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

I think "Young Americans" was my no. 1. Also, the T-Rex song "All Alone" is sort of a spiritual brother to this song, I always felt.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UxniXcBj3o

i think this comp has done much to restore people's love for post peak Bowie, tying in as it did with 2 previously issued Best Ofs from the 70s
http://d.yimg.com/ec/image/v1/release/45179428;encoding=jpg;size=300;fallback=defaultImage
it's the only decent 80s comp in fact and the tracklist is just about bang on.

Did anyone watch that Bowie and Cher clip? It's bonkers. A six and a half minute medley ("Young Americans" starts it off, but only for about 30 seconds). Whoa.

Well, there is a surprise at the end that I won't spoil.

Gosh, Young Americans seems ... too low? Was my no.1 easily until I got fussy and started bumping the big hits. What six songs can outscore it?

That clip is pretty hysterical. He was a pretty good sport for doing that; aka "knew what side his checkbook was buttered on"

I have exactly 6 songs left on my ballot.

I am pretty sure I know what four of the remaining six will be, but the other two I cannot guess.

6. "Golden Years" (from Station to Station) - 869 points/35 votes/3 first-place votes

Album: http://youtu.be/7pSw6Dz3-8E
Lip-syncing on Soul Train: http://youtu.be/7bYOZdM2tpg
Vancouver, 1983: http://youtu.be/Z8XrsvbV90c

wah wah wah

That Bowie & Cher thing...

AYYYYYNGEEEEEL!

Ahhh bummer. Can guess what will not make it from my ballot now. Really people?

one from the album he doesn't recall making.

Never in doubt. Great song.

― Jeff W, Thursday, 8 March 2012

+ substitute 'Near-perfect' for 'Great'. Was originally low down in my top 10 then I re-listened and bumped it up to #2. There is so much going in the arrangement.

wow, looks like turrican is right... station to station is going to get full representation. golden years is awesome, although it didn't make it onto my ballot.

people on the internet have too much time on their hands: http://youtu.be/eJBXKl6OvMY

is posting guesses at the top five bad poll etiquette or would that be fun?

I do like it, just not top 10 for me. Or 20 obviously. Almost made it for "AYYYYYNGEEEEEL" alone though.

fuck... no velvet goldmine??? :(

i know waht the top 5 is with 99% confidence so i'm not gonna post it

is posting guesses at the top five bad poll etiquette or would that be fun?

Not to toot my own horn (well, maybe a little) but I think I got the top 5 right yesterday.

I think I know... but what order!

wow, looks like turrican is right... station to station is going to get full representation. golden years is awesome, although it didn't make it onto my ballot.

― the girl from spirea x (f. hazel), Thursday, March 8, 2012 5:58 PM (1 minute ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

It didn't make it onto my ballot either. There is a track from Station To Station that DID make it onto my ballot that hasn't been mentioned yet, though! ;)

plz no more predictions

is there a spotify playlist? i might just make my own

people on the internet have too much time on their hands: http://youtu.be/eJBXKl6OvMY

Elvis saying "I just gotta have a hamburger" at the end of that makes me think this is a fake, but I've heard weirder. That is what he's saying at the end, right?

So excited that Don't Sit Down has a shot at the top 5. Everybody....yeah yeah baby yeah.

http://open.spotify.com/user/simon7bond7/playlist/5eB7YOnC2x30Zmt1vWrdVb

Don't understand why Panic in Detroit doesn't get nonstop airplay on classic rock radio.

It used to in Detroit, obv (maybe still does)

TOP FIVE

POINT JUMP

(Elvis & Bowie is fake, though after that Cher clip, I don't blame anyone for wondering.)

5. "Heroes" (from "Heroes") - 1213 points/48 votes/6 first-place votes

Official Video: http://youtu.be/Tgcc5V9Hu3g
Top of the Pops, 1977: http://youtu.be/EZlTrFcoHn0
Undated performance (looks like early 2000s): http://youtu.be/YYjBQKIOb-w

too high!

Interesting. For many years the rockist consensus was that compilations best served him.

I've heard so many people say this, "You only need a best-of", it still riles me.

Re: Bowie on classic rock radio, I don't really know about that but the numerous 'rock' bars in my hometown stick rigidly to a Bowie canon which consists of 'Jean Genie', 'Rebel Rebel', 'Let's Dance' and NOTHING else.

too high!

― piscesx, Thursday, March 8, 2012 1:15 PM (53 seconds ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

o_O

It took me a long time to really get into this song. Not until I read Bowie in Berlin about how the lyrics were inspired and Fripp's guitar playing did it hit me.

Hah, yeah, love this song to death. Not even the rash of terrible covers could ruin it for me.

Maybe this is a little too high, but it still managed to make it onto my ballot at #12.

WOAH that Elvis clip is so rad, fake as it may be.

wow, I've assumed all along that "Heroes" would win this. Put it fairly low down on my ballot consequently.

Heroes is great but i've always found it sort of boring.

folk say that it was Live Aid that made Heroes a well known/ well loved song. it wasn't a big hit amazingly on release.

has this site been mentioned yet? it's amazing and his take on "heroes" is worth reading. addresses the weird way it's sometimes taken up, especially if you only hear the single edit and not the full album version.

For those introduced via the Sound + Vision box set, who initially knew it as "Helden," sung in German:

http://youtu.be/zThrV79Y7ck

http://bowiesongs.wordpress.com/2011/05/11/heroes/

Love the perpetual-motion-machine nature of the riff juxtaposed against the eterna-sustain of Fripp's soloing. And DB's vocal progression through the song.

Is there a short breakdown of what inspired the lyrics?

Bowie pushed it big in Europe, hence 'Helden' (is there a 'Héros'?)

^^^would like to thank this man for providing me hours of reading enjoyment

xxp