Today being David Bowie’s 65th Birthday, might as well continue with my own personal list of “best of” songs from each of his albums. I’ve pointed out my favorite songs from his early years and the justifiably famous Glam Rock era. Now, the Soul & Berlin Trilogy…
Following the release of Diamond Dogs, David Bowie was clearly a man in transition. He announced the end of Ziggy Stardust in a concert (his announcement being so complete people could be forgiven for wondering if he was retiring from music altogether!), he jettisoned his band, and, in 1975, moved toward…soul. The result was Young Americans, another very successful release. My two favorite works on the album are probably the two “safest” picks I could make: The spectacular Young Americans and the John Lennon co-written Fame.
Things were going well for David Bowie. His music was successful and he took the lead role in critically well received The Man Who Fell To Earth, perhaps his single best movie. However, during this time Mr. Bowie was also becoming more and more dependent on drugs. His 1976 album Station To Station, considered one of his stronger overall efforts, nonetheless is an album that allegedly Mr. Bowie hardly remembers recording, so heavily was his drug use at the time.
Nonetheless, the album is spectacular. The title track is one of my favorites…
Once again, I find it hard to consider what my second favorite track on the album is. The album featured only 6 songs. Being forced to choose, I’ll go with Golden Years, the song that Mr. Bowie supposedly wrote intending to offer to…Elvis Presley!
Following Station to Station, David Bowie moved back to Europe and began the painful process of kicking his cocaine addiction. While there, he worked on and released a set of three albums, beginning with 1977’s Low, which were done in collaboration with Brian Eno. These three albums became known as Mr. Bowie’s Berlin Trilogy, and there are those that consider them the three best albums Mr. Bowie ever created. My favorite track on Low is Sound and Vision.
Next favorite is Be My Wife.
The second album in the Berlin Trilogy is 1977’s Heroes. And I absolutely love the album’s title track, which Mr. Bowie used so movingly at the Concert For New York following the horrific events of 9/11.
Runner up favorite is V2 Schneider.
The final of the Berlin Trilogy albums is 1979’s Lodger. Another of those albums it’s very tough to single out two tracks as your favorite. At this moment and at this time, I’d have to pick Look Back In Anger as my favorite.
The next favorite track would be (again, very difficult choice!)…Red Sails.
Next up: New Wave David Bowie…and the lean years.
Hello! Just want to say thank you for this interesting article! =) Peace, Joy.
If you’re as interested as I am in David Bowie, you may want to check out the current issue of Rolling Stone magazine. It offers an interesting history of David Bowie’s rise and eventual success in the music field. Most of what I read there wasn’t terribly new and/or unknown, but for those who are curious as to where he came from and what may have inspired him it is a good article. The sad part, however, comes in a side note where the authors wonder if maybe Mr. Bowie has decided to retire. A little while back there was word that he was working on a new album, but that seems like it was speculation only. Perhaps Mr. Bowie has finally retired.
I still hope there’s at least one or two (or more!) albums he’ll release, but if he’s done, I really can’t complain. He leaves behind a terrific body of work.
A peferct reply! Thanks for taking the trouble.