Girls on Film
Encyclopedia
"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 August 1981. Its success was particularly gratifying for the band, who had personally selected it 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 début 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 original demo of the song has a very peculiar sound that differs somewhat from the final album version recorded in 1981. However, Wickett's version of the chorus remained, with very little change having been made to that part of the song's composition. When Wickett left the band, Duran Duran bought the song from him for £600 and made him sign a waiver removing his rights to the song (Andy Taylor
also made mention of this in his 2008 autobiography).
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. In fact, it was recorded at Air Studios with a Nikon camera
which Berrow had borrowed for the day from his father.
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 due to the space limitations of vinyl, in favour of 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 video was made with directing duo Godley & Creme
at Shepperton Studios
in July 1981. It was filmed just weeks before MTV
was launched in the United States
and before anyone knew what an impact the music channel would have on the industry. The band expected the "Girls On Film" video to be played in the newer nightclubs that had video screens, or on pay-TV channels like the Playboy Channel. The raunchy video created an uproar, and it was consequently banned by the BBC
and heavily edited for its original run on MTV; the band unabashedly enjoyed and capitalised on the controversy.
A Video 45
with videos for "Girls on Film" and "Hungry Like the Wolf
" was released in the United States in March, 1983. The VHS-format tape contains the MTV-friendly "day version" of "Girls on Film", while the Betamax
format contains the uncensored "night version". The Video 45 won the Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video
in 1984, the first year the Academy gave that award. The uncensored video was also included in the Duran Duran
video album (1983) and the Greatest video collection (released on VHS in 1999, and on DVD in 2004). The edited version would later be used in the 2008 karaoke
video game SingStar
Pop Vol. 2.
Simon Le Bon commented in the audio interview on the Greatest DVD collection that the scandal of the music video overshadowed the song's message of fashion model exploitation.
" show for US distribution they contacted Duran Duran to license the song. That was when Duran Duran learned that the record company had sold their rights to Girls on Film, and Duran Duran no longer owned their own song.
, as various scantily clad women act out a series of erotic vignettes. A number of these scenarios feature mild depictions of BDSM
and lesbian
fetish
es as well as a recurring theme of seduction and abandonment:
The extended night version of "Girls on Film", similar to "Planet Earth
" wasn't a remix, but a completely new arrangement of the song. This was mainly due to technology constraints in 1981.
There are two slightly different mixes of the Night Version, one clocking in at 5:45, the other at 5:27. The video version clocks in at 6:19.
In 1998, EMI released Girls on Film — The Remixes, featuring a swathe of newly commissioned re-constructions of the song by notable remixers like Tall Paul and Tin Tin Out
. A couple of these mixes were included on the 1998 UK release of the single "Electric Barbarella
".
s of "Girls on Film" have been recorded by Björn Again
, Wesley Willis Fiasco
, The Living End
, Girls Aloud
, Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers
, Billy Preston
,
Kevin Max
, La Ley
, Midnight Oil
and Nathan Stack (who went on to become Duran Duran's official MySpace page coordinator).
Daan covered the song live
The song was used as opening music to original Japanese version of the anime
series Speed Grapher
; due to licensing issues, the song "Shutter Speed" by Shinkichi Mitsumune was used in the U.S. release instead.
A live version of "Girls on Film" was used as the theme music to the TV series Sports Illustrated
: Swimsuit Model Search.
The song appears as downloadable content for the music video game Rock Band, and appears with the censored video in the SingStar Pop Vol. 2.
A cover of GoF from Mona Donnerman was used in the commecials for the Fall-collection of the Swedish retail-clothing company H&M.
EPs
Albums:
Singles:
Also credited:
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
by Duran Duran
Duran Duran
Duran Duran are an English band, formed in Birmingham in 1978. They were one of the most successful bands of the 1980s and a leading band in the MTV-driven "Second British Invasion" of the United States...
, released on 13 July 1981.
