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Arcadia “The Promise”

sfilzen — Mon, 27 Oct 2025 17:24:31 +0000

Arcadia “The Promise” 1986. Today is Simon LeBon’s birthday (b. 1958)! “The Promise” was the third single from the Duran side project Arcadia’s 1985 album So Red the Rose. It went to #37 in the UK – I don’t think it charted in the US (though I loved it, and the entire record which I bought pretty much on its release date, November 18th 1985). “The Promise” features guitar work from Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour and uncredited, but obvious, backing vocals by Sting. From wiki: “Sometime during the band’s stay in Paris to record So Red the Rose, they went to see a Sting concert there, and decided it would be interesting to have him come over and sing on the album, mainly because they liked the combination of Sting’s and lead singer Simon Le Bon’s voices on the “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” single by Band Aid, and wanted to see what would result from putting them together again. Sting was very amicable about the whole idea, and it turned out to be one of the band’s favourite moments on the record.” The b-side to the single is the gothic instrumental “Rose Arcana.”

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Arcadia “So Red the Rose”

sfilzen — Wed, 18 Nov 2020 17:42:30 +0000

Arcadia “So Red the Rose” released 35 years ago today, November 18th, 1985. One of my favorite (not actually) Duran Duran records! Arcadia was the side-project of Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes and Roger Taylor (John Taylor and Andy Taylor were off doing Power Station) and their one and only LP hit #23 in the US and #30 in the UK. I think I got my copy the day it was released, or pretty close to that. My Duranie friends and I spent hours working to decode the encrypted numeric messages on the cover and liner notes (this was very pre-internet; now you can just go to Wiki and it tells you that the numbers code out to “So Red the Rose” and “Rhodes, Le Bon and Taylor”).

Arcadia released six singles from the LP, though not all of them globally. “Election Day” was the first single (and features Grace Jones on sing/speak vocals); it went to #6 in the US and #7 in the UK. “Goodbye is Forever” went to #33 in the US, it wasn’t released as a single in the UK however “The Promise” was released in the UK (#37) in a stripped-down format from the longer album version, but it was not released in the US (Sting does a cameo on vocals in “The Promise”). “The Flame” was another UK-only single release (too bad, I love this song!) where it hit #58. “El Diablo” (another fave) was only released as a single in Spain while “Keep Me in the Dark” was a single in the Philippines.

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Arcadia “Election Day”

sfilzen — Tue, 03 Nov 2020 16:57:45 +0000

Arcadia “Election Day” 1985. The best (and only?) song about election day for today, November 3rd, 2020. “Election Day” was the first single from Arcadia (the Duran Duran offshoot of Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes and Roger Taylor) off their one and only LP So Red the Rose. It went to #6 in the US and #7 in the UK. I bought this 12″ single probably the day it was released (in October ‘85). Side A has the extended version “Election Day (Consensus Mix)” which is a bit longer than the album version, but does feature the same awesome sing-speak of 80′s icon Grace Jones. Side B has the single version of “Election Day” and an instrumental of the track “She’s Moody and Grey, She’s Mean and She’s Restless.” Some great Le Bon lyrics on this track for today including “Wild kind of look to the day” and “Hi guys, by the way, are you aware you’re being illegal
It’s making your savior behavior look evil.” VOTE!!!!!!!!

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Arcadia “Election Day”

sfilzen — Tue, 08 Nov 2016 19:41:14 +0000

Arcadia “Election Day” 1985. I have multiple copies of “Election Day” – I blogged about the 12″ (Cryptic Cut and The Consensus Mix) back in April for another election day – this version I picked up before So Red The Rose was released in late fall of ‘85. (The back of the single states that “an alternative version of Election Day will feature on the forthcoming album So Red The Rose.”) The b-side of this single is “She’s Moody and Grey, She’s Mean and She’s Restless” (OR IS SHE NASTY????), basically an instrumental version of “Election Day.”

I just finished voting in this pivotal national election. I live in a swing state so my vote really does count. But I was not able to pull out a line from “Election Day” to any aggressive ‘poll watchers’ who might be trying to intimidate voters (they wouldn’t bother at our polling place – it’s a very very liberal part of town so their efforts would be quashed quickly). I really wanted to start singing “Hi guys, by the way, are you aware you’re being illegal?” (I did refrain from pulling off my shirt and praying – it’s stinking cold in November)

Anyway, here’s hoping for a future of freedom of speech and freedom from hate and a picture from D2′s Instagram of John Taylor post-vote.

