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Never did no harm, never did no harm...

DARE (挑戦 chōsen in Japanese) is the twelfth track and second single on Gorillaz' 2005 album, Demon Days. It features vocals by Shaun Ryder and lead vocals provided by Noodle, voiced by Rosie Wilson.

Information

As soon as Demon Days leaked, fans and critics were picking "DARE" as having 'single' written all over it. It was a surprise to nobody when it was plucked from the album to be the follow-up to the smash hit "Feel Good Inc." "DARE" crashed into the UK charts at #1, becoming the first Gorillaz single to do so.

Bonus tracks were spread generously over the 3 formats in the UK, the standouts being the excellent "Highway (Under Construction)" and the early version of "DARE", "People". Several big-name remixers were enlisted to corner every possible DJ angle, resulting in some interesting takes on the song (some of these were available on promos and as legal downloads only).

All in all, "DARE" represented an excellent package for the fans; and with its catchy lines and stunning video, the title song was also a deserved hit worldwide.

Recording

Real Life Backstory

So my story is, Damon gets on the beat and he gets the tune going, and I go in and I'm trying to get the cans to get in me ears and go, 'It's going up, It's going up, It's going up,' and then go 'It's THERE!'
~ Shaun Ryder on recording DARE[1]


According to Murdoc in the We Are The Dury interview CD, the band had to change the song's title from "It's There" to "DARE" due to Shaun singing the lyrics "incorrectly" because of his accent.[2] This was later partially re-stated by commentator Chris EvansW during the 2006 BRIT AwardsW, leading to the popular misconception. The name's origin was later debunked by Ryder himself during a Radio XW interview, stating that there were no initial lyrics or title to begin with since the chorus was an outtake.[1] Interestingly, an unmastered promo CD of Demon Days can be found with the track titled "It's There" instead of "DARE".[3]

Virtual Band Backstory

"DARE" was created as an ode to the Manchester electronic club scene of the 80s, therefore the band wanted someone from that background to sing it. Murdoc asked if his old friend, Happy MondaysW singer Shaun Ryder, could lay down the vocals for the track one night when they were at a drinking club in Soho. It was only until a month later that the band went on to record the song, due to both Murdoc and Shaun immediately forgetting the idea, with the only thing reminding Murdoc of the exchange being the bar-bill he found in his pocket from that night.[4] Similarly to the chorus' real life backstory, Shaun was stuck in the recording booth and wasn't able to hear the rest of the band. The events that succeeded were described as a "happy accident", as Ryder inadvertently created the song's chorus when asking the band to turn his headphones up.[5]

It sounded so good that we decided to use that bit for the chorus. And I think you'll find, even by accident, it's actually a killer chorus.
~ Murdoc Niccals, Rise Of The Ogre.

DARE Bananaz Recording Snippet

Gorillaz_-_Recording_DARE_(Bananaz)

Music Video

DareMV
Main Article: DARE (Music Video)

The music video for DARE was released on the 29st of August 2005 along with the single itself. It was directed by Jamie Hewlett & Pete Candeland and was produced/animated by film production company Passion Pictures.

The music video stars Noodle, who re-animates Shaun Ryder's disembodied head in her room and starts singing with him. It features many references to classic horror movies throughout, such as Alfred HitchcockW's The BirdsW, The ExorcistW, and RinguW.

Lyrics

[Shaun Ryder, Noodle]:
It's coming up, It's coming up, It's coming up
It's coming up, It's coming up, It's coming up
It's DARE (Uh)

It's DARE

[Noodle & 2-D]:
You've got to press it on you
You just think it, that's what you do baby
Hold it down there
Jump with them all, and move it
Jump back and forth
And feel like you were there yourself
Work it out

[Shaun Ryder, Noodle]:
Never did no harm
Never did no harm
It's DARE
It's coming up, It's coming up, It's coming up
It's coming up, It's coming up
It's DARE (Uh)

[Noodle, 2-D & with Shaun Ryder]:
You've got to press it on you
You just think it that's what you do baby
Hold it down there
Jump with them all, and move it
Jump back and forth
And feel like you were there yourself
Work it out

[Shaun Ryder, Noodle]:
Never did no harm
Never did no harm
It's DARE
It's coming up, It's coming up, It's coming up
It's coming up, It's coming up
It's DARE

Never did no harm
Never did no harm
It's DARE
It's coming up, It's coming up, It's coming up
It's coming up, It's coming up
It's DARE (Uh)

[Noodle, 2-D & with Shaun Ryder]:
You've got to press it on you
You just think it, that's what you do baby
Hold it down there
Jump with them all and move it
Jump back and forth
And feel like you were there yourself
Work it out

You've got to press it on you
You just keep think it, that's what you do baby
Hold it down there
Jump with them all, and move it
Jump back and forth
And feel like you were there yourself
Work it out

[6]

