Duran Duran -- Union of the Snake

From Good Free Photos

 

Not that I'm slavishly devoted to the Animal Zodiac but early on in my life, I was taught that I had been born in the Year of the Snake. However, that's about all I know regarding Snake people. If such people are overweight, nerdy and about as sociable as a piece of gneiss, then congratulations...I am a snake person.

For 2025's first Reminiscings of Youth article, I've decided to look for a song that was rather serpentine in theme, and it didn't take long for me at all to track down Duran Duran's "Union of the Snake". Strangely enough for as long as the ROY series has been around, this is the first time I've included Simon LeBon's hit band into KKP, and actually, "Union of the Snake" isn't one of my absolute favourite Duran Duran tunes, but heck, I am trying to keep on the snake theme.

Released in October 1983 as the band's 9th single, I recall "Union of the Snake" as a tune with some percolating percussion and a synth solo that was probably fueled by Blue Mountain coffee. It and its accompanying music video had a long time on the charts, and the latter was something that had that alien "Mad Max" rebellion vibe to it with Simon and the gang acting as the heroes. Of course, the saxophone was in there, too.

In Canada, "Union of the Snake" hit No. 2 on RPM while down south, it hit No. 3 on America's Billboard. So, what else was being released in Japan as singles in October 1983? I've got two today.

Chiemi Hori -- Yuugure Kibun （夕暮れ気分）

Seiko Matsuda -- Hitomi wa Diamond （瞳はダイアモンド）