The Flame (Arcadia song)

Infobox Single |
Name = The Flame


Caption =
Artist = Arcadia
from Album = So Red the Rose
B-side = "Flame Game"
Released = July 1986
Format = 7", 12"
Recorded = Studio de la Grande Armee, Paris
Genre = Dance, New Wave
Length = 4:06
Label = Parlophone - NSR3
Writer = Arcadia
Producer = Alex Sadkin
Chart position =
* #58 (UK Singles Chart)
Last single = "The Promise"
(1986)
This single = "The Flame"
(1986)
Next single = "Say The Word"
(1986)

"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.

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 Le Bon 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 Rhodes and Le Bon 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 Rhodes and the various near-fatal pratfalls that occur to Le Bon's character was intended as punishment for his decision to enter the boat race that almost cost him his life.

In fact, Le Bon 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.

Track listing

7": Parlophone / NSR 3 (UK)

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

12": Parlophone / 12 NSR 3 (UK)

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

Other appearances

Albums:
* "So Red the Rose" (1985)

Personnel

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

Also credited:
*Alex Sadkin - producer and engineer

References