1982 · Behind the Songs
Bright, sunny and made for summer.
“Rio” (1982), the title song of the album, is bright, sunny and made for summer. The rhythm is light, the vocal is playful, and the whole record feels like a holiday — a yacht, a beach, a blue sea, all suggested in a few quick images. It is the most carefree song on Rio, and it became a shorthand for the band’s glamorous, travel-loving image in the MTV era.
The song’s charm is in that lightness. It does not try to be deep; it tries to be enjoyable, and it succeeds because the melody is strong and the arrangement is clean. Heard today, “Rio” still sounds like sunshine, and it still works as an introduction to Duran Duran for listeners who have never heard the band before.