It was time to revisit David Bowie! And the song was honestly fantastic, great vocals, concept, instrumentation, all of it! What are other great David Bowie songs!? 😁
I'm a Bowie mega-fan. I'm in the process of creating "The Reactor's Guide to: David Bowie" Here is my essential "Early Bowie" list. 1970-1975: THE MAN WHO SOLD THE WORLD [1970]: The Width of A Circle, All The Madmen, Savior Machine, The Man Who Sold The World. Here are the popular songs: HUNKY DORY [1971]: Changes, Life On Mars? ZIGGY STARDUST [1972]: Star, Ziggy Stardust, Hang On To Yourself, Suffragette City. A cover of Pink Floyds "See Emily Play" from Pin-Ups. From YOUNG AMERICANS [1975]: Fascination, Fame (with John Lennon) This is a bare minimum list of "Ziggy Era" Bowie. Very hard to make a list this short. My Google Play playlist of these songs. play.google.com/music/playlist/AMaBXykmovrLd5vgPKHFMk3GgQnARFYDoCDFodoTD_8zYNyfM4EcWAIuQywo7zxFVW9JJmOXeIiDOCTlnGy7I5OAea-EHBnjcw%3D%3D
I think it's really hard for people of your generation to really grasp the awe and amazement of space travel in the '60s and early '70s. This song came out in July 1969, nine days before Apollo 11 astronauts landed on the moon. The whole world was on that ride, everyone on edge if something were to go wrong a quarter million miles away.
@submandave dive dive - Yes, it was an amazing time for space travel. In the Netherlands we had one TV channel broadcasting a couple of hours per day. A stunning technical feat for that time was the broadcasting of the images from the Moon !!!!!! around the world. My brother and I were woken up by our parents to see the landing. Utterly amazing, watching humans walk on another celestial body, at the same time that millions of people around the world were watching the same. My best suggestion to younger people is to see documentairies and use your imagination to put oneself in that time. -- And for the rest: Enjoy the present, because such great things will happen again, soon. Remember 1st Falcon Heavy launch ?
Remember the images broadcast being blurry? The networks had no way to connect to the Apollo feed directly, so they were just filming the television at NASA. In reality, the recordings are crytal clear and focused once you see the direct recordings.
You are so right. The entire world was 'one' on that day. I was 11 years old, and my Mom and Dad bought me a telescope so I could look at the Moon. My imagination filled in the blanks. I was awestruck and have been a space geek ever since.
The song isn't actually about space. It is a drug song about a heroin overdose. Listen to it with that in mind and you can follow from the initial fix, through the euphoria, to the realization of the overdose and death.
@@patrickhenry4675 i cant see it myself but if thats the way you see it, i just see bowie high as a kite himeslf watching 2001 a space odity a few too many times and writing a song about space, i dont see an intentional referece to drug use
Well Major Tom appears later on Ashes to Ashes and that song is definitely about drugs. However, I like to think this is Bowie realizing he is about to head into fame and leave the world, as this was an early work of his. Ashes to ashes is about his experience with drugs, and Hello spaceboy about his sexuality, all reflected on Major Tom. But again, that’s just my interpretation.
And that's Bowie from 1969. Every Bowie song is a self-contained concept/story. He's a master lyricist. His vocal prowess is always center stage. The music and arrangements are consistently innovative and experimental.
I don't think people give pause now to how much this reflected on the awe, excitement, fear, thrill.... of space at that time. they are so passe about everything now
I’m with 59 year old grandmother from Illinois from the other side of the pond. If you want to get some Bowie try Rock and Roll Suicide, Scary Monsters and Supercreeps and Ziggy Stardust.
You should listen to Bowie's album "Ziggy Stardust & the Spiders from Mars." That album got me hooked on Bowie, even though "Space Oddity." Came out first.
No. It's was The Beatles who went to a meditation retreat wiith the maharishi mayesh Yogi in India. Bowie went to Berlin in the mid-seventies to get clean from all the excesses of life in LA. where he had developed a crazy cocaine addiction. He consisted on cocaine , red peppers and milk for a long while, nearly starving himself along with a unimaginable case of paranoia and lack of sleep. After he cleaned up and got healthy, he flourished even more as an artist who pushed the bounds of the unimaginable. He was truly an artist in EVERY sense of the word. Singer, songwriter, producer, instrumentalist, actor, and even lead fashion. He, like Freddie was a once in a lifetime man. ⚡️ Welcome to the Bowie rabbit-hole!! 🌟✨👨🎤
AndyReacts IYW! I just noticed my crazy misspellings. I wasn't wearing my contacts and corrected them . Ha! Again, thanks for your comment. Rock on! 🤘🏼
Only thing you left out about his expat. Berlin days was that he was accompanied on this journey by Jimmy Osterberg alias Iggy Pop, who was a major influence from the past, and a creative foil during his days in Berlin.