The single became Duran Duran's Top 10 breakthrough in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
, peaking at Number 5 in August 1981. Its success was particularly gratifying for the band, who had personally selected it for release following the failure of its predecessor, "Careless Memories
Careless Memories
"Careless Memories" is the second single by Duran Duran, released on 20 April 1981.The band's debut single "Planet Earth" had been a Top 20 hit, so it was regarded as a major setback when "Careless Memories" stalled at #37 in the UK charts, particularly as it was to herald the June release of the...
", which had been chosen by their record company, EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
. Its popularity provided a major boost to sales of the band's eponymous début 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
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
when the Duran Duran album was re-issued in 1983.
About the song
"Girls on Film" was originally co-written by Andy Wickett, one of Duran Duran's previous singers before Simon Le BonSimon Le Bon
Simon John Charles Le Bon is an English musician, best known as the lead singer, lyricist and musician of the band Duran Duran and its offshoot, Arcadia.-Early life:...
. The original demo of the song has a very peculiar sound that differs somewhat from the final album version recorded in 1981. However, Wickett's version of the chorus remained, with very little change having been made to that part of the song's composition. When Wickett left the band, Duran Duran bought the song from him for £600 and made him sign a waiver removing his rights to the song (Andy Taylor
Andy Taylor (guitarist)
Andy Taylor is an English guitarist, singer, songwriter, and record producer, best known as a member of Duran Duran and The Power Station....
also made mention of this in his 2008 autobiography).
The song begins with a recording of the rapid whirring of a motor drive
Motor drive
A motor drive, in the field of photography, is a powered film transport mechanism. Historically, film loading, advancing, and rewinding were all manually driven functions...
on a camera. Both manager Paul Berrow and photographer Andy Earl claim to have supplied the camera for the recording. In fact, it was recorded at Air Studios with a Nikon camera
Nikon
, also known as just Nikon, is a multinational corporation headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, specializing in optics and imaging. Its products include cameras, binoculars, microscopes, measurement instruments, and the steppers used in the photolithography steps of semiconductor fabrication, of which...
which Berrow had borrowed for the day from his father.
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
Simon Le Bon
Simon John Charles Le Bon is an English musician, best known as the lead singer, lyricist and musician of the band Duran Duran and its offshoot, Arcadia.-Early life:...
introduces the rest of the band.
The song, along with "Rio
Rio (song)
"Rio" is the seventh single by Duran Duran, released on 1 November 1982.The song was the fourth, final, and title single lifted from the band's album of the same name, and was edited for its release...
" was originally omitted from the 1984 live album
Live album
A live album is a recording consisting of material recorded during stage performances using remote recording techniques, commonly contrasted with a studio album...
Arena due to the space limitations of vinyl, in favour of newer and less familiar album material from 1983's Seven and the Ragged Tiger
Seven and the Ragged Tiger
Seven and the Ragged Tiger is the third studio album by English pop rock band Duran Duran, released globally in November 1983. It would prove to be the last studio album for the band's original lineup until 2004's Astronaut....
. Both tracks were included as bonus material in the 2004 CD reissue of Arena.
Music video
The song fared well on the radio and the charts before the video was filmed, but the controversy that ensued helped to keep the band in the public eye and the song on the charts for many weeks.The video was made with directing duo Godley & Creme
Godley & Creme
Godley & Creme were an English pop music duo composed of Kevin Godley and Lol Creme. The pair began releasing albums as a duo after splitting from the pop band 10cc. In 1979 they directed their first music video for their own single "An Englishman in New York"...
at Shepperton Studios
Shepperton Studios
Shepperton Studios is a film studio in Shepperton, Surrey, England with a history dating back to 1931 since when many notable films have been made there...
in July 1981. It was filmed just weeks before MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
was launched in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and before anyone knew what an impact the music channel would have on the industry. The band expected the "Girls On Film" video to be played in the newer nightclubs that had video screens, or on pay-TV channels like the Playboy Channel. The raunchy video created an uproar, and it was consequently banned by the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
and heavily edited for its original run on MTV; the band unabashedly enjoyed and capitalised on the controversy.
