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 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.
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
woah, "Fame" waaaay too low IMHO. My #4.
More Carlos Alomar brilliance here. But the drumming's also wonderful. First time Dennis Davis worked with Bowie, I think. What an intro!
― Jeff W, Wednesday, 7 March 2012 17:19 (twelve years ago) link
no.8. No way is my no.12 going to show!
― Ismael Klata, Wednesday, 7 March 2012 17:19 (twelve years ago) link
"Other boys check you outYou get a girlTo say your favorite thingsWhen you're a boy"
a win-win situation right there. too low on my ballot
― gospodin simmel, Wednesday, 7 March 2012 17:22 (twelve years ago) link
sweet thing etc and aladdin sane were my #1 and #2. have never really seen the latter discussed on ilx so was curious where it'd place
― ciderpress, Wednesday, 7 March 2012 17:24 (twelve years ago) link
32. "Fashion" (from Scary Monsters) - 374 points/17 votes/1 first-place vote
Album version: http://youtu.be/WPVTbDA8dSMOfficial video: http://youtu.be/GA27aQZCQMk
― Carlos Pollomar (WmC), Wednesday, 7 March 2012 17:24 (twelve years ago) link
I'll never forget being creeped out by the video for Fashion when I was 8. The beep beep part.
― kornrulez6969, Wednesday, 7 March 2012 17:29 (twelve years ago) link
oof, that's three of my top 10 gone in the last four reveals. The thing I especially treasure about "Fashion" is the intro: one of those "what you thought was the beat turns out to be the offbeat" tricks that gets me every time.
― Jeff W, Wednesday, 7 March 2012 17:30 (twelve years ago) link
"Fashion" and "Fame" held very similar spots on my list, i.e., both songs I really like but not top-20 candidates. Both of these were late cuts though. Definitely victims of overexposure for me I think, but songs I still get excited for when they come on in a movie/store/on the radio.
Love the "Freaks and Geeks" scene where Ken throws on "Fashion" to test whether or not he is gay.
― grandavis, Wednesday, 7 March 2012 17:30 (twelve years ago) link
One of the original MTV VJs, Alan Hunter, is the blue-stripey shirt guy wearing a fake mouse nose in that video.
― Carlos Pollomar (WmC), Wednesday, 7 March 2012 17:33 (twelve years ago) link
both were on my ballot but "Fashion" placing above "Fame" is crazy to me
― some dude, Wednesday, 7 March 2012 17:34 (twelve years ago) link
Yeah, any joy I got from Fame (and Under Pressure) were utterly destroyed by hearing it in pool halls about ten times a night.
― the girl from spirea x (f. hazel), Wednesday, 7 March 2012 17:35 (twelve years ago) link
Hmmm, gum-chewing G.E. Smith in the video for "Fahsion" does not help it's cause.
― grandavis, Wednesday, 7 March 2012 17:36 (twelve years ago) link
re the 'awful' thing he drew on the floor:http://bowiesongs.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/dbka.jpg?w=450
― piscesx, Wednesday, 7 March 2012 17:38 (twelve years ago) link
31. "Rock 'n' Roll Suicide" (from The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars) - 375 points/16 votes/2 first-place votes
http://youtu.be/9jg4ekLG9Zo
― Carlos Pollomar (WmC), Wednesday, 7 March 2012 17:40 (twelve years ago) link
WHY is there still no DVD of Cracked Actor? the version of Sweet Thing on that is the best thing ehe ever did imo.
― piscesx, Wednesday, 7 March 2012 17:41 (twelve years ago) link
You're not alone!
― Euler, Wednesday, 7 March 2012 17:43 (twelve years ago) link
I used to go out with a girl who looked a bit like that Tree of Life pic
― Ismael Klata, Wednesday, 7 March 2012 17:43 (twelve years ago) link
omigod I thought it was Fripp. What the hell was Smith even doing in the video?!
― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 7 March 2012 17:46 (twelve years ago) link
have we had any post-Let's Dance tracks yet? would be a bit disappointing if this was a complete shutout
― ciderpress, Wednesday, 7 March 2012 17:47 (twelve years ago) link
Albums results suggests it might be.
― Ismael Klata, Wednesday, 7 March 2012 17:48 (twelve years ago) link
well it makes more sense for albums since they're less granular
― ciderpress, Wednesday, 7 March 2012 17:49 (twelve years ago) link
What the hell was G.E. Smith doing there?
― grandavis, Wednesday, 7 March 2012 17:50 (twelve years ago) link
This Is Not America ought to place, but that's about it.
― Feebs K-Tel (NickB), Wednesday, 7 March 2012 17:51 (twelve years ago) link
What's going to place though? Absolute Beginners maybe
― Ismael Klata, Wednesday, 7 March 2012 17:51 (twelve years ago) link