Electric Barbarella

Electric Barbarella
"Electric Barbarella" is the 29th single by English new wave band Duran Duran, and the first official single from the album Medazzaland. In 1997, the single and album were released only in the United States; "Electric Barbarella" was not issued as a single in the UK until January 1999 on the back of the late 1998 release of the compilation album Greatest.
The band's previous single, "Out of My Mind", was another track from Medazzaland, but was released as a single from The Saint soundtrack album instead.
Background
"Electric Barbarella" is a direct tribute to the 1968 Roger Vadim film Barbarella, from which the band took their name.
It has been touted as the first song available for digital purchase/download on the Internet, however, this is heavily disputed as songs had been available for download and purchase on the internet since 1992. Dozens of different mixes were created from the song. A Dom T mix exclusive to the Internet was available for download in the US for 99 cents. This pioneering move annoyed many American retailers as they saw it as infringing on their retail territory and they either refused to stock the album, or provided very little, or sometimes no, promotion of the disc.
Music video
The video, directed by photographer Ellen von Unwerth, involved a robot sex doll played by American model Myka Dunkle. Simon Le Bon stated during an interview with Carson Daly on Total Request Live that von Unwerth specifically requested to use Dunkle, despite the fact that the band had other models and friends, including Devon Aoki and Sophie Dahl (both of whom appear in the video's party scene), in mind due to her background as a dancer, and her ability to "do the mime that would actually make her appear to be a robot." The video had to be mildly censored before receiving airplay on MTV or VH1; by the time the modified video was delivered, the song had already fallen off the charts.
B-sides, bonus tracks and remixes
The B-sides for individual "Electric Barbarella" releases included remixes of previously released singles, such as "Girls on Film" or "Out of My Mind". Numerous remixes of the track were also issued on various promo releases and on the internet as well.
Formats and track listings
12": EMI. / 12ELEC 2000 United Kingdom
"Electric Barbarella" (Tee's club mix) – 5:54
"Electric Barbarella" (Electric Sex mix) – 5:02
"Girls on Film" (Salt Tank mix) – 6:27
Released in November 1998
CD: EMI. / CDELEC 2000 United Kingdom
"Electric Barbarella" (radio edit) – 4:15
"Girls on Film" (Tin Tin Out radio mix) – 4:51
"Electric Barbarella" (Tee's radio mix) – 4:05
Released in November 1998
MC: EMI. / TCELEC 2000 United Kingdom
"Electric Barbarella" (radio edit) – 4:15
"Girls on Film" (Tin Tin Out radio mix) – 4:51
"Electric Barbarella" (Tee's radio mix) – 4:05
7": Capitol. / S7-724381972175 United States
"Electric Barbarella" (album version) – 5:19
"Out of My Mind" (album version) – 4:20
12": Capitol. / Y 7243 8 58674 15 United States
"Electric Barbarella" (Tee's club mix) – 5:54
"Electric Barbarella" (Tee's dance mix) – 6:16
"Electric Barbarella" (All Fired Up mix) – 7:12
"Electric Barbarella" (Barbarella bonus beats) – 4:49
12": Capitol. / SPRO 12098 (Promo) United States
"Electric Barbarella" (Tee's club mix) – 5:41
"Electric Barbarella" (Tee's Speed dub) – 6:15
"Electric Barbarella" (Tee's dance mix) – 6:03
"Electric Barbarella" (TNT In-House mix) – 5:12
"Electric Barbarella" (Tee's capella) – 2:11
U.S. promo 12" labelled "Todd Terry Remixes"
12": Capitol. / SPRO 7087 6 12098 15 (Promo) United States
"Electric Barbarella" (Tee's dance mix) – 6:03
"Electric Barbarella" (TNT In-House mix) – 5:12
"Electric Barbarella" (Tee's capella) – 2:11
"Electric Barbarella" (Tee's club mix) – 5:41
"Electric Barbarella" (Tee's Speed dub) – 6:15
12": Capitol. / SPRO 7087 6 12097 16 (Promo) United States
"Electric Barbarella" (All Fired Up mix) – 7:12
"Electric Barbarella" (Barbarella bonus beats) – 4:49
"Electric Barbarella" (album version) – 5:19
"Electric Barbarella" (radio edit) – 4:15
12": Harvest. / SPRO 7087 6 12085 11 (Promo) United States
"Electric Barbarella" (Electric Sex remix) – 5:02
"Electric Barbarella" (Electric Sex instrumental remix) – 5:04
"Electric Barbarella" (The Americruiser remix) – 6:17
"Electric Barbarella" (Yo Shorty Americruiser remix) – 5:05
CD: Capitol. / C2 7243 8 58674 0 8 United States
"Electric Barbarella" (album version) – 5:15
"Electric Barbarella" (Tee's club mix) – 5:41
"Electric Barbarella" (All Fired Up mix) – 7:09
"Out of My Mind" (Perfecto mix) – 5:51
"Sinner and Saint" – 4:12
"Electric Barbarella Video" (director's cut) – 5:01
Track 6 is in Quicktime format, 320x240, Apple Cinepak codec
Download
"Electric Barbarella" (Internet-only mix) – 4:20
"Electric Barbarella" (Dom T remix) – 7:08
First commercially downloadable song; sold for 99 cents.
Media references
The cosmetics company Hard Candy was preparing to launch a colour of nail polish named "Electric Barbarella" at the same time the single was released, but had to halt it because the proper permissions had not been received from the owners of the Barbarella name.
Chart positions
The song was released on 16 September in the United States, and peaked at No. 52 on the Billboard Hot 100 on 1 November and one year later reached No. 23 in UK singles charts. Due to the debacle over its download release, temporary censoring of the music video and late release to other markets the single is generally considered to have under-performed.
Release history
Personnel
Duran Duran
Nick Rhodes – keyboards
Simon Le Bon – vocals
Warren Cuccurullo – guitar, bass
Additional musicians
Anthony J. Resta – live drums
Clem Burke – live drum fill
References
Duran Duran songs
1997 singles
Fictional gynoids
1997 songs
EMI Records singles
Songs written by Warren Cuccurullo
Songs written by Simon Le Bon
Songs written by Nick Rhodes
Songs about comics
Songs about fictional female characters
Music videos featuring gynoids