@@andyandalex Yes, definitely think of "Ashes to Ashes" as a sequel to this song. There's a song released shortly before his death called "Blackstar" that's meant to be a sort of third part. The video for "Blackstar" will tell you what happens to Major Tom in the end...
@@Revelwoodie Yes. This is accurate. It is much more than that too. Blackstar is a recapitulation of Bowie's life work. Bowie knew he was dying and wrote this opus as a Kubrickian signpost signifying religious undertones to his music including elements of Kabbalah, Pina Bausch dance and Egyptian worship of feline spiritual energies. My interpretation only.
"Life on Mars" is great, and "Heroes". From my young days, except for "Let's Dance" that came out in 1982, I remember hearing a very early Bowie song named "The laughing gnome". A little bit strange but enjoyable :)
The Laughing Gnome was a novelty song. Makes me cringe when I hear it. - from Bowie's early Decca days when he was struggling to make it and would have recorded The Wheels on The Bus if the suits had told him to.
I actually like 'Laughing Gnome'. It has a surreal quality about it besides a fun song. Bowie disliked it after. It was a minor hit in the UK in 1973, when the record company released it to cash in on Bowie's popularity.
@@MrPoupard To quote Peter Gabriel in Genesis,... " I know what I like, and I like what I know..." So yes, I'd still like it if it wasn't David. ... :-)
In 1969, a very young Elton John (then still legally Reg Dwight) and Bernie Taupin used to listen to music together in Elton's room in his mother's apartment, where they were living at the time while working towards their big break. The first time they heard "Space Oddity", they thought it was the greatest thing they'd ever heard. Little did they know that in less than a year's time, they would get not only "Space Oddity"'s producer (Gus Dudgeon) but also its orchestral arranger (Paul Buckmaster) to work on Elton's second, self-titled album. It was this album that launched Elton John to stardom. Dudgeon would go on to produce every Elton John album through 1976, as well as three albums during the '80s. Buckmaster arrangements would appear on a number of Elton's albums throughout his career.
@@redddo1 "Rocket Man" is, indeed, a classic. However, I'd be worried that it's so ubiquitous that both guys have already heard it, which wouldn't make for an interesting reaction.
Sitting here, remembering the first time I ever heard this song, I was quite a bit younger than you guys. It makes me want to cry, for Bowie being gone, so young, and for my youth as well. But, at the same time, it makes me feel good, remembering those times, channeled thru you. If any of that makes any sense. Great reaction and very thoughtful commentary! Great music! Great God, where have the years gone?! Maybe I missed it, but if you haven't yet done it, do Bowie's whole Ziggy Stardust album. You won't be sorry! Peace!
I still cry. I had a watch made with Bowie's image on it so he can always tell me what TIME it is. I openly wept for weeks after he passed. I had just lost my father 3 months before...when David assed it was like my woeld had shattered, losing my biological father and my creative father seemed to nearly destey me. But I'm here and stronger than ever. *Just don't let anything happen to Robert Smith!! 💜
As a child of the 60's, I understand where you're coming from. Music has always been a huge part of my life, I wouldn't want to be without it. Funny how a song instantly transports us back in time and makes us feel so much emotion.
Of course not Donna ! I am 64 and have been single all my life and my 3 open relationships with girlfriends have lasted 23 and 22 and 19 years, respectively and they were all 40 last year so NO ! You have put that in a new light for me Donna. This means THEY are all in their FIFTH decade as soon as they became 40 years and 1 Day. It might be time for a Trade-In but how do I tell them.?? If I tried to end it they would just turn up here in THe London Suburbs so might as well keep going :) .lol @ @@donnaransom3770
Isleofskye I am speechless. I cannot fully understand /process your post. If you are saying that you have managed to have these 3 women date you concurrently, when they were barely of legal age, you would be a fool to get rid of them .... Younger than the current models are not going to be as trained as you seem to have these currently.. Big risk. Currently you have 3 possible advocates for you when age creeps in it's nasty surprises. ( Been a caregiver, nasty business-aging!) Being alone in the end would be a crushing come down.
Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars!!!! One of the best albums ever produced. Please check it out. Pick any song but you guys gotta check it out. Don't move away to Billy or Elton yet I beg you, haha. This from a huge Billy and Elton fan. Really loved Alex's take on this song!
this is just the start. this put bowie on the map. what happened from here was just genius....many years and many albums of fantastic stuff...usually changing styles along the way. i hope you guys dig in an experience more bowie. the guy changed my life when i was a teenager. by the way....the chord progression you were talking about...not complicated at all. simple song ....but awesome just the same
They say 'above' but really he was just beyond the crowd carving his singular path through that generation of Boomers whose romantisism fired up the world. Thats when music changed and technology and spreading it out there saturated us all with new vibrant music. It coundlnt help but catch fire. I'm 76 born 2 years after the 2nd World War when the warriors were returning to their loved ones and founding a new dynamic generation of positive beings. We thought then that we had won the war and so jubilation was extreme. It was years later that we finally grocked that we were decieved big time. Still our vibes created the hippie movement, flower power, Peace Love Dove and great music.
