"Electric Barbarella" is the 29th single by
Duran Duran, and the first official single from the album ''
Medazzaland
''Medazzaland'' is the ninth studio album by English new wave band Duran Duran. It was released on 14 October 1997 by Capitol Records. The album was never officially released physically in Europe until 2022, and was solely released in North ...
''. In 1997, the single and album were released only in the United States; "Electric Barbarella" was not issued as a single in the UK until January 1999 on the back of the late 1998 release of the compilation album ''
Greatest''.
The band's previous single, "
Out of My Mind", was another track from ''Medazzaland'', but was released as a single from ''
The Saint
The Saint may refer to:
Fiction
* Simon Templar, also known as "The Saint", the protagonist of a book series by Leslie Charteris and subsequent adaptations:
** ''The Saint'' (film series) (1938–43), starring Louis Hayward, George Sanders an ...
'' soundtrack album instead.
About the song
"Electric Barbarella" is a direct tribute to the 1968
Roger Vadim
Roger Vadim Plemiannikov (; 26 January 1928 – 11 February 2000) was a French screenwriter, film director and producer, as well as an author, artist and occasional actor. His best-known works are visually lavish films with erotic qualities, su ...
film ''
Barbarella'', from which the band took their name.
It has been touted as the first song available for digital purchase/download on the Internet, however, this is heavily disputed as songs had been available for download and purchase on the internet since 1992. Dozens of different mixes were created from the song. A
Dom T Dom or DOM may refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Dom (given name), including fictional characters
* Dom (surname)
* Dom La Nena (born 1989), stage name of Brazilian-born cellist, singer and songwriter Dominique Pinto
* Dom people, an et ...
mix exclusive to the Internet was available for
download
In computer networks, download means to ''receive'' data from a remote system, typically a server such as a web server, an FTP server, an email server, or other similar system. This contrasts with uploading, where data is ''sent to'' a remote ...
in the US for 99 cents. This pioneering move annoyed many American retailers as they saw it as infringing on their retail territory and they either refused to stock the album, or provided very little, or sometimes no, promotion of the disc.
Music video
The video, directed by photographer
Ellen von Unwerth, involved a
robot sex doll played by American model
Myka Dunkle. Simon Le Bon stated during an interview with
Carson Daly on
Total Request Live
''Total Request Live'' (known commonly as ''TRL'') was an American television program broadcast on MTV that premiered on September 14, 1998. TRL featured popular music videos played during its countdown, and was also used as a promotion tool by ...
that von Unwerth specifically requested to use Dunkle, despite the fact that the band had other models and friends, including
Devon Aoki
Devon Edwenna Aoki (born August 10, 1982) is an actress and fashion model. Aoki's film roles include supporting roles in ''2 Fast 2 Furious'' (2003) and ''Sin City'' (2005) and lead roles in '' DOA: Dead or Alive'' (2006) and ''Mutant Chronicles ...
and
Sophie Dahl
Sophie Dahl (born Sophie Holloway on 15 September 1977, later taking her mother's name for professional reasons) is an English author and former fashion model. Her first novel, ''The Man with the Dancing Eyes'', was published in 2003 followed b ...
(both of whom appear in the video's party scene), in mind due to her background as a dancer, and her ability to "do the mime that would actually make her appear to be a robot." The video had to be mildly censored before receiving airplay on
MTV
MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
or
VH1; by the time the modified video was delivered, the song had already fallen off the charts.
B-sides, bonus tracks and remixes
The
b-side for "Electric Barbarella" was a mix of their previous single, "Out of My Mind".
Numerous remixes were issued on various promo releases and on the internet.
[ ]
Remix list
*“Electric Barbarella” (Album Version) 5:16
*“Electric Barbarella” (Edit) / (Radio Edit) 4:16
*“Electric Barbarella” (Single Edit) 3:58
*“Electric Barbarella” (Single Edit/No Solo) 4:00
*“Electric Barbarella” (
Tee
A tee is a stand used in sport to support and elevate a stationary ball prior to striking with a foot, club or bat. Tees are used extensively in golf, tee-ball, baseball, American football, and rugby.