A Video 45
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
with videos for "Girls on Film" and "Hungry Like the Wolf
Hungry Like the Wolf
"Hungry Like the Wolf" is a song by the British New Wave band Duran Duran. Written by the band members, the song was produced by Colin Thurston for the group's second studio album Rio . The song was released in May 1982 as the band's fifth single in the United Kingdom...
" was released in the United States in March, 1983. The VHS-format tape contains the MTV-friendly "day version" of "Girls on Film", while the Betamax
Betamax
Betamax was a consumer-level analog videocassette magnetic tape recording format developed by Sony, released on May 10, 1975. The cassettes contain -wide videotape in a design similar to the earlier, professional wide, U-matic format...
format contains the uncensored "night version". The Video 45 won the Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video
Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video
The Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video is an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to performers, directors, and producers of quality short form music videos...
in 1984, the first year the Academy gave that award. The uncensored video was also included in the Duran Duran
Duran Duran (1983 video)
Officially titled simply Duran Duran , this video compilation is sometimes unofficially referred to in print as the Duran Duran video album or Duran Duran: The First 11 Videos...
video album (1983) and the Greatest video collection (released on VHS in 1999, and on DVD in 2004). The edited version would later be used in the 2008 karaoke
Karaoke
is a form of interactive entertainment or video game in which amateur singers sing along with recorded music using a microphone and public address system. The music is typically a well-known pop song minus the lead vocal. Lyrics are usually displayed on a video screen, along with a moving symbol,...
video game SingStar
SingStar
SingStar is a competitive music video game series for PlayStation consoles, developed by London Studio and published by Sony Computer Entertainment. 23 English-language instalments of the series have been released for the PlayStation 2, and six versions for the PlayStation 3 have been released...
Pop Vol. 2.
Simon Le Bon commented in the audio interview on the Greatest DVD collection that the scandal of the music video overshadowed the song's message of fashion model exploitation.
Controversy
When Funimation licensed the "Speed GrapherSpeed Grapher
is a 2005 anime series created by Gonzo. The series ran for 24 episodes from April to October 2005 on TV Asahi. In 2006, it was licensed for release in North America by Funimation Entertainment and aired on the Independent Film Channel between March 7 and August 15, 2008...
" show for US distribution they contacted Duran Duran to license the song. That was when Duran Duran learned that the record company had sold their rights to Girls on Film, and Duran Duran no longer owned their own song.
Summary of the uncensored full-length music video
The band performs on an elevated stage behind a models' catwalk, which resembles a boxing ringBoxing ring
A boxing ring is the space in which a boxing match occurs. A modern ring, which is set on a raised platform, is square with a post at each corner to which four parallel rows of ropes are attached with a turnbuckle...
, as various scantily clad women act out a series of erotic vignettes. A number of these scenarios feature mild depictions of BDSM
BDSM
BDSM is an erotic preference and a form of sexual expression involving the consensual use of restraint, intense sensory stimulation, and fantasy power role-play. The compound acronym BDSM is derived from the terms bondage and discipline , dominance and submission , and sadism and masochism...
and lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
fetish
Fetish
Fetish may refer to:* Fetishism, the attribution of religious or mystical qualities to inanimate objects* Sexual fetishism, sexual attraction to objects, body parts, or situations not conventionally viewed as being sexual in nature....
es as well as a recurring theme of seduction and abandonment:
- Two models in sheer black camisoleCamisoleA camisole is a sleeveless undergarment for women, normally extending to the waist. The camisole is usually made of satin, nylon, or cotton.- Historical definition :...
s and knickers mount the catwalk carrying pillows. They bestride a feather-covered phallic pole at either end and move toward the centre, sliding their crotches along the horizontal candy-stripeCandy stripeCandy stripe may refer to:*Candy stripe, the colors of a Candy cane or Barber's pole*Candy stripe, the warm-up style for the Indiana Hoosiers mens basketball team.*Candy striper, a U.S...
