Bowie Singles 1983-1987

church on time, terrifies me
church on time, makes me party

― 9 1/2 Gleeks (WmC), Sunday, 10 June 2012 23:54 (11 months ago) Permalink

makes this period look better than it was and it's still a fairly dire list. voted 'this is not america' if only for providing a glimpse of another route he might've taken (i'm guessing 'modern love', 'let's dance' or maaaybe 'absolute beginners' takes this). bowiessongs was right that 'loving the alien' is ultimately a failure but i'm still more fond of it than than the handful of successes up there. some fondness for 'never let me down', enjoy his 'china girl' alot more than most of ilx i think. everyone always (understandably) lambastes 'dancing in the street' but that was done as a lark, 'day-in day-out's terribleness was sweated over.

― balls, Monday, 11 June 2012 00:08 (11 months ago) Permalink

bowiesongs has made me relisten to "Absolute Beginners." I still don't love it but b/c it flopped here it's never been as overexposed as his bigger hits.

― a regina spektor is haunting europe (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 11 June 2012 00:14 (11 months ago) Permalink

Yes, I could vote Let's Dance but the presence of this video overshadows everything else:

― Moka, Monday, 11 June 2012 00:25 (11 months ago) Permalink

^ One of the greatest videos ever.

WmC on the money though - Modern Love. I listen to that song at least a couple times a week. <3

After that

Let's Dance
China Girl
Blue Jean

I don't care about the rest.

― wolf kabob (ENBB), Monday, 11 June 2012 00:35 (11 months ago) Permalink

Blue Jean, because I like it's choppiness which is at least a tiny bit reminiscent of some of his older stuff. I can kind of imagine a far better version if the production had been done differently. The vocals are actually pretty good.

― dlp9001, Monday, 11 June 2012 00:46 (11 months ago) Permalink

― of family bonds and individual triumph. Narrated by Tim Allen, (zachlyon), Monday, 11 June 2012 00:52 (11 months ago) Permalink

Blue Jean over Modern Love. That's how I had them in the Bowie poll a few months back, though they could easily flip places on any given day.

― EZ Snappin, Monday, 11 June 2012 02:35 (11 months ago) Permalink

Ghost vote for Cat People. Torn between Underground and Let's Dance

― Ò (Ówen P.), Monday, 11 June 2012 03:35 (11 months ago) Permalink

o definitely would've voted for 'cat people'

― balls, Monday, 11 June 2012 04:11 (11 months ago) Permalink

also not one to give too much credit to tarantino (even though his shit is totally in my ballpark and i've eaten up every one of his full lengths) but his use of 'cat people' in inglorious bastards was inspired.

― balls, Monday, 11 June 2012 04:12 (11 months ago) Permalink

without you was a single? weird.

― akm, Monday, 11 June 2012 05:19 (11 months ago) Permalink

Maybe in some foreign land, it was..

― Mark G, Monday, 11 June 2012 08:15 (11 months ago) Permalink

would vote for "cat people" in a heartbeat but it came out in 1982. "let's dance" "modern love" or maybe a contrarian "blue jean"

― (REAL NAME) (m coleman), Monday, 11 June 2012 09:23 (11 months ago) Permalink

'This Is Not America' followed by 'Modern Love' (the most underplayed of the Let's Dance singles in nmy experience).

― Gavin, Leeds, Monday, 11 June 2012 09:33 (11 months ago) Permalink

Not a lot to like and nothing to love here. I think Let's Dance is the strongest here.

― Zelda Zonk, Monday, 11 June 2012 11:19 (11 months ago) Permalink

I pretty much get off the Bowie bus at Scary Monsters, but voted Let's Dance. It's the only one I feel any affection for, really.

― Sick Mouthy (Scik Mouthy), Monday, 11 June 2012 11:24 (11 months ago) Permalink

"Loving The Alien" is the odd genius track from an otherwise disappointing album. Voted for that one.

― The GeirBot (Geir Hongro), Monday, 11 June 2012 11:29 (11 months ago) Permalink

And a great video too.

― The GeirBot (Geir Hongro), Monday, 11 June 2012 11:30 (11 months ago) Permalink

Yeah, the one track that seemed to show he was still switched on.

― Mark G, Monday, 11 June 2012 11:41 (11 months ago) Permalink

Absolute Beginners by a mile.

― Morrissey & Clunes: The Severed Alliance (PaulTMA), Monday, 11 June 2012 12:02 (11 months ago) Permalink

I'm not sure if this makes sense but even the video for "Loving the Alien" is standard MTV-era surrealism instead of BOWIE surrealism.

"Without You" was the fourth American single; it went nowhere.