Etymology
The word tee is derived from the ...
's Club Mix) 5:50
*“Electric Barbarella” (Tee's Speed Dub) 6:24
*“Electric Barbarella” (Tee's Dance Mix) 6:09
*“Electric Barbarella” (Tee's Radio Mix) / (Tee's Radio Edit) 4:04
*“Electric Barbarella” (Tee's Capella) 2:13
*“Electric Barbarella” (
TNT
Trinitrotoluene (), more commonly known as TNT, more specifically 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene, and by its preferred IUPAC name 2-methyl-1,3,5-trinitrobenzene, is a chemical compound with the formula C6H2(NO2)3CH3. TNT is occasionally used as a reagen ...
In-House Mix) 5:18
*“Electric Barbarella” (TNT Radio Mix) 3:23
*“Electric Barbarella” (All Fired Up Mix) / (Dom T Remix) 7:09
*“Electric Barbarella” (Internet Only Mix) / (Dom T Remix Edit) 4:16
*“Electric Barbarella” (Barbarella Bonus Beats) 4:41
*“Electric Barbarella” (The Americruiser Remix) 6:17
*“Electric Barbarella” (The Yo Shorty Americruiser Remix) 5:05
*“Electric Barbarella” (The Electric Sex Remix) 5:06
*“Electric Barbarella” (The Electric Sex Instrumental Remix) 5:04
Formats and track listing
12": EMI. / 12ELEC 2000 United Kingdom
# "Electric Barbarella" (Tee's Club Mix) – 5:54
# "Electric Barbarella" (Electric Sex Mix) – 5:02
# "Girls on Film" (Salt Tank Mix) – 6:27
* Released November 1998.
CD: EMI. / CDELEC 2000 United Kingdom
# "Electric Barbarella" (Radio Edit) – 4:15
# "Girls on Film" (Tin Tin Out Radio mix) – 4:51
# "Electric Barbarella" (Tee's Radio Mix) – 4:05
* Released November 1998
MC: EMI. / TCELEC 2000 United Kingdom
# "Electric Barbarella" (Radio Edit) – 4:15
# "Girls on Film" (Tin Tin Out Radio mix) – 4:51
# "Electric Barbarella" (Tee's Radio Mix) – 4:05
7": Capitol Records. / S7-724381972175 United States
# "Electric Barbarella" (Album Version) – 5:19
# "Out of My Mind" (Album Version) – 4:20
12": Capitol Records. / Y 7243 8 58674 15 United States
# "Electric Barbarella" (Tee's Club Mix) – 5:54
# "Electric Barbarella" (Tee's Dance Mix) – 6:16
# "Electric Barbarella" (All Fired Up Mix) – 7:12
# "Electric Barbarella" (Barbarella Bonus Beats) – 4:49
12": Capitol Records. / SPRO 12098 (Promo) United States
# "Electric Barbarella" (Tee's Club Mix) – 5:41
# "Electric Barbarella" (Tee's Speed Dub) – 6:15
# "Electric Barbarella" (Tee's Dance Mix) – 6:03
# "Electric Barbarella" (TNT In-House Mix) – 5:12
# "Electric Barbarella" (Tee's Capella) – 2:11
*US promo 12" labelled "Todd Terry Remixes".
