Hold Back the Rain

The song Hold Back the Rain, part of the album Rio by Duran Duran, has an interesting history regarding its conception and the different versions that circulated. Vocalist Simon Le Bon wrote the lyrics during the band's first tour of the United States in 1981. He wrote them down on a piece of paper and slipped it under the hotel room door of bassist John Taylor, a gesture that, it is said, they never directly discussed. The recording of Hold Back the Rain took place at AIR Studios in London between January and March 1982, being completed on March 19. The producer was Colin Thurston, who was also responsible for the recording engineering.

Musically, the song moves in the synth-pop territory, fusing elements of post-punk, new wave, and disco. It is characterized by its energetic bass line, fast rhythms, and the prominent use of the drum machine with a "gated snare" effect. What is particular about Hold Back the Rain is that several editions and mixes exist. The original mix was done in London for the album Rio. However, during production and subsequent re-releases, different editions were generated. A remixed version, which was used on the US editions of the album Rio, caused some confusion, leading many to believe it was the original version. These remixes were done in Los Angeles, working with producer David Kershenbaum, and were primarily intended for the Carnival EP and to promote the band on US radio.

Even when the album Rio was released on CD, another variant of the song was included, contributing to the diversity of available versions.