"Electric Barbarella" is the 29th single by Duran Duran, and the first official single from the album Medazzaland. In 1997, the single and album were released only in the United States; "Electric Barbarella" was not issued as a single in the UK until January 1999 on the back of the late 1998 release of the compilation album Greatest.

The band's previous single, "Out Of My Mind", was another track from Medazzaland, but was released as a single from The Saint soundtrack album instead.

Contents 1 About the song 2 Lyrics 3 Music video 4 B-sides, bonus tracks and remixes 4.1 Complete list of Remixes 5 Media references 6 Chart positions 7 Track listing 7.1 7": Capitol / S7-724381972175 (US) 7.2 CD: Capitol / C2 7243 8 58674 0 8 (US) 7.3 CD: EMI / CD ELEC 2000 (UK) 7.4 12": Capitol / Y 7243 8 58674 1 5 (US) 7.5 12": EMI / 12 ELEC 2000 (UK) 7.6 Download 8 Other appearances 9 Personnel 10 References 11 Comments

About the songEdit

"Electric Barbarella" is a direct tribute to the 1968 Roger Vadim film Barbarella, from which the band took their name.

It has been touted as the first song available for digital purchase/download on the Internet, and dozens of different mixes were created from the song. A Dom T mix exclusive to the Internet was available for download in the US for 99 cents. This pioneering move annoyed many American retailers as they saw it as infringing on their retail territory and they either refused to stock the album or provided little to no promotion of the disc.

LyricsEdit

I knew when I first saw you on the showroom floor
You were made for me
I took you home and dressed you up in polyester
Princess of my dreams
Emotionless and cold as ice
All of the things I like
The way you look
The way you move
The sound you're makin'
In ultra-chrome, latex and steel

I plug you in
Dim the lights
Electric Barbarella
Your perfect skin
Plastic kiss
Electric Barbarella
Try to resist
Then we touch
Hallucinate and tranquilize

(she's so fine)
(she's all mine)

Our private life is subject to investigation
No time to waste
People say they heard about our deviation
But you never looked so good
Wear the fake fur and fake pearls for me
And put on your mystery
The way I feel you know
I'll never keep you waiting
In ultra-chrome, latex and steel

I plug you in
Dim the lights
Electric Barbarella
Your perfect skin
Plastic kiss
Electric Barbarella
Try to resist
Then we touch
Hallucinate and tranquilize

Princess of my dreams
Princess of my dreams
Major domo plasticomo Barbarella
(She's so fine)
Pro-genetic you Electric Barbarella
(She's all mine)
My pretty pretty pretty pretty Barbarella

Music videoEdit

The video, directed by photographer Ellen von Unwerth, involved a robot sex doll and had to be mildly censored before receiving airplay on MTV or VH1; by the time the modified video was delivered, the song had already fallen off the charts.

Myka Dunkle is the actress playing the robot; Devon Aoki also appeared.

B-sides, bonus tracks and remixesEdit

The b-side for "Electric Barbarella" was a mix of their previous single, "Out of My Mind".

Numerous remixes were issued on various promo releases and on the internet.^[1]

Complete list of Remixes Edit

1. "Electric Barbarella" - 5:15
2. "Electric Barbarella (edit)" - 4:16
3. "Electric Barbarella (Single edit)" - 3:58
4. "Electric Barbarella (Single edit - no solo)" - 4:00
5. "Electric Barbarella (The Electric Sex Remix)" - 5:02
6. "Electric Barbarella (The Electric Sex Instrumental Remix)" - 5:04
7. "Electric Barbarella (Russell Simins "Electric Sex Remix")" - 5:11
8. "Electric Barbarella (Russell Simins "Electric Sex Instrumental Remix")" - 5:11
9. "Electric Barbarella (The Americruiser Remix)" - 6:08
10. "Electric Barbarella (Eli Janney "Americruiser Remix")" - 6:17
11. "Electric Barbarella (Eli Janney "Yo Shorty Americruiser Remix")" - 5:11
12. "Electric Barbarella (The Yo Shorty Americruiser Remix)" - 5:01
13. "Electric Barbarella (Tee's Club Mix)" - 5:54
14. "Electric Barbarella (Tee's Dance Mix)" - 6:03
15. "Electric Barbarella (Tee's Speed dub)" - 6:15
16. "Electric Barbarella (Tee's radio edit)" - 4:05
17. "Electric Barbarella (Tee's Capella)" - 2:11
18. "Electric Barbarella (TNT In-House mix)" - 5:12
19. "Electric Barbarella (TNT radio mix)" - 3:23
20. "Electric Barbarella (All Fired Up mix)" - 7:09
21. "Electric Barbarella (Barbarella Bonus Beats)" - 4:45

Media referencesEdit

The cosmetics company Hard Candy was preparing to launch a color of nail polish named "Electric Barbarella" at the same time the single was released, but had to halt it because the proper permissions had not been received from the owners of the Barbarella name.

