Per Wikipedia, David Bowie "released 26 studio albums, nine live albums, two soundtrack albums, 26 compilation albums, eight extended plays, 128 singles and six box sets. Since his death, one further studio album, 13 live albums, one soundtrack album, one compilation album, four extended plays and six box sets have been released." 😵
My first exposure to David Bowie was during his 80's phase, when I was a little dude. His Let's Dance album was the David Bowie I knew. It wasn't until the internet became a thing and I had access to all the music in the world that I discovered all the things he had done previous to Let's Dance. I initially fell in love with songs from "The Man Who Sold The World" album (released in 1970). Especially the song "Black Country Rock". I was like, "Dude, this stuff is kinda heavy!?" lol.
Bowie has had so many phases in his career, each one quite different from the last. In this post I am potentially biting off more than I can chew as I attempt to pick one song off of each of his full length albums (of original material) and talk about it. Wish me luck, Nick! Good luck, Nick! Thanks, Nick.
Year: 1967
Album: David Bowie
Song: Come and Buy My Toys
This is a very short song, just over two minutes. Many of the songs on his first album are short like this. It is a very simple sounding, just acoustic guitar and a bass guitar and David's voice. His skill for melody is 100% there already. I love this song. Something a little sad-feeling about it. I get that same feeling underneath a lot of his music.Year: 1969
Album: David Bowie
Song: Janine
This is the album with the song "Space Oddity" on it. But of course I couldn't choose the song everyone already knows! C'mon, you know me better than that. This is one of the first albums I bought when I started collecting vinyl a couple years ago because it is one that I am least familiar with. This song, Janine, I like more every time I hear it. It's catchy, but not simple. Sometimes the verses seem like they should be ending but he keeps on going. On the surface it could be a sweet love song but, with Bowie, there is always an undercurrent of darnkess.
But I've got things inside my head
That even I can't face
Year: 1970
Album: The Man Who Sold The World
Song: Don't Make Me Pick One!!! ok, fine.... Black Country Rock
This is the first album with guitarist Mick Ronson. This song is a great showcase for the difference he made in Bowie's sound. Enjoy all the great guitar work in this one!
At 2:30 he does this weird stuttery thing with his voice. I love that shit! The freedom to leave something like that in the recording, especially when he was first starting out in his career.. I have to imagine he got some flack from someone from the record label to not do weird crap like that, lol. Of course I have no idea, just fantasizing.
It's hard not to pick Ziggy Stardust as my favorite Bowie album, but I think that title goes to Man Who Sold The World. Look at this album cover, man! To be in a dress, not conforming to standard gender roles, in 1970. Big big respect, Mr. Bowie.
Year: 1971
Album: Hunky Dory
Song: Queen Bitch (Video below is live performance from 1972 on Old Grey Whistle Test)
This is one the many Bowie albums I am not super familiar with because I have yet to find songs I really connect with. He defitely seemed to take a step back from the hard rock side of things with Hunky Dory. It has one of his biggest songs "Changes" on it, and "Life On Mars" is a good song, but its almost too sad for me. Maybe sad isnt the right word, but some of David's song just have so much emotion packed into them they are hard to listen to for me.
Queen Bitch is a taste of what his next album will sound like. That's maybe why its my favorite from Hunky Dory. Somewhat up-beat with wonderful strange lyrics.
Of sweet talking, night walking games
Oh and she's known in the darkest clubs
For pushing ahead of the dames
If she says she can do it
Then she can do it, she don't make false claims
But she's a queen and such a queen
Such a laughter is sucked in their brains
Year: 1972
Album: The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
Song: ALL OF THEM, but we will talk about Rock 'n' Roll Suicide
Ziggy Stardust era Bowie is the Bowie most classic rock fans are most familiar with, and for good reason. This album is superb all the way thru. I almost picked Starman as the song from this one because, over the years, it has become one of my favorites. Of course I love so many songs on this album, It Aint Easy, Hang Onto Yourself, Moonage Daydream, Ziggy Stardust, to name a few.
I decided on Rock and Roll Suicide. I feel it is one of the lesser-known tracks from this masterpiece. The song builds from beginning to end. It starts with just an acoustic guitar with David singing. I love the single bass drum at the beginning. Then horns come in with more guitar.. then some strings..all while David's singing gets more intense and by the end his voice is cracking from so much force. When he starts singing "You're not alone" I get emotional sometimes. One of my favorite Bowie songs, period.
