Skin Trade

"Skin Trade" is the second single from Duran Duran's Notorious album, and the band's 15th single in total. It was released in January 1987, reached #22 on the UK Singles Chart, and #39 on the Billboard Hot 100. Background The music for "Skin Trade" was written long before Simon Le Bon finally finished the lyrics. The title for the song was derived from the Dylan Thomas book Adventures in the Skin Trade which John Taylor had on him during recording of the album. It was shortened to "Skin Trade" and Le Bon eventually wrote the melody and lyrics for the track while spending an evening in Taylor's Upper West Side Manhattan apartment. The lyrics reflect on how everyone is selling themselves, and "there's a little hooker in each of us". The single was a departure for the band. Le Bon sang in falsetto, admitting he was channeling the Rolling Stones' lead singer Mick Jagger on their song "Emotional Rescue". A horn section played a prominent role in the track, as played by The Borneo Horns. The band persevered with the single and many aspects of their future business took inspiration from "Skin Trade". They called their publishing company Skin Trade Music Ltd. and the Notorious tour was called the "Strange Behaviour Tour" (a reference to that line of the song). Likewise, a 1987 remix EP and a 1999 double CD collection of remixes were also called Strange Behaviour.