Tree of Life is Jewish mysticism, nothing evil about it.
― Emperor Cos Dashit (Adam Bruneau), Wednesday, 7 March 2012 15:58 (twelve years ago) link
http://www.yelp.com/biz/lowes-bowie
― pplains, Wednesday, 7 March 2012 16:01 (twelve years ago) link
All the Young Dudes I figured would rate much higher, it is classic Bowie that presages many hits of the 80s: a rock anthem about the end of the world.
― the girl from spirea x (f. hazel), Wednesday, 7 March 2012 16:03 (twelve years ago) link
Pretty much after I submitted my All the Young Dudes-less ballot I had it going round my head for a couple of days. No do-overs though.
― ledge, Wednesday, 7 March 2012 16:04 (twelve years ago) link
That hook is powerful.
― Carlos Pollomar (WmC), Wednesday, 7 March 2012 16:07 (twelve years ago) link
Confession: I dislike "All The Young Dudes" and always have. Don't know why.
― EZ Snappin, Wednesday, 7 March 2012 16:07 (twelve years ago) link
:O
― Carlos Pollomar (WmC), Wednesday, 7 March 2012 16:08 (twelve years ago) link
36. "Boys Keep Swinging" (from Lodger) - 345 points/16 votes/1 first-place vote
Official video: http://youtu.be/UMhFyWEMlD4On Saturday Night Live with Klaus Nomi and Joey Arias: http://youtu.be/XNKiGFaRxdM
― Carlos Pollomar (WmC), Wednesday, 7 March 2012 16:09 (twelve years ago) link
Haven't heard it, but there's a version of this by Susanna Hoffs with John Entwistle on bass.
― we can be gyros just for one day (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Wednesday, 7 March 2012 16:12 (twelve years ago) link
there's a version of this by Susanna Hoffs with John Entwistle on bass
my introduction!
― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 7 March 2012 16:13 (twelve years ago) link
This one grew out of 'Fantastic Voyage', apparently. I like it a lot, but it's not one of my favourites.
― The Jupiter 8 (Turrican), Wednesday, 7 March 2012 16:18 (twelve years ago) link
I remember watching that SNL clip at the time and thinking "what the HELL?!"
― Carlos Pollomar (WmC), Wednesday, 7 March 2012 16:19 (twelve years ago) link
I resubmitted with "All the Young Dudes" as my #1 (just Mott's version, though--don't think I've heard Bowie's). Such a great, oddly moving song. "Teen Age Riot" circa 1972.
― clemenza, Wednesday, 7 March 2012 16:24 (twelve years ago) link
Bowie dancing better than usual in that SNL clip.
― c'est ne pas un car wash (snoball), Wednesday, 7 March 2012 16:25 (twelve years ago) link
Oh man, I can't believe I didn't know this was happening!
― wolf kabob (ENBB), Wednesday, 7 March 2012 16:26 (twelve years ago) link
Prefer Mott's ATYD, so left it off.
Tree of life more an awe-ful/profound thing than awful/evil thing in the kind of magickal system that coke-addled rock stars go for. Foundation of existence, kether to malkuth.
― woof, Wednesday, 7 March 2012 16:27 (twelve years ago) link
Yeah I always imagined it was more like stick figures engaging in a disgusting sex act.
― Inevitable stupid samba mix (chap), Wednesday, 7 March 2012 16:28 (twelve years ago) link
35. "Aladdin Sane" (from Aladdin Sane) - 347 points/14 votes/0 first-place votes
http://youtu.be/q2y9inP4CqE
― Carlos Pollomar (WmC), Wednesday, 7 March 2012 16:28 (twelve years ago) link
Love the verses, find the extended outro slightly tedious.
― Inevitable stupid samba mix (chap), Wednesday, 7 March 2012 16:29 (twelve years ago) link
― wolf kabob (ENBB), Wednesday, March 7, 2012 10:26 AM (4 minutes ago)
I don't want to be a dick about this, I just want to understand -- how do people "do" ILX in a way that a thread that spends a day and a half at the top of Site New Answers and ILM New Answers can go unnoticed?
