Do You Believe in Shame?

Do You Believe in Shame?
single by Duran Duran
B-side	"The Krush Brother LSD Edit" "God (London)" "This Is How a Road Gets Made" "Drug" (Original Version)
Released	10 April 1989
Format	7", 10", 12", 3" CD
Genre	New wave
Length	4:25 minutes
Label	Capitol, EMI
Writer(s)	Eleanor Broadwater, A Delmar Hawkins Jnr, J Stanley Lewis, Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes, John Taylor
Producer(s)	Duran Duran Jonathan Elias Daniel Abraham
Duran Duran

"Do You Believe in Shame?" is Duran Duran's nineteenth single, and the third and final single from the album Big Thing. The single was released by Capitol-EMI on 10 April 1989.

About the song

In the Big Thing album booklet, the song is dedicated to three of the band's fallen friends: record producer Alex Sadkin (who had been killed in a car crash in late 1987), artist Andy Warhol (who had died in early 1987), and Simon Le Bon's childhood friend David Miles (who died in 1987). Le Bon has since said that "Do You Believe in Shame?" is the first part of a trilogy of songs written as a tribute to Miles, the other two songs being "Ordinary World" and "Out of My Mind".

Simon Le Bon has said it's one of his favourite songs that he has written, and he was severely disappointed by its failure to chart well.

During production of Big Thing, the song was originally titled "Do You Believe in Faith?" and featured a very different set of lyrics. This version of the song was unofficially released on The Medicine.

David Miles Connection

David Miles was said to be Simon's "Closest Childhood Friend"; who died of an illegal drug cigarette during the album's creation. David was addicted to Heroin, at a time when little was known about the psychological pain of withdrawal from addiction. Simon almost phoned David on the night of his death, and later considered that having done so might have prevented him from going out to buy the drugs, and might have saved his life. Le Bon said in 2000 ”I’m not a big believer in the supernatural", [but the song] "takes the form of a promise that there is always a home in my heart for whatever spirit there is of him." (Ref).

Release and promotion

"Do You Believe in Shame?" was released to coincide with the band's Big Live Thing Tour which kicked off in Newcastle on 15 April 1989. As such, the 7" triple pack issued by EMI in the UK featured tour dates in the artwork.

The song's first week of release was complicated by the fact that the original CD single was discovered to have an overlong playing time that disqualified it from some of the sales charts. The CD single was recalled two days after its release, and reissued a few days later, but for several days during the song's initial promotion, the CD was unavailable in shops.

Legal Challenge by Creedence Clearwater Revival

There was a successful legal challenge over the close resemblance of the melody of "Do You Believe in Shame?" to that of the Dale Hawkins classic "Suzie Q" (more famously covered by Creedence Clearwater Revival and The Rolling Stones). The three writers of "Suzie Q" were added to the official ASCAP credits for "Do You Believe In Shame?", which are used to determine who receives royalties for each record sold. The members of Duran Duran have always denied that they intentionally copied any other works, and that the similarity of the two songs was based on what they described as a "basic blues progression".

Music video

The video for "Do You Believe in Shame?" was filmed by Chinese director Chen Kaige, who was later to direct acclaimed films such as Farewell My Concubine.

It is set in New York City, and shows the three members of Duran Duran in separate storylines. Nick Rhodes appears to be mourning a friend; he attends an auction and bids on a snow globe, which he later throws into a bin along with other mementos. John Taylor appears to be searching for faith and connection; he attends a Catholic church, and then a birthday party for a little girl. While singing, Simon Le Bon seems to be watching the world around him, observing people on the streets, including a little girl who drops her crutches in order to hop up a flight of stairs and a blind man who confidently crosses the street in front of oncoming traffic.

John Taylor appears dreadfully pale and thin in this video (and other promotional appearances at the time), and fans speculated that he was struggling with his long-term cocaine addiction. The solemn final scene of the video, where Rhodes, Taylor and Le Bon gaze silently at each other across a room filled with a collapsing pattern of dominoes, reflects an exchange of love and an acceptance of loss, which seemed ominous to fans who were concerned about Taylor's health. The fallen dominoes create a question mark in the middle of the room, resembling the cover of the single.