d shaft in a slow and suggestive manner. They then engage in a spirited pillow fightPillow fightA pillow fight is a common game mostly played by young children in which they engage in mock physical conflict, utilizing pillows as weapons....
which dislodges one of their camisole spaghetti straps to reveal a wayward nude breast. Afterwards, they kiss and return to their dressing room and pour champagne on each other's cleavageCleavage (breasts)Cleavage, anatomically known as the intramammary cleft, is the space between a woman's breasts lying over the sternum. Cleavage is exposed by a garment with a low neckline, such as ball gowns, evening gowns, swimwear, casual tops and other garments....
.
- A lean, supple, petite female SumoSumois a competitive full-contact sport where a wrestler attempts to force another wrestler out of a circular ring or to touch the ground with anything other than the soles of the feet. The sport originated in Japan, the only country where it is practiced professionally...
wrestler with her hair flared up in a tall tophawk ponytailPonytailA ponytail is a hairstyle in which most or all of the hair on the head is pulled away from the face, gathered and secured at the back of the head with a hair tie, clip or similar device, and allowed to hang freely from that point. It gets its name from its resemblance to the undocked tail of a...
mounts the catwalk to confront a stereotypically large, lumbering, heavyset male Sumo wrestler. Her clinging wet top emphasizes her ample breasts and nipples, while a closeup from behind of her mawashiMawashiIn sumo, a mawashi is the belt that the rikishi wears during training or in competition. Upper ranked professional wrestlers wear a keshō-mawashi as part of the ring entry ceremony or dohyo-iri.-Mawashi:...
loinclothLoinclothA loincloth is a one-piece male garment, sometimes kept in place by a belt, which covers the genitals and, at least partially, the buttocks.-History and types:Loincloths are being and have been worn:*in societies where no other clothing is needed or wanted...
affords a fetishistic view of her bare buttocks. In the confrontational tachi-aiTachi-aiThe tachi-ai is the initial charge between two sumo wrestlers at the beginning of a bout.There are several common techniques that wrestlers use at the tachi-ai, with the aim of getting a decisive advantage in the bout:...
stance, she seizes her opponent by the shoulder and flips him forward head-over-heels. He somersaultSomersaultA somersault is an acrobatic exercise in which a person does a full 360° flip, moving the feet over the head. A somersault can be performed either forwards, backwards, or sideways and can be executed in the air or on the ground...
s and lands on his backside with a resounding thud and she gives the ceremonial rei salutation (i.e., a bow) and walks away victorious. - A masseuse in a white nurse's uniform with white garter suspendersGarter (stockings)Garters are articles of clothing: narrow bands of fabric fastened about the leg, used to keep up stockings, and sometimes socks. Normally just a few inches in width, they are usually made of leather or heavy cloth, and adorned with small bells and/or ribbons...
and sheer white stockings administers a full-body hot-oil massageMassageMassage is the manipulation of superficial and deeper layers of muscle and connective tissue to enhance function, aid in the healing process, and promote relaxation and well-being. The word comes from the French massage "friction of kneading", or from Arabic massa meaning "to touch, feel or handle"...
to a relaxing man on a steam-bath table. She later saunters away leaving the man unconscious. - A blonde in a cowgirl costume, "rides" on the back of a muscular, G-stringG-stringA G-string is a type of thong underwear or swimsuit, a narrow piece of cloth, leather, or plastic, that covers or holds the genitals, passes between the buttocks, and is attached to a band around the hips, worn as swimwear or underwear by women and men...
