David Bowie: China Girl

As we continue looking at the music of David Bowie, 1983’s “China Girl,” although co-written by Bowie, was a cover of an earlier recording by the other author: Iggy Pop. Written in Berlin in 1977, it was based on Pop’s fascination with a beautiful Vietnamese woman. “China Girl” was the second of four US singles from Bowie’s extremely popular “Let’s Dance” album. It followed the #1 title track by peaking at #10 on the Hot 100 and at #3 on the rock tracks.

“Let’s Dance” was Bowie’s first solo top 40 hit since 1975’s “Golden Years”; however, his duet with Queen on “Under Pressure” from 1981 charted at #29. Bowie’s 1983 treatment of “China Girl” was much more palatable to the public than his production of the same song on Iggy Pop’s album “The Idiot.” More on that below.

The difference might be attributed to a number of factors. One of these is that production duties entirely belonged to Nile Rodgers formally of the dance band Chic and a popular session guitarist and producer. While Rodgers plays guitar on this cut, the lead was played by the legendary Stevie Ray Vaughan. Vaughan’s inclusion on the “Let’s Dance” LP gave album rock credibility Bowie’s project as it generally a dance/pop album.

This is much like Eddie Van Halen’s performance on Michael Jackson’s “Beat It” – which garnered some AOR play on stations that normally wouldn’t play a Jackson cut. The only difference is that album radio more readily accepted this new style for Bowie, as he had always been an album rock artist despite popularity on the pop charts.

Iggy Pop's Original

Although Bowie didn’t stray too far from Iggy Pop’s original in structure, the arrangement was greatly improved for the remake. Released as a single in some countries, Iggy Pop’s version failed to chart anywhere. I cannot find any information if RCA released as a 45 in the US – if so, it was only a promotional release.

Bowie was the sole producer on the cut and plays keyboards, guitar, piano, saxophone, and xylophone, as well as providing backing vocals. By listening to the original, you can see why Bowie’s 1983 version was the hit.

David Bowie: Suffragette City

One of the first Bowie songs that I heard on the radio was an album cut from the “The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars” album in 1972. In addition, “Suffragette City” had the notoriety of being released by RCA Records three times as a single in the UK – twice as a “B” side and once as an “A” side. In the US, its only 45 release appeared as the flip of “Starman” in 1972. It failed to chart in both the US and the UK.

Rumor has it that Bowie first offered the song to Mott the Hoople to record it before he laid down his own glam rock version, but they passed on the song. This is unfortunate, as they did an excellent version of Bowie’s “All the Young Dudes.” I would have liked to hear their interpretation. As for Bowie’s recording, Mick Ronson’s really added to the cut with his lead guitar, the rocking piano, and the ARP synthesizer; all of of which, in my estimation, makes the song.

David Bowie: Lazarus

Day three of our tribute to David Bowie features a new song from the album “Blackstar” that was released just two days before his death. Although “Lazarus” was from the new album, it premiered on December 17, 2015. It would be his last single release while Bowie was alive.

“Lazarus,” as well as the entire album “Blackstar,” was a statement concerning his impending death and his release from pain. Although the song wasn’t specifically written about his own death, it was the title song his off-Broadway production of a sequel to “The Man Who Fell to Earth.” Lazarus took place 30 years after the original story.

While Bowie played the character of Thomas Gerome Newton in the film, the character was reprised by Michael C. Hall – who might be better remembered as playing Dexter Morgan. The title “Lazarus” alludes to the biblical character that Jesus raised from the dead for days after he passed.

It’s quite different from anything else Bowie has recorded and he fully utilizes the talents of Donny McCaslin on sax, Tim Lefebvre on bass, Jason Linder on keyboards, Ben Monder on guitar, and Mark Guiliana on drums. Bowie plays acoustic on the cut.

Lyrics

Look up here, I'm in heaven
I've got scars that can't be seen
I've got drama, can't be stolen
Everybody knows me now

Look up here, man, I'm in danger
I've got nothing left to lose
I'm so high, it makes my brain whirl
Dropped my cell phone down below
Ain't that just like me?

By the time I got to New York
I was living like a king
Then I used up all my money
I was looking for your past

This way or no way
You know I'll be free
Just like that bluebird
Now, ain't that just like me?

Oh, I'll be free
Just like that bluebird
Oh, I'll be free
Ain't that just like me?

David Bowie: Young Americans

Day two of our tribute to David Bowie, who passed away on Sunday, takes us back again to 1975 with another Bowie hit – “Young Americans.” It was a tongue-in-cheek look at these United States and was recorded two days after Richard Nixon’s resignation on August 9, 1974. Thus Bowie immortalized Tricky Dick in song. However, it wasn’t the first time, though. Neil Young did it on “Ohio” in 1970 and Lynyrd Skynyrd mentioned Watergate on 1974’s “Sweet Home Alabama.”