Lyrics:
Time takes a cigarette, puts it in your mouthYou pull on your finger, then another finger, then your cigarette
The wall-to-wall is calling, it lingers, then you forget
Oh oh, oh, oh, you're a rock 'n' roll suicide
You're too old to lose it, too young to choose it
And the clock waits so patiently on your song
You walk past a cafe but you don't eat when you've lived too long
Oh, no, no, no, you're a rock 'n' roll suicide
Chev brakes are snarling as you stumble across the road
But the day breaks instead so you hurry home
Don't let the sun blast your shadow
Don't let the milk float ride your mind
You're so natural – religiously unkind
Oh no, love! You're not alone
You're watching yourself but you're too unfair
You got your head all tangled up
But if I could only make you care
Oh no, love! You're not alone
No matter what or who you've been
No matter when or where you've seen
All the knives seem to lacerate your brain
I've had my share, I'll help you with the pain
You're not alone!
Just turn on with me and you're not alone
Let's turn on and be not alone (wonderful)
Gimme your hands 'cause you're wonderful (wonderful)
Gimme your hands 'cause you're wonderful (wonderful)
Oh, gimme your hands
Ok, I have to cheat here. I have to include the video for Starman as well. The chorus chokes me up sometimes as it feels like he is talking about God, or the Great Spirit. "There's a star man waiting in the sky. He'd like to come and meet us... but he think he'd blow our minds." Agreed, Mr. Bowie, agreed. I remember when he passed in 2016 listening to this song a lot. It's funny how you can greive for people you have never met. I feel like I know them thru the music, tho. Maybe I know them better than people I am around every day......🤷♀️. Live performance below, followed by a music video with the studio track.
Year: 1973
Album: Aladdin Sane
Song: Panic In Detroit
He looked a lot like Che Guevara, drove a diesel van
Kept his gun in quiet seclusion, such a humble man
Love that lyric. I'm not sure why. LOL. Panic In Detroit is my favorite song from Aladdin Sane (A lad, insane). And Aladdin Sane is in my top three (The Bowie TriFecta... Man Who Sold The World/Ziggy Stardust/Aladdin Sane) favorite Bowie albums. Panic In Detroit has great melody, great lyrics, and interesting stuff like bongos and some background singers at one point.
I like many of the songs on Aladdin Sane. A little more experimental than Ziggy Stardust and not as many super-classic tracks, but I like some of the weirder stuff on here. Big surprise!
Year: 1974
Album: Diamond Dogs
Song: Rebel Rebel
Diamond Dogs is another album that I just have not found a way to connect with....yet. I have read many articles where musicians say it is their favorite Bowie album, so I feel like I 'should' like it! But, that's not how music works 😋
In writing this post, I took a trip through all the songs on Diamond Dogs and confirm I still don't like it, LOL. The song I dislike the least is the big hit from this one, Rebel Rebel. It may be the simplest Bowie song of all time. It IS extremely catchy, tho, I will admit!
Year: 1975
Album: Young Americans
Song: Right
Young Americans is yet another change in sound for Bowie. From Wikipedia: A departure from the glam rock style of previous albums, the record showcased Bowie's interest in soul and R&B. Music critics have described the sound as blue-eyed soul; Bowie himself labelled the album's sound "plastic soul". It is also another album that is not among those that I especially enjoy 😛. That's one of the great things about David Bowie. There is still so much of his catalog that I have yet to connect with.
I picked the song "Right" to highlight from Young Americans as I enjoy the sheer chillness of it. I feel relaxed when I listen to it. I dig the groove, baby!
Year: 1976
Album: Station to Station
Song: Golden Years
This song is just weird. I absolutely love it! It almost puts me in a trance. DO NOT LISTEN WHILE DRIVING, lol, mostly kidding. I love the groove of it. Its both relaxing and energizing at the same time somehow. whop whop whop.
I remember as a teenager, I bought a greatest hits CD of Bowie songs and I would always skip over Golden Years. It just sounds so different from his Ziggy Stardust stuff and I did not like it! It most definitely grew on me, tho. Today it is among my favorite Bowie songs.
