| The Man Who Stole A Leopard | ||
| ||
| song by Duran Duran | ||
|---|---|---|
| Released | 21 December 2010 (download) 21/22 March 2011 (CD version) | |
| Recorded | 2010 | |
| Genre | Pop | |
| Length | 6:14 minutes | |
| Label | Tape Modern, S-Curve Records | |
| Writer(s) | Duran Duran | |
| Producer(s) | Mark Ronson Duran Duran | |
| Duran Duran | ||
"The Man Who Stole A Leopard" is a Duran Duran song, released on the All You Need Is Now album (iTunes download) on 21 December 2010 and on 21/22 March 2011 (CD version).
About the song[]
The song is an epic electronic piece in the style of "The Chauffeur, which is a story of obsession written by Nick Rhodes and John Taylor. The track features vocals by Kelis, who trades calls and response vocals with Simon Le Bon. Kelis' vocals were recorded at her home in Los Angeles.
"The Man Who Stole A Leopard" was inspired by The Collector, a 1965 film which starred Terrence Stamp and was about a butterfly collector who expands to collecting human specimens. This may have come around again as a theme, since the band have stated that of all their B-sides they wish had been included on an album, "Secret Oktober" is one of the few. That song includes the line, "Like a butterfly that escapes from the killing jar."
In an interview in November 2010, Rhodes likened it to "The Gift" by The Velvet Underground, but not as gory. British news presenter Nina Hossain delivers a fake news story at the end of the recording, written by Rhodes.
Answering questions on Mark Ronson's East Village Radio show on 10 December 2010, Nick said that when the band put working titles on songs, they prefer not use something that will stick, because they don’t want the name to influence the unwritten lyrics. However, "The Man Who Stole A Leopard" was the working title. They happened to be talking about the latest version of the Apple OS when someone asked, have you installed Leopard? Not hearing correctly, another person asked, "Somebody stole a leopard?" and they decided that was a great name for a song.
Music video[]
Directed by Matías Penachino, the music video was chosen via the Genero TV Contest. It stars Franca Arriola (leopard) and Gabriela Garciandía.
Personnel[]
Duran Duran are:
- Simon Le Bon - vocals
- John Taylor - bass guitar
- Nick Rhodes - keyboards
- Roger Taylor - drums
With:
- Dominic Brown - guitar
- Kelis - vocals
- Nina Hossain - spoken words
- Owen Pallett - string arrangements, conductor
- The St. Kitts String Octet - strings
- Orchestral sample from Rocco E I Suoi Fratelli (Rocco And His Brothers) "Valzer Ai Laghi" by Nino Rota
Lyrics[]
Do you know where we are? I'm longing for the dark Of our nocturnal life It begins and ends with you Don't spill my secret Chorus: You were once running wild hiding in the morning mist Game demands I make you mine I thought that I could resist But the leopard in you... silently... preyed on me I made my way back home (did you follow her?) I handled her with care (were you in control?) So elegant and sleek (were you not afraid?) I need her to be near (does she belong to you?) Don't spill my secret Chorus Deserted by my friends (don't they understand?) She's so much more than them (how could they compare?) So now she's just for me (no one else can see) I watch her while she sleeps (Be sure she dreams of you) Don't spill my secret (It's been quite a while) Since we were last outside (and do you miss the chase?) Now that we've both been tamed (inside this gilded cage) Prisoners of our thoughts (you saved me from myself) Don't spill my secret (Repeat during newscast)... Newscast: Today a man was taken from his apartment on the New Jersey shore and arrested under suspicion of entrapment of a wild animal. Police, after forced entry, discovered a caged leopard in the building! The fully-grown feline was said to be surprisingly domesticated by zoological experts who gave her a thorough examination before preparing her for relocation. A large crowd was gathered outside to watch the beautiful creature as a giant cage was lowered slowly onto the street by a crane. From here, the leopard was transferred into the back of a truck for the journey ahead. A startled onlooker said, "It's extraordinary to think that any human being could have lived in such close quarters with such a dangerous animal." Police are saying the captor was simply besotted with the creature and barely left her side. It's alleged that he hunted her in the wild and expertly forged documents to facilitate her illegal export to the United States of America. The incident has already created much controversy and is now likely to lead to a major international investigation into the life of the man who stole a leopard.