i would suggest doing bowie chronologically,,,,this way you can see how he grew and changed ever album. i would also suggest entire albums. next album after this was 'the man who sold the world' ...a much heavier album...guitar driven...the introduction of Mick Ronson and Woody Woodmansey (later of the spiders from mars). very different album. then hunky dory went in the other direction...more song based, piano based...less 'rock'....but maybe his best album ever....Trevor bolder joins here...mick ronson does some INCREDIBLE string arrangements.....and then.....ziggy happens. go for it guys. you won't regret
Did Diamond Dogs just totally suck and everyone forgot to tell me? That was my first, though I think I was looking for "Space Oddity". Which of course was my second. Then "David Live". Close, but Ziggy is probably my favorite overall.
@@andyfletcher3561 diamond dogs sucks ? hmmmm. to each his own i guess...If bowie only wrote Sweet thing/Candidate/Sweet thing and We Are The Dead in his career i'd still consider him a genius. that said...hard to top ziggy///or any album with ronson
Another Yes tie in. This time it's Rick Wakeman, who did the Mellotron on this. He and Bowie were friends from then onward. If you do Yes, we recommend starting with either Roundabout, Yours is No Disgrace, or On the Silent Wings of Freedom. Note that Yes never had more than two albums without someone coming or going or returning.
Love David and this was a favorite song of his when I was a kid! I almost met him in person in the 80’s. Meaning he was filming scenes for the video for the song China Girl in Vancouver’s (B.C., Canada) China Town and my Aunt was visiting and I was showing her Vancouver. We turn onto one of the streets and there are film trucks and movie equipment and we realized something was being filmed across the street. Out steps out a of trailer, David Bowie. We weren’t allowed to cross the street but I made my Aunt walk with me up and down our side of the street in case we were filmed. I did ask one of the personnel if they needed extras, no they had been filming most of the day and were close to wrapping up 😭 My poor Aunt had been into Country music all her life, had no idea who David Bowie was and couldn’t care less. After an hour we had to move on as she was so tired. My Mom gave me crap fir being a bad host. But I was able to see David in real life!. Review the China Girl video if you get a chance, the song was a hit then. I was across the street during the street scene but didn’t make it to the video as they didn’t shoot our side 😵 It was fun watching what we could see though and to see the scenes in the video later!
Heroes is a great song, which he released continent wide in four languages: English, German, French, and Italian-Sounds best to me in German. But def a great song no matter what!
I'm a GenX fan of his, and a couple of years older than his son. Until "Let's Dance" came out in my teens, though, I didn't realize that I'd heard Bowie's music in some way or another all my life, I just didn't know him by name. A good memory I have of hearing his music as a small child is from 3rd grade. I went to an "artsy" grade school. Our teacher would put a stack of 45s on the classroom record player during our art period. One day, she put on "Sound And Vision" (released in 1977), and it was amazing to me. I'd heard nothing like it before. Americans around my age and older know what kind of pop songs were hits in the 70s, and this one was just beyond anything that was mainstream at the time. When I heard it again in high school and realized it was Bowie, I was awed. It wasn't a hit, but it's such a good song. It could be released today, that's how timeless it is. Another song like that is from even earlier, 1974, a demo he'd done when he was making the Diamond Dogs album, known as "Alternative Candidate". It sounds like an dark indie rock song that could be released this week, and with the amazing piano playing of Mike Garson.
at the risk of being too repetitive I would suggest David Bowie's 'Starman' and 'Cat People' (putting out the fire). For Elton John 'Funeral for a Friend' is an epic must hear. Also 'Madman Across the Water' and 'Someone Saved My Life Tonight'.
This tune is magic. You two are SO cute reacting to it, too. There's an early video of Bowie singing Space Oddity that was apparently played on British TV, with probably, MOST of the TV owning & watching Brits, at the time, young, middle-aged, old, rich, poor, etc, and I laugh imaging them ALL seeing it thinking, "Oh, my God, wtf," etc, while being absolutely transfixed & stunned by the fantastical creature that was the young David Bowie, pre-Ziggy, by his extraordinary appearance & by this incredibly unique, timely (post Apollo moon landing) and gorgeous original song of his...
I love so much of Bowie’s music but this has to be one of the most influential songs to me personally. I’m now 51 and I still play it, but now as an acoustic cover with my 23 year old son at the end of any gig we play together. Some of the finest 2 part harmonies ever recorded.