Single Formats

CD1

  1. "DARE"
  2. "Clint Eastwood" (Live Featuring De La Soul and Bootie Brown)

CD2

  1. "DARE"
  2. "Highway (Under Construction)"
  3. "DARE (Soulwax Remix)"

DVD

  1. "DARE (Music Video)"
  2. "People"
  3. "Samba At 13"
  4. "DARE (Animatic)"

Australian limited-edition CD

  1. "DARE"
  2. "Highway (Under Construction)"
  3. "DARE (Soulwax Remix)"
  4. "Feel Good Inc."
  5. "DARE (Music Video)"

UK/US Promo CD

  1. "DARE (Radio Edit)"

UK Remixes CD

  1. "DARE (Radio Edit)"
  2. "DARE (Soulwax Remix)"
  3. "DARE (DFA Remix)"
  4. "DARE (Dare Refix)"

US Mixes CD

  1. "DARE (Album Edit)"
  2. "DARE (Dave Audé Edit)"
  3. "DARE (Chab Radio Edit)"
  4. "DARE (JRSNCHZ Blocrok Mix)"
  5. "DARE (Soulwax Remix)"
  6. "DARE (Dave Audé Club Mix)"
  7. "DARE (Chab Remix)"
  8. "DARE (JRSNCHZ Blokroxtra Mix)"
  9. "DARE (JRSNCHZ Apesh*t Mix)"
  10. "DARE (Pollyn Remix)"
  11. "DARE (DFA Remix)"
  12. "DARE (Album Version)"

UK 12" Promo Vinyl

  1. "DARE" [A1]
  2. "DARE (Soulwax Remix)" [A2]
  3. "DARE (DFA Remix)" [B]

US 12" Promo Vinyl 1

  1. "DARE (DFA Remix)" [A]
  2. "DARE (Soulwax Remix)" [B1]
  3. "DARE (Pollyn Remix)" [B2]


US 12" Promo Vinyl 2

  1. "DARE (Dave Audé Club Mix)" [A1]
  2. "DARE (JRSNCHZ Apesh*t Remix)" [A2]
  3. "DARE (Chab Remix)" [B1]
  4. "DARE (JRSNCHZ Blockrok Mix)" [B2]

Release Information

Region Date Format(s) Catalog # Label Chart positions
United Kingdom 29 August 2005 CD1 CDR 6668 Parlophone / EMI #1
CD2 CDRS 6668
DVD DVDR 6668
July 2005 CD Promo CDRDJ 6668
12" Promo 12RDJ 6668
US November/December 2005 CD Promo N/A Virgin Records #87
00946 3 31066 2 8
12" Promo GORILLAZ 1
GORILLAZ 2
Japan 7 September 2005 eCD TOCP-61104 Toshiba / EMI Records Japan
2005 eCD Promo
Australia 5 September 2005 eCD 3352540 Capitol / EMI Records Australia #11
Ltd. eCD 3404600
Europe August 2005 CD 0946 3 31986 2 Capitol / EMI #4 (Eurochart)
eCD 0946 3 31987 2 2
CD Promo N/A
Brazil 0946 3 31066 2 EMI Records Brazil

Video

Gorillaz_-_DARE_(Official_Video)

Gorillaz - DARE (Official Video)

Trivia

  • "DARE" is 2-D's favourite song on Demon Days.[7]
  • At some point before its release, this track was titled "It's There".[3]
  • "DARE" is not just Gorillaz' only UK number one single to date, but also Shaun Ryder's. Although he had success in both Happy MondaysW and Black GrapeW, neither band ever had a number one single.
  • The song features a sample of Medium Excited Teenage Crowd Take 1 from The Premiere Edition 14 by The Hollywood Edge, which was also used in Daft PunkW's "Revolution 909W".
    • It is currently unknown if DARE specifically takes Daft Punk's use of Medium Excited Teenage Crowd Take 1 in "Revolution 909", or the direct sample.

Gallery

Dare_DVD_Menu

Dare DVD Menu

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 "Shaun Ryder Tells The Story Behind Gorillaz's Dare". Radio X (1 November 2017). Retrieved on 4 March 2025.
  2. "18. There’s an interesting story about how the next track, Dare, got its title…", We Are The Dury, April 2005.
  3. 3.0 3.1 "Gorillaz – Demon Days – CD (Album, Promo), 2005". Discogs. Retrieved on 7 January 2025.
  4. "noodle". ireallylovemusic.co.uk. Archived from the original on 16 October 2005. Retrieved on 3 March 2025.
  5. Browne, Cass; Gorillaz (26 October 2006). Rise Of The Ogre, p. 199. Penguin Group. ISBN 1-59448-931-9.
  6. "The Singles Collection 2001-2011 [Japanese standard edition]", TOCP-71211, booklet pp.19-20
  7. "Gorillaz Interview Kit", located at 2:13. Lily Townsend (26 June 2019). Retrieved on 3 January 2025.

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