I have something to admit: last night, I listened to “The
Reflex” by Duran Duran.
No, that’s not
necessarily a problem.
It’s the number
of times I listened to it that may be a little unsettling: roughly 20.
Ten of those twenty were in a row.
I don’t know why.
I wish I had a reason for you.
Hell, I wish I wish I had an answer for
ME.
There’s just something magical that
I hear in that song when beer is involved.
But even sober, the US single version of that song is probably the best
song ever released in the 1980’s.
And
yes, I’m being serious.
It’s a perfect
embodiment of pop culture in the 80’s: synth-pop, catchy, mysterioso lyrics,
sing-a-long-ability, the title being repeated constantly, etc.
Growing up, my mother’s Duran Duran song of
choice was “Union of the Snake.”
Which
in turn became my first favorite Duran Duran song.
It wasn’t until the invention of VH1’s Pop Up
Video that I was able to explore other Duran Duran delightfulness, the first of
which was “Hungry Like the Wolf.”
After
recording that video off of said TV program and watching it a few hundred times
I decided that IT was the absolutely best song of the 1980’s.
However, it would take a purchase of their
Greatest Hits to convince me otherwise.
Of course, I listened to “Rio” and “Hungry Like the Wolf” repeatedly,
because Pop Up Video taught me to like those songs in particular.
Having my fill of those songs, I began to
explore the rest of the album.
“The
Reflex” is the 2
nd song on the playlist and within the first fade-in
echoes, I’m hooked.
I already know the
rest of the song is going to be amazing.
And it does not disappoint.
I
have absolutely no idea what Mr. Le Bon is talking about, but I don’t give a
damn.
It’s catchy, I’m singing it in the
shower, & I’ve decided that I’m going to marry Simon Le Bon.
(I guess I should remind you here that I was
roughly 15 when I finally discovered this song.
All of the other girls in my age bracket at my high school were deciding
which Backstreet Boy or which NSYNC member they wanted to marry; I had my eyes
set on a middle-aged British man.)
But despite my love of & loyalty to “The Reflex”,
something strange happens: I get a little older & decide to place my
loyalty with a different Duran Duran song: “Come Undone.” This will prove to be a problem when I reach
drinking age, as it makes me depressed when mixed with alcohol. “The Reflex”, though... “The Reflex” makes
you wants to dance & sing along loudly when mixed with alcohol. So I slowly crawled my way back to my
favorite Duran Duran tune.
Now, to be clear, this isn’t exactly my favorite song of all
time. No, that distinction is reserved
for a song by my favorite band, The Beach Boys.
But there is something about “The Reflex” that I just can’t leave
behind, sober or otherwise. I was too
young to fully appreciate the 80’s but I am grateful to have been reared in a
house where Duran Duran was played regularly.
And now, here I am, well into my 20’s-going-on-30 in 2012,
having just found out that I am now officially a political scientist, one of my
life’s goals. And I’m having a few
(translation-many) beers & all I can think about is how awesome “The
Reflex” would sound to highlight the moment.
Mr. Le Bon, I don’t know what you’re singing about, but
thank you for “The Reflex”.
Posts
