Music / Rio (Album)

And when she shines she really shows you all she can
Oh Rio, Rio dance across the Rio Grande

Stalked in the forest, too close to hide
I'll be upon you by the moonlight side
(Do do do do do do do do do do do dodo do do)

High blood drumming on your skin, it's so tight
You feel my heat, I'm just a moment behind
(Do do do do do do do do do do do dodo do do)

—"Hungry Like the Wolf"

Rio is the second studio album recorded by the British New Wave Music group Duran Duran. It was released in May 1982 through Creator/{{EMI} in the UK and its sublabel Harvest Records in the US.

With the promising returns of their self-titled debut album, they began recording their follow-up in the summer of 1981. They sought some post-Disco and American R&B flavor to the sound, and also threw in some other unexpected instruments (like "The Chauffeur", which includes an ocarina).

Bass guitarist John Taylor added the Title Track late in the game, recalling it later as "shorthand for the truly foreign, the exotic, a cornucopia of earthly delights, a party that would never stop."

While the initial release was huge in the United Kingdom (where it peaked at #2 on the Official Charts Company album chart, scoring another Platinum from the BPI), it sputtered in the United States. After an EP of remixes titled Carnival became popular, the band decided to change their marketing strategy for the other side of the pond, and released a remixed version of the entire album.

Their first single in the United States, "Hungry Like the Wolf", would hit #3 on the Billboard Hot 100, further assisted by a popular music video on MTV. The remixed album would reach #6 on the Billboard 200 album chart, and was certified double-Platinum by the RIAA.

The album was supported by four singles: "My Own Way", "Hungry Like the Wolf", "Save a Prayer", and the Title Track. "Rio" would also reach #14 on the Billboard Hot 100. All four singles were Top 20 hits on the UK Pop chart, with "Save a Prayer" going highest at #2.

A 2001 Enhanced CD edition includes a data track with all the associated music videos. A remastered two-CD collector's edition was released in 2009, which includes all versions of the songs along with various remixes and "Like an Angel" (My Own Way's B-side).

Tracklist

Side One

1. "Rio" (5:33)
2. "My Own Way" (4:51)
3. "Lonely in Your Nightmare" (3:50)
4. "Hungry Like the Wolf" (3:41)
5. "Hold Back the Rain" (3:59)

Side Two

6. "New Religion" (5:31)
7. "Last Chance on the Stairway" (4:21)
8. "Save a Prayer" (5:33)
9. "The Chauffeur" (5:10)

Runtimes reflect the original release. The entirety of Side One was remixed for the North American market, resulting in their Side One lasting 3:36 longer.

Personnel

• Simon Le Bon – lead vocals, vibraphone on "New Religion", ocarina on "The Chauffeur"
• Nick Rhodes – keyboards, synthesizers, marimba, sound effects, backing vocals on "Last Chance on the Stairway"
• John Taylor – bass guitar, backing vocals
• Andy Taylor – guitars, backing vocals
• Roger Taylor – drums, percussion

"You saw me troping by the wall":

• Break Up Song: This is the theme for "My Own Way" and "Last Chance on the Stairway".
• Epic Rocking: The US mix of "Hold Back the Rain" is 2 1/2 minutes longer, pushing it to 6 1/2 minutes.
• Fairytale Motifs: Hungry like the Wolf's lyrics were inspired by Little Red Riding Wolf.
• Film Noir: "The Chauffeur" music video is shot in black and white.
• Hurt Foot Hop: Roger gets his foot pinched by a crab in the music video for "Rio".
• Lyrical Dissonance: Hold Back the Rain is a fun, upbeat song about John Taylor's drug addiction, while Save a Prayer is a slow ballad about a one night stand.
• Rearrange the Song: The second edition of the US release remixes the entirety of side one to better fit American radio stations' preferences, which was done in exchange for greater promotion from Capitol Records. David Kershenbaum, who handled the remixes, drew inspiration from Van Halen and accordingly gave the material a more polished sound. The US remixes are included as bonus tracks on the first disc of the 2009 reissue.
• Shout-Out:
  • The video for "Hungry Like the Wolf" is inspired by Raiders of the Lost Ark
  • The music video for "The Chauffeur" is based on The Night Porter
• Title Track: "Rio", the first song on side one, is also the title of the album.

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And when she shines she really shows you all she can

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