BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1981
Twenty years ago today we lost Diana Princess Of wales. She often said that her favorite band was Duran Duran. This ones for you Diana.
“Girls on Film” is the third single by Duran Duran, released on 13 July 1981.
The single became Duran Duran’s Top 10 breakthrough in the UK Singles Chart, peaking at Number 5 in July 1981. The band personally selected the song for release following the failure of its predecessor, “Careless Memories”, which had been chosen by their record company, EMI. Its popularity provided a major boost to sales of the band’s eponymous debut album, Duran Duran, which had been released a month earlier.
The song did not chart in the United States on its initial release, but it became popular and widely known after receiving heavy airplay on MTV when the Duran Duran album was re-issued in 1983.
The song begins with a recording of the rapid whirring of a motor drive on a camera. Both manager Paul Berrow and photographer Andy Earl claim to have supplied the camera for the recording.
Over the years, “Girls on Film” has become a staple of the encores for Duran Duran’s live performances and is often the final song of a concert, during which lead singer Simon Le Bon introduces the rest of the band.
The song, along with “Rio”, was originally omitted from the 1984 live album Arena to make room for newer and less familiar album material from 1983’s Seven and the Ragged Tiger. Both tracks were included as bonus material in the 2004 CD reissue of Arena.
The b-side of the single was another song initially unavailable anywhere else, a synthesiser-heavy dance track called “Faster Than Light”.
SIDE A:
Girls On Film (Night Version) 5:31
SIDE B:
Girls On Film 3:31
Faster Than Light 4:30
VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint
RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: EMI – 12EMI 5206
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM
Country: UK
Released: 1981
Genre: Electronic, Rock, Pop
Style: New Wave, Synth-pop
CREDITS:
hotography By – Gered Mankowitz
Producer – Colin Thurston
Sleeve – Assorted Images
Written-By – Duran Duran
NOTES:
Mastered at Townhouse.
Find the 12″ on DISCOGS
VINYL RESTORATION BY:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net
EQUIPMENT USED:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut Carbon (DC)
Cartridge: Ortofon 2M
Stylus: Ortofon 2M Bronze
Isolation: Auralex Acoustics ISO-Tone Turntable Isolation Platform
Platter: Pro-Ject Acryl-It platter
Stabilizer: Pro-Ject Record Puck
Phono Pre-amp: Bellari VP130 Tube Phono Preamp
Tube: Tung-Sol 12AX7ECC803-S Gold Electron Tube
Soundcard: ESI Juli@
Record Cleaning: VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Artwork Scans: Epson Workforce WF-7610 Professional Printer/Scanner
SOFTWARE USED:
Recording/Editing: Adobe Audition 3.0 (Recording)
Down Sampling: iZotope RX Advanced 2, ocenaudio
Artwork Editor: Adobe Photoshop CS5
Click Removal: Manual
FLAC/MP3 Conversion: dBpoweramp
M3U Playlist: Playlist Creator
RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
FLAC (Level Eight)
MP3 (320kbps)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi
I missed this one, as well as all the other Duran Duran rips that are no longer available. Any chance they’ll get re-uploaded at some point?
Thanks Paul!
I have a younger friend who only listens to this song in order to watch the film clip. Which has it’s own cult following. I, of course, listen to it for the music. Which was on radio today. And I blame my sister foe getting me into Duran Duran. 😛
🙂
Hi Paul!
You posted 16bit wavs instead of 16bit flacs!
Compared to your vinyl rips, the extended versions found on
Duran Duran – The Singles 81-85 (Reissued 2009)
https://www.discogs.com/Duran-Duran-The-Singles-81-85/release/2011759
sound muddy and dull, lacking not only in the dynamic range, but also missing
a lot of the high frequencies. Totally absurd and disappointing!
What are they doing, chewing the Master tapes before transferring to CD?
Nobody mentioned the super-hot uncensored version of the video!!!!!!
I remember staying up late in the evening to catch it on the local TV station!
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/xh50c
Hey Davos Via 45 thanks for letting me know I have corrected it and they are now Flac. I agree the mastering on the singles box and the debut album is awful. Thanks again 🙂
One of my all time favourite Duran Duran tracks, great video and always fantastic live, with a great B-Side…..Thank You Paul, for another trip down memory lane post.
You’re welcome John 🙂
Thanks paul,
always great to see more duran duran here.
girls on film, is one of my favorites,
there’s another extended version of it that is different to this one.
and fans might want to track down the rare Greek 12 inch
with the instrumental mix:
https://www.discogs.com/Duran-Duran-Girls-On-Film-Night-Version/release/1963291
later
-1
Working on getting that one 🙂
Totally takes me back to when I was collecting these import Night Versions back in the early to mid 80s. I LOVED the music of course, but also the design and art direction. Thanks very much Paul!
You’re welcome Modernaire 🙂
Great single from a golden era. Nice tribute to Lady Di.
I always thought it was cool that she used her royal influence to get to hang out with the musicians she liked.
Thanks Joey 🙂
Many thanks we really needed this. Could you possibly wrap up Duran Duran after 5 years of posting them? Would be great to burn the complete collection in your wonderful rips! Can’t believe it’s been 20 years. Anyone else??
How about my personal favourite, New Moon on Monday? It seems we’re missing Careless memories, Union of the snake, A view to a kill (7″), Skin trade, Meet el Presidente and Do you believe in shame from the 80’s!!
Thank you Paul!!!
You’re welcome Guss 🙂
I love the Night versions they have of many of their tracks. 20 years, time flies!
It sure does Martijn 🙂
Thanks Paul. I thought the Night Version was far better than the standard version. What was even better was the ext. Night Version that appeared on the 2cd/dvd reissue in 2010 of their debut album.
I agree the “Night Version” had more energy. Too bad the CD version was brick walled and flat.
I Love Duran Duran, great!
Thank you Patomite 🙂
Paul you have taken a pretty stressful week and injected some fun and nostalgia. You took this frown and turned it upside down. The past few weeks have been stressful. This post turned it all into such a beacon of hope. I love this band, Love this song. I love what you do. This week has been a great week of music on here. Thank you
You’re welcome memoryboy. Keep smiling 🙂
I love when you acknowledge a piece of history with your postings. I had no idea that Princess Diana loved Duran Duran. Very, very cool!
I’m looking forward to the flip-side of this one Paul. Thanks for making the rare available.
Jeff
You’re welcome Jeff 🙂