-wearing, black model who is fetishistically costumed as an equine. She later soaps his undulating semi-nude body with a wet sponge and then leads him on a leash while he cavorts behind her. - A model wearing a one-piece swimsuitOne-piece swimsuitA one-piece swimsuit is a usually skin-tight one-piece swimsuit worn by women and girls when swimming in the sea or in a swimming pool, or for any activity in the sun, such as sun bathing. The one-piece swimsuit usually covers a female's torso...
and high-heels struts and poses on the catwalk before falling backwards into a child's inflatable plastic wading pool and collapsing. She is "rescued" and revived by a handsome male lifeguardLifeguardA lifeguard supervises the safety and rescue of swimmers, surfers, and other water sports participants such as in a swimming pool, water park, or beach. Lifeguards are strong swimmers and trained in first aid, certified in water rescue using a variety of aids and equipment depending on...
(it has often been erroneously stated that the lifeguard was played by Simon Le Bon himself, when in fact it was an uncredited model who had assumed the role). She responds by embracing and kissing the lifeguard so intensely that he becomes unconscious from exhaustion and is left supine in the pool while she casually saunters away. The model is later seen reclining on a chair completely nude, drying herself with an electric blow dryer before rubbing ice cubes on her nipples in closeup. - A brunette model removes her fur coat to reveal her bare breasts and skintight see-through plastic knickers underneath. She mud-wrestlesMud wrestlingMud wrestling is defined as physical confrontation that occurs in mud or a mud pit. The popular modern interpretation specifies that participants wrestle while wearing minimal clothing and usually going barefoot, with the emphasis on presenting an entertaining spectacle as opposed to physically...
with a blonde wearing a one-piece swimsuit. The blonde is defeated and left to wallow supine in the mud, while the triumphant brunette is attended by an obliging male assistant who proceeds to spray the mud off her nude body with a phallic water hose.
B-sides, bonus tracks and remixes
The b-side of the single was another song initially unavailable anywhere else, a synthesiser-heavy dance track called "Faster Than Light".The extended night version of "Girls on Film", similar to "Planet Earth
Planet Earth (song)
"Planet Earth" is the debut single by the English pop rock band Duran Duran, released on 2 February 1981.It was an immediate hit in the band's native UK, reaching #12 on the UK Singles Chart on 21 February, and did even better in Australia, hitting #8 to become Duran Duran's first Top 10 hit...
" wasn't a remix, but a completely new arrangement of the song. This was mainly due to technology constraints in 1981.
There are two slightly different mixes of the Night Version, one clocking in at 5:45, the other at 5:27. The video version clocks in at 6:19.
In 1998, EMI released Girls on Film — The Remixes, featuring a swathe of newly commissioned re-constructions of the song by notable remixers like Tall Paul and Tin Tin Out
Tin Tin Out
Tin Tin Out is a UK electronic dance music duo comprising Darren Stokes and Lindsay Edwards.-Career:They are well known as active remixers, working on increasingly higher-profile songs as the 1990s progressed, however also have their own recording careers...
. A couple of these mixes were included on the 1998 UK release of the single "Electric Barbarella
Electric Barbarella
"Electric Barbarella" is the 29th single by Duran Duran, and the first official single from the album Medazzaland. 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...
".
Covers, samples, & media references
Cover versionCover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
s of "Girls on Film" have been recorded by Björn Again
Björn Again
Björn Again is a tribute show to the Swedish pop group ABBA founded in 1988 in Australia, but now involving multiple touring troupes performing under the Björn Again name...
, Wesley Willis Fiasco
Wesley Willis Fiasco
The Wesley Willis Fiasco was an American punk rock band based in Wicker Park, Chicago, Illinois.-History:The band was formed by Wesley Willis on vocals, Pat Barnard on lead guitar, and his friend Dale Meiners on guitar and bass. Dale Meiners previously played guitar in Billy Corgan's pre-Smashing...
, The Living End
The Living End
The Living End are an Australian rock band from Melbourne, Victoria, formed in 1994. The current lineup consists of Chris Cheney , Scott Owen and Andy Strachan...
