Rio (song)

1982 song by Duran Duran

For other songs, see Rio (disambiguation).

"Rio"

12-inch vinyl single

Single by Duran Duran
from the album  Rio
B-side|

* "The Chauffeur (Blue Silver)"
* "Hold Back the Rain"
* "Rio" (part 1)
* "My Own Way"

Released| August 1982
Studio| AIR (London)
Genre|

* Synth-pop[1][2]
* synth-rock[3]
* new wave[4][5]

Length|

* 5:33 (album version)
* 4:40 (single version)
* 5:11 (part 1)
* 5:29 (part 2)
* 4:34 (US single version)
* 3:57 (US single remix)
* 5:03 (video version)

Label|

* EMI (UK)
* Harvest, Capitol (US)

Songwriter(s)|

* Simon Le Bon
* John Taylor
* Roger Taylor
* Andy Taylor
* Nick Rhodes

Producer(s)| Colin Thurston
Duran Duran singles chronology
| "Save a Prayer"
(1982)  | "Rio"
(1982)  | "Is There Something I Should Know?"
(1983)

|
|

Music video
"Rio" on YouTube

"Rio" is the seventh single by the English rock band Duran Duran. It was first released as a single in Australia, in August 1982, followed by a UK release on 1 November 1982.

The song was the fourth and final single lifted from the band's second studio album of the same name and was edited for its release. It was issued worldwide in October 1982 and became a Top 10 hit in the UK Singles Chart, peaking at number 9 on 11 December 1982.[6] As of October 2021, "Rio" is the third most streamed Duran Duran song in the UK.[7]

"Rio" was released as the third single from the album in Australia, and debuted on the Kent Music Report top 100 singles chart dated 6 September 1982.[8] The song did not attract much notice in the United States upon its initial global release but received early airplay at KROQ-FM in Los Angeles as early as 2 August 1982.[9] After the band's breakthrough hit "Hungry Like the Wolf" found success in the American charts in December 1982, Capitol Records reissued the single in March 1983 to be the band's second US top 20 hit, peaking at number 14.

## Production

[edit]

The song originated from an idea by John Taylor about Rio de Janeiro – "the truly foreign, the exotic, a cornucopia of earthly delights, a party that would never stop"; Simon Le Bon wrote the lyrics to the song, and chose not to write about the city but about a girl named Rio.[10] Its verses were inspired by their earlier song "See Me, Repeat Me" and the chorus was taken from "Stevie's Radio Station", a song written by the band TV Eye, featuring lead vocalist Andy Wickett, who went on to be one of Duran Duran's early lead vocalists. The song was a favourite of Nick and John and was incorporated into Duran Duran live sets during Wickett's tenure.[11]

Nick Rhodes created the unusual sound at the beginning of the song by throwing several small metal rods onto the strings of a grand piano in the studio.[12] The recorded sound was then reversed to create the intro.[13] Rhodes produced the synthesiser lead using the arpeggiator on a Roland Jupiter-4 set to random while playing a Cmaj7 chord.[14] The tenor saxophone solo was performed by Andy Hamilton. The laughter on the track was that of Rhodes's girlfriend at the time.[citation needed]

## Critical reception

[edit]

Cash Box called it "a perfect follow-up to 'Hungry Like The Wolf'", saying that "the melody's warm sea breeze contrasts effectively with the menace in 'Wolf' and is equally catchy."[15]

## Music video

[edit]

Director Russell Mulcahy filmed the music video for "Rio", which featured images of the band in Antony Price suits,[16] singing and playing around on a yacht speeding over the crystal blue Caribbean Sea. The yacht in the music video was the Eilean.[17][18] Short segments show band members trying to live out their assorted daydreams while being teased by a body-painted woman, played by Reema Ruspoli.[16]

The music video was shot over the course of three days in May 1982 on the island of Antigua.[19] The yacht scenes were filmed on the bay at English Harbour, the beach scenes at Miller's Beach, and the segment featuring the raft at Shirley Heights. Some close ups were filmed later on the Solent due to a film processing error.

