The Meaning Behind “Come Undone” by Duran Duran

When Duran Duran released their second self-titled album in 1993 (popularly known as The Wedding Album), they had not had a Top 10 hit in five years or a Top 20 or platinum album in seven years. Their enormous success dominated the first half of the ‘80s, and while they still managed to keep going in the latter half it was clear that their popularity was waning. So it was understandable when people first heard Duran Duran’s lead single “Ordinary World” that they’d assume it was about the band grappling with a slide down from fame. But it was actually about singer Simon Le Bon mourning the loss of a friend who had died years earlier.

That song, like its follow-up single “Come Undone,” moved into moodier territory than the type of material the Fab Five were generally known for. Driven by a hypnotic groove and ethereal sound, “Come Undone” was an interesting compliment to “Ordinary World,” a melancholy ballad with a majestic guitar melody at its core. And they both hailed a comeback for the band.

Second To Release, Last To Select

Although it was the second single released from The Wedding Album, “Come Undone” was probably the last track finished for the album sessions. By this point, bassist John Taylor had done his parts for all the other songs and had flown home to L.A. The group had been recording in London, so co-producer/multi-instrumentalist John Jones, who programmed the drum tracks, also played the bass parts. “Come Undone” almost did not make the album, but the group reconsidered it when they wanted to include something else in the track list.

“Mine, immaculate dream made breath and skin
I’ve been waiting for you
Signed with a home tattoo
‘Happy Birthday to you’ was created for you

Ah, it’ll take a little time
Might take a little crime to come undone
Now we’ll try to stay blind to the hope and fear outside

Hey child, stay wilder than the wind and blow me in to cry
Who do you need?
Who do you love?
When you come undone”

“Happy Birthday”

As explained in a Pandora commentary for “Come Undone,” Le Bon wrote the lyrics as a birthday gift to his wife Yasmin. The group was recording at guitarist Warren Cuccurullo’s house in London, and he and keyboardist Nick Rhodes had slowed down one of the other album tracks, “Too Much Information,” as an exercise. But then that experiment mutated into something else.

By that point, Le Bon came in, and “I heard music that was so incredibly beautiful,” he told Pandora. “I can’t remember how I got to the title. The way the song movies, it joins up phrases in a really nice way. But I wrote it and finished it on Yasmin’s birthday.” Then he inserted the “happy birthday” line.

“It was something that Warren and I started writing alongside some other stuff that we’d been playing around with,” Rhodes told Dig! in 2013. “Simon came in and heard what we were doing. He said, ‘Wow, I love that!’ And so it became a Duran Duran song. [Simon] came up with a really great melody – we already had the ‘Can’t ever keep from falling apart’ section – and he very quickly made it his, or himself part of it.”

Singer Tessa Niles was brought in to provide a feminine presence to the song, and her distinct vocals provided a good vocal counterbalance during certain verse lyrics.

A Visual Reinterpretation

Although the song expressed romantic sentiments, the music also felt moody. The Julien Temple-directed video featured a band performance shot in an aquarium, including Niles trying to free herself from chains underwater, while images of different people’s lives – a little girl hiding under her bed, an elderly couple kissing amid flood waters, an alcoholic woman struggling with temptation, a suited businessman returning home to wear a dress and lipstick – were intercut throughout the clip. They offered different contexts for Le Bon’s words, featuring mostly isolated characters in scenarios where they could use someone to emotionally support them.

The vibe of the song and video was different from most previous Duran Duran videos. This was after all, the band that had delivered infectious pop anthems like “Wild Boys,” “Hungry Like The Wolf,” “Rio,” and their James Bond movie theme “A View To A Kill.” While “The Chauffeur” and “Save A Prayer” were dreamier types of songs, there was a different atmosphere to “Ordinary World” and “Come Undone”. The lyrics and sounds felt more mature and represented another stage of evolution for the group.

Part of that can be credited to former Missing Person guitarist Warren Cuccurullo who brought his own style into the band. This was also a slightly different incarnation of Duran Duran. Original guitarist Andy Taylor and drummer Roger Taylor had departed before the release of 1986’s Notorious, with the former having played on half of the tracks. But new blood can sometimes be a good thing for bands seeking to move in a new direction.

“Come Undone” Kept A New Hot Streak Rolling

Driven by the success of “Ordinary World” (No. 3 in the U.S., No. 6 in the U.K.) and “Come Undone” (No. 7 in the U.S., No. 13 in the UK), The Wedding Album became a platinum seller that reignited interest in Duran Duran. It’s not that they underwent such a massive aural facelift, but the group brought in fresh musical elements which has been a modus operandi for them ever since. It explains why they have continued their success into the 21st century.

The Wedding Album went Top 10 in the U.S., UK, Canada, and three other countries. Their success was a boon for veteran artists at a time when popular ‘80s acts were experiencing difficulty maintaining success during an era dominated by grunge and alternative rock bands. After the follow-up covers collection Thank You went gold, bassist John Taylor departed during the Medazzaland sessions. That underrated album and Pop Trash struggled to regain the momentum sparked by The Wedding Album. With their 2004 reunion album Astronaut, the Fab Five reclaimed their iconic status with a new hit (“(Reach Up For The) Sunrise”) and a major global arena tour. They have been experimenting with new sounds, releasing new albums, and touring somewhat regularly ever since.

Along with “Ordinary World,” “Come Undone” was a pivotal song that helped Duran Duran reestablish their mainstream presence, and it prophesied more interesting sonic experimentation to come.

(Photo by Fin Costello/Redferns)