The Man Who Polled the World, aka DAVID BOWIE POLL RESULTS

"Space Oddity" is dope, "Starman" doesn't belong top 20. As Ziggy Stardust's first big UK hit, I feel like full appreciation of the latter demands the historical context of the British pop circa 1972 - all by its lonesome it's kind of a thin song.

OK, last one for today. Get yer guesses in in the next 2 minutes.

I think you mean "better be top 3," Iago.

xpost Space Oddity is the Bowie song like Sgt. Pepper is the Beatles album, right? As in once you get into the artist's catalog you realize that there's better material, on balance?

― this is my receipt for your receipt (Z S), Wednesday, March 7, 2012 1:36 PM (2 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

"space oddity" is an astounding song, easily one of bowie's best. imo, the tendency to downplay its genius reflects not a great wealth of "better material", but simply the fact that career- and era-defining smash hits tend to get overplayed. and there's a strong tendency among the "real fans" of any artist to slag the trademark hit anyway...

Andy Warhol

I think both of those will be there, especially S2S. Seems to have a big lobby here.

and sgt. pepper's is similarly brilliant (xxp)

OK, last one for today. Get yer guesses in in the next 2 minutes.

Give us a clue!

it is awesome

Too late!

Guessing at 'Oh! You Pretty Things'

I could see Station to Station winning this TBH. It would be a very ILX choice.

it sounds even better when you're wasted

16. "Five Years" (from The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars) - 596 points/24 votes/2 first-place votes

Album: http://youtu.be/Zq3EZhT3G7U
Old Grey Whistle Test, 1972: http://youtu.be/louXPUW7tHU
Dinah Shore Show, 1975: http://youtu.be/nyFH4S76ErU

meh

My #4!

Too low!

by the way, on that note, I think "Cracked Actor" has the greatest Enjoyment Factor when Drinking increase than just about any song in history. I listen to it during the day and think it's a nice enough song, but play it late at night and the world disintegrates. So great.

I genuinely dislike Five Years, sorry

Have we had Moonage Daydream yet?

I was worrying this same thing. I don't think so, it should be in the top 5 at least!

The Dinah Shore clip of Five Years is spine tingling...wish it was better quality!

Five years, my #5

Incredible - one of his best. I over-played it in my teen years so I don't need to hear it so much anymore - still made my top ten.

Every line in it is genius

My #1!!! OMG what is not to like about it?! Don't think you knew you were in this song.
It always gets me in the mood to hear the rest of the album, great first track.

Who else voted it #1?

Special song for me, think I put it too low at #12, but then again I love everything I placed before it as well. Good showing I think.

I think "Cracked Actor" has the greatest Enjoyment Factor when Drinking increase than just about any song in history.

haha, pretty sure i voted for it, too! "Time" is another one of these

I kiss you! You're beautiful!

My wife played it for me on our 5 year anniversary. Funny, cool, and very touching.

Ballsy way to kick off an album you've designed to be your commercial breakthrough but then the 70s was a very apocalyptic decade.

"Five Years" was second on my ballot. Love it to pieces. Wrote something about it recently that is probably of little interest but what the hell.

I put Five Years too low on my ballot at #2.

It really sets a mood, is what it does.

Who else voted it #1?

hi la lechera, that is me! because:

Drive In my number 2. Love sad sci fi Bowie best of all.

― woof, Wednesday, March 7, 2012 6:51 PM (3 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post P

I wish the voice of Steve Wright didn't spoil that OGWT clip at the end. And those fucking inane TOTP2 blurbs too.

Ballsy way to kick off an album you've designed to be your commercial breakthrough but then the 70s was a very apocalyptic decade.

I hadn't considered that before...pretty otm. The apocalypticism and the hedonism went hand in hand.

Hi 5, woof!

I genuinely dislike Five Years, sorry

lyrics are great, don't get me wrong, but the song doesn't do a thing for me

I also like Five Years because the listener is totally rewarded for listening to the whole song. Once that's done, and you've made it, you're ready for the rest of the album. It's like going through the dark tunnel before Space Mountain or something.

xp - i agree with you, c.

I recommend reading Francis Wheen's Strange Days Indeed with a Bowie soundtrack because it's amazing how many of the weirder 70s trends were reflected or anticipated in his songs - doomsday cults, fascist coup plotters, occultism. He nails the sense of disintegration and desperation and looking for answers in dangerous places.

Hi 5!

Love it so much, the 'drinking milkshakes' bit my absolute favourite lyric chunk of his. Weirdly, not a huge fan of the album, but 5Y a really powerful melancholy apocalypse.

(that was multi xp)

"Five Years" was second on my ballot

Me too. Second only to Win.

Yeah milkshakes is the killer bit. But the drums too! And the very genteel musical carnage towards the end of the song.

BTW never ever watch the Placebo version of that song on youtube.

I didn't vote for "Five Years", but I dig its absurd pathos. I saw GBV try it in a 50th encore one night & get the absurdity right.

agree about him being amazing live in the later years. Phoenix 96 was fantastic; better than Glastonbury 00 IMO yet there were very few 'hits' to speak of. Nicholas Pegg says his mid 90s band was his best since that 76 Thin White Duke tour.

Only #20 on my ballot, which I fear is a reflection of the mood I was in last night, I bloody love Five Years but I can't always listen to it.

It wouldn't have made it on at all if I hadn't inexplicably left out Changes.