Director Mulcahy originally planned a scene where the band members got chased off the island by people wielding guns, but did not have enough film stock left to shoot this. He had to borrow a tourist's camera to shoot the part of John Taylor playing a saxophone on a mountaintop. When the video was featured on VH1's Pop-Up Video, it mentions that after the video was completed, Mulcahy, Le Bon, and Taylor went for a swim and were inches away from sharks when the yacht captain yelled for them to get out of the water. Rhodes was reportedly seasick during the filming, and has often said "I hate boats unless they're tied up and you're having cocktails on them."[20]

While in Antigua, the band also filmed a video for the album track "Night Boat", which appeared with "Rio" and nine other videos on the Duran Duran video album released in 1983.

## B-sides, bonus tracks and remixes

[edit]

There are 13 different official mixes of "Rio", many of which are edits of the album version or Kershenbaum remix with fades in various places.[21]

The B-side of the November 1982 original United Kingdom single was "The Chauffeur (Blue Silver)", an acoustic version of the moody album track. The B-side of the April 1983 reissue in the United States was an upbeat remix of "Hold Back the Rain". The B-side of the 12-inch single included a remix of "My Own Way".

## Personnel

[edit]

* Simon LeBon: lead vocals
* Nick Rhodes: keyboards and synthesizers
* Andy Taylor: guitar and background vocals
* John Taylor: bass and background vocals
* Roger Taylor: drums, percussion

Additional musician

* Andy Hamilton: saxophone

## Formats and track listings

[edit]

7-inch: EMI / EMI 5346 United Kingdom

1. "Rio" – 4:40
2. "The Chauffeur (Blue Silver)" – 3:48

* Track 1 is the "single version".
* Track 2 is the "early version", and is a shorter acoustic version of the moody album track.

7-inch: EMI / EMI 5346 United Kingdom

1. "Rio" – 5:11
2. "The Chauffeur (Blue Silver)" – 3:48

* Track 1 is "Rio" (part 1).[verification needed]

Note:

Two different versions of this single were available in the UK, both with identical sleeves and labels.

12-inch: EMI / 12 EMI 5346 United Kingdom

1. "Rio" (part 2) – 5:29
2. "Rio" (part 1) – 5:11
3. "My Own Way" – 4:34 (a.k.a. "Carnival remix")

7": Harvest / B-5175 United States (1982)

1. "Rio" (US single version) – 4:34
2. "Hold Back the Rain" (album version) – 3:59

7": Capitol / B-5215 United States (1983 reissue)

1. "Rio" (US single remix) – 3:57
2. "Hold Back the Rain" (US album remix) – 6:32

CD: Part of Singles Box Set 1981–1985

1. "Rio" (part 1) – 5:11
2. "The Chauffeur (Blue Silver)" – 3:48
3. "Rio" (part 2) – 5:29
4. "My Own Way" (Carnival remix) – 4:34

## Charts

[edit]

### Weekly charts

[edit]

| Chart (1982–1983)  | Peak
position

|

Australia (Kent Music Report)[22] | 60
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[23] | 3
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[24] | 14
Ireland (IRMA)[25] | 9
Netherlands (Single Tip)[26] | 28
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[27] | 36
UK Singles (OCC)[6] | 9
US Billboard Hot 100[28] | 14
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[29] | 5
US Cash Box Top 100[30] | 14

### Year-end charts

[edit]

| Chart (1983)  | Position

|

Canada Top Singles (RPM)[31] | 37
US Cash Box[32] | 94
US Joel Whitburn's Pop Annual[33] | 104

## Certifications

[edit]

Region  | Certification | Certified units/sales

|
|

United Kingdom (BPI)[34] | Gold  | 400,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

## Covers, samples and media references

[edit]

It has been referenced in the lyrics of the 2005 UK number one hit by Arctic Monkeys, "I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor": "Your name isn't Rio, but I don't care for sand".[35]

CSS collaborated with Simon Le Bon and John Taylor to record a cover of the song in 2016.[36]

The song was recreated by Moby for the compilation album Making Patterns Rhyme (2014).[37]

### Nicole Scherzinger version

[edit]

"Rio"

Single by Nicole Scherzinger
Released| August 2008
Genre| Pop
Length| 3:39
Label|