David Bowie always was tailor made for college students. Intellectual rock. An excellent, space tune by Bowie is "Ashes to ashes" off of scary monsters and super creeps. Probably my favorite track by him
Ah! The master of reinvention. Bowie is an awesome choice for a series. So many different styles on so many albums. Classics like 'Station to Station' ' Hunky Dory' 'Ziggy Stardust' 'Scary Monsters and Super Creeps', a covers album of 60's tunes (that includes a version of Pink Floyd's 'See Emily Play') called 'Pin Ups', and my all time fave Bowie album 'Aladdin Sane'. There are many other albums that I'm sure other subscribers can, and will, suggest, but if I was going to recommend a few tracks I'd have to go for 'Life on Mars' 'Heroes' 'Drive-in Saturday' 'Ashes to Ashes' and 'Jean Genie'. Other artists I would like to suggest? Kiss. Lou Reed, The Clash, The Cult, The Mission, Police, Thin Lizzy, The The and Siouxsie and the Banshees (My all time fave band. 'Candyman' 'The Last Beat of my Heart' live version, 'Cities in Dust' but a few). Anyway. Keep up the good work guys.
Early 70s, I was at the Hollywood Palladium Concert of David Bowie and his Spiders From Mars. No seats, only standing. The stage was not visible but from a few feet from it. We squeezed our way through. The last song of the night was only Bowie sitting on a stool with a guitar singing Space Oddity. It was obvious to everyone that this man was a lot more than just a glam showman.
The fact that the song spirals off into nowhere is so fitting. And amazing. Bowie managed that sort of thing a lot. His final album before he died is just as amazing as his early stuff. The guy never quit.
Beautiful, haunting, trippy, sonically stunning. There's no telling how many classic rock era bands were influenced by this amazing song/sound. Including Floyd. (We're talking 1969 guys - four yrs before Dark Side. You don't think Roger was listening?) This song was ubiquitous back then, and remains a staple on classic rock stations everywhere. It's one of those songs we used to use to adjust the equalizer settings on the new 6 speaker car stereo back in the day. lol. Absolutely groundbreaking. A few years back Astronaut Chris Hadfield sang this song on board the International Space Station and beamed it back to earth. That's how influential this song has been both artistically and beyond. Needless to say it went viral. You can hear it here ... czcams.com/video/KaOC9danxNo/video.html
Stevie Ray Vaughn played on Bowie's "Let's Dance" album. Stevie declined going on tour with David to do his own thing with Double Trouble. The rest is history.
Good stuff guys - many people consider that Bowie's 'Heroes' is the best song that he ever did. If you've not heard it before, could you review it please?
Ashes to ashes , a song from Bowies 1980 album Scary monsters, is a follow up song to space oddity, it revisits Major Tom , who is a junkie "strung out on heavens high"
Awesome reaction guys! You're one of the few that actually listen and get into songs. You even get the dynamics, the mood changes, the links between the music and the story that's being told. Not many have the patience to do that these days (in my experience). It warms my heart to see someone else having the very same reaction to these songs I had so many years ago :-)
Classic! If you had your headphones on you would hear him singing in one key in one ear and a higher key in the other. There's a mellow song about the end of the world and people leaving on spaceships you would love. It's called Spaceship Orion by the Ozark Mountain Daredevils. Thanks A & A!
I've always liked this song, it came out before I was born. I've always loved it.. but it also gives me goosebumps, every time I hear it, it makes me think of Challenger, which I am old enough to remember. Changed my perception of the risk that they take every time they fly. Because up until that point every mission had been a complete success. No one believed something like that could ever happen... Then it did. Love you reaction videos, keep up the great work.
Great reaction and discussion afterwards, guys. The anticipation of what it would be like to float weightless, and the risk of dying in space, was felt all over the world. Bowie hit it us all right in a soft spot. I had goosebumps too when the song turns serious after Major Tom is lost in space. That was when I heard it for the first time, in 1969. In a Dutch youth music program where Bowie performed. He was young and sat on the floor with crossed legs with his hands on a keyboard drawn on the floor. It was a new look for sure. An then the music started, wow. Instant hit.
Lesser known Bowie Faves of mine are "TVC15" "I'm Afraid of Americans" "The Heart's Filthy Message" . Bowie was a trained mime. Bowie wrote a comic book. Bowie introduced me to many of my favorite guitarists including Mick Ronson, Adrian Belew and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Bowie always surprises. Bowie worked with Bing Crosby (They both hated it. Both were too professional to let it show).
@@andyfletcher3561 : His Elephant Man on broadway was considered a tour de force. Played John Merrick without any make-up effects. Just the way he held his body, hit his marks, gestured implied the monstrosity. When you can make people look at David Bowie and see the victim of a disfiguring degenerative disease, that's acting!
"Ashes to Ashes" is the sequel . Speaking of Syd Barrett, Bowie does a cover of "See Emily Play". It's a must-play for Floyd fans. Syd was a very big influence on way-early Bowie. Ashes to Ashes video: play.google.com/music/playlist/AMaBXykmovrLd5vgPKHFMk3GgQnARFYDoCDFodoTD_8zYNyfM4EcWAIuQywo7zxFVW9JJmOXeIiDOCTlnGy7I5OAea-EHBnjcw%3D%3D
Something else about this song that many younger people may not realise.. that helps put it in context. This song was recorded less than a month before the Apollo 11 mission, when Neil Armstrong became the first man to set foot on the Moon.
