Misplaced Pages

The Reflex: Difference between revisions

Article snapshot taken from Wikipedia with creative commons attribution-sharealike license. Give it a read and then ask your questions in the chat. We can research this topic together.
Browse history interactively← Previous editNext edit →Content deleted Content addedVisualWikitext
Revision as of 22:20, 22 March 2015 editSynthwave.94 (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users82,484 edits clean up← Previous edit Revision as of 13:05, 4 May 2015 edit undo165.139.158.253 (talk)No edit summaryTags: Mobile edit Mobile web edit repeating charactersNext edit →
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Other uses|Reflex (disambiguation)}} {{Other uses|Reflex (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|dateggdhmjhhhhhhgghhhh
=December 2013}}
{{Use British English|date=December 2013}} {{Use British English|date=December 2013}}
{{Infobox single {{Infobox single

Revision as of 13:05, 4 May 2015

For other uses, see Reflex (disambiguation).

"The Reflex"
Song
B-side"Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)" (Live)
"New Religion" (Live)

"The Reflex" is the eleventh single by Duran Duran, released worldwide on 16 April 1984. The song was heavily remixed for single release and was the third and last to be taken from their third album Seven and the Ragged Tiger.

Song history

"The Reflex" became the band's most successful single. It was their second single to top the UK Singles Chart, after "Is There Something I Should Know?" in 1983, topping the chart on 5 May, and would prove to be their last UK no. 1. The single entered the charts in America on 21 April 1984 at no. 46, became Duran Duran's first of two singles to hit no. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 (for 2 weeks) on 23 June 1984 (see 1984 in music), and was a huge hit internationally. (Their only other single to hit no. 1 in the US was the title song to the James Bond film "A View to a Kill".) It was also the first of two songs that kept "Dancing in the Dark" by Bruce Springsteen out of the top spot (the other one being Prince's "When Doves Cry"). The band wanted it to be the lead single from Seven and the Ragged Tiger, but their label didn't like the warbling singing during the "why don't you use it" segments, thinking this would hinder its success as a stand-alone single track.

The remixes for both the 7" and 12" singles were created by Nile Rodgers, of Chic fame. It was his first work with the band, and he would later go on to produce "The Wild Boys" single as well as the album Notorious (1986) and several tracks on Astronaut (2004).

Producer Ian Little recalled the sound Nick Rhodes came up with on his Roland Jupiter-8 keyboard: "...whenever I hear that steel-drum part it always brings a smile to my face because it's so out of tune. Steel drums always are, but it was exactly right in terms of rhythm and tone. So a wood-block sound was mixed in to make it even more percussive and, successfully, it did the job."

Music video

The video for "The Reflex" was shot during the Sing Blue Silver tour at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto, Ontario on 5 March 1984. Director Russell Mulcahy filmed some of the closeup footage in the indoor arena that afternoon, and the rest was filmed live during that evening's concert.

"The Reflex" is primarily a concert video, accurately portraying Duran Duran's Sing Blue Silver tour performance style. However, in keeping with the band's insistence that their videos "never be ordinary", the video screen above the stage displayed bits of naked models wearing collars and chains illuminated with black light, occasionally interrupted by computerized video white noise. At one point, a waterfall appears to pour out of the video screen above the stage to soak the audience. The computer graphics used to achieve this were typical at the time, but rapid advancement in the field quickly made the effect look dated.

Keyboard enthusiasts have taken special note of the Fairlight CMI (the first digital sampling synthesiser) that Nick Rhodes operated with a light pen in this video, and throughout the tour.

Some symbolic scenes from the official video were taken and later mixed with the alternate version shown in the band's concert film Arena (An Absurd Notion); in the final segment when the band, the crowd and even the fans undertake the final and crucial battle against the evil Dr. Durand Durand.

B-sides, bonus tracks and remixes

In addition to the 4:26 single remix, the 12" also included an extended remix of "The Reflex". The live b-side "Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)" is a cover of a Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel song, recorded 16 November 1982 at Hammersmith Odeon in London, with lead Rebel Steve Harley joining the band onstage.

