
   The 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:...
   
   " - 4:23
5. "Missing" - 3:40 (LeBon, Rhodes)
6. "Rose Arcana" - 0:51 (LeBon, Rhodes)
7. "The Promise
   The Promise (Arcadia song)
   The Promise was the third single released by the Duran Duran offshoot band Arcadia. It was released by Parlophone Records in 1986 as the group's second UK single. It peaked at number 37 on the UK Singles Chart.-B-sides, bonus tracks and remixes:...
   
   " - 7:30
8. "El Diablo" - 6:05
9. "Lady Ice" - 7:32 (LeBon, Rhodes)

CD1

1. "Election Day
   Election Day (song)
   "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...
   
   " - 5:29
2. "Keep Me in the Dark" - 4:31
3. "Goodbye Is Forever
   Goodbye Is Forever (song)
   "Goodbye Is Forever" was the second single released by the Duran Duran off-shoot band, Arcadia. It was released by Capitol Records in January 1986 in many regions around the world except the UK...
   
   " - 3:49
4. "The Flame
   The 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:...
   
   " - 4:23
5. "Missing" - 3:40 (LeBon, Rhodes)
6. "Rose Arcana" - 0:51 (LeBon, Rhodes)
7. "The Promise
   The Promise (Arcadia song)
   The Promise was the third single released by the Duran Duran offshoot band Arcadia. It was released by Parlophone Records in 1986 as the group's second UK single. It peaked at number 37 on the UK Singles Chart.-B-sides, bonus tracks and remixes:...
   
   " - 7:30
8. "El Diablo" - 6:05
9. "Lady Ice" - 7:32 (LeBon, Rhodes)
10. "Say The Word (7" edit)" - 4:30 (LeBon, Rhodes)
11. "Election Day (Single Version)" - 4:31
12. "Goodbye Is Forever (Single Mix)" - 4:17
13. "The Promise (7" Mix)" - 4:46
14. "The Flame (7" Remix)" - 4:06
15. "Say The Word" - 5:08
16. "She's Moody And Grey She's Mean And Restless" - 4:29

CD2

1. "Election Day (Consensus mix)" - 8:39
2. "Goodbye Is Forever (12" Extended Mix)" - 6:45
3. "The Promise (Instrumental)" - 5:44
4. "Rose Arcana" - 5:33
5. "The Flame (Extended Remix)" - 7:17
6. "Say The Word (Extended Vocal Remix)" - 6:33
7. "Election Day (Cryptic Cut)" - 9:09
8. "The Promise (12" Mix)" - 7:06
9. "Goodbye Is Forever (Dub Mix)" - 5:15
10. "Say The Word (Extended Instrumental Remix)" - 5:48
11. "Election Day (Early Rough Mix)" - 9:04
12. "Flame Game (Yo Homeboy Mix)" - 2:51
13. "Election Day (Cryptic Cut No Voice Mix)" - 8:28

DVD

1. "Introduction"
2. "Filming Election Day"
3. "Election Day"
4. "Filming The Promise"
5. "The Promise"
6. "Filming Goodbye Is Forever"
7. "Goodbye Is Forever"
8. "Filming The Flame"
9. "The Flame"
10. "Filming Missing"
11. "Missing"
12. "Credits"

Singles

1. "Election Day
   Election Day (song)
   "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...
   
   " (October 1985)
2. "Goodbye Is Forever
   Goodbye Is Forever (song)
   "Goodbye Is Forever" was the second single released by the Duran Duran off-shoot band, Arcadia. It was released by Capitol Records in January 1986 in many regions around the world except the UK...
   
   " (January 1986)
3. "The Promise
   The Promise (Arcadia song)
   The Promise was the third single released by the Duran Duran offshoot band Arcadia. It was released by Parlophone Records in 1986 as the group's second UK single. It peaked at number 37 on the UK Singles Chart.-B-sides, bonus tracks and remixes:...
   
   " (January 1986)
4. "The Flame
   The 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:...
   
   " (July 1986)

Arcadia

• Simon Le Bon
  Simon Le Bon
  Simon 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 Rhodes
  Nick Rhodes
  Nick Rhodes is an English musician, is best known as the keyboardist of the pop rock band Duran Duran...
  
  : keyboards
• Roger Taylor
  Roger Andrew Taylor
  Roger 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

Additional musicians

• Additional vocals: Sting, 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...
  
  
• Guitars: Carlos Alomar
  Carlos Alomar
  Carlos Alomar is an American guitarist, composer and arranger best known for his work with David Bowie, having played on more Bowie albums than any other musician...
  
  , David Gilmour
  David Gilmour
  David Jon Gilmour, CBE, D.M. is an English rock musician and multi-instrumentalist who is best known as the guitarist, one of the lead singers and main songwriters in the progressive rock band Pink Floyd. In addition to his work with Pink Floyd, Gilmour has worked as a producer for a variety of...
  
  
• Additional keyboards: Herbie Hancock
  Herbie Hancock
  Herbert Jeffrey "Herbie" Hancock is an American pianist, bandleader and composer. As part of Miles Davis's "second great quintet," Hancock helped to redefine the role of a jazz rhythm section and was one of the primary architects of the "post-bop" sound...
  
  
• Saxophone: Andy Mackay
  Andy Mackay
  Andrew "Andy" Mackay is an English multi-instrumentalist, best known as a founder member of the art-rock group Roxy Music....
  
  
• Bass: Mark Egan
  Mark Egan
  Mark Egan is an American jazz bass guitarist and trumpeter, arguably best known for his membership in the Pat Metheny Group from 1977 to 1980, and the Gil Evans Orchestra...
  
  
• Additional Drums and Percussion: David Van Tieghem, Rafael DeJesus, Steve Jordan
  Steve Jordan (musician)
  Steve Jordan is an American multi-instrumentalist, composer, musical director and Grammy Award-winning artist, who has made a name for himself as a producer from the Bronx in New York City. A graduate of the Fiorello H...
  
  
• Drum Programming: Wendel Jr.
• Harp: Jean-Claude Dubois
• Violin: Masami Tsuchiya, Pierre Defay

Production

• Produced By Alex Sadkin & Arcadia
• Recorded By Larry Alexander; assisted by Phillippe Lafont
• Engineered By Larry Alexander
• Mixed By Larry Alexander, Phil Burnett, Nick Delre, Billy Miranda & Ron Saint-Germain
• Mastered By Bob Ludwig

External links

• [ "So Red the Rose" at allmusic]
• "So Red the Rose" at discogs