All Of The Things You Like
We all love a good poll, and what better than an update on an old favourite - your favourite Duran tracks. In May 2020, John Skinner started by asking out on Twitter what people's favourite 10 Duran tracks were and the answers poured in - well over 150 of them. He very kindly has asked Cherry Lipstick to publish the results, and here they are, along with some extra analysis and breakdown.
Here's John to introduce his poll:
"The plan was to compile the final list with 10 points for first place, 9 for second and so on. But like all plans there are flaws. Most the top 10s came through were listed as in no particular order, so that put that system out. So I simply just gave one nominated vote for all songs listed in each top 10 that came through.
If there was one other thing that was noted was at least a third had a message of "this was so hard" or ".....today they are my favourites" so, of course like most polls I guess there's a twist of flexibility as if most voted again there may have been a different result.
On the whole I was so happy with the responses. I had votes come in from some high brow DD fans..... we know who they are, but equally frustrating not from others, but if I do something like this again I'll be messaging like I do sometimes to some other big players in the DD universe but again to have these many people respond I thought was fantastic so again on the whole I was really happy."
135 different tracks got at least one nomination, and here are the Top 20:
Back in 1994 for the Cherry Lipstick Readers Poll (see below), this actually came 4th!
19. Girls On Film
There's a fanzine name somewhere in that song, don't you know?
17. Skin Trade
One of only two top 20 entrants from the Notorious / Big Thing era
15= The Reflex / New Moon On Monday
14. Careless Memories
Not so successful back in '81, but a firm favourite now.
13. Serious
The runner-up in the recent Cherry Lipstick 'Best Duran Song of the 90s' poll.
11= The Man Who Stole A Leopard / Secret Oktober
The only entry in the top 20 from the 21st Century ties with the highest placing b-side.
and now a big drum roll, please for... your top 10!
10. Friends Of Mine
9. Come Undone
8. New Religion
6= Planet Earth / The Seventh Stranger
3= Rio / Hold Back The Rain
Party central can't be separated near the top of this poll.
Winner of the Cherry Lipstick Poll for best Duran song of the 1980s, and the 5th song from Rio in the top 10.
There it is! The Big Daddy of them all! A deserved winner.
Other Interesting Stats:
14 tracks from Astronaunt got a nomination (including unreleased tracks) Sunrise was your favourite, but Beautiful Colours came third.
13 different Paper Gods tracks got a nomination. Top 3:
1. Universe Alone 2. Pressure Off 3. What Are The Chances.
Red Carpet Massacre had 8 tracks get a few ticks, with Tempted being the favourite, no doubt helped by the live outing it got last year.
A good effort award goes to: A Matter Of Feeing (17 nominations), Palomino (16), Too Late Marlene (8), Edge of America (7), Yo Bad Azizi (1).
Not As Popular As You Thought award goes to A View To A Kill (17), Out Of My Mind (7), Electric Barbarella (4), I Believe (3), White Lines (2), Too Much Information (1), Perfect Day and Planet Roaring (both 0)
The 'Is That All?' Under-rated award: Falling Down (6) Runway Runaway (5), Face For Today (2) Lava Lamp, Shelter (1),
The 'How Many Votes?' Over-rated award: What Are The Chances? (14), Violence Of Summer (5), Last Night In The City (1)
Top album by nominations (includes associated b-sides / bonus tracks):
Rio: 383
Duran Duran: 235
Seven and the Ragged Tiger 204
The Wedding Album: 142
All You Need Is Now: 120
Notorious: 114
Big Thing: 102
Paper Gods: 72
Liberty: 65
Astronaut: 61
Medazzaland: 30
Red Carpet Massacre: 27
Arena: 22
Pop Trash: 11
Thank You: 2
By way of comparison:
The Cherry Lipstick Readers Poll March 1994:
1. Ordinary World
2. Come Undone
3. Save A Prayer
4. Do You Believe In Shame?
5. New Religion
6. The Chauffeur
7. Skin Trade
8. Planet Earth
9. The Reflex
10. Girls On Film
The Cherry Lipstick Readers Poll April 2000
1. Ordinary World
2. Come Undone
3. Save A Prayer
4. The Chauffeur
5. Friends Of Mine
6. Planet Earth
7. Secret Oktober
8. Girls On Film
9. Skin Trade
10. Rio
and I tried to include the Dutch Go Duran fanzine readers poll from January 2006 (issue 71) but I can't find that copy. if anyone has it and can email Cherry Lipstick, I will add it here (but I'm pretty sure that Ordinary World won!).