I cry every time I hear this song! Very moving to me! I grew up watching the space program...and it throws me back every time I hear a count down, too!
The part at the end of the song where it goes up was played by Bowie on a little analog keyboard called a Stylophone, (it uses a Stylus, hence the name) that can fit in your hand..They stopped making them many years ago, but the inventor's son decided to make them again, and you can pick one up for about $25, I believe...The other interesting sound you're hearing is a Mellotron, and it was played by the incomparable Keyboardist Rick Wakeman, who later became famous as a member of the band Yes...The Beatles, and many others used it throughout the 60's.
Bowie songs - Fame, The Man Who Sold the World, Under Pressure (with Queen), China Girl, Let's Dance, Young Americans, Rebel Rebel, Jean Genie, Suffagette City, Ziggy Stardust … there so many
Great track I was very young when this was released if I remember it reached number one in the UK. Bowie was one of those singer song writer on the edge and lived life to the full. Good choice the Laughing Gnome is so funny it's so not Bowie. Or Life on Mars is awesome. Elton John I would say Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboys is an awesome song and not well known. Stay lucky stay safe Mike UK.
It's good to sort of listen through your ears. And how you describe what's going on as events pan out. I've been a Bowie fan since 1972 when he appeared on British tv music show 'Top Of The Pops'. He and the Spiders From Mars performed 'Starman'. His Ziggy Stardust haircut and the space age clothes stood out. But of course the music was great. I do remember and liking 'Space Oddity' as a kid in 1969. It tied in very well with the moon landing at the time. Anyway, it's good to see you guys reacting to David Bowie. Oh, and since you say "dude!", try "All The Young Dudes" from the Ziggy Stardust movie. He actually wrote it for a band called Mott The Hoople, who were on the verge of splitting up. They had a hit with the song and carried on with a few more hits. You could try their version too. Bowie sings backing vocals on it ^_^ Ok then dude! ;)
Great Reaction Guys !I remember EXACTLY where I was when I first heard this ! I was with my best 3 friends from Grammar School at Killyon Road,Clapham,South West London and the Guy who we visiting was my first " Middle Class" friend. All my other mates were from Council ( Projects or Social Housing ) like me. We were sitting in his living room playing Football( soccer ) and Cricket Board Games and this came on and 51 years later I still remember my exact reaction. The Guy who we visited is 64 , like us, and runs in the mountains and hills for 10 miles a day and is as slim as 50 years ago :)
This is a great song. On the surface it just sounds fun, a novelty Apollo tribute, which I'm sure is what made it so succesful (Bowie's first big hit, I think, after a long time trying). But you don't have to listen very hard to hear the depths in there. It compares strongly to the "New Wave" science fiction of the time (e.g. the stories of J.G. Ballard) which used SF ideas as allegories of alienation, consumerism, apocalyptic fears and modern messianism, just as Bowie does in the song. I don't know if he read any of that stuff or was just having the same ideas. But I know he was, or came to be, inspired by William Burroughs, as many New Wave SF writers also were.
Remember listening to this song for the first time in my teens in my friends room(he is now my husband) in the 90's. I got goose bumps all over my arms, back and neck.
My first David--it was 1973 and I was 13. I knew right then--yeah, THIS WAS MY GUY! I was his for my entire life. When he died, it was the end of everything...except my husband was dying of kidney failure and I was his 24/7 caregiver. So I couldn't just lie down and give up. I actually thought, "No, David wouldn't want that." So I have been caring for my husband over 7 years. When I feel like giving up, I put on a David album. He lifts me to a place above human pain. Thank you for my life, David!
This is one of the first songs to really feature a Moog Synthesizer. Bowie asked keyboard genius Rick Wakeman to play on this track, Bowie wanted the outer space sound, and Wakeman came up with all the background sounds on the Moog. Wakeman and Keith Emerson were two of the first keyboardist to start experimenting with and including the Moog in their music. Wakeman was an amazing studio musician, he played with Bowie and he also came up the beautiful piano on Cat Stevens "Morning Has Broken", and then really took off when he joined Progressive Rock Band YES on their albums FRAGILE, CLOSE TO THE EDGE, etc..
Hey there my Rock Budds!!! A great reaction to THE David Bowie, a fantastic choice and what an album, a complete Game Changer. Andy please do a reaction to David Bowie singing his song "Heroes", the LIVE VERSION from THE FREDDIE TRIBUTE CONCERT, I promise you won't be disappointed, it's his best version. You guys totally Rock, and I just love the way Alex analyses the track by dissecting through the lyrics, Amazing job...Lots of Love to the both of you, have a great weekend and look forward (as always), to some more vids. Take care..keep rocking!