― Carlos Pollomar (WmC), Wednesday, 7 March 2012 16:33 (twelve years ago) link
Just catching up with bookmarked threads rather than scanning new answers?
― Inevitable stupid samba mix (chap), Wednesday, 7 March 2012 16:35 (twelve years ago) link
Not everyone looks at ILM every day!
― Feebs K-Tel (NickB), Wednesday, 7 March 2012 16:37 (twelve years ago) link
I've got no idea how booknmarking even works on ILX
― Alexandre Dumbass (dog latin), Wednesday, 7 March 2012 16:38 (twelve years ago) link
34. "Sweet Thing/Candidate/Sweet Thing (reprise)" (from Diamond Dogs) - 356 points/12 votes/3 first-place votes
http://youtu.be/vrfc8c6VkTA
― Carlos Pollomar (WmC), Wednesday, 7 March 2012 16:45 (twelve years ago) link
How have I never seen that Boys Keep Swinging performance before now? The, erm, item popping up from his trousers at 2:01!
― On the sidelines in a trash can grumping (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 7 March 2012 16:46 (twelve years ago) link
What a strange coincidence! I'm actually listening to Diamond Dogs right now, and this came on and I was wondering when it was going to come up... and here it is! This is probably the centrepiece of Diamond Dogs for me... love the way the vocal leaps from the intro to the "can't you seeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee that I'm scared and I'm lonely?" part. Real goosebump-inducing stuff. And of course, the whole way that 'Candidate' just builds and builds before the release of 'Sweet Thing (Reprise)'.
― The Jupiter 8 (Turrican), Wednesday, 7 March 2012 16:48 (twelve years ago) link
This was a late cut for me, and really I am not sure how it got left off my ballot. It is a great moment on the record, and a standalone gem. I was having a tough time getting a ballot done at all, so I guess this was just collateral damage. Hard to tell if there will be spikes in the point totals soon, or if it will just be for the top 10-15 tracks.
― grandavis, Wednesday, 7 March 2012 16:52 (twelve years ago) link
omg that SNL clip is too much!! <3
― Laura Lucy Lynn (La Lechera), Wednesday, 7 March 2012 16:53 (twelve years ago) link
I didn't get the impression that voting for other artists' versions of Bowie songs was permitted. If I'd thought Mott the Hoople's "All the Young Dudes" was kosher in this poll, it woulda been top 10 on my ballot!
― wolf cola, everyone (thewufs), Wednesday, 7 March 2012 16:58 (twelve years ago) link
It was brought up on the voting thread -- I OK'd it as a legit ballot entry because he recorded his own version, which was eventually released as a bonus track on Aladdin Sane.
― Carlos Pollomar (WmC), Wednesday, 7 March 2012 17:01 (twelve years ago) link
glad boys keep swinging made it, that was high on my list
― the wild eyed boy from soundcloud (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Wednesday, 7 March 2012 17:02 (twelve years ago) link
No comments on "Aladdin Sane"? C'mon! Mike Garson! Genius!
― Jeff W, Wednesday, 7 March 2012 17:04 (twelve years ago) link
i love alladin sane, the song, the album, it kinda replaced ziggy stardust for me because i listened to ziggy too much in HS and never really want to listen to it again
― the wild eyed boy from soundcloud (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Wednesday, 7 March 2012 17:05 (twelve years ago) link
33. "Fame" (from Young Americans) - 360 points/16 votes/2 first-place votes
Studio: http://youtu.be/J-_30HA7recLip-syncing on Soul Train: http://youtu.be/FW9x7OkwpxA
― Carlos Pollomar (WmC), Wednesday, 7 March 2012 17:05 (twelve years ago) link
I will repeat myself talking about the glory of the Aladdin Sane/Diamond Dogs era of Bowie, and say that Sweet Thing/Candidate/Sweet Thing (reprise) is perfect summary... apocalyptic, paranoid, romantic, and filthy. I absolutely love it.