* A&M
* Interscope

Songwriter(s)| Duran Duran
Producer(s)|

* Ron Fair
* J. R. Rotem
* Ben H. Allen

Nicole Scherzinger singles chronology
| "Puakenikeni"
(2008)  | "Rio"
(2008)  | "Nobody Can Change Me"
(2010)

|
|

Nicole Scherzinger (lead vocalist for the Pussycat Dolls) recorded a cover version of "Rio" as a promotion for Caress Brazilian body wash from Unilever.[38] The song was released to radio on 28 July 2008 and as a CD single in August 2008. The music video shows Scherzinger performing in a pink dress in front of a crowd, with flowers appearing all around her as she sings on stage.[39]

Of the cover, Duran Duran singer Simon Le Bon said, "When we were first approached about Nicole doing a version of 'Rio' for this campaign, we thought it was the perfect fit. She's exotic and beautiful and embodies everything that inspired the original version. Because it's one of our signature songs very few people have covered it over the years, so it has been great for us to hear a new interpretation."[40]

### Track listings

[edit]

Two-track CD single

1. "Rio" (Caress Brazilian mix)
2. "Rio" (Caress Brazilian mix) (instrumental)

CD single maxi jewelcase

1. "Rio" (Caress Brazilian mix)
2. "Rio" (Caress Brazilian mix) (instrumental)
3. "Rio" (dance remix)
4. "Rio" (video)
5. The making of the "Rio" (Caress Brazilian mix) video

## References

[edit]

1. ^ People Weekly, Vol. 62. Time, Incorporated. 2004. "But the big-haired lineup that gave us such '80s synth-pop hits as "Girls on Film," "Hungry Like the Wolf" and "Rio" has reunited for Astronaut, which finds the group taking creative flight again."
2. ^ Owen, Tom (30 April 2024). "The top 25 greatest 1980s synthpop songs ever". Smooth Radio. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
3. ^ "CLASSIC TRACKS: Duran Duran 'The Reflex'". Sound on Sound. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
4. ^ Gallucci, Michael (7 November 2024). "Top 50 New Wave Songs". Ultimate Classic Rock. Archived from the original on 12 May 2025. Retrieved 13 June 2025.
5. ^ "Now playing: yacht rock". The Economist. 5 July 2019. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
6. ^ a b "Duran Duran: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
7. ^ "Duran Duran's Official Top 20 most-streamed songs revealed". Official Charts Company. 26 October 2021. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
8. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. Australian Chart Book, St Ives, N.S.W. p. 97\. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
9. ^ Audio recordings of the station obtained by industry publication Radio & Records show in an archived column written by Adam Jacobson.
10. ^ John Taylor In the Pleasure Groove: Love, Death, and Duran Duran 2012, chapter 33
11. ^ "Fame again for former Duran Duran singer". Archived from the original on 25 October 2008. Retrieved 25 January 2010.
12. ^ Welch, Andy (23 May 2022). "Duran Duran on making Rio: 'We're still trying to work out what it means'". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
13. ^ "Ask Katy". Archived from the original on 23 June 2006. Retrieved 15 June 2006.
14. ^ Bein, Kat (16 June 2022). "Sound Behind the Song: "Rio" by Duran Duran". Roland Corporation. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
15. ^ "Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. 2 April 1983. p. 8. Retrieved 17 July 2022.
16. ^ a b Zaleski, Annie (6 May 2021). Duran Duran's Rio. Bloomsbury Publishing USA. pp. 93–94\. ISBN 978-1-5013-5519-6.
17. ^ Long, Mark (29 May 2013). "Object of Desire: The Restored Yacht Eilean". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
18. ^ Ellwood, Mark (17 October 2017). "Duran Duran video yacht rescued by luxe watch CEO". New York Post. Retrieved 18 December 2018.
19. ^ Nick Rhodes (9 November 2008). "Flashback: November 1982". The Guardian.
20. ^ Odell, Michael. "Duran Duran: In their own words Archived 2 October 2006 at the Wayback Machine". The Observer, 16 November 2003.
21. ^ "Duran Duran Rio". Ionpool.net. Retrieved 14 November 2016.
22. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
23. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 6323." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
24. ^ Timo (13 August 2015). "Sisältää hitin: Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1960: Artistit DOG – DZE". Sisältää hitin. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
25. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Rio". Irish Singles Chart.
26. ^ "Dutch Charts – dutchcharts.nl". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
27. ^ "Duran Duran – Rio". Top 40 Singles.
28. ^ "Billboard Hot 100 – Week of May 21, 1983". Billboard. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
29. ^ "Rio (song by Duran Duran) ••• Music VF, US & UK hits charts". musicvf.com. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
30. ^ "Top 100 1983-05-21". Cashbox Magazine. Archived from the original on 11 September 2012. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
31. ^ "Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 29 June 2015. Retrieved 14 November 2016.
32. ^ "Top 100 Year End Charts: 1983". Cashbox Magazine. Archived from the original on 11 September 2012. Retrieved 5 June 2016.
33. ^ Whitburn, Joel (1999). Pop Annual. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Inc. p. 463\. ISBN 0-89820-142-X.
34. ^ "British single certifications – Duran Duran – Rio". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
35. ^ "50 incredibly geeky facts about Arctic Monkeys". NME. 6 January 2016. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
36. ^ "CSS cover Duran Duran for Rio Olympics". Retrieved 28 February 2020.
37. ^ Grow, Kory (27 May 2014). "Hear Moby's Dusky Take on Duran Duran's 'Rio'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 14 November 2016.
38. ^ "MSN.com - Hotmail, Outlook, Skype, Bing, Latest News, Photos & Videos". Caressbrazilian.msn.com. Archived from the original on 20 July 2008. Retrieved 14 November 2016.
39. ^ Nicole Scherzinger - "Rio" official video from CaressBrazilian on YouTube
40. ^ "Nicole of Pussycat Dolls Releases Brazilian Remake of Duran's Rio | audiotube". Archived from the original on 27 April 2009. Retrieved 19 July 2014.

