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To The Shore
Duran duran 1981 album wikipedia duran duran discogs
song by Duran Duran
Released 15 June 1981
Recorded December 1980
Genre Pop
Length 3:49 minutes
Label Capitol, EMI
Writer(s) Duran Duran
Producer Colin Thurston
Duran Duran

"To The Shore" 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 is slower and more melodic than the other tracks on the Duran Duran album.

Simon Le Bon has said, "Whenever I listen to "To The Shore" I am completely nonplussed as to what it is really about. I think I was going through an experimental/impressionistic phase with my lyrics. I didn't really care what the words actually meant; rather, what people read into them was the important factor, like a sort of Rorschach test. I do recall one of the tutors at Birmingham University, where I studied drama, was called Chrissie and I remember being quite fascinated with her, but quite why she figures in the song I have long since forgotten".

Andy Wickett Version[]

In 2020, Andy wickett published an early demo of the song called "To The Shore", on his EP -Dreaming of Your Cars 1979 Demos Part 2. Some of the drum and bass line elements from the verses were later updated, and new lyrics were added after Simon joined the band, to create the final 1981 album version.

Song versions[]

The song was released as a B-side to the U.S. release of "Planet Earth" in 1981.

The song was included on the original 1981 European release of the Duran Duran album.

The song was released in a slightly longer and remixed version on the 1993 US CD single of Come Undone.

Track listing[]

Release information pertains to US releases only.

7": Harvest A5017

  1. "Planet Earth" - 3:57
  2. "To The Shore" - 3:49

CD: C2 0777 7 15981 2 8

  1. "Come Undone" (U.S. Remix) (4:19)
  2. "Fallen Angel" (3:54)
  3. "To The Shore" (4:03) (Remix) (Has an extended intro with woodblock clicks, and extra bass lines)
  4. "The Chauffeur" (Acoustic Demo) (3:49)

Other appearances[]

"To The Shore" has yet to appear on any other release(s) apart from Duran Duran.

Personnel[]

Duran Duran are:

Also credited:

Song Facts[]

  1. The song did not make it to the 1983 re-release of the 1981 Duran Duran album, replaced by Is There Something I Should Know?.
  2. The song lyrics do not appear on the official Duran Duran.com web site.
  3. It has never been played live since 1982. Setlist.FM lists 13 live plays, 9 of them in 1981, the others in 1982.
  4. First song to have the word 'Shore' in the title, the other being The Edge of America/Lake Shore Driving
  5. The lyrics include the word 'Diamond'. Other examples include: Diamond Dogs and A Diamond in the Mind.
  6. Seems to contain references to Simons time is Israel. Other songs include: The Chauffeur, Tel Aviv and perhaps Sound of Thunder, and Secret Oktober.

Sanhedralite ??[]

According to one source online, this word means "The spark that we all have that keeps us going . Not necessarily motivation but the zest to move forward." Others have disputed the existence of the word, claiming that Simon made it up, or invented it. One reference online says "sanhedralite is a made up word of sun+hydro+light. The line before “and diamond stars shine glitter bright” suggests the sky (and therefore the sun in opposition to the stars), and ‘bright’ is an obvious rhyme with ‘light’. ‘Hydro’ is water, and obviously the shore is the setting to the whole impressionistic tableau."

The sound of the word might remind people of a middle-eastern word, which he might have picked up while in Israel. This seems to be backed up by this theory, posted on this forum: "Maybe he's saying "Sanhedrin Light"? According to an old dictionary I have (circa 1967), the Sanhedrin was: "1. In ancient times, the supreme council and highest court of the Jewish nation. Also Great Sanhedrin. 2. Any council or assembly." Maybe it's a copulation of "Sanhedrin" and "Light" to form a new word "sanhedralite". Given this possibility, it may also mean a follower of the old Jewish faith. For example, Sanhedrin-ite, like modern Social-ite. This would seem reasonable, especially as so many lyrics on the 1981 Album were inspired by Simon's time in the kibbutz. "Glands stand pouring fruit trees" also seems a reference to his time as a tree surgeon, where a gland/a shoot was grafted to a wooden host, to make fruit trees. If this is so, then "the shore" might logically be the side of a river, rather than the shore of an ocean; in this case the Beersheba River - which is 2 miles North East of Gvulot Kibbutz, would seem most likely.

Lyrics[]

When your nine day feed is up
And you've drained your loving cup
Come stands reeling to the shore
When the brave are coming out
The dry fight (fight) and the dusty shout (shout)
See you crawling on the floor

And diamond stars shine glitter bright
Gorging your sanhedralite
Words are falling to the floor
Glands stand pouring fruit trees
Now they glisten on the waterline
I've seen how you are, at the shore

I'm moving Chrissie, pretty flowers in the shuttermaze
Haul up all your petty desires
Leave them lying down before

Wash away the rusty disease
Of your brown town days in our silver sea
Leave it dying at the door

Feather yellow, you've time to leave
Open out your arms and breathe
(Hahhh, Haahhhhh)

-

Ohhh! (oh), oh-oh-oh
Ohhh! (oh), oh-oh-oh
Ohhh! (oh), oh-oh
To the shore now
Ohhh! (oh), oh-oh-oh
Ohhh! (oh), oh-oh-oh
Ohhh! (oh), oh-oh
To the shore now 
Come on

Misheard Lyrics[]


see how you are, at the shore  (according to the The Official Lyric Book)

See also[]

References[]

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