Duran Duran “Union of the Snake (Monkey Mix)” b/w “Union of the Snake (single version)” and  “Secret October” 1983. 12″ single, from Duran Duran’s third full length LP Seven and the Ragged Tiger. To be honest, this has always been one of my least favorite D2 singles from their early years. I’m not entirely sure why – maybe it’s the tempo (though the bass and drums are super-solid; Roger Taylor has stated the beat was based on David Bowie’s “Let’s Dance”) or the sincerely weird lyrics (though this is not out of the ordinary for Simon – he says the song is about the borderline between the conscious and subconscious. That, or Tantric sex). I think maybe it’s the dense production; the music is so thick it’s hard for my ear to cut through some clutter. That said, while I prefer the b-side “Secret Oktober” which is utterly beautiful, “Union of the Snake” is still a great song in the context of a lot of other music released in ‘83, and as the lead single from Seven and the Ragged Tiger, it hit #3 on both the UK and US charts.