Love this and played this at my husband’s funeral. I felt it depicted my husband going. The coffin being his spaceship 🚀 Bowie being his favourite singer
"Here I am floating ON my tin can" nice writing. Great early Bowie. Life On Mars, Star, Rock N Roll Suicide, Aladdin Sane, Rebel rebel.......great mix of early Bowie. As someone said, Ashes to Ashes is the sequel to this song. You guys are great. Keep on the Bowie train!
there is a video of Bowie as guest vocalist with Gilmour performing 'Comfortably Numb' in England at 2006 Gilmour concert. Just search 'Gilmour Bowie Comfortably Numb'. I doubt very much this rare invite from one legend to another to share the stage, was just happenstance. I gotta believe it was low key acknowledgement of Bowie's influence on the band.
That voice. Damn I love that voice. This is technically his second album but he has distanced himself from his first album as it's naïve and simple and he didn't really like it as the years went by. I love it and compare it favorably to Syd's "Piper" album. Check it out if you want. This is the first song from what some call "Man of Words/Man of Music" or just simply "David Bowie." It's a very acoustic heavy album and I highly recommend listening to the whole thing. The next song up would be "Unwashed and Somewhat Slightly Dazed" If you don't want to or just don't have the time to do the whole album then you MUST listen to "Cygnet Committee." from this album. It's a magnum opus and one of my favorite Bowie songs. (One of my favorite songs of ANY artist really) Thoughtful and dark with amazing singing by Mr. Bowie. A MUST I tell you, a MUST! Some interpret the lyrics meaning there was a problem and Major Tom was lost accidently. Others interpret it as Major Tom deciding himself to float away into the vastness of space. It's Bowie so it's poetic and open to interpretation. Glad you guys enjoyed it. Peace, Love and Hair
Peter Schilling wrote and performed a follow-up to this song that tells what happened to Major Tom in 1982 that scored big on the charts and is quite good.
Songs to check out, the title song Aladdin Sane, (very complex, beautiful and avant-garde) man who sold the world, drive-in Saturday, panic in Detroit, moonage daydream, beauty and the beast, hearts filthy lesson, we are the dead, that’ll get u started...😀
This vid just came up on suggestions, fun! Here's a recommendation, please trust me when I say you should watch the ethereal Soulwax mix of Bowie (and a few Bowie-written) songs. Search Radio Soulwax - Dave. Not only do you get a selection of fantastic David Bowie songs, but also the talents the Dewaele brothers (aka Soulwax aka 2manydjs) of transitioning between songs. I must have played this mix 50 times. Genius.
If you’re going to do Elton John, make sure you first listen to Your Song, his first hit and a really pretty song. Then, listen to Goodbye Yellow Brick Road album. Thanks!
Listen to "Lazarus" and "Blackstar" (From his last album), from the old stuff you should hear "The Man Who Sold The World", "Oh You Pretty Thins", "Changes", "Rock n' Roll Suicide", "Heroes" any thing from Ziggy Stardust album and his masterpiece: "Life on Mars".
DUDE! You listened to that song for the first time and you got all that from it, really nice work, I'm sure the first time I heard this song I got about 10% of what you pulled out of it... Thanks, great work..
Bowie and Queen are my favorite. Need to listen to Ashes to Ashes it’s the follow up. Changes, Hero’s, Lets Dance, Golden Years, China Girl, Rebel Rebel, Blue Jean. Co wrote Under Pressure with Queen and sung with Freddy. 🎸🎸💫
So many great song from David Bowie. My very first concert in 1976 at 13. "Ziggy Stardust" "The Man Who Sold The World" "Jean Genie" " Life on Mars" and many more.
Bowie was so unique & wonderful, he lived around the corner from me in downtown Nyc. Such a gentleman. Maybe true suffragette city, rebel rebel, starman, or some 89’s Bowie, Lets Dance, China Girl, Modern Love... hes awesome!
It was time to revisit David Bowie! And the song was honestly fantastic, great vocals, concept, instrumentation, all of it! What are other great David Bowie songs!? 😁
Moonage daydream
I'm a Bowie mega-fan. I'm in the process of creating "The Reactor's Guide to: David Bowie" Here is my essential "Early Bowie" list. 1970-1975:
THE MAN WHO SOLD THE WORLD [1970]: The Width of A Circle, All The Madmen, Savior Machine, The Man Who Sold The World.
Here are the popular songs:
HUNKY DORY [1971]: Changes, Life On Mars? ZIGGY STARDUST [1972]: Star, Ziggy Stardust, Hang On To Yourself, Suffragette City.
A cover of Pink Floyds "See Emily Play" from Pin-Ups.
From YOUNG AMERICANS [1975]: Fascination, Fame (with John Lennon)
This is a bare minimum list of "Ziggy Era" Bowie. Very hard to make a list this short.