Year: 1977
Album: Low
Song: Speed of Life/Breaking Glass
Ok, I am cheating a little here. My excuse is that Speed of Life is an instrumental and Breaking Glass is less than two minutes long... and I always listen to the two together. Low is the first of the three albums Bowie made in Germany after leaving the US to try to get away from the drug culture that ended up saddling him with an extreme cocaine addiction. Electronic sounds started taking a bigger role in these albums. Speed of Life is a great instrumental track. So interesting. Breaking Glass is such a funky little song, I wish it were longer! LOL. "You're such a wonderful person... but ya got problems... ooooh ooooh oooooh OOOAH"
Year: 1977
Album: Heroes
Song: The Secret Life of Arabia
In doing this write-up I realized I had never heard the majority of this album. It's pretty out-there, bruh. Sometimes I feel like I'm not smart enough to like Bowie.... at least this section of his career...
I have heard the song "Heroes" of course. It has been used for various movies and other pop culture items over the years. I was determined not to use that song for this list. This album almost seems like a soundtrack to some independent movie about space, lol.
I landed on The Secret Life of Arabia, the last song on the album. "I was running at the speed of light". It has a great bassline and had me bobbing my head. Looking forward to getting to know this one a little better!
Year: 1979
Album: Lodger
Song: African Night Flight
Lodger is another one that I have tried to 'get into' over the years but haven't been able to find something to latch onto. I enjoyed listening to these songs to find one to discuss here.
African Night Flight jumped out at me as extremely interesting. Yes, that sounds to me like David Bowie speed rapping. And he's really good at it! This was 1979! So cool.
Year: 1980
Album: Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)
Song: Fashion (actual music video for this one, in 1980!)
Ok, I am realizing just how little of Bowie's catalog I really know. I have only scratched the surface on many of these! I think the same thing will become clear after Let's Dance. I think there are some of those albums that I have never heard a single song from. I did know a couple from Scary Monsters and I picked one of those for this list.
Fashion is a big hint at where Bowie was going with his next album Let's Dance. Fashion will get you groovin, baby. Great beat, great electronic fuzz. "Turn to the left! Turn to the right! We are the good squad and we're coming to town, beep beep!"
Year: 1983
Album: Let's Dance
Song: Let's Dance
David Bowie made some damn good 80's music! I had already chosen Modern Love as the song from this album and had the video ready to go and everything. I then pulled up the Lets Dance video and decided I had to go with that one. Where the hell are are they? It looks like they are playing in some cafe in Central America or something. By now, you know that I love the WIERD! This song is so great. From the groovy beat to David's wonderful vocals... the perfect 80s song.
Year: 1984
Album: Tonight
Song: I Keep Forgetting
I have literally never heard of this album. Did not know it existed. LOL. It's along the same lines as Let's Dance but without the great songs. The best I could come up with was I Keep Forgetting. It almost has a 50's feel to it but I dig it for some reason.
Year: 1987
Album: Never Let Me Down
Song: Time Will Crawl (another music video I have never seen below!)
Two in a row! I have never heard of this album! David Bowie was a workhorse, man, the guy never took a year off! Still an 80's sound to this one but has more of a rock feel. Heading in the right direction Davey-boy! 😎
Finding songs like Time Will Crawl is why I spend time writing these articles. I had to listen through the songs on Never Let Me Down twice before Time Will Crawl jumped out at me. I have yet to really dig into the instrumentation, but I love David's vocal and lyrics on this one.
I've never sailed on a sea
I would not challenge a giant
I could not take on the church
Time will crawl
'Til the 21st century lose
I know a government man
He was as blind as the moon
He saw the sun in the night
He took a top-gun pilot
He made him fly through a hole
'Til he grew real old
And he never came down
He just flew 'til he burst
Time will crawl 'til our mouths run dry
Time will crawl 'til our feet grow small
Time will crawl 'til our tails fall off
Time will crawl 'til the 21st century lose
I saw a black black stream
Full of white eyed fish
And a drowning man
With no eyes at all
I felt a warm warm breeze
That melted metal and steel
I got a bad migraine
That lasted three long years
And the pills that I took
Made my fingers disappear
Time will crawl, time will crawl
Time will crawl
'Til the 21st century lose
You were a talented child
You came to live in our town
We never bothered to scream
When your mask came off
We only smelt the gas
As we lay down to sleep
Time will crawl and our heads bowed down
Time will crawl and our eyes fall out
Time will crawl and the streets run red
Time will crawl 'til the 21st century lose
Time will crawl and our mouths run dry
Time will crawl and our feet grow small
Time will crawl and our tails fall off
Time will crawl 'til the 21st century lose
Time will crawl and our heads bowed down
Time will crawl and our eyes fall out
Time will crawl and the streets run red
Time will crawl 'til the 21st century lose
For the crazy child
We'll give every life
For the crackpot notion
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: David Bowie
Time Will Crawl lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc
Also, the video! I was very impressed with the video. David Bowie is one heck of an actor.
