"The Reflex" is the eleventh single by the English pop rock band Duran Duran, released on 16 April 1984. The song was heavily remixed for single release and was the third and last to be taken from their third studio album Seven and the Ragged Tiger (1983). The single became the band`s first to reach the top of the Billboard Hot 100 and their second to top the UK Singles Chart.

Song history

Producer Ian Little recalled the sound Nick Rhodes came up with on his Roland Jupiter-8 keyboard: "...whenever I hear that steel-drum part it always brings a smile to my face because it`s so out of tune. Steel drums always are, but it was exactly right in terms of rhythm and tone. So a wood-block sound was mixed in to make it even more percussive and, successfully, it did the job."[6]

Critical reception

Cash Box said, "Spotlighting the slick vocals of Simon Le Bon and the tight Euro-pop rhythms set to a funk beat, `The Reflex` will certainly cause a stir for current fans and it will probably reach a new, more dance oriented crowd."[7]

Music video

Main photography of the music video for "The Reflex" took place during the Seven and the Ragged Tiger tour at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on 5 March 1984. Director Russell Mulcahy filmed some of the close-up footage in the indoor arena that afternoon, and the band`s performance was filmed live during that evening`s concert.[8]

B-sides, bonus tracks and remixes

In addition to the 4:26 single remix, the 12" also included an extended remix of "The Reflex". The live B-side "Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)" is a cover version of a Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel song, recorded 16 November 1982 at Hammersmith Odeon in London, England, with lead Rebel Steve Harley joining the band onstage.

A second live B-side released on the US single, "New Religion", was recorded 7 February 1984 at the Forum in Los Angeles, California. This is not the same live version that appears on the album Arena (1984).

Formats and track listings

7": EMI / Duran 2 United Kingdom

1. "The Reflex" – 4:20
2. "Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)" (live) – 4:54 (recorded live at Hammersmith Odeon, London, 16 November 1982)

12": EMI / 12 Duran 2 United Kingdom

1. "The Reflex" (dance mix) – 6:35
2. "The Reflex" [7" version] – 4:20
3. "Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)" (live) – 4:54 (recorded live at Hammersmith Odeon, London, 16 November 1982)

7": Capitol / B-5345 United States

1. "The Reflex" (the dance mix—edited) – 4:25
2. "New Religion" (live in L.A.) – 4:52 (recorded live at the Forum, Los Angeles, 7 February 1984)

• The "dance mix—edited" version is the same version as the regular 7".

12": Capitol / V-8587 United States

1. "The Reflex" (dance mix) – 6:35
2. "The Reflex" (the dance mix—edited) – 4:25

CD: Part of Singles Box Set 1981–1985

1. "The Reflex" – 4:20
2. "Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)" (live) – 4:54 (recorded live at Hammersmith Odeon, London, 16 November 1982)
3. "The Reflex" (dance mix) – 6:35

Charts

As of October 2021[update], "The Reflex" was the fourth-most streamed Duran Duran song in the UK.[40]

Certifications and sales

Cover versions

Cover versions have been recorded by Less Than Jake[45] and the duo of Kylie Minogue and Ben Lee.[46]

Media references

A chain of 1980s-themed nightclubs in the UK is named after the song.[47] The Birmingham branch is located directly opposite the former site of the Rum Runner, Duran Duran`s early home base.[48] American stand-up comedian Dave Chappelle sings an excerpt from the song during a "Stereotype Pixies" sketch from Chappelle`s Show.[49]

The song is featured in the sixth episode of the sixth season of Better Call Saul, "Axe and Grind".[50] It is also on the soundtrack of the 2008 video game Saints Row 2, on the fictional radio station 107.77 The Mix FM.[51]

The song is used in American Wedding as Stifler and Bear dance-off in a night club.

See also

• List of Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles of 1984
• List of Cash Box Top 100 number-one singles of 1984
• List of Dutch Top 40 number-one singles of 1984
• List of European number-one hits of 1984
• List of number-one singles of 1984 (Ireland)
• List of UK Singles Chart number ones of the 1980s