Sin of the City
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| Sin of the City | |
| |
| song by Duran Duran | |
|---|---|
| Released | 1993 |
| Recorded | 1991-93 |
| Genre | Pop |
| Length | 7:14 |
| Label | Capitol Records / EMI |
| Producer(s) | Duran Duran John Jones |
| Duran Duran | |
"Sin of the City" is a song by Duran Duran, released on The Wedding Album by EMI in 1993.
Contents |
About the song 
Edit
Written by Duran Duran, the song was produced by John Jones who had previously worked on other band projects including the Liberty and early live shows.
The song is about the Happy Land Fire, which was an arson fire that killed 87 people in an unlicensed social club in New York City, USA on 25 March 1990. Most of the victims were ethnic Hondurans celebrating Carnival. Unemployed Cuban refugee Julio Gonalez whose former girlfriend was employed at the club was arrested shortly after and convicted of murder. The lyrics of the song read "Only five people came out alive the sin is that 89 died", when the actual number of people killed was 87.
The topical nature of the lyrics reflected the growing maturity of the band's writing at the time, tackling real world issues in a more direct, stark, and gritty style.
Other appearancesEdit
Albums:
- Obsession And Corruption
- Warren & Nick's House Demos
- The Liberty Sessions
- Money Or Reputation
- Watermelon: The Demos
- 5.30.98
- Here Comes The Band
PersonnelEdit
Duran Duran are:
- Simon Le Bon - Vocals
- John Taylor - Bass
- Warren Cuccurullo - Guitar
- Nick Rhodes - Keyboards
Lyrics Edit
Coatcheck girl up in happyland has a violent row with a cuban man Julio leaves in a drunken rage comes back with the gasoline The club had no fire exit the club only had one door Only five people came out alive the sin is that 89 died 89 dead, 89 dead, 89 dead, 89 dead The sin is that a year and a half before the fire chief's out and he's raising cain Brands happyland hazzard close down but no no one never paid him no mind No one ever paid him no mind, no one ever paid him no mind, no one ever paid no Never paid, never paid no no no City living heavy trouble city living rough we are given angry hearts but anger's not enough (The sin of the city, the sin of the city) City living heavy trouble city living rough (The sin of the city, the sin of the city) We are given angry hearts but anger's not enough Daily news reviews the landlords life found six thousand code violations light The city has more hundred thousand wars all for one of Forbes four hundred whores Just one firecracker on a big bonfire a self serving penny pinching wiseguy style Never allowing for the human condition, never allowing for the human condition Never allowing for the human condition the sin is that these guys survived City living heavy trouble city living rough we are given angry hearts but anger's not enough (The sin of the city, the sin of the city) City living heavy trouble city living rough (The sin of the city, the sin of the city) The sin of the city yeah City living heavy trouble city living rough Stop killing your people now We are given angry hearts but anger's not enough Stop wasting your people now City living heavy trouble city living rough You're shooting your people up We are given angry hearts but anger's not enough The sin of the city yeah City living heavy trouble city living rough Stop killing your people now We are given angry hearts but anger's not enough You're wasting your people yea City living heavy trouble city living rough we are given angry hearts but anger's not enough