Year: 1990
Album: Black Tie White Noise
Song: Pallas Athena
Correct, I have never heard of this album. You're learning! This album has a definite 90s feel. I remember a lot of the electronic drum patters from Sega Genesis games around that era. That hip-hop / r&b influence was everywhere in all aspects of the culture. Good times. I struggled to find a song to pick from this one until I got to Pallas Athena. Bowie doesn't actually sing, it's an instrumental. I love the sample of the guy saying "God... is on top of it all". The strings are cool also.
Some interesting info from Wikipedia on the making of Black Tie White Noise: In October 1990, Bowie met the Somali model Iman in Los Angeles as he resumed recording with Tin Machine following the Sound+Vision Tour.[6] They married on 24 April 1992 in a private ceremony in Lausanne, Switzerland.[a][7][8] Five days later,[9] the two returned to Los Angeles on the day the 1992 Los Angeles riots began,[2] forcing the newly-weds to stay in a hotel and witness the violence from inside.[b][8] Bowie later reflected: "It was an extraordinary feeling. I think the one thing that sprang into our minds was that it felt more like a prison riot than anything else. It felt as if innocent inmates of some vast prison were trying to break out, break free from their bonds."[10] According to the biographer Nicholas Pegg, both the wedding and racial divide influenced Bowie's next album.[9]
Year: 1995
Album: 1. Outside: The Nathan Adler Diaries: A Hyper-cycle
Song: We Prick You
Bowie released an album in 1993 also, but it was a soundtrack for a movie and I didn't feel it fit in this piece. Also, I couldn't really find any songs to discuss from it, lol. This album, Outside, is not a soundtrack, but it is a concept album of sorts, telling a story. From wikipedia: Influenced by the television series Twin Peaks, the nonlinear narrative of Outside concerns the residents of the fictional Oxford Town, New Jersey, and follows the detective Nathan Adler as he investigates the murder of a 14-year-old girl. The tracks show perspectives of specific characters, while spoken word between-song segues convey more character ideals; the story and Adler's diary entries were presented in the album's CD booklet. Musically, Outside displays styles from art rock, industrial rock and jazz, to electronica and ambient. The album cover is a self-portrait of Bowie.
The song I chose from Outside is We Prick You. What grabbed me initially is the refrain "tell the truth... TELL the truth". It also has elements of electronic music and I can't wait to listen a few more times to really dig in. I haven't looked up the lyrics but they seem very.. um... well, I know he talks about wanting to be 'screwing' when the world ends. ENJOY!
Year: 1997
Album: Earthling
Song: Dead Man Walking (official video below)
Ok, well at least I REMEMBER the album Earthling. Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails did a remix of I'm Afraid of Americans and I liked that version. This was one of the first times I actually listened to the entire Earthling album and it is heavily influenced by the 'drum and bass' stuff and the rise in popularity of Nine Inch Nails. The video itself reminds me of the Marilyn Manson videos that were extremely popular around that time.
I chose Dead Man Walking from the album. I don't remember ever hearing the song before, but I really like it. Especially the chorus.
Bonus video: Conan O'Brien replayed a live performance from 1997 as a tribute when Bowie passed away in 2016. It's cool to see the stripped down version of the song. Of course, Bowie performs wonderfully.
Year: 1999
Album: Hours
Song: What's Really Happening
Holy McMolyville, I have never heard of this album. I have looked over Bowie's discography dozens of times over the years and am a little blown away at all the albums I have missed. From wikipedia: Hours (stylised as 'hours...' ) is the twenty-second studio album by the English musician David Bowie. It was originally released on 21 September 1999 through the Internet on the artist's website BowieNet, followed by a physical CD release on 4 October through Virgin Records. It was one of the first albums by a major artist available to download over the Internet. Originating as a soundtrack to the video game Omikron: The Nomad Soul (1999), Hours was the final collaboration between Bowie and guitarist Reeves Gabrels, with whom he had worked since 1988. The album was recorded in mid-1999 at studios in Bermuda and New York City. A song contest conducted on BowieNet in late 1998 resulted in a fan contributing lyrics and backing vocals to one of the tracks.
