"Careless Memories" | ||||
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Single by Duran Duran | ||||
from the album Duran Duran | ||||
B-side |
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Released | 20 April 1981 | |||
Recorded | December 1980 | |||
Studio | Red Bus (London) | |||
Genre | ||||
Length |
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Label | ||||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) | Colin Thurston | |||
Duran Duran singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Careless Memories" on YouTube |
"Careless Memories" is the second single by English new wave band Duran Duran, released on 20 April 1981. It reached no. 37 in the UK and no. 60 in Australia.
Music video
The video was shot in Soho and directed by Perry Haines, who went on to form i-D magazine.
There are two different cuts of this video. The second version, which was included in the Duran Duran video album released in 1983, features minor re-edits of certain scenes. The original version of the video was finally released on the Duran Duran album 2010 2CD+DVD remaster.
B-sides and bonus tracks
The song "Khanada" was included as the B-side to the single. The UK 12" release also included a cover version of David Bowie's "Fame" on the B-side.
In Japan, the two B-sides were released on the Nite Romantics EP, along with night versions of "Girls on Film" and "Planet Earth".
Formats and track listings
7": EMI / EMI 5168 United Kingdom
- "Careless Memories" – 3:41
- "Khanada" – 3:17
12": EMI / 12 EMI 5168 United Kingdom
- "Careless Memories" – 3:53
- "Fame" – 3:11
- "Khanada" – 3:17
- Track 1 is the album version of "Careless Memories".
12": Harvest / SPRO-9662, SPRO-9663 (Promo) United States
- "Careless Memories" – 3:53
- "Is There Anyone Out There" – 4.02
- "Girls on Film" – 3.30
- Track 1 is the album version of "Careless Memories".
CD: Part of Singles Box Set 1981–1985
- "Careless Memories" – 3:44
- "Khanada" – 3:17
- "Fame" – 3:11
- Track 1 is the 7" version of "Careless Memories".
Charts
Chart (1981) | Peak position |
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Australia (Kent Music Report)[2] | 60 |
UK Singles (OCC)[3] | 37 |
Other appearances
When the song "Is There Something I Should Know?" was issued as a single in the US, "Careless Memories" was placed on the flipside. The song was also a favourite live staple throughout the 1980s and was included on the live album Arena.
A live version of "Careless Memories" recorded in December 1981 at the Hammersmith Odeon in London was released in 1982 as the B-side to "Hungry Like the Wolf".
"Careless Memories" was one of the few singles included on neither the Decade nor Greatest single compilations.
Personnel
Duran Duran
- Simon Le Bon – vocals
- Nick Rhodes – keyboards
- John Taylor – bass guitar
- Roger Taylor – drums
- Andy Taylor – guitar
Technical
- Peter Ashworth – sleeve photography
Musical notes
The song has a rock double-timed bass line in the key of E, with a keyboard intro played deliberately off-time.
References
- 1 2 3 S. Borthwick & R. Moy (2004), "Synthpop: into the digital age", Popular Music Genres: an Introduction, Routledge, p. 123, ISBN 978-0-7486-1745-6,
More conventional soul/disco acts such as Chic also influenced synthpop. A track such as Duran Duran's Careless Memories is a classic hybrid of Euro-disco, new wave guitar pop and Bowie/Kraftwerk
- ↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ↑ "Duran Duran: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 17 November 2023.