Domenica 8 Gen 2012, 14:39

David Bowie is 65 years old today. To add to the chorus of voices wishing him well, I thought I’d have a stab at my ten favourite Bowie songs. It wasn’t easy – as you can see, I wasn’t able to limit myself to just ten, but I *have* only commented on ten.

I never “got into” David Bowie until 2003, when I bought Low and Scary Monsters on a whim, after having received the Best Of Bowie collection as a present at Christmas. It was then that the obsession started. I started devouring his back catalogue voraciously, finding comfort in the electro rock of the Berlin albums and Station To Station, one of my all-time favourite records. Those records in particular mean a hell of a lot to me, soundtracking as they did an interesting time in my personal life. It’s his post-1975 work that I love the most, but the impact of his early personas (Ziggy Stardust, Aladdin Sane & Halloween Jack) on what it is to be a Pop Star cannot be underplayed.

So, in chronological order, my ten favourite David Bowie songs.

The Man Who Sold The World (1970)
From album The Man Who Sold The World

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7n0pf7anLa4

Its gone through some interesting incarnations since its release in 1970, having been covered by everyone from Nirvana to Lulu. Supposedly inspired in part by his brother’s mental illness, this is a little bit scary, full of weird creaking sounds and disembodied vocals, continuing the lyrical unease of its parent album with imaginary people passing upon stairs and dying alone.

Station To Station (1976)
From album Station To Station

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZY77zDzNmYw

A three part electronic symphony, recorded in a blizzard of cocaine and during a time of intense personal struggles, the title track of his greatest album (in my opinion) manages to be one of his all time greatest songs. It’s difficult to know exactly what he’s singing about – Mr Bowie himself apparently has no recollection of recording it – but it’s certainly thrilling, especially in the third section when the gear shifts from Kraftwerk to disco. I love that you can hear him feeling his way towards Low.

Stay (1976)
From album Station To Station

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJVtv9LlK9Y

Yes, I’m a bit biased towards Station To Station, but I couldn’t do a best of list and not include this song. A slick, disco funk workout, it continues the sense of desperation felt elsewhere on the album: “This week dragged past me so slowly, the days fell on their knees, maybe I'll take something to help me, hope someone takes after me…”

Sound And Vision (1977)
From album Low

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IJsAuUgSgc

A surprisingly jolly take on isolation (“pale blinds drawn all day, nothing to do, nothing to say”), this marked the first single from the distinctly uncommercial Berlin period. Spacey, with wonderfully thunderous drums and, despite the minimal lyrics, a sense of optimism in the instrumental.

Heroes (1977)
From album Heroes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yISNT2wUmwA

Nothing much to say apart from: this is one of the greatest songs of all time. This live version, which I was lucky enough to witness in the flesh in 2003, is especially victorious.

Ashes To Ashes (1980)
From album Scary Monsters

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMThz7eQ6K0

Carrying on the Major Tom thread from Space Oddity, this avant garde, New Romantic-flavoured song is one of his creepiest, all-time best.

Modern Love (1983)
From album Let’s Dance

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hDbpF4Mvkw

The Let’s Dance era is often unfairly judged in the context of what came after it. I think it’s a great record, where the three stellar singles stretch out to 12” extended versions, flexing their Nile Rodgers-given muscles. This is my favourite cut from that record - surely one of the most euphoric from his back catalogue?

Absolute Beginners (1986)
From album Tonight (as of 1995 anyway)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8NZa9wYZ_U

I remember hearing Saint Etienne’s hideous cover of this song and wondering where the hell they’d put that glorious chorus. Then I read that they thought it was cheesy!! Well, I love Saint Etienne, but they got it wrong there. One of his best songs of the 80s.

Miracle Goodnight (1993)
From album Black Tie White Noise

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=829mlJiRCIU

A highlight from his seemingly-forgotten 1993 UK Number 1 Black Tie White Noise, an album that I rather like. Its got a sass and a swagger about it while also updating some of the weird horn sounds he’d used on his Berlin albums. This song stands out for the video in particular, where he preens, cavorts, vamps and poses in a style we’d not seen since the early 70s.

Slip Away (2002)
From album Heathen

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFtNAXxwn-I

One of the most heartbreaking songs in his sizeable canon comes from the mortality-aware career highlight Heathen. Contrasting the passage of time with the story of a children’s TV programme, this is a stately, moving ballad with an incredibly intense performance from the man himself.

The best of the rest: Sweet Thing, Candidate, D.J., Look Back In Anger, China Girl, Let’s Dance, Blue Jean, Jump They Say, The Hearts Filthy Lesson, The Voyeur Of Utter Destruction (As Beauty), Strangers When We Meet, Dead Man Walking