As I mentioned in the first article for today's (April 3rd 2026) batch of KKP articles, it is Good Friday. Being a national holiday, it is also my tradition to bring in a special Holiday edition of Reminiscings of Youth which will be smack dab in the middle of the usual Urban Contemporary Friday songs.
When it comes to my image of German pop songs, I think of the glacial beauty of Kraftwerk and the whole "Sprockets" thing on "Saturday Night Live" with Dieter where all German pop culture was seen as being angular and bizarre. So, in retrospect, listening to the very listenable "Duel" by the German synthpop band Propaganda, I feel that this is probably one of the most approachable pop songs that I'd ever heard. Mind you, the cover for the April 1985 single featuring fierce expressions by vocalists Claudia Brücken and Susanne Freytag would be enough for me to duck and cover but "Duel" itself is mighty fine right from the fantastical opening notes to the happy-go-lucky synth-y intro to the chorus which strikes me as a bit reminiscent of the 60s heyday of Herb Alpert. And Claudia has this voice which is truly wonderfully unique in pop music.
Well, if anyone is willing to make a music video of European spy intrigue, shouldn't it be a German synthpop band? I don't know how "Duel" did in Canada or the United States, but it scored a No. 2 ranking in Italy and No. 30 in the then-West Germany.
On the flip side of the single is "Jewel (Cut Rough)" which is handled this time by Freytag and it's basically "Duel" being thrown into a punk industrial blender with the vocalist accidentally falling into the machine as well. It also has one of the coolest percussion sequences that I've ever heard. Enjoy headbanging, everyone!
Then, depending on which form of "Duel" you purchase, you can also hear "Duel (Bitter Sweet)" which is an extended version.
April 22nd 1985 was the release date for "Duel" so what was up on the charts on that day exactly? I have Nos. 3, 5 and 6.
3. Akina Nakamori -- Meu Amor e （ミ・アモーレ）
5. Kiyotaka Sugiyama & Omega Tribe -- Futari no Natsu Monogatari （ふたりの夏物語）
6. C-C-B -- Romantic ga Tomaranai （Romanticが止まらない）
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