The Wild Boys (song)

"The Wild Boys" is the twelfth single by English New Wave band Duran Duran, released on 26 October 1984 in the United Kingdom.

"The Wild Boys"
Single by Duran Duran
from the album Arena
B-side"(I'm Looking For) Cracks in the Pavement" (1984)
Released26 October 1984 (1984-10-26)
RecordedJuly 1984
Genre
Length4:18
LabelEMI
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Nile Rodgers
Duran Duran singles chronology
"The Reflex"
(1984)		 "The Wild Boys"
(1984)		 "A View to a Kill"
(1985)
Music video
"The Wild Boys" on YouTube

The song was the only studio track on the band's live album Arena (1984), and was produced by Nile Rodgers, who had previously remixed the band's previous single "The Reflex". It was recorded at the end of July 1984 at Maison Rouge Studios in London.[2]

Background

The idea for the song came from longtime Duran Duran video director Russell Mulcahy, who wanted to make a full-length feature film based on the surreal and sexual 1971 novel The Wild Boys: A Book of the Dead by William S. Burroughs. He suggested that the band might create a modern soundtrack for the film in the same way that Queen would later provide a rock soundtrack for Mulcahy's 1986 film Highlander. Lead vocalist Simon Le Bon began writing some lyrics based on Mulcahy's quick synopsis of the book, and the band created a harsh-sounding instrumental backdrop for them.[3]

The single was issued with six separate collectible covers – one featuring each individual band member and one of the band collectively.

Critical reception

Cash Box called the song "a rolling pop tune with a tribal intensity."[4] Billboard suggested that it sounds like "'Reflex' revisited."[5]

Chart performances

"The Wild Boys" became one of the band's highest-charting singles, peaking at number two on the US Billboard Hot 100 for four weeks, behind "Out of Touch" by Hall & Oates and "Like a Virgin" by Madonna,[6] while reaching the top spot on the US Cash Box Top Singles chart[7] and in Germany and South Africa.[8][9] It peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart and on the Irish Singles Chart,[10][11] as well as in several European countries.[12] It also became the band's highest-peaking single in Australia, reaching number three.[13] As of October 2021, "The Wild Boys" is the 10th-most streamed Duran Duran song in the UK.[14]

Music video

The music video for "The Wild Boys" was directed by Russell Mulcahy. The cost totalled over one million pounds, a staggering sum for music videos at the time, as his design filled one entire end of the "007 Stage" at Pinewood Studios with a metal pyramid and a windmill over a deep enclosed pool, and called for a lifelike robotic face, dozens of elaborate costumes, prosthetics, and make-up effects, and then-cutting-edge computer graphics. The choreography of dance routines was undertaken by Arlene Phillips, including intricate stunts and fire effects added to the cost. Mulcahy meant the video to be a teaser for his full-length Burroughs film, demonstrating his vision to the movie studios he was wooing, but that project was never made.

The video featured all of the band members imprisoned and in peril, wearing uncharacteristically rough and ragged outfits similar to the pieced-together clothing of the film Mad Max 2 (1981). John Taylor was strapped to the roof of a car suffering a psycho-torture with pictures of his childhood and early past; Nick Rhodes was caged with a pile of computer equipment; Roger Taylor was put in a hot-air balloon that was dangling from the ceiling, leaving him high off the ground; Andy Taylor was bound (guitar and all) to a ship's figurehead; and Simon Le Bon was strapped to a blade of the windmill, his head covered in water as the blade passed through the pool.

"The Wild Boys" was named British Video of the Year at the 1985 Brit Awards.

Remixes and B-sides

The 8:00 12" "Wilder Than Wild Boys" extended mix, the only official contemporaneous remix, is actually the full length version. It continues after the album/single version's fade out with another instrumental section, then repeats the chorus to fade. This mix was also used for the full length promo video.

To promote the release of the compilation album Greatest in 1998, EMI commissioned a number of remixes, including two mixes of "The Wild Boys" that were released only on promo discs:

  • "The Wild Boys [ASAP & PM Project Remix]" (3:42) appeared on a one-track promo CD in Spain
  • "Wild Boys 98 [4 on da Floor Remix]" (3:10) appeared on a one-track promo CD in Belgium

In 2004, noted remixer Paul Dakeyne and the Mitchell Project produced the 7:30 "Wicked 'n Wild Dub" for DMC, the UK-based remix service.

The original single B-side, "(I'm Looking For) Cracks in the Pavement (Live)", was recorded at the 5 March 1984 show at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto. This is the same concert where the video for "The Reflex" was filmed.

Formats and track listing

7": Parlophone. / Duran 3 UK

  1. "The Wild Boys (45)" – 4:14
  2. "(I'm Looking For) Cracks in the Pavement" (1984) – 4:00
  • Track 2 recorded live at Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto, 5 March 1984.
  • Also released in sleeves featuring individual band members (DURANC 3)

12": Parlophone. / 12 Duran 3 UK

  1. "The Wild Boys" (Wilder Than the Wild Boys) (Extended Mix) – 8:00
  2. "The Wild Boys (45)" – 4:16
  3. "(I'm Looking For) Cracks in the Pavement" (1984) – 4:08
  • Track 3 recorded live at Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto, 5 March 1984.

7": Capitol Records. / B-5417 US

  1. "The Wild Boys (45)" – 4:14
  2. "(I'm Looking For) Cracks in the Pavement" (1984) – 4:00
  • Track 2 recorded live at Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto, 5 March 1984.

