The story of the song The Chauffeur from the album Rio is well known to most fans of Duran Duran, because it is associated with the appearance of Simon Le Bon in the band. Before talking directly about this composition, let’s remember how a talented British singer became a member of the group.
Shortly after founding Duran, Duran was left without a vocalist. Stephen Duffy’s further stay in it seemed futile, and he left for free bread. I had to find a replacement for him, which turned out to be a difficult task. Several performers tried for this role, but a worthy candidate still did not come across.
At that time, the musicians were rehearsing at the Rum Runner club, where Le Bon’s girl worked as a waitress. She suggested that they give Simon a chance. At the audition, which was successfully held in May 1980, he came with a whole notebook of material of his own composition.
The story of the creation of the song The Chauffeur
Joining Duran Duran, Le Bon offered his colleagues his achievements, including a poem that later became the song The Chauffeur. It was written back in 1978.
At first The Chauffeur was conceived as an acoustic ballad, but later it became clear that it sounds more interesting with the use of samples and electronics.
Meaning of The Chauffeur – Duran Duran
According to the text of the composition, it is clear that it is performed on behalf of a man who is carrying a girl in a car. The authors did not explain the meaning of the song, so it remains only to guess what kind of relationship the characters have (obviously not the warmest). By the way, the word “chauffeur” is not mentioned anywhere except for the name.
Subsequently, the group’s fans put forward various versions of the interpretation of the main idea of the composition, but they are nothing more than guesses, so we will not mention them here. You can share your opinion in the comments.
Release and achievements
The song closes the album Rio, which became the second studio work of Duran Duran. It was not released as a single, and only an acoustic demo was released on the back of Rio (1982) and Come Undone (1994).
Video The Chauffeur – Duran Duran
The video was inspired by the controversial film The Night Porter (1974) by Liliana Cavani and the works of photographer Helmut Newton. Due to the rather explicit scenes in the video, it was rarely aired on music TV channels. Watch the music video for The Chauffeur by Duran Duran.
Interesting Facts
- Blue Silver (“Blue Silver”) can be an appeal to the car brand Rolls Royce. In the names of the models of this company, the word “silver” was repeatedly used.
- The instrument that plays at the end of the song is called the ocarina.
- None of the band members appear in The Chauffeur’s video.
- The phrase “sing Blue Silver” from the song was used as the title of a documentary about Duran Duran’s 1983-1984 tour.
- In some editions of the song, you can hear the voice of a person talking about insects.
The Chauffeur Lyrics
Out on the tar plains, the glides are moving
All looking for a new place to drive
You sit beside me, so newly charming
Sweating dew drops glisten, freshening your side
chorus:
The sun slips down bedding heavy behind
The front of your dress all shadowy lined
And the droning engine throbs in time
With your beating heart
Way down the lane away, living for another day
The aphids swarm up in the drifting haze
Swim seagull in the sky
Towards that hollow western isle
My envied lady holds you fast in her gaze
Sing Blue Silver
And watching lovers part, I feel you smiling
Glass splinters lie so deep in your mind
To tear out from your eyes
With a word to stiffen brooding lies
But I’ll only watch you leave me further behind
The Chauffeur Lyrics Alternative
Smooth movement on the tar surface,
Everyone is looking for somewhere to go
You sit next to me, so unusually charming
Falling dew drops sparkle, refreshing you
Chorus:
The sun slides down, setting far behind
The lines of your dress can’t be seen in the shadows
And the buzzing motor pulses to the beat
With the rhythm of your heart
Further down the road to live another day
Aphids climb up in the waving haze
Swim, seagull, in the sky
To the west, to the wild island
My lady sees you with an envious look
Sing, “Blue Silver”
I feel you smile as you watch the lovers part
Shards of glass in the depths of your soul
Rushing out of your eyes
With a word that strengthens dark lies
But I only see how you keep moving away from me
Quote about the song The Chauffeur
… a hypnotic ballad that has acquired an almost mythical status among the band’s fans.
Donald Guarisco, Allmusic