Chart positionsEdit

The song was released on 16 September in the United States, and peaked at #52 on the Billboard Hot 100 on 1 November

Track listingEdit

7": Capitol / S7-724381972175 (US) Edit

1. "Electric Barbarella (album version)" - 5:15
2. "Out Of My Mind (album version)" - 4:16

CD: Capitol / C2 7243 8 58674 0 8 (US)Edit

1. "Electric Barbarella (album version)" - 5:15
2. "Electric Barbarella (Tee's Club mix)" - 5:41
3. "Electric Barbarella (All Fired Up mix)" - 7:09
4. "Out Of My Mind (Perfecto mix)" - 5:51
5. "Sinner and Saint [Sinner or Saint]" - 4:06
6. "Electric Barbarella Video (director's cut)" - 4:50

CD: EMI / CD ELEC 2000 (UK) Edit

1. "Electric Barbarella (Edit)" - 4:15
2. "Girls on Film (Tin Tin Out Radio mix)" - 4:51
3. "Electric Barbarella (Tee's Radio Mix)" - 4:05

• Released November 1998
• Also released on MC - TC ELEC 2000

12": Capitol / Y 7243 8 58674 1 5 (US)Edit

1. "Electric Barbarella (Tee's Club mix)" - 5:54
2. "Electric Barbarella (Tee's Dance mix)" - 6:16
3. "Electric Barbarella (All Fired Up mix)" - 7:12
4. "Electric Barbarella (Barbarella Bonus Beats)" - 4:49

12": EMI / 12 ELEC 2000 (UK) Edit

1. "Electric Barbarella (Tee's Club Mix)" - 5:54
2. "Electric Barbarella (Electric Sex mix)" - 5:02
3. "Girls on Film (Salt Tank Mix)" - 6:27

• Released November 1998

Download Edit

1. "Electric Barbarella (Internet-only mix)" - 4:20 [Dom T. remix edit]
2. "Electric Barbarella (Dom T Remix)" - 7:08

• First commercially downloadable song; sold for 99 cents

Other appearancesEdit

Aside from the single, the song has also appeared on:

• Medazzaland (1997)
• Greatest (1998)

PersonnelEdit

Duran Duran are:

• Simon Le Bon
• Nick Rhodes
• Warren Cuccurullo

ReferencesEdit

1. ↑ Tom McClintock's Duran Duran discography PDF

DURAN DURAN

Simon Le Bon • Nick Rhodes • John Taylor • Roger Taylor Andy Taylor • Warren Cuccurullo • Sterling Campbell

DISCOGRAPHY

ALBUMS

Duran Duran • Rio • Seven and the Ragged Tiger • Arena • Notorious • Big Thing • Liberty • Duran Duran (The Wedding Album) • Thank You • Medazzaland • Pop Trash • Astronaut • Red Carpet Massacre

COMPILATIONS and EP's

Carnival • Decade: Greatest Hits • Greatest • Night Versions: The Essential Duran Duran • Strange Behaviour • Singles Box Set 1981-1985 • Singles Box Set 1986-1995

SINGLES

"Planet Earth" • "Careless Memories" • "Girls on Film" • "My Own Way" • "Hungry Like the Wolf" • "Save a Prayer" • "Rio"• "Is There Something I Should Know?" • "Union of the Snake" • "New Moon on Monday" • "The Reflex" • "The Wild Boys" • "A View to a Kill" • "Notorious" • "Skin Trade" • "Meet El Presidente" • "I Don't Want Your Love" • "All She Wants Is" • "Do You Believe in Shame?" • "Burning the Ground" • "Violence of Summer (Love's Taking Over)" • "Serious" • "Ordinary World" • "Come Undone" • "Too Much Information" • "Perfect Day" • "White Lines" • "Out of My Mind" • "Electric Barbarella" • "Someone Else Not Me" • "(Reach Up for The) Sunrise" • "What Happens Tomorrow" • "Nice" • "Falling Down"

RELATED BANDS

Arcadia • Power Station • Neurotic Outsiders • The Devils

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