, Girls Aloud
Girls Aloud
Girls Aloud are a British and Irish pop girl group based in London. They were created through the ITV1 talent show Popstars The Rivals in 2002. The group consists of Cheryl Cole , Nadine Coyle, Sarah Harding, Nicola Roberts and Kimberley Walsh. They are signed to Fascination Records, a Polydor...
, Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers
Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers
Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers were a 1980s and early 1990s novelty pop music act from Rotherham, Yorkshire, England. The face of the group was Jive Bunny, a cartoon rabbit who appeared in the videos, and also did promotional appearances for them...
, Billy Preston
Billy Preston
William Everett "Billy" Preston was a musician who gained notoriety and fame, first as a session musician for the likes of Sam Cooke, Ray Charles and The Beatles, and later finding fame as a solo artist with hits such as "Space Race", "Will It Go Round in Circles" and "Nothing from...
,
Kevin Max
Kevin Max
Kevin Max Smith is an American singer, songwriter, and poet. He is best known for being a member of the Christian pop group dc Talk...
, La Ley
La Ley (band)
La Ley was a Grammy Award and two-time Latin Grammy Award-winning Chilean pop rock band formed by Andrés Bobe and Rodrigo Aboitiz with Mauricio Claveria, Beto Cuevas and Luciano Rojas. After a failed first album, Desiertos , they released Doble Opuesto , which appears as the official first album...
, Midnight Oil
Midnight Oil
Midnight Oil , were an Australian rock band from Sydney originally performing as Farm from 1972 with drummer Rob Hirst, bass guitarist Andrew James and keyboard player/lead guitarist Jim Moginie...
and Nathan Stack (who went on to become Duran Duran's official MySpace page coordinator).
Daan covered the song live
The song was used as opening music to original Japanese version of the anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
series Speed Grapher
Speed Grapher
is a 2005 anime series created by Gonzo. The series ran for 24 episodes from April to October 2005 on TV Asahi. In 2006, it was licensed for release in North America by Funimation Entertainment and aired on the Independent Film Channel between March 7 and August 15, 2008...
; due to licensing issues, the song "Shutter Speed" by Shinkichi Mitsumune was used in the U.S. release instead.
A live version of "Girls on Film" was used as the theme music to the TV series Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
: Swimsuit Model Search.
The song appears as downloadable content for the music video game Rock Band, and appears with the censored video in the SingStar Pop Vol. 2.
A cover of GoF from Mona Donnerman was used in the commecials for the Fall-collection of the Swedish retail-clothing company H&M.
Chart positions
| Chart (1981) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
5 |
| Australian Singles Chart ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
11 |
| Swedish Singles Chart | 15 |
| Irish Singles Chart Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
16 |
| Portugal Singles Chart | 1 |
| Chart (1999) | Peak position |
| US Billboard Dance/Club Play Songs | 24 |
12": EMI / 12 EMI 5206 (UK)
- "Girls on Film (Night Version)" – 5:27
- "Girls on Film" – 3:27
- "Faster than Light" – 4:26
12": EMI / 062-20 0717 6 (Greece)
- "Girls on Film (Night Version)" – 5:45
- "Girls on Film (Instrumental)" – 5:41
- "Faster than Light" – 4:26
- limited edition Greek release
CD: Part of "Singles Box Set 1981-1985" boxset
- "Girls on Film" – 3:27
- "Faster than Light" – 4:26
- "Girls on Film (Night Version)" – 5:27
CD: The Remixes (US)
- "Girls on Film" (Tin Tin Out Mix) - 6:55
- "Girls on Film" (Salt Tank Mix) - 6:29
- "Girls on Film" (16 Millimetre Mix) - 7:28
- "Girls on Film" (Tall Paul Mix 1) - 8:28
- "Girls on Film" (Night Version) - 5:31
- "Girls on Film" (8 Millimetre Mix) - 5:47
- Released 1999
12": The Remixes (US)
- "Girls on Film" (Tin Tin Out Mix) - 6:55
- "Girls on Film" (Salt Tank Mix) - 6:29
- "Girls on Film" (Tall Paul Mix 1) - 8:28
- "Girls on Film" (8 Millimetre Mix) - 5:47
- Released 1999
Other appearances
Apart from the single, "Girls On Film" has also appeared on:EPs
- Nite Romantics (1981, Japan)
- Night Versions (1982, Australia)
- CarnivalCarnival (EP)Carnival is a dance music EP by Duran Duran, originally released in various markets around the world in September 1982 by EMI.-Background:...