As for "Absolute Beginners," a sturdy defense: http://bowiesongs.wordpress.com/2012/01/12/absolute-beginners/

― a regina spektor is haunting europe (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 11 June 2012 12:15 (11 months ago) Permalink

Might vote for "Absolute Beginners"...but probably will vote for "Modern Love"

― Tom D (Tom D.), Monday, 11 June 2012 12:42 (11 months ago) Permalink

Another vote for Modern Love, although could have easily been Let's Dance (unimpeachably great, still the best thing SRV ever did), Blue Jean, or Day-In Day-Out.

Interesting math/music syllogism:

This Is Not America (Bowie)
America Is Not The World (Morrissey)

Therefore: This Is Not Not The World

― Julie Derpy (Phil D.), Monday, 11 June 2012 13:37 (11 months ago) Permalink

Bowie's "Absolute Beginners" <<<<<<< the Jam's "Absolute Beginners"

So I'll say "Let's Dance."

Love Iggy's version of "Tonight," though, more than anything on here.

― Josh in Chicago, Monday, 11 June 2012 14:26 (11 months ago) Permalink

'Modern Love' (the most underplayed of the Let's Dance singles in nmy experience).

Really? That song is inescapable

― BC Forgbs (Ówen P.), Monday, 11 June 2012 14:33 (11 months ago) Permalink

mtv was always on in my house especially in the early '80s and it happens to be the first time i see the "loving the alien" video

― Sébastien, Monday, 11 June 2012 15:29 (11 months ago) Permalink

how can this be anything other than Modern Love

― retro-shittified (Shakey Mo Collier), Monday, 11 June 2012 16:41 (11 months ago) Permalink

^^^

― wolf kabob (ENBB), Monday, 11 June 2012 17:12 (11 months ago) Permalink

I know when to go out
I know when to stay in
get things done

me too, David, me too...

― retro-shittified (Shakey Mo Collier), Monday, 11 June 2012 17:18 (11 months ago) Permalink

I also get off the bus after Scary Monsters but I generally like his songs for films during the 80s a lot. Wish "Putting Out Fire" was on here. Prob vote "This is not America".

― Lewis Apparition (Jon Lewis), Monday, 11 June 2012 17:52 (11 months ago) Permalink

Blue Jean over Modern Love. That's how I had them in the Bowie poll a few months back, though they could easily flip places on any given day.

Same here. Both are great, but I give Blue Jean the slight edge.

― I found him in a Bon Ton ad (Nicole), Monday, 11 June 2012 18:23 (11 months ago) Permalink

Really? That song is inescapable

I'd say so - far more likely to hear 'Let's Dance' or 'China Girl' on the radio/in bars.

― Gavin, Leeds, Monday, 11 June 2012 18:26 (11 months ago) Permalink

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

― System, Tuesday, 19 June 2012 00:01 (11 months ago) Permalink

Loving the Alien had the old magic. Looking at that video, at 1.44, he has a stikingly girly throw.

― moley, Tuesday, 19 June 2012 07:31 (11 months ago) Permalink

so I voted Blue Jean

would have made a sockpuppet and voted blue jean twice if we were voting on his 83-87 promo videos btw

― Gentlemen Take Instagram Photos (King Boy Pato), Tuesday, 19 June 2012 08:31 (11 months ago) Permalink

Oh so would I, that video is great.

― I found him in a Bon Ton ad (Nicole), Tuesday, 19 June 2012 12:34 (11 months ago) Permalink

A 75-79 poll might be interesting.

― I wish to incorporate disco into my small business (chap), Tuesday, 19 June 2012 12:41 (11 months ago) Permalink

Do it...

― I found him in a Bon Ton ad (Nicole), Tuesday, 19 June 2012 12:41 (11 months ago) Permalink

I'll wait for the results of this one to come in.

― I wish to incorporate disco into my small business (chap), Tuesday, 19 June 2012 12:42 (11 months ago) Permalink

Bring on/the Bowie polls (sung to the melody of Yassassin)

This is tough. Replaying the songs in my head I'm most enthusiastic about Modern Love and Blue Jean, sentimentally it's between Let's Dance (first Bowie song I heard - I was mesmerized by the song but even more so by Bowie's appearance in the video) and This Is Not America...

― willem, Tuesday, 19 June 2012 14:35 (11 months ago) Permalink

you mean sung to the melody of "Bring on the Disco King"

― a regina spektor is haunting europe (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 19 June 2012 14:35 (11 months ago) Permalink

Sure why not.

Bring ón
The Bówie polls

..is what came up in my head though

― willem, Tuesday, 19 June 2012 14:39 (11 months ago) Permalink

I voted for the one that won't win. (Hint: it's the one that Matheny played on.)

― Matt M., Tuesday, 19 June 2012 16:23 (11 months ago) Permalink

I finally voted for "Absolute Beginners."