My Google Play playlist of these songs.
play.google.com/music/playlist/AMaBXykmovrLd5vgPKHFMk3GgQnARFYDoCDFodoTD_8zYNyfM4EcWAIuQywo7zxFVW9JJmOXeIiDOCTlnGy7I5OAea-EHBnjcw%3D%3D
Ashes to Ashes, Heroes, Fashion and Ziggy Stardust to name a few. I'd go with studio versions over live to start.
David Bowie also produced Lou Reed's Walk on the Wild Side in the same Period of time.
Andy and Alex I really look forward to seeing what you come up with.
We all appreciate what you do.
Fantastic channel.
Stay lucky stay safe Mike UK.
I think it's really hard for people of your generation to really grasp the awe and amazement of space travel in the '60s and early '70s. This song came out in July 1969, nine days before Apollo 11 astronauts landed on the moon. The whole world was on that ride, everyone on edge if something were to go wrong a quarter million miles away.
They went up against big odds. NASA admitted they gave the moon landing a 30 % chance of getting back alive.
Thank you for providing that perspective. It is so relevant. They landed on the moon on my second birthday!
@submandave dive dive - Yes, it was an amazing time for space travel. In the Netherlands we had one TV channel broadcasting a couple of hours per day. A stunning technical feat for that time was the broadcasting of the images from the Moon !!!!!! around the world. My brother and I were woken up by our parents to see the landing. Utterly amazing, watching humans walk on another celestial body, at the same time that millions of people around the world were watching the same. My best suggestion to younger people is to see documentairies and use your imagination to put oneself in that time. -- And for the rest: Enjoy the present, because such great things will happen again, soon. Remember 1st Falcon Heavy launch ?
Remember the images broadcast being blurry? The networks had no way to connect to the Apollo feed directly, so they were just filming the television at NASA. In reality, the recordings are crytal clear and focused once you see the direct recordings.
You are so right. The entire world was 'one' on that day. I was 11 years old, and my Mom and Dad bought me a telescope so I could look at the Moon. My imagination filled in the blanks. I was awestruck and have been a space geek ever since.
love the way you looked at each other when you realised major tom was doomed
The song isn't actually about space. It is a drug song about a heroin overdose. Listen to it with that in mind and you can follow from the initial fix, through the euphoria, to the realization of the overdose and death.
@@patrickhenry4675 i cant see it myself but if thats the way you see it, i just see bowie high as a kite himeslf watching 2001 a space odity a few too many times and writing a song about space, i dont see an intentional referece to drug use
@@patrickhenry4675 According Bowie himself, it was about loneliness. Heroin had nothing to do with or with Bowie, he was into cocaine.
Well Major Tom appears later on Ashes to Ashes and that song is definitely about drugs. However, I like to think this is Bowie realizing he is about to head into fame and leave the world, as this was an early work of his. Ashes to ashes is about his experience with drugs, and Hello spaceboy about his sexuality, all reflected on Major Tom.
But again, that’s just my interpretation.
I think he is both an Astronaut and a space cadet.
And that's Bowie from 1969. Every Bowie song is a self-contained concept/story. He's a master lyricist. His vocal prowess is always center stage. The music and arrangements are consistently innovative and experimental.
Brian Cypher ABSOLUTELY!
Sorry to let you know Brian - Bowie is dead. try changing 'a' to was, 'is' to was and 'are' to were.
Kelvin Park sorry to let you know Kelvin, you’re a dick
@@BigKelvPark I would argue that Bowie did not die but just went back home.
@@BigKelvPark,
Bowie will live on forever through his music legacy.
To add to the goosebumps - this was released just a few days before Apollo 11 launched.
I don't think people give pause now to how much this reflected on the awe, excitement, fear, thrill.... of space at that time. they are so passe about everything now
This 59 year old grandmother from Illinois LOVES your channel. You and your buddy are really appreciative of fine music!
Queen 59 and we love having a 59 year old grandma from Illinois love us ❤️
This 63 year old grandmother from New Mexico and I agree I love your channel . You two are my favorite reactors!
I’m with 59 year old grandmother from Illinois from the other side of the pond. If you want to get some Bowie try Rock and Roll Suicide, Scary Monsters and Supercreeps and Ziggy Stardust.
Yep 56 year old grandpa here...
As does this 60 year old... love watching you discover the fantastic music I was blessed to have experienced in my youth!!!
You should listen to Bowie's album "Ziggy Stardust & the Spiders from Mars." That album got me hooked on Bowie, even though "Space Oddity." Came out first.
I had the pleasure at the age of 10 to see Bowie at Earls court in London doing his Ziggy tour! That’s all it took ! I was hooked!
Heck ya!
No. It's was The Beatles who went to a meditation retreat wiith the maharishi mayesh Yogi in India.
Bowie went to Berlin in the mid-seventies to get clean from all the excesses of life in LA. where he had developed a crazy cocaine addiction. He consisted on cocaine , red peppers and milk for a long while, nearly starving himself along with a unimaginable case of paranoia and lack of sleep.
After he cleaned up and got healthy, he flourished even more as an artist who pushed the bounds of the unimaginable.