(1982, worldwide) - DMM Mega-Mixes (1983, Germany)
Albums:
- Duran Duran (1981)
- DecadeDecade: Greatest HitsDecade – Greatest Hits is a greatest hits album by Duran Duran, released on November 15, 1989 .The remix single "Burning the Ground" was released to radio to promote this album; it was created by producer John Jones mixing snippets of the band's biggest hits from the previous decade into a new...
(1989) - Night Versions: The Essential Duran DuranNight Versions: The Essential Duran DuranNight Versions: The Essential Duran Duran is a compilation album of remixes by Duran Duran. From the very beginning of their career, the band had dubbed the extended dance remixes of their songs "night versions", as they were intended for play in nightclubs.Unlike many of their contemporaries,...
(1998) - Greatest (1998)
- Strange BehaviourStrange BehaviourStrange Behaviour is a remix album of remixes by Duran Duran. It was released by EMI in March 1999.The title comes from a line in the song "Skin Trade": "would someone please explain, the reason for this strange behaviour". The band had previously used "Strange Behaviour" as the name of their 1987...
(1999) - Arena (2004 reissue)
- Singles Box Set 1981-1985Singles Box Set 1981-1985Singles Box Set 1981–1985 is a boxset by Duran Duran. Comprising thirteen CDs, it was released by EMI on and covers the era from Duran Duran to Arena , as well as non-album single "A View to a Kill" ....
(2005) - Live from London (Bonus CD with Deluxe Edition)Live from London (Duran Duran)Live from London is a concert film by the British group, Duran Duran. It was filmed during the course of the last two of five sold-out nights at Wembley Arena in April 2004, during the band's first global tour after the reunion of the band's original five members.The concert features hits from...
(2005)
Singles:
- "Ordinary WorldOrdinary World"Ordinary World" is the first single from Duran Duran's self-titled 1993 album, better known as The Wedding Album. The song peaked at No. 3 in the American charts and No. 6 in the British charts...
" (1993) - "Electric BarbarellaElectric Barbarella"Electric Barbarella" is the 29th single by Duran Duran, and the first official single from the album Medazzaland. 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...
" (1998)
Personnel
Duran Duran are:- Simon Le BonSimon Le BonSimon John Charles Le Bon is an English musician, best known as the lead singer, lyricist and musician of the band Duran Duran and its offshoot, Arcadia.-Early life:...
- vocals - Nick RhodesNick RhodesNick Rhodes is an English musician, is best known as the keyboardist of the pop rock band Duran Duran...
- keyboards - John TaylorNigel John TaylorJohn Taylor is an English musician who is best known as the bass guitarist and co-founder of pop rock band Duran Duran....
- bass guitar - Roger TaylorRoger Andrew TaylorRoger Andrew Taylor is an English double grammy award winning musician who is best known as the drummer of British rock band Duran Duran from their inception until 1985, and again from 2001 onwards, the band selling in excess of 80 million records worldwide in the process.-Early life:Taylor began...
- drums - Andy TaylorAndy Taylor (guitarist)Andy Taylor is an English guitarist, singer, songwriter, and record producer, best known as a member of Duran Duran and The Power Station....
- guitar
Also credited:
- Colin ThurstonColin ThurstonColin Thurston was a British recording engineer and producer.Born in Singapore, Thurston played in bands in London before he "bluffed his way" into audio engineering...
- producer and engineer