― a regina spektor is haunting europe (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 19 June 2012 16:24 (11 months ago) Permalink

"let's Dance"

― phuturephase, Tuesday, 19 June 2012 18:00 (11 months ago) Permalink

i don't know a good chunk of these tbh

i'll have to pick based on which rodgers/vaughan work i like most.

― goole, Tuesday, 19 June 2012 18:15 (11 months ago) Permalink

Modern Love, which I think I put at Number 2 or something daft in last year's Bowie poll.

― kraudive, Tuesday, 19 June 2012 18:18 (11 months ago) Permalink

i don't know a good chunk of these tbh

Me either. Pretty obvious to me where/when I got off the Bowie train.

― Mafia-owned bar for transvestites (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 19 June 2012 18:29 (11 months ago) Permalink

Had reason to listen to The Laughing Gnome earlier. lol

― Sick Mouthy (Scik Mouthy), Tuesday, 19 June 2012 18:36 (11 months ago) Permalink

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

― System, Wednesday, 20 June 2012 00:01 (11 months ago) Permalink

haha i missed this until now but reading the subject i knew it was alfred

― mookieproof, Wednesday, 20 June 2012 00:07 (11 months ago) Permalink

you're welcome!

and wau @ at the results

― a regina spektor is haunting europe (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 20 June 2012 00:17 (11 months ago) Permalink

Wow! That's an impressive victory

― willem, Wednesday, 20 June 2012 06:29 (11 months ago) Permalink

Bowie single 1975-1979

― I wish to incorporate disco into my small business (chap), Wednesday, 20 June 2012 10:50 (11 months ago) Permalink

Ha! Didn't think it'd be that easy for "Modern Love"

― Too Busy Thinking About Mr. Abie (Tom D.), Wednesday, 20 June 2012 10:52 (11 months ago) Permalink

I finally voted for "Absolute Beginners."

― a regina spektor is haunting europe (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn) - !!!!

― balls, Wednesday, 20 June 2012 14:44 (11 months ago) Permalink

Kinda stunned that "This is Not America" made it into the top 5 even.

― Matt M., Wednesday, 20 June 2012 15:30 (11 months ago) Permalink

Modern Love always reminds me of Molly Ringwald dancing in The Breakfast Club. It must be something about the drum beat. What is the song she dances to in the film?

― kraudive, Saturday, 23 June 2012 00:14 (10 months ago) Permalink

"Absolute Beginners" feels like the Epic of his horn-section era 80s songs: six-plus minutes, all those tricky chord changes. The "I absolutely love you" section gives me goosebumps most times I hear the song.

― Odd Spice (Eazy), Saturday, 23 June 2012 00:40 (10 months ago) Permalink

Dancing in the Street 4

wtf

― Odd Spice (Eazy), Saturday, 23 June 2012 00:46 (10 months ago) Permalink

Went out to eat last night and actually heard "Blue Jean" for the first time in a long, long time. Not that I want to change my vote, but it sounded darned good,

― Julie Derpy (Phil D.), Sunday, 24 June 2012 13:18 (10 months ago) Permalink

"Absolute Beginners" feels like the Epic of his horn-section era 80s songs: six-plus minutes, all those tricky chord changes. The "I absolutely love you" section gives me goosebumps most times I hear the song.

Those of you around at the time: was it as huge as its British chart position suggests? I've met Bowie fans who forget it exists – the great lost song of his oeuvre.

― a regina spektor is haunting europe (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 26 June 2012 14:49 (10 months ago) Permalink

It's seared into my memory, which can only be down to mainstream radio play. Everything off Tonight, by contrast, is a mystery.

― Jesu swept (ledge), Tuesday, 26 June 2012 14:53 (10 months ago) Permalink

Yeah, it was a massive pop hit, which is probably why the Bowie fans put it underneath that carpet with something awful on it.

― Mark G, Tuesday, 26 June 2012 14:56 (10 months ago) Permalink

I first heard the abridged version on the double disc Ryko comp released in '93 and the full eight-minute one when Virgin helpfully baited its reissue of Tonight with the two other movie themes which shame the rest of the album. I've never been able to give "Absolute Beginners" more than a B+ because that prissy whine he uses on the line "It's absolutely TRUUUUUEE" makes my skin crawl – and he'd use it again on NLMD.

― a regina spektor is haunting europe (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 26 June 2012 15:00 (10 months ago) Permalink

The less memorable song on the same soundtrack:

― Odd Spice (Eazy), Tuesday, 26 June 2012 15:19 (10 months ago) Permalink

ah, I voted for that on the BPollBallot

― Mark G, Tuesday, 26 June 2012 15:19 (10 months ago) Permalink