Duran Duran

"Come Undone" is a song by British band Duran Duran. It was released in March 1993 as the second single from the album Duran Duran (The Wedding Album). It is their 24th single overall. After making a surprise comeback with the stately ballad "Ordinary World," Duran Duran proved that that hit wasn't a fluke by consolidating their success with "Come Undone." Like "Ordinary World," "Come Undone" was a ballad but it utilized a more experimental style than its predecessor. The lyrics are tough to pin down to a specific meaning (a common element of Duran Duran lyrics) but seem to be the pledge of one lover to another with lines like "We'll try to stay blind/To the hope and fear outside." However, the chorus offsets this romanticism with an edge of doubt: "Who do you need?/Who do you love/When you come undone?" These lyrics are wrapped in a lush melody that builds from quiet balladry to a lilting chorus where the notes descend from aching heights to create a soothing singalong hook. Duran Duran's recording differentiates itself from the usual pop ballad by using the kind of looped percussion and percolating bass line that defined early-'90s dance music. It also added in an alluring, effects-treated guitar riff whose shimmering, watery sound dominates the song and gives its most notable hook. Meanwhile, Simon LeBon delivers the lyrics in a languid style reminiscent of Morrissey or Neil Tennant of the Pet Shop Boys. His work is further supported by the soulful support vocals of Tessa Niles, who sings a brief but memorable counterpoint bit in the middle of each verse. These diverse elements blended into a seamless whole that solidified the group's comeback with a Top 15 charting in the U.K. and Top Ten success in the U.S.