Track listing

7": Triple Pack (UK) EMI DDA 12 (Simon Le Bon picture sleeve)

1. "Do You Believe in Shame?" - 4:23
2. "The Krush Brothers LSD Edit" - 3:30

EMI DDB 12 (Nick Rhodes picture sleeve)

1. "Do You Believe in Shame?" - 4:23
2. "God (London)" - 1:36
3. "This Is How a Road Gets Made" - 0:47
4. "Palomino" (Edit) - 3:30

EMI DDC 12 (John Taylor picture sleeve)

1. "Do You Believe in Shame?" - 4:23
2. "Drug" (Original Version) - 4:20

12": Capitol V-15456 (US)

1. "Do You Believe in Shame?" - 4:23
2. "The Krush Brothers LSD Edit" - 3:30
3. "Notorious" (Live) - 4:06
4. "Drug" (Original Version) - 4:20

CD3: EMI CD DD 12 (UK)

1. "Do You Believe in Shame?" - 4:25
2. "The Krush Brothers LSD Edit" - 3:32
3. "Notorious" (Live) - 4:16
4. "God (London)" - 1:40
5. "This Is How a Road Gets Made" - 0:49

• released on 3" CD like the other two Big Thing singles
• contains the censored version of "God (London)", bleeping the profanity
• the same tracks also appeared on a US 3" CD C3-44337-2 (includes the uncensored "God (London)")

CD: part of the "Singles Box Set 1986-1995"

1. "Do You Believe in Shame?" - 4:25
2. "The Krush Brothers LSD Edit" - 3:32
3. "God (London)" - 1:40
4. "This Is How a Road Gets Made" - 0:49
5. "Palomino" (Edit) - 3:30
6. "Drug" (Original Version) - 4:20
7. "Notorious" (Live) - 4:16

Song versions

• "Do You Believe in Shame?" - 4:25
• "Do You Believe in Faith?" (Demo) - 4:13 (bootleg, The Medicine)

Other appearances

Apart from the single, "Do You Believe in Shame?" has also appeared on:

Albums:

• Big Thing (1988)

Box sets:

• "Singles Box Set 1986-1995" (2004)

Films:

• Tequila Sunrise (1989)

Notes:

• Perhaps due to its lacklustre charting, "Do You Believe in Shame?" was one of a handful of singles left off the 1989 Decade and the 1998 Greatest compilations.

Personnel

Duran Duran are:

• Simon Le Bon - vocals
• Nick Rhodes - keyboards
• John Taylor - bass guitar

With:

• Warren Cuccurullo - guitar
• Steve Ferrone - drums
• Daniel Abraham - primitive guitar

Also credited:

• Jonathan Elias - co-producer
• Daniel Abraham - co-producer and mixer

Lyrics

Do you believe in love?
Do you believe in shame?
If love can conquer all
Then why do we only feel the pain?
I heard you speak my name
Heard you singing The Stones
Maybe heard you laughing
In a line of static
On my telephone
So why are your eyelids closed
Inside a case of rust?
And did you have to change
All your poet's fire
To frozen dust?
I've tried to justify it
To learn from your mistake
But where's the stupid lie
That has to make its point
With such a pointless waste?

Come out

Do you believe in shame?
Do you believe in love?
And if they taste the same
Would you love again
Or abandon both?
I don't think I ever can
Believe my friend is gone
Keep saying it's alright
I'm gonna bring you back
But I know I'm wrong
There's nothing I can say
There's nothing left to do
Just that lately
I've been so damn lonely
When I think of you

And it may seem selfish now
But I'll hold on to the memory 
Until all this fear
Is washed away

Do you believe in love?
Do you believe in life?
'Cause I believe a little part of you inside of me
Will never die
'Cause I believe a little part of you inside of me
Will never die
Yes I believe a little part of you inside of me
Will never die
'Cause I believe a little part of you inside of me
Will never die...

See also

• Discography 4: Do You Believe in Shame?
• Duran Duran: Discography
• Duran Duran: Song List