“Young Americans” features killer saxophone work by the legendary David Sanborn and a backup vocal arrangement courtesy of Luther Vandross. Luther, Ava Cherry, and Robin Clark were the backup singers on this song that Bowie termed as “Plastic Soul.” “Young Americans” peaked at #28 in early 1975.

David Bowie: Fame

This morning on the way to work I heard the sad news of the passing of David Bowie due to cancer. It was just Friday that this same news outlet reported that it was Bowie’s 69th birthday as well as the day his new album “Blackstar” was being released. Too bad he never had the opportunity to see the success of his latest release.

As looking over the number of Bowie’s songs that I have featured on Reading between the Grooves over the years, I found nine – here are the links.

• The Jean Genie. Posted in 2010.
• Changes. Posted in 2011.
• Knock on Wood (live). Posted in 2011.
• Arnold Layne (with David Gilmour). Posted in 2011.
• Cat People (Putting out Fire with Gasoline). Posted in 2012.
• Under Pressure (with Queen). Posted in 2012.
• Space Oddity. Posted in 2013.
• This is not America (with the Pat Metheny Group). Posted in 2013.
• 1984. Posted in 2014.

As a tribute to the life of David Bowie, this week I am going to feature more music by this late great rocker who changed musical styles throughout his career; what a trendsetter. For the initial post, it’s a #1 record from 1975: “Fame.” The songwriting credits went to Bowie, John Lennon, and Carlos Alomar.

While all three play guitar on the track, Alomar plays the funk parts. Lennon is doing the background vocals as well as engineering the tape loops that are found during the song. The beginning tape loop is a recording of several chords played backwards. Later, a backwards guitar is added to the mix. The final effects have Bowie’s voice recorded at various speeds and played back at normal speed. This not only changed the speed of which the word “Fame” was sung, but also the pitch of the playback as well.

“Fame” – what’s your name? Why, I think its David Bowie. Rest in peace Ziggy Stardust.

Remembering Jimi Hendrix: If 6 Was 9

Forty-five years ago today, the world lost one of the most innovative guitarists – Jimi Hendrix. For today’s Friday Flipside feature, we use “If 6 was 9” – the “B” side of “Stone Free.” While “If 6 was 9” never charted, “Stone Free” only made it to #130. While “Stone Free” had been issued as the flip of “Hey Joe” in the UK in 1966, it was not released in the US until July 1969 when it appeared on the “Smash Hits” LP.

“If 6 was 9” was originally released on the Jimi Hendrix Experience’s 1967’s “Axis: Bold as Love” album and later appeared on the “Easy Rider Soundtrack” in 1969. The single was released on September 15, 1969 – a year and three days prior to Hendrix’s death. Penned by Hendrix, “If 6 was 9” contains plenty of distortion, reverb, echo, and even features Hendrix on soprano recorder. It is a counter-culture anthem that pits one side of the generation gap with the other.

The original stereo master of the “Axis: Bold as Love” unfortunately was lost so Hendrix and engineer Eddie Kramer hurriedly remixed the album with the exception of one cut: “If 6 was 9.” Unable to get a satisfactory remix of the tune, a noisy premix of the song that belonged to bassist Noel Redding was used as the final master.

It has been reported that Redding’s copy so was badly wrinkled that Kramer resorted to using an iron to straighten out the tape. The copy was transferred to virgin tape and was inserted into the album’s master. “If 6 was 9” was produced by Chas Chandler – Hendrix’s manager. Chandler, by the way, was the original bassist for The Animals.

On Friday, September 18, 1970, Hendrix died from aspirating his own vomit while overdosed on barbiturates and alcohol. It certainly was a sad day and I remember hearing the news 45 years ago like it was yesterday.

As an aside, this occurred during my sophomore year at East Allegheny High School in Pennsylvania. The very next school day, while Principal Joseph Churchman prepared to play the “Star Spangled Banner” and lead the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag over the public address system as he did every morning, several students approached him about playing Hendrix’s version from the Woodstock soundtrack. While it was definitely not his musical style, he obliged this request.

The next issue of the Wildcat Crier, the student newspaper, poked a bit of fun at Joe Churchman for allowing the Hendrix recording to be played in place of the military band record that he typically used. Unfortunately, I don’t remember the artist’s name, but I have remembered this all these years.

“White collared conservative flashing down the street, Pointing their plastic finger at me. They're hoping soon my kind will drop and die, but I'm gonna wave my freak flag high, high. Wave on, wave on.” Unfortunately, “If 6 was 9” was somewhat prophetic and in a year after this single was released, Jimi died in London at the age of 27. Play on Jimi – and the world will be playing your music for centuries to come.