― the girl from spirea x (f. hazel), Wednesday, 7 March 2012 17:06 (twelve years ago) link
― Jeff W, Wednesday, March 7, 2012 5:04 PM (49 seconds ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
I like a lot of things about 'Aladdin Sane'... the crazy Mike Garson piano solo being one of them, of course, but I always loved the way the chorus feels somewhat jarring and uncomfortable, which I presume was the intention!
― The Jupiter 8 (Turrican), Wednesday, 7 March 2012 17:06 (twelve years ago) link
not much Ziggy on this poll so far, wondering if it's gonna show super high or if it's gonna be overlooked? b/c my snark about "theatrical" Bowie aside, I love pretty much all of Ziggy, well, except for "Rock & Roll Suicide" which was my only vote for worst Bowie song (am I alone on that?)
― Euler, Wednesday, 7 March 2012 17:06 (twelve years ago) link
Also, the piano solo thing in Aladdin Sane totally blew my mind in high school. One of those songs that totally changed my personal rules about what a "song" even was.
― the girl from spirea x (f. hazel), Wednesday, 7 March 2012 17:07 (twelve years ago) link
Among other things, the Berlin trilogy albums are very consistent - the records that precede it generally have higher highs and lower lows. So it make sense that standout tracks from all three are placing in the lower half of the poll - people are going to have a lot of different favorites from these albums. Even so, I'll be shaking my head if "Sound and Vision" makes top 20.
― wolf cola, everyone (thewufs), Wednesday, 7 March 2012 17:08 (twelve years ago) link
33. "Fame" (from Station to Station)
actually young americans as i'm sure we all know, honest mistake, etc.
― ledge, Wednesday, 7 March 2012 17:08 (twelve years ago) link
the piano solo on Aladdin Sane is one of my favorite things ever
― silverfish, Wednesday, 7 March 2012 17:08 (twelve years ago) link
'Fame' is definitely another one of my personal keepers from Young Americans.
― The Jupiter 8 (Turrican), Wednesday, 7 March 2012 17:08 (twelve years ago) link
I think Aladdin Sane was my #2, it was #1 but I changed it at the last minute
― silverfish, Wednesday, 7 March 2012 17:09 (twelve years ago) link
I'm the other number one voter. figured it was common knowledge that ATYD is one of the top 5 British rock singles ever.
― gospodin simmel, Wednesday, 7 March 2012 17:10 (twelve years ago) link
Just realised I want to make a Bowie-sampling footwork track called (wait for it) Thin White Juke.
― Alexandre Dumbass (dog latin), Wednesday, 7 March 2012 17:11 (twelve years ago) link
"Fame" surprisingly low, but I understand why. Loved it the first 20 or 40 times I heard it, for some reason doesn't do much for me anymore - even compared to some others among the very small handful of Bowie songs that are overexposed stateside.
― wolf cola, everyone (thewufs), Wednesday, 7 March 2012 17:11 (twelve years ago) link
I love "Aladdin Sane" so much for that Garson solo -- I wish it had been released as a single because I would love to start the thread "what are the most avant-garde/outside solos on pop singles?"
― Carlos Pollomar (WmC), Wednesday, 7 March 2012 17:14 (twelve years ago) link
"what are the most avant-garde/outside solos on pop singles?"
Great thread idea!
― we can be gyros just for one day (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Wednesday, 7 March 2012 17:16 (twelve years ago) link
Ah yeah, I caught that "Fame" error last night and fixed it on the googledoc, but forgot to fix it on my little cheat sheet for today's results.
― Carlos Pollomar (WmC), Wednesday, 7 March 2012 17:16 (twelve years ago) link
I was the other way round with Fame. Used to like it, then came to think of it as an empty vessel, then reassessed it again in light of the James Brown poll. It was my no.12 or thereabouts.
― Ismael Klata, Wednesday, 7 March 2012 17:17 (twelve years ago) link