A second live b-side released on the US single, "New Religion", was recorded 7 February 1984 at The Forum in Los Angeles. This is not the same live version that appears on the Arena album.

Covers, samples, and media references

This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources in this section. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (February 2015) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Cover versions have been recorded by Less Than Jake and the duo of Kylie Minogue and Ben Lee.

The song is part of the "Hooked on Polkas" medley on the 1985 Dare to Be Stupid album by "Weird Al" Yankovic.

The song has also been featured in the soundtracks for the movies American Wedding (2003) and Corky Romano (2001), as well as an episode of the short-lived 2002 television series That '80s Show in which bassist John Taylor made a guest appearance.

The song is also featured in the video game Saints Row 2 as part of its 1980s radio station.

A chain of 1980s-themed nightclubs in the UK is named after the song. The Birmingham branch is located directly opposite the former site of the Rum Runner, Duran Duran's early home base.

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts

Chart (1984) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report) 4
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) 11
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) 1
Belgium (VRT Top 30 Flanders) 1
Canada Top Singles (RPM) 3
Canada (CHUM) 1
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) 1
France (SNEP) 15
Invalid chart entered Germany2 8
Ireland (IRMA) 1
Italy (FIMI) 11
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) 1
Netherlands (Single Top 100) 1
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) 6
Poland (LP3) 7
Spain (AFYVE) 14
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) 10
UK Singles (OCC) 1
US Billboard Hot 100 1
US Cash Box 1

Year-end charts

Chart (1984) Position
Australia (Kent Music Report) 34
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) 3
Canada (RPM Top 100 Singles) 23
France (IFOP) 40
Italy (FIMI) 60
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) 7
Netherlands (Single Top 100) 8
US Billboard Hot 100 16
US Cash Box 10

Certifications and sales

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada) Platinum 100,000
United Kingdom (BPI) Silver 250,000
United States (RIAA) Gold 500,000

Sales figures based on certification alone.
Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Order of precedence
Preceded by"Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)" by Phil Collins Irish Singles Chart number-one single (first run)
6 May 1984 – 13 May 1984 (2 weeks) 		Succeeded by"Automatic" by The Pointer Sisters
Preceded by"Automatic" by The Pointer Sisters Irish Singles Chart number-one single (second run)
27 May 1984 (1 week) 		Succeeded by"Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" by Wham!
Preceded by"Hello" by Lionel Richie UK Singles Chart number-one single
5 May 1984 – 26 May 1984 (4 weeks)
Preceded by"I Want to Break Free" by Queen Belgian Ultratop 50 Flanders number-one single
23 June 1984 – 14 July 1984 (4 weeks)
Belgian VRT Top 30 Flanders number-one single
23 June 1984 – 14 July 1984 (4 weeks)
Eurochart Hot 100 number-one single
30 June 1984 – 7 July 1984 (2 weeks)
Dutch Top 40 number-one single
9 June 1984 – 14 July 1984 (6 weeks)
Single Top 100 number-one single
9 June 1984 – 7 July 1984 (5 weeks) 		Succeeded by"Two Tribes" by Frankie Goes to Hollywood
Preceded by"Time After Time" by Cyndi Lauper US Billboard Hot 100 number-one single
23 June 1984 – 30 June 1984 (2 weeks) 		Succeeded by"When Doves Cry" by Prince
US Cash Box number-one single
16 June 1984 – 23 June 1984 (2 weeks) 		Succeeded by"Dancing in the Dark" by Bruce Springsteen
Preceded by"Oh Sherrie" by Steve Perry Canadian CHUM number-one single
9 June 1984 – 23 June 1984 (3 weeks)

Track listing

"The Reflex" was the second Duran Duran single to feature a personalised group catalogue number in the UK, DURAN 2.