He was truly an artist in EVERY sense of the word. Singer, songwriter, producer, instrumentalist, actor, and even lead fashion. He, like Freddie was a once in a lifetime man. ⚡️
Welcome to the Bowie rabbit-hole!! 🌟✨👨🎤
@Danelle Covey
Awesome, thanks for the info!! 😁
AndyReacts IYW! I just noticed my crazy misspellings. I wasn't wearing my contacts and corrected them . Ha!
Again, thanks for your comment.
Rock on! 🤘🏼
Great post.
Only thing you left out about his expat. Berlin days was that he was accompanied on this journey by Jimmy Osterberg alias Iggy Pop, who was a major influence from the past, and a creative foil during his days in Berlin.
google bowie monastery
Bowie's 1980 song Ashes to Ashes is a sort of sequel to this.
@donaldb1
Thanks for the tip!
And what a plot twist it is!
@@andyandalex Yes, definitely think of "Ashes to Ashes" as a sequel to this song. There's a song released shortly before his death called "Blackstar" that's meant to be a sort of third part. The video for "Blackstar" will tell you what happens to Major Tom in the end...
@@Revelwoodie Yes. This is accurate. It is much more than that too. Blackstar is a recapitulation of Bowie's life work. Bowie knew he was dying and wrote this opus as a Kubrickian signpost signifying religious undertones to his music including elements of Kabbalah, Pina Bausch dance and Egyptian worship of feline spiritual energies. My interpretation only.
Blackstar is the epic end to this saga. I listened to it today...it still is hard for me to listen to. I miss him!
You both need to listen to the whole Ziggy Stardust album. In the top 10 greatest rock albums of all time.
I'd say top 100 but it doesn't matter, still a damn tie ROFL. I just can't pin it down that tight.
Space Oddity is my favorite Bowie song. I also have a special fondness for China Girl. It's more pop-oriented but his voice sells the song.
Exactly.... listen to China Girl, even if you don't want to react. Reacting, however would be pretty popular I bet.
Listen to the original version sung by iggy pop.
Life on Mars, space oddity, changes
"Life on Mars" is great, and "Heroes". From my young days, except for "Let's Dance" that came out in 1982, I remember hearing a very early Bowie song named "The laughing gnome". A little bit strange but enjoyable :)
lets dance was 1983 .
The Laughing Gnome was a novelty song. Makes me cringe when I hear it. - from Bowie's early Decca days when he was struggling to make it and would have recorded The Wheels on The Bus if the suits had told him to.
I actually like 'Laughing Gnome'. It has a surreal quality about it besides a fun song. Bowie disliked it after. It was a minor hit in the UK in 1973, when the record company released it to cash in on Bowie's popularity.
@@michaellomax843 I wonder if you would like it as much if Bowie wasn't singing it?
@@MrPoupard To quote Peter Gabriel in Genesis,... " I know what I like, and I like what I know..." So yes, I'd still like it if it wasn't David. ... :-)
In 1969, a very young Elton John (then still legally Reg Dwight) and Bernie Taupin used to listen to music together in Elton's room in his mother's apartment, where they were living at the time while working towards their big break. The first time they heard "Space Oddity", they thought it was the greatest thing they'd ever heard.
Little did they know that in less than a year's time, they would get not only "Space Oddity"'s producer (Gus Dudgeon) but also its orchestral arranger (Paul Buckmaster) to work on Elton's second, self-titled album. It was this album that launched Elton John to stardom. Dudgeon would go on to produce every Elton John album through 1976, as well as three albums during the '80s. Buckmaster arrangements would appear on a number of Elton's albums throughout his career.
Rob Davies they should do rocket man next. My fav Elton song and also about space
@@redddo1 "Rocket Man" is, indeed, a classic. However, I'd be worried that it's so ubiquitous that both guys have already heard it, which wouldn't make for an interesting reaction.
That helps explain his success
Sitting here, remembering the first time I ever heard this song, I was quite a bit younger than you guys. It makes me want to cry, for Bowie being gone, so young, and for my youth as well. But, at the same time, it makes me feel good, remembering those times, channeled thru you. If any of that makes any sense. Great reaction and very thoughtful commentary! Great music! Great God, where have the years gone?! Maybe I missed it, but if you haven't yet done it, do Bowie's whole Ziggy Stardust album. You won't be sorry! Peace!
Michael .Wise the great thing about amazing artists like this is that even though they may be gone their art lives on forever
Amen to that!
I still cry. I had a watch made with Bowie's image on it so he can always tell me what TIME it is.
I openly wept for weeks after he passed.
I had just lost my father 3 months before...when David assed it was like my woeld had shattered, losing my biological father and my creative father seemed to nearly destey me.
But I'm here and stronger than ever.
*Just don't let anything happen to Robert Smith!! 💜
As a child of the 60's, I understand where you're coming from. Music has always been a huge part of my life, I wouldn't want to be without it. Funny how a song