## External links

[edit]

* Rio at Discogs (list of releases)

* v
* t
* e

Duran Duran

* Nick Rhodes
* John Taylor
* Roger Taylor
* Simon Le Bon

* Stephen Duffy
* Andy Taylor
* Warren Cuccurullo
* Sterling Campbell

Studio albums|

* Duran Duran
* Rio
* Seven and the Ragged Tiger
* Notorious
* Big Thing
* Liberty
* Duran Duran (The Wedding Album)
* Thank You
* Medazzaland
* Pop Trash
* Astronaut
* Red Carpet Massacre
* All You Need Is Now
* Paper Gods
* Future Past
* Danse Macabre

Live albums|

* Arena
* Live at Hammersmith '82!
* A Diamond in the Mind: Live 2011

Compilations,
EPs and remixes|

* Carnival
* Master Mixes
* Decade
* Night Versions: The Essential Duran Duran
* Greatest
* Strange Behaviour
* The Essential Collection
* Singles Box Set 1981–1985
* The Singles 1986–1995
* From Mediterranea with Love

Singles|

* "Planet Earth"
* "Careless Memories"
* "Girls on Film"
* "My Own Way"
* "Hungry Like the Wolf"
* "Save a Prayer"
* "Rio"
* "Is There Something I Should Know?"
* "Union of the Snake"
* "New Moon on Monday"
* "The Reflex"
* "The Wild Boys"
* "A View to a Kill"
* "Notorious"
* "Skin Trade"
* "Meet El Presidente"
* "I Don't Want Your Love"
* "All She Wants Is"
* "Do You Believe in Shame?"
* "Burning the Ground"
* "Violence of Summer (Love's Taking Over)"
* "Serious"
* "Ordinary World"
* "Come Undone"
* "Too Much Information"
* "Perfect Day"
* "White Lines (Don't Do It)"
* "Out of My Mind"
* "Electric Barbarella"
* "Someone Else Not Me"
* "(Reach Up for The) Sunrise"
* "What Happens Tomorrow"
* "Nice"
* "Falling Down"
* "Invisible"

Videography|

* Duran Duran Video 45
* Duran Duran
* Dancing on the Valentine
* Sing Blue Silver
* Arena (An Absurd Notion)
* 6ix by 3hree
* Decade
* Greatest
* Live from London
* Live at Hammersmith '82!
* A Diamond in the Mind: Live 2011
* Duran Duran: A Hollywood High

