Night Boat

Night Boat
song by Duran Duran
Released	15 June 1981
Recorded	December 1980
Genre	Pop
Length	5:25 minutes
Label	Capitol, EMI
Writer	Simon Le Bon
Producer	Colin Thurston
Duran Duran

"Night Boat" or "(Waiting for The) Nightboat" is a song by Duran Duran, released on the band's debut album Duran Duran by Capitol-EMI on the 15 June 1981.

About the song

The song was originally written by Simon Le Bon, when he was waiting for a ride from the night bus home. Simon Le Bon's lyric book which dates from the late 1970s to the early 1980s features "Night Boat".

It is spooky and atmospheric, unlike most of the other songs on the Duran Duran album. It is instrumental until about two minutes into it.

Music video

The video for "Nightboat" was directed by longtime music video director Russell Mulcahy. The video is a mini horror film shot on the Caribbean island side of Antigua.

Before the music starts, a brief bit of dialog includes Le Bon's recitation of part of a speech by Mercutio in William Shakespeare's play, Romeo and Juliet.

The band gather in a small beach village as the sun is setting, only to be separated and set upon one by one by zombies, until the ragged night boat arrives to carry Le Bon away. It is possible that the video is a homage to the Italian horror film Zombi 2, with settings and zombies that look very much like the ones in the film.

The video was filmed in May 1982, several months before Michael Jackson began work on the video for his song Thriller, which also featured zombies.

Other appearances

DVDs:

• Live from London
• Live at Hammersmith '82!

Cover versions

The Deftones covered "Night Boat" on their B-Sides & Rarities album, released in 2005.

Personnel

Duran Duran are:

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

Lyrics

Standing 
On the edge of the quay
No lights flashing on the water for me
Fog in my mind darkens my eyes
Silently streaming for a distant sound
Ripple river yellows 
Rising for a breath of breeding and drowns
Stillness over comes me in the night
Listen to the rising water moan

I'm waiting
Waiting for the night boat 
(whoa)
I'm waiting
Waiting for the night boat

Shutters all through me shutter away
Echo me (echo me)
Am I alone or is the river alive
'Cause it echoes me (echoes me)

I'm waiting 
Waiting for the night boat 
(whoa)
I'm waiting 
Waiting for the night boat
Waiting (waiting)

Waiting for the night boat  
(whoa)
I'm waiting 
Waiting for the night boat

I'm waiting for the night boat

See also

• Duran Duran - Song List