I recently got a retro-gaming device and I will certainly be looking up that video game to check it out. I chose the song What's Really Happening because it was my favorite after my initial listen thru the album. I also like the title because that phrase wanders thru my head frequently 🤔.
This album was made during the initial boom of the internet. Bowie released it as a digital download first and had a contest in which the prize was meeting David and being involved in the recording of one of the songs. I found the below video which shows some of the recording of What's Really Happening along with the fan and Bowie in the studio. What struck me was how kind David is, at one point making sure the fan had the proper equipment when the staff did not give him 'cans' (headphones).
Year: 2002
Album: Heathen
Song: Afraid
I DO remember Heathen. Mostly because of the album cover. The white eyes and upside down writing always kinda creeped me out. I also thought it was very very cool.
This was one of the first times I listened to every song on Heathen and the song that raised its hand for discussion was Afraid.
I like the song musically, but its the subject matter that resonates with me. In the personal work I have done I have become aware of the large role fear plays in my daily life. I like when I hear others talking about it. Especially people who appear to 'have it all'. We all deal with the same emotions no matter who we are or what we do.
Year: 2003
Album: Reality
Song: New Killer Star
Ok, this is getting ridiculous. Who has heard of David Bowie's album Reality? Notice I did not raise my hand. From wikipedia: Reality is the twenty-fourth studio album by the English musician David Bowie, originally released in Europe on 15 September 2003, and the following day in America. His second release through his own ISO label, the album was recorded between January and May 2003 at Looking Glass Studios in New York City, with production by Bowie and longtime collaborator Tony Visconti. Most of the musicians consisted of his then-touring band. Bowie envisioned the album as a set of songs that could be played live.
I chose New Killer Star as the song from this album. I like the straight forward rock feel but it has those cool effects in the background. I also love how you think the chorus has come but then he hits you with the chorus chorus... "ready... set... go!"
Year: 2013
Album: The Next Day
Song: The Boss Of Me
Yes, I totally knew this album existed. Why would you think otherwise? JK! I had thought Blackstar (his final album) was his first in many years, but it turns out The Next Day was his first release in ten years. Who knew? Not me! From wikipedia: Primarily an art rock album, The Next Day references Bowie's earlier glam and funk releases. The generally bleak lyrics draw from his reading of English and Russian history and examine themes of tyranny and violence. The cover art is an adapted version of Bowie's 1977 album "Heroes" by designer Jonathan Barnbrook, who placed a white square with the album's title over Bowie's face and crossed out the "Heroes" title. The album was released through ISO Records in association with Columbia Records.
I almost chose the title track, but when I got to Boss Of Me, I knew that was the one. It sounds different than the rest of the album. I love David's vocals on this one. I also love the blipy bassline, boodaalaadoop.
Year: 2015
Album: Blackstar
Song: Girl Loves Me
This is Bowie's final album. It was released as he was dying. Like, literally. The album was released on January 8th, 2016, on Bowie;s 69th birthday, and he died two days later on January 10th from liver cancer. From wikipedia: Music journalists noted that a "black star lesion," usually found inside a breast, suggests to medical practitioners evidence of certain types of cancer.
His life revolved around music right up to the very end, like he was just waiting for the release of his final piece of creative before he let go.
This album is still extremely hard to listen to for me. Most of the tracks just sound like death to me. The title track and Lazarus give me big feelings of impending doom. The track I chose for this article is one I hadn't heard a lot, Girl Loves Me. I love Bowie's vocal on this one. It's one of the few vocals where Bowie feels confident and powerful. "Where the fuck did Monday go-ooo?".
In a few months it will be ten years since David Bowie left Earth. Where the fuck did Monday go? Where the fuck does time go... seeming to speed up as we age. I really need to keep practicing at staying in the here-and-now and being grateful for this moment. It's a slippery mental slope to start focusing on the unstoppable movement of time and the end of this life that will happen for everyone I love... including myself. Well... that ended on a cheerful note! Good to talk about it sometimes, tho, no? I love you Mr. Bowie!!!
✌💙🤘
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