Another for which I could give a different answer every day of the week, maybe the month. I'll go with one hardly anyone else will name. "Putting Out Fire (with Gasoline)" from the soundtrack of Paul Schrader's Cat People. Music by Giorgio Morodor, lyrics by Bowie. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9GbGO7CKdQ
Hard to pick just one. If absolutely forced to choose, probably Rebel Rebel, but The Space Oddity album has some great deep cuts. Memory of a Free Festival is way up there, as are Janine and Unwashed and Somewhat Slightly Dazed.
Hmm, you had to pick Heroes (with guitars by Robert Fripp) to exclude, so I'll fall back to Ziggy Stardust. Never got to see Bowie perform it, but I did get to see King Crimson (with Fripp and Adrian Belew, both who worked with Bowie) playHeroes a few times live while they were touring in the 90s.
I am utterly incapable of answering this question realistically. Bowie's music & words literally saved my life & shaped my being as a teen. I rarely listen to him these days, but the imprint remains. That said, the songs with beloved Mick Ronson are my faves, & I never resonated with his 80's stuff.
All, and really Black Star, but it still scares me and makes me cry. So I'll be unpopular and say this is still some of the coolest shit I've seen. Blending, mixing, adding, subtracting. Sexy, fun, intense, gorgeous music arithmetic.
Like most I can’t choose just one. Here are just ten that when they come on my music channel I instantly hit repeat:
Stay
Man Who Sold The World
We Are The Dead
Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)
Breaking Glass
Station To Station
Lady Grinning Soul
Janine
I’m Afraid Of Americans
Tonight
Lately Strangers When We Meet, overall Rock n Roll Suicide, but maybe Teenage Wildlife. But then again I play Diamond Dogs 3 times a week so who can say.
Comments
https://youtu.be/md8DgNa-rKQ?si=7JwSHEJlTq-wwmic
I expect a lot of rocks thrown at me 💖
My favorite one is actually a cover version.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9GbGO7CKdQ
Did you know it was in Atomic Blonde as well?
https://youtu.be/Hkyp6HCqrs4
Fuck. Probably STS.
I'm Afraid of Americans is pretty apropos these days, but Under Pressure might be more true
"Station to Station" is also up there.
(no, the video linked is not a mistake. Yes, this is *all your fault*, @theabigailthorn.bsky.social. ;-) )
If not that one, then Let's Dance is good.
Life on Mars?
Sons of the Silent Age
Fantastic Voyage
Teenage Wildlife
The Wedding Song
Boss of Me
Slowburn
Tis a pity she was a Whore
Oh, and Helden...
Under Pressure...
Suffragette City...
Young Americans...
Need I go on?
Where are we now
i once openly wept to this song in seattle's MoPop and i'd do it again.
But the proper title is "Rock n Roll Suicide"
https://youtu.be/j6NqnYYmSVE?si=XNnjBEauqKzU9vMM
"I'm Afraid of Americans"
I have a fondness for the Outside album in general.
or the entirety of diamond dogs + station to station
I’m quite fond of “Golden Years.”
Close second🥈
Honorable mention to Seu Jorge's Portuguese covers from The Life Aquatic.
https://youtu.be/_YC3sTbAPcU?si=G5J_5DdbK_jMMsKX
Ugh
He's my favorite artist it's hard to pick one lol
Sunshine on the wasteland
Old man sitting in the white sand
I think we're in for a big surprise
Right between the eyes
“Tremble like a fllllllow-wer!”
https://youtu.be/9DMt96Kw5oc
Ooh yeah.
Oops, I flubbed it.
Stay
Man Who Sold The World
We Are The Dead
Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)
Breaking Glass
Station To Station
Lady Grinning Soul
Janine
I’m Afraid Of Americans
Tonight
To face
With the man who sold the world
I love both the original Bowie version and the Nirvana unplugged cover. It's just a great song!
Young Americans.
Not even really a competition.
China Girl
All The Young Dudes
Under Pressure
& his collab with Queen, Under Pressure
I'm stepping through the door
And I'm floating in a most peculiar way
And the stars look very different today
- Space Oddity
- Under Pressure (I’m a huge Queen fan, too)
- I’m Afraid of Americans
Life on Mars hits harder, but Word on a Wing can reduce me to a blubbering mess…
Everyone Says Hi (metro mix, as featured on the PS2 game, Amplitude) is up there. So is Life On Mars.
My wife's top songs are collaborations: Under Pressure and Little Drummer Boy.
or Station to Staion
or Wild is the Wind
or Life on Mars
Undoable