12": Capitol Records. / SPRO 7087 6 12098 15 (Promo) United States
# "Electric Barbarella" (Tee's Dance Mix) – 6:03
# "Electric Barbarella" (TNT In-House Mix) – 5:12
# "Electric Barbarella" (Tee's Capella) – 2:11
# "Electric Barbarella" (Tee's Club Mix) – 5:41
# "Electric Barbarella" (Tee's Speed Dub) – 6:15
12": Capitol Records. / SPRO 7087 6 12097 16 (Promo) United States
# "Electric Barbarella" (All Fired Up Mix) – 7:12
# "Electric Barbarella" (Barbarella Bonus Beats) – 4:49
# "Electric Barbarella" (Album Version) – 5:19
# "Electric Barbarella" (Radio Edit) – 4:15
12": Harvest. / SPRO 7087 6 12085 11 (Promo) United States
# "Electric Barbarella" (Electric Sex Remix) – 5:02
# "Electric Barbarella" (Electric Sex Instrumental Remix) – 5:04
# "Electric Barbarella" (The Americruiser Remix) – 6:17
# "Electric Barbarella" (Yo Shorty Americruiser Remix) – 5:05
CD: Capitol Records. / C2 7243 8 58674 0 8 United States
# "Electric Barbarella" (Album Version) – 5:15
# "Electric Barbarella" (Tee's Club Mix) – 5:41
# "Electric Barbarella" (All Fired Up Mix) – 7:09
# "Out of My Mind" (Perfecto Mix) – 5:51
# "Sinner and Saint" – 4:12
# "Electric Barbarella Video" (Director's Cut) – 5:01
* Track 6 Video is in Quicktime format, 320x240, Apple Cinepak codec.
Download
# "Electric Barbarella (Internet-only mix)" – 4:20
om T. remix edit/small>
# "Electric Barbarella (Dom T Remix)" – 7:08
* First commercially downloadable song; sold for 99 cents.
Media references
The cosmetics company
Hard Candy
A hard candy (American English), or boiled sweet (British English), is a sugar candy prepared from one or more sugar-based syrups that is heated to a temperature of 160 °C (320 °F) to make candy. Among the many hard candy varieti ...
was preparing to launch a colour of
nail polish
Nail polish (also known as nail varnish or nail enamel) is a lacquer that can be applied to the human fingernail or toenails to decorate and protect the nail plates. The formula has been revised repeatedly to enhance its decorative properties ...
named "Electric Barbarella" at the same time the single was released, but had to halt it because the proper permissions had not been received from the owners of the Barbarella name.
Chart positions
The song was released on 16 September in the United States, and peaked at No. 52 on the
''Billboard'' Hot 100 on 1 November and one year later reached No. 23 in UK singles charts. Due to the debacle over its download release, temporary censoring of the music video and late release to other markets the single is generally considered to have under-performed.
Release history
Other appearances
Aside from the single, the song has also appeared on:
* ''
Medazzaland
''Medazzaland'' is the ninth studio album by English new wave band Duran Duran. It was released on 14 October 1997 by Capitol Records. The album was never officially released physically in Europe until 2022, and was solely released in North ...
'' (1997)
* ''
Greatest'' (1998)
Personnel
Duran Duran are:
*
Nick Rhodes
Nick Rhodes (born Nicholas James Bates, 8 June 1962) is an English keyboardist and producer, best known as a founding member, keyboardist, and only continuous member of the band Duran Duran. He is also informally monikered as "The Controller ...
– keyboards
*
Simon Le Bon
Simon John Charles Le Bon (born 27 October 1958) is a British singer. He is best known as the lead vocalist and lyricist of the new wave band Duran Duran and its offshoot Arcadia. Le Bon has received three Ivor Novello Awards from the British ...
– vocals
*
Warren Cuccurullo
Warren Bruce Cuccurullo (born December 8, 1956) is an American musician, singer-songwriter, restaurant owner and former body builder who first worked with Frank Zappa during the 1970s. He was also a founding member of Missing Persons in the 1980s ...
– guitar, bass
Other credits
*
Anthony J. Resta – live drums
References
{{authority control
Duran Duran songs
1997 singles
Fictional gynoids
1997 songs
EMI Records singles
Songs written by Warren Cuccurullo
Songs written by Simon Le Bon
Songs written by Nick Rhodes
Songs about comics
Songs about fictional female characters
Music videos featuring gynoids