Continuing our examination of the Seven and the Ragged Tiger demos, let’s have a listen to two versions of New Moon On Monday, which is certainly one of the cornerstones of the album. Released in 1984, the tenth single by Duran Duran is sultry, mystical, grandiose, obtuse and kinda dorky… all at the same time.

The first version presented here includes vocals, some mumbled and some amusingly emphatic. Most of the lyrics are complete, although Simon had apparently not yet begun to “shake up the picture with the lizard mixture.”

UPDATE: It turns out that these 7ATRT demos have, according to the Duran Wiki, been “denounced as fakes by the band.” I’ve really enjoyed the discussion around this… can anyone point me to some exact quotes from the band about these demos? I find the fact that someone would go to such lengths to fake this stuff to be almost as fascinating as the real thing.

Listen to New Moon on Monday Demo – Version 1

This second version is sans-vocals, but the music sounds more self assured and playful. John’s bass line slithers up and down your spine as it should, and you can almost hear Nick smiling as the layers come together.

Listen to New Moon on Monday Demo – Version 2

It’s impossible to listen to New Moon On Monday without thinking of the iconic video. Four different versions are in existence. There is a seventeen minute “movie version” with an extended introduction, an extended version with a French prologue that was debuted on MTV, a shorter version without the prologue, and yet another version produced for the Dancing on the Valentine video collection. The latter is set to the extended mix, with slick shots of the band members against the backdrop of a full moon and a silhouette of a woman with big 80s hair being alternately sort of fondled and tortured.

However, my favorite version is the brilliant parody video “Making Fun of Duran Duran 2!” The part about Andy’s stupid kite gets me every time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=018GSZImaa8

One of these days I’m going to run around a village in France in the dead of winter, handing out meaningless fliers and lighting stuff on fire. It’s going to be awesome.