Tel Aviv by Duran Duran
From the Duran Duran Wiki:
“Tel Aviv” is the Instrumental ninth and final track on Duran Duran’s debut album.
The song was originaly titled “On My Own in Tel-Aviv”, had lyrics, and was one of many songs that Simon Le Bon wrote and had in his notebook of poems he brought with him to his audition for the band. Simon has also stated that the song is about when he was in Israel working on a Kibbutz. The song was also the first to be recorded by the band, and was originaly recorded at AIR Studios London and was a completely different song (and, according to Nick, the only thing that remains on the released version is the title)
“Tel Aviv” is primarily instrumental but does feature some ethereal vocalizations by Simon, possibly words in Yiddish or Arabic. Srings were arranged by Richard Myhill and it was the first time Duran Duran used an orchestra.
According to the band, the album version of the song was used as the opener for their first concerts, however they had a recorded version of the song and did not actually perform it. In recent years the band have in fact performed the song live, at times even accompanied by a full orchestra (Violinists, ect.) in order to authentically recreate the live strings found on the original recording
And what inspired me to post this song today? This news of course.
Update: More on Le Bon’s time on Kibbutz:
Duran Duran singer Simon le Bon wrote the song Tel Aviv about his time in Israel. The bed he slept in for three months in 1979 at Kibbutz Gvulot was later turned into a shrine. “My time here was . . . the first time I had lived away from my parents. So I have an affection for the country,” he said.
