Tel Aviv | |
instrumental by Duran Duran | |
---|---|
Released | 15 June 1981 |
Recorded | December 1980 |
Genre | Pop |
Length | 5:16 minutes |
Label | Capitol, EMI |
Writer(s) | Duran Duran |
Producer | Colin Thurston |
Duran Duran |
"Tel Aviv" is an instrumental by Duran Duran, released on the band's debut album Duran Duran by Capitol-EMI on the 15 June 1981.
About the instrumental[]
Originally the instrumental was titled "On My Own in Tel-Aviv" and had lyrics. This was one of many songs that Simon Le Bon wrote in his notebook of poems, which he brought with him to his audition for Duran Duran in 1980.
Simon has stated that "Tel Aviv" is about when he was in Israel working on a Kibbutz. The track was the first to be recorded by the band, originally at AIR Studios in London, "Tel Aviv" eventually became a completely different track (and, according to Nick, the only thing that remains on the released version is the title) [1].
May 1981 BBC interview:
John: There's one track on the album, the last track Tel Aviv, which was purely written in the studio. We've been doing it for years, it was the first song in fact that Duran Duran ever played with the clarinets and all (...) We used to play it and it was very long, drawn out, a sort of very conceptual piece of work.
Simon: Then it got based around some words that I wrote...
John: ...and we tried to make the music to fit the words more, and then the words didn't need to be there any longer, it seemed to worked so well.
Simon: So we took away the lyrics and just have some sort of Lebanese mountain wailing.
"Tel Aviv" is primarily instrumental but does feature some ethereal vocalizations by Simon, which definitely not Hebrew or Arabic. Strings were arranged by Richard Myhill, which was the first time Duran Duran used an orchestra.
According to the band, the album version was used as the opener for their first concerts, however they had a recorded version that Duran Duran did not actually perform. In recent years the band have in fact performed the song live, at times even accompanied by a full orchestra (violinists, etc.) in order to authentically recreate the live strings found on the original recording.[2]
About the lyric version[]
A totally different song to the instrumental, this early heavy rock driven version of the song has the same the name, but little else. The lyric version was recorded at Manchester Square studios in London (made famous by The Beatles), 8 December 1980, and is available on several bootlegs. This version has never been performed live, but it was eventually released officially on the Duran Duran Special Edition x2 CD and DVD box set, released March 29th 2010.
"Greene's Man" could refer to the writer Graham Greene; who wrote exotic spy thrillers like The Third Man, and Our Man in Havana.
Other appearances[]
Apart from appearing on Duran Duran's first album, the only other appearance of the song is on some bootleg albums, as well as a 12" UK "Sound of Thunder" promo single.
Track Listing[]
- Release information pertains UK release only
12": EMI EMI PSLP344
- "Sound of Thunder" - 4:06
- "Anyone Out There" - 4:02
- "Tel Aviv" - 5:16
Personnel[]
Duran Duran are:
- Simon Le Bon - vocals
- John Taylor - bass guitar
- Andy Taylor - guitar
- Nick Rhodes - keyboards
- Roger Taylor - drums
Also credited:
- Colin Thurston - producer and engineer
Lyrics[]
The afternoon, it's one... maybe two Sipping away my last Goldstar, not so much to do Dream away the sunny day, until it's time to leave I'll just watch you pass on by - When I'm on my own in Tel Aviv With the blocks to one side And the beach to the other And the trees and the leaves - On my own in Tel Aviv And the trees and the leaves - On my own in Tel Aviv As the smoke is rolling Breaking up the shore The sound of traffic fades Like someone closed the door See! I might stay here Watch the skins keeping cool Like Greene's man overseas I read the rules With the blocks to one side And the beach on the other And the trees and the leaves On my own in Tel Aviv And the palms and the trees On my own in Tel Aviv
- Lyrics for the unreleased original song
See also[]
References[]
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