12": Capitol Records. / V-6817 US

  1. "The Wild Boys" (Wilder Than the Wild Boys) (Extended Mix) – 8:00
  2. "The Wild Boys (45)" – 4:16
  3. "(I'm Looking For) Cracks in the Pavement" (1984) – 4:08
  • Track 3 recorded live at Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto, 5 March 1984.

CD: Part of Singles Box Set 1981–1985 boxset

  1. "The Wild Boys (45)" – 4:16
  2. "(I'm Looking For) Cracks in the Pavement" (1984) – 4:08
  3. "The Wild Boys" (Wilder Than the Wild Boys) (Extended Mix) – 8:00
  • Track 2 recorded live at Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto, 5 March 1984.

Charts

Certifications
Certifications for "The Wild Boys"
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[43] Gold 50,000^
Germany (BVMI)[44] Gold 500,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[45] Silver 250,000^
United States (RIAA)[46] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Other appearances

Apart from the single, "The Wild Boys" has also appeared on:

Albums:

Phixx version
"Wild Boys"
Single by Phixx
from the album Electrophonic Revolution
ReleasedJune 2004
Length4:04
LabelConcept Records
Songwriter(s)
Phixx singles chronology
"Love Revolution"
(2004)		 "Wild Boys"
(2004)		 "Strange Love"
(2005)

English-Irish boy band Phixx released their version in 2004 which peaked at No. 12 on the UK Singles Chart.[47]

See also

References
  1. "8EEZ Playlist: Duran Duran". Beat.
  2. John Taylor (16 October 2012). In the Pleasure Groove: Love, Death, and Duran Duran. Penguin Publishing Group. p. 177. ISBN 978-1-101-59359-2. Retrieved 2 September 2016.
  3. "VH1 interview with John Taylor".
  4. "Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. 27 October 1984. p. 8. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
  5. "Reviews". Billboard. 27 October 1984. p. 63. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  6. "Billboard Hot 100 – Week of December 15, 1984". Billboard. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  7. "Cash Box Top 100 Singles – Week ending December 15, 1984". Cash Box. Archived from the original on 22 October 2007. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
  8. "Offiziellecharts.de – Duran Duran – The Wild Boys" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 2 September 2016.
  9. "SA Charts 1965–1989 (As presented on Springbok Radio/Radio Orion) – Acts D". The South African Rock Encyclopedia. Archived from the original on 22 June 2018. Retrieved 2 September 2016.
  10. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – The Wild Boys". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 2 September 2016.
  11. "Duran Duran: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  12. "Duran Duran – The Wild Boys". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 2 September 2016.
  13. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 97. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  14. "Duran Duran's Official Top 20 most-streamed songs revealed". Official Charts. 26 October 2021. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
  15. "Duran Duran – The Wild Boys" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 2 September 2016.
  16. "Duran Duran – The Wild Boys" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 2 September 2016.
  17. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 9610." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 2 September 2016.
  18. "European Top 100 Singles" (PDF). Eurotipsheet. Vol. 1, no. 35. 26 November 1984. p. 6. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
  19. Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
  20. "Duran Duran – The Wild Boys" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 2 September 2016.
  21. "Top 3 in Europe" (PDF). Eurotipsheet. Vol. 2, no. 10. 11 March 1985. p. 7. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
  22. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Duran Duran" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 2 September 2016.
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  24. "Duran Duran – The Wild Boys". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 2 September 2016.
  25. "Duran Duran – The Wild Boys". VG-lista. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  26. Salaverrie, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Madrid: Fundación Autor/SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  27. "Duran Duran – The Wild Boys". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 2 September 2016.
  28. "Dance Club Songs – The week of December 15, 1984". Billboard. Archived from the original on 20 January 2021. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  29. "National Top 100 Singles for 1984". Kent Music Report. No. 548. 31 December 1984 – via Imgur.
  30. "Jaaroverzichten 1984 – Singles" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 2 September 2016.
  31. "Top 100 Singles of 1984". RPM. Vol. 41, no. 17. 5 January 1985. p. 7. ISSN 0033-7064 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  32. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1984" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 2 September 2016.
  33. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1984" (in Dutch). Dutch Charts. Retrieved 2 September 2016.
  34. "Top 100 Singles (January 3–December 29, 1984)" (PDF). Music Week. 26 January 1985. p. 37. ISSN 0265-1548 – via World Radio History.
  35. "Jahreshitparade Singles 1985". austriancharts.at (in German). Retrieved 2 September 2016.
  36. "Jaaroverzichten 1985 – Singles" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  37. "RPM's Top 100 Singles of 1985". RPM. Vol. 43, no. 16. 28 December 1985. ISSN 0033-7064 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  38. "Top 20 Hit Singles of 1985". The South African Rock Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2 September 2016.
  39. "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1985". hitparade.ch (in German). Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  40. "Hot 100 Songs – Year-End 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on 3 October 2019. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  41. "The Cash Box Year-End Charts: 1985 – Top 100 Pop Singles". Cash Box. 28 December 1985. Archived from the original on 1 October 2012. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  42. "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts – 1985" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 2 September 2016.
  43. "Canadian single certifications – Duran Duran – The Wild Boys". Music Canada. Retrieved 2 September 2016.
  44. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Duran Duran; 'Wild Boys')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 2 September 2016.
  45. "British single certifications – Duran Duran – Wild Boys". British Phonographic Industry. 1 November 1984. Retrieved 24 May 2013.
  46. "American single certifications – Duran Duran – The Wild Boys". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 2 September 2016.
  47. "PHIXX | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com.
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