Related artists|

* Arcadia
* Neurotic Outsiders
* The Devils
* The Power Station
* Swahili Blonde
* TV Mania
* John Frusciante
* Dominic Brown

Related articles|

* Discography
* Songs
* Awards and nominations
* Reportage
* Tours
* All You Need Is Now
* Duran Duran's charity concert at Villa Park 1983
* Making Patterns Rhyme
* Drum
* Eilean
* Yasmin Le Bon
* Amber Le Bon

* v
* t
* e

Nicole Scherzinger

* Discography
* Songs
* On screen and on stage

Studio albums|

* Killer Love
* Big Fat Lie

Singles|

* "Whatever U Like"
* "Baby Love"
* "Poison"
* "Don't Hold Your Breath"
* "Right There"
* "Wet"
* "Try with Me"
* "Boomerang"
* "Your Love"
* "Run"
* "On the Rocks"
* "Bang"

Collaborations|

* "Coconut Tree"
* "Come to Me"
* "Heartbeat"
* "Hotel Room Service"
* "Fino all'estasi"
* "Jai Ho! (You Are My Destiny)"
* "Lie About Us"
* "Numba 1 (Tide Is High)"
* "Scream"
* "We Are the World 25 for Haiti"

Related articles|

* Days of the New
* Eden's Crush
* The Pussycat Dolls

* v
* t
* e

Moby

* Discography

Studio albums|

* Moby
* Ambient
* Everything Is Wrong
* Animal Rights
* Play
* 18
* Hotel
* Last Night
* Wait for Me
* Destroyed
* Innocents
* Long Ambients 1: Calm. Sleep.
* These Systems Are Failing
* More Fast Songs About the Apocalypse
* Everything Was Beautiful, and Nothing Hurt
* Long Ambients 2
* All Visible Objects
* Live Ambients – Improvised Recordings Vol. 1
* Reprise
* Resound NYC
* Always Centered at Night

EPs|

* Move – The E.P.

Compilations|

* Instinct Dance
* Early Underground
* I Like to Score
* MobySongs 1993–1998
* Play: The B Sides
* 18 B Sides + DVD
* Go – The Very Best of Moby
* Last Night Remixed
* Wait for Me: Ambient
* Wait for Me. Remixes!

Singles|

* "Mobility"
* "Go"
* "Drop a Beat"
* "Next Is the E"
* "I Feel It"/"Thousand"
* "Move (You Make Me Feel So Good)"
* "All That I Need Is to Be Loved"
* "Hymn"
* "Feeling So Real"
* "Everytime You Touch Me"
* "Into the Blue"
* "Bring Back My Happiness"
* "That's When I Reach for My Revolver"
* "James Bond Theme (Moby's Re-Version)"
* "Honey"
* "Run On"
* "Bodyrock"
* "Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad?"
* "Natural Blues"
* "Porcelain"
* "South Side"
* "Find My Baby"
* "We Are All Made of Stars"
* "Extreme Ways"
* "In This World"
* "Sunday (The Day Before My Birthday)"
* "In My Heart"
* "Jam for the Ladies"
* "Make Love Fuck War"
* "Lift Me Up"
* "Raining Again"
* "Spiders"
* "Dream About Me"
* "Beautiful"
* "Slipping Away"
* "New York, New York"
* "Extreme Ways (Bourne's Ultimatum)"
* "Disco Lies"
* "Alice"
* "I Love to Move in Here"
* "Ooh Yeah"
* "Shot in the Back of the Head"
* "Pale Horses"
* "Mistake"
* "Be the One"
* "The Day"
* "Lie Down in Darkness"
* "Extreme Ways (Bourne's Legacy)"
* "A Case for Shame"
* "Extreme Ways (Jason Bourne)"
* "ASAP Forever"

as Voodoo Child|

* The End of Everything
* Baby Monkey

Books|

* Porcelain: A Memoir
* Then It Fell Apart

Related articles|

* Little Pine
* Teany
* Vatican Commandos
* Moby Presents: Alien Sex Party
* Moby Doc

Authority control databases |

* MusicBrainz work
* MusicBrainz release group

|

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