Wild kind of look to the day
Opening eyes impale neon flickers
She moon, she turning away
The city’s her slave but he’s cheating his mistress

She’s moody and grey
She’s mean and she’s restless
So restless, so restless indeed

All over you as they say
Rumours or rivals yell at the strike force
Hi guys, by the way
Are you aware you’re being illegal?

It’s making your savior behaviour look evil
‘Scuse my timing but say
How’d you fit in with this flim, flam and judy

Maximum big surprise
Your smile is something new

I pull my shirt off and pray
We’re sacred and bound to suffer the heatwave
Pull my shirt off and pray
We’re coming up on re-election day

Stretching my love down the way
To your invitation stretching my body
Use your intuitive play
‘Cause maybe we have more play time than money

Maximum big surprise
She knows something new

I pull my shirt off and pray
I’m saving myself to suffer the heatwave
Pull my shirt off and pray
We’re coming up on re-election day

By roads and backways a lover’s chance down wind
Cut open murmurs and sounds be calm hands on skin
Carry further, entangled strands all sing
I’m saving some time to slip away
We could dance!

Shouldn’t be asking, wild and scheming
Could be my election day

Maximum big surprise
You know something new

I pull my shirt off and pray
We’re sacred and bound to suffer this heatwave
Pull my shirt off and pray
We’re coming up on re-election day

Re-election day

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Arcadia “So Red the Rose”

sfilzen — Wed, 08 Jun 2016 15:35:54 +0000

Arcadia “So Red the Rose” 1985. Today’s pull for’ birthday (b. June 8, 1962). (The photo of Arcadia-era Nick would have been right at home in my high school year books.) Arcadia, the side project of Rhodes, Simon Le Bon and Roger Taylor of Duran Duran, released just this album and Allmusic calls it “the best album Duran never made.” Arty, darkly romantic and slinky, blending in dreamy Eastern musical influences, it includes appearances by David Gilmour on guitar throughout the album, Grace Jones (“Election Day”), Herbie Hancock and Sting (“The Promise”).

I remember trying to figure out the numeric code on the record when I bought it in ‘85. I probably spent an inordinate amount of time before eventually cracking it; now of course I can just fire up Google and discover the cypher is this:

16 = A 28 = G 40 = M 52 = S 12 = Y
18 = B 30 = H 42 = N 02 = T 14 = Z
20 = C 32 = I 44 = O 04 = U 00 = blank
22 = D 34 = J 46 = P 06 = V
24 = E 36 = K 48 = Q 08 = W
26 = F 38 = L 50 = R 10 = X

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Arcadia “Election Day (Cryptic Cut-No Voice)”

sfilzen — Tue, 05 Apr 2016 19:45:12 +0000

Arcadia “Election Day (Cryptic Cut-No Voice)” 1985. 12″ single b/w “Election Day (7 inch mix)” and “Election Day (The Consensus Mix).” Today is election day in Wisconsin and fortunately I have several different 12″ and 7″ versions of this excellent Duran Duran side-project for this election year. I just voted – I go in the middle of the day when usually the polls aren’t so busy but wow, lots of people for an April election. Besides the presidential primary, we have many important state and local officials to vote in (or out) today, including a State Supreme Court judge, Milwaukee County Executive and Supervisor and our local alderman (hopefully soon an alderwoman! My friend Meagan is running).

Side A’s No Voice version of “Election Day” is slightly misleading – it’s a No Simon Voice cut, but Grace Jones’ glorious cryptic cameo is still included. Side B has the single version, which reached #6 in the US and #7 in the UK. The Consensus Mix clocks in at 8:39 (the 7 inch mix is just 4:30), with extra instrumentals (more saxophone!), vague radio chatter and Simon howls.

Shouldn’t be asking
Wild and scheming
Could be my election day

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Arcadia “Goodbye Is Forever”

sfilzen — Tue, 02 Jun 2015 20:09:59 +0000

Arcadia “Goodbye Is Forever” 1986, 45 rpm. B-Side “Missing.” From their only LP “So Red the Rose.” Arcadia was, of course, the side project of Duran Duran members Simon LeBon, Nick Rhodes and Roger Taylor, all with dyed black hair. I’m quite sure I picked up this 45 around its release in January ‘86 as I was still at that point in the throes of my DD2 obsession.

“Goodbye Is Forever” reached #33 on the US charts and is a really great, catchy pop song with an elaborate and surreal video (what else?!), but sadly is not available for viewing on YouTube, though a short for the making of the video is. Interestingly, they also made a video for the B-Side “Missing,” a haunting, sparse and melancholy song, which Simon’s unique vocal style perfected.

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