The Flame

The Flame was the fourth single released by the Duran Duran off-shoot band, Arcadia. It was released by Parlophone Records in 1986 and was the group's third UK single. With its theatrical arrangement and catchy, hook-filled chorus, "The Flame" is probably the one Arcadia song that comes closest to sounding like Duran Duran.

Music video
The campy, slapstick video was made in the retro style of an Edwardian-era drawing room murder mystery à la Agatha Christie and Alfred Hitchcock. The storyline revolved around a series of comic disasters that befall an awkward, nerdish character (played by Simon Le Bon) and his girlfriend while visiting a haunted house. Nick Rhodes plays the debonair host of the dinner party at the house, and he frequently uses Simon as his comic stooge for a number of macabre and mildly sadistic sight gags throughout the video. Various unsavory bits of business ensue with revolving walls, trapdoors and mysterious assassins hidden behind paintings and within exotic taxidermied animals. The slapstick comic interplay between Nick and Simon is faintly reminiscent of Abbott and Costello.

At one point, John Taylor comes out of the closet with a contract for the band to sign. It was around this time that the three remaining Duran Duran members were preparing to write and record the next album.

The video's treatment is said to have been written by Nick and the various near-fatal pratfalls that occur to Simon's character was intended as punishment for his decision to enter the boat race that almost cost him his life.

In fact, Simon was in the middle of the South American leg of the race when he had to fly to Spain in April to shoot the video. He then flew straight back to join his team in Uruguay.

The video was directed by long time collaborator Russell Mulcahy.

B-sides, bonus tracks and remixes
Two of the three remixes for "The Flame" - the 'Extended Remix' and the 'Yo Homeboy Mix' - were both done by Nile Rodgers.

7": Parlophone / NSR 3 (UK)

 * 1) "The Flame [Remix]" (4:06)
 * 2) "Flame Game [Yo Homeboy Mix]" (2:49)

12": Parlophone / 12 NSR 3 (UK)

 * 1) "The Flame [Extended Remix]" (7:12)
 * 2) "Flame Game [Yo Homeboy Mix]" (2:49)
 * 3) "Election Day [Early Rough Mix]" (8:58)

Other appearances
Albums:
 * So Red the Rose (1985)

Videos:

Personnel
Arcadia are:
 * Simon Le Bon - vocals
 * Nick Rhodes - keyboards
 * Roger Taylor - drums

Also credited:
 * Alex Sadkin - producer and engineer