"I Do What I Do... (Theme for 9 1/2 Weeks)" by John Taylor

Song#:  2651
Date:  03/08/1986
Debut:  73
Peak:  23
Weeks:  12
Genre:  Rock, Soundtrack



Pop Bits:  Around the time Michael Des Barres took over lead vocal duties for the Duran Duran off-shoot band Power Station (replacing Robert Palmer), he was asked to supply a song for the upcoming erotic drama film 9 1/2 Weeks. With his bandmate John Taylor (Duran Duran and Power Station's bassist) and the film's score composer Jonathan Elias, Des Barres came up with this theme song. Taylor then took the song and got it recorded for the film. It was then issued out as the first single from the soundtrack album. Interest was high in the single thanks to the movie and the fact that this was the first solo effort put out by a member of Duran Duran. The song was able to crack the Pop Top 30, but stalled soon after. The album was not a major success but did reach #59. Afterwards, John Taylor would join back up with Duran Duran. He wouldn't issue out another solo effort until 1997 with the album Feelings Are Good And Other Lies.

ReduxReview:  I had totally forgotten about this song. I didn't even recognize the title, but when the opening chorus started, it came back to mind. It really must have been the power of Duran Duran that made a minor hit out of this. Other than the hooky chorus line, there is not much of anything going on with this song. It doesn't help that Taylor is not a good lead vocalist. He kind of talk/sings through what I assume are verses. And then there is the weird break section. Other than being an oddity in the Duran Duran family catalog, the song doesn't offer much.

ReduxRating:  4/10

Trivia:  Double Shot!  1) Apparently, Taylor was not supposed to sing this song. It was originally offered to Canadian singer/songwriter Dalbello (aka Lisa dal Bello). She ended up passing on the song and with little time to secure another vocalist, Taylor was basically coerced into singing the song. Some folks were not all that kind to Taylor's performance or even the song itself. It ended up being nominated for a Golden Raspberry award for Worst Song. However, Taylor's Duran Duran connection gave the song a boost and it ended up being a middling hit.  2) Although Dalbello bailed on lead vocals for this song (she did provide backing vocals), she did record one of her own compositions for the soundtrack titled "Black on Black." That song would be picked up in 1993 by Heart and altered by Ann and Nancy Wilson to become "Black on Black II." As a teenager, Lisa dal Bello recorded three pop-oriented albums with her 1977 self-titled debut earning hear a Juno award for Most Promising Female Vocalist. By 1982, she retreated from music and pursued other ventures, yet she was lured back to recording by famed David Bowie guitarist Mick Ronson. The pair came up with her rock-oriented fourth album, 1984's whomanfoursays. The LP was well-received and one tune from it, "Wait for an Answer," would be picked up and recorded by Heart for their 1987 album Bad Animals. She would record two more albums before leaving the spotlight to work in other mediums like television and film.

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