  • 7" Single (UK)
  1. "The Reflex" – 4:20
  2. "Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)" – 4:54
  • 12" Single (UK)
  1. "The Reflex (Dance Mix)" – 6:35
  2. "The Reflex" – 4:20
  3. "Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)" – 4:54
  • 7" Single (U.S.)
  1. "The Reflex (Dance Mix)" – 4:25
  2. "New Religion (Live in L.A.)" – 4:52
  1. "The Reflex" – 4:20
  2. "Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)" – 4:54
  3. "The Reflex (Dance Mix)" – 6:35

Notes

  • The edited Dance Mix is the same as the regular 7" version.

Other appearances

Apart from the single, "The Reflex" has also appeared on:

Albums:

Singles:

  • Capitol Gold Cuts (1990)

Videos:

Video games:

Personnel

Duran Duran are:

Also credited:

  • Michelle Cobbs – backing vocals
  • B J Nelson – backing vocals
  • Raphael Dejesus – percussion
  • Mark Kennedy – percussion
  • Alex Sadkin – producer
  • Ian Little – producer
  • Nile Rodgers – remixer
  • Jason Corsaro – remix engineer

References

  1. Buskin, Richard (July 2004). "CLASSIC TRACKS: 'The Reflex'". Sound on Sound. SOS Publications Group. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
  2. Archived 2003-12-09 at the Wayback Machine. The Duran Duran Timeline. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
  3. "Various Artists – The Duran Duran Tribute Album". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
  4. "Ben Lee And Kylie Minogue Team Up For Duran Duran Cover". MTV News. Viacom International. 15 April 1999. Retrieved 7 May 2014.
  5. Archived 2008-12-08 at the Wayback Machine. Reflex. Retrieved 12 October 2013.
  6. Archived 2010-03-17 at the Wayback Machine. Reflex. Retrieved 12 October 2013.
  7. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  8. "Duran Duran – The Reflex" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
  9. "Duran Duran – The Reflex" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
  10. "The Reflex – DURAN DURAN" (in Dutch). Top 30. Retrieved 28 July 2013. Hoogste notering in de top 30 : 1
  11. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 6755." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 4 June 2013.
  12. Archived 2007-07-29 at the Wayback Machine. CHUM. Retrieved 7 May 2014.
  13. "Song artist 102 – Duran Duran". TsorT. Retrieved 26 June 2013.
  14. "Duran Duran – The Reflex" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
  15. "The Irish Charts – All there is to know". Irishcharts.ie. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
  16. ^ "I singoli più venduti del 1984" (in Italian). Hit Parade Italia. Creative Commons. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
  17. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Duran Duran - The Reflex" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
  18. "Duran Duran – The Reflex" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
  19. "Duran Duran – The Reflex". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
  20. "REFLEKS – Duran Duran" (in Polish). LP3. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
  21. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  22. "Duran Duran – The Reflex". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
  23. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 28 July 2013.
  24. "Seven and the Ragged Tiger – Awards". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 31 May 2013.
  25. Archived 2012-09-30 at the Wayback Machine. Cash Box magazine. Retrieved 7 May 2014.
  26. "Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – Top 100 End of Year AMR Charts – 1980s". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 May 2014.
  27. "Jaaroverzichten 1984" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 May 2014.
  28. "Top Singles – Volume 41, No. 17, January 05 1985". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 7 May 2014.
  29. "TOP – 1984" (in French). Top-france.fr. Retrieved 7 May 2014.
  30. "Single Top 100 over 1984" (PDF) (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 7 May 2014.
  31. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1984" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 May 2014.
  32. "Top 100 Hits for 1984". The Longbored Surfer. Retrieved 7 May 2014.
  33. Archived 2012-09-30 at the Wayback Machine. Cash Box magazine. Retrieved 7 May 2014.
  34. "Canadian single certifications – Duran Duran – The Reflex". Music Canada.
  35. id MUST BE PROVIDED for UK CERTIFICATION.
  36. "American single certifications – Duran Duran – The Reflex". Recording Industry Association of America.

External links

Duran Duran
Studio albums
Live albums
Compilations,
EPs and remixes
Singles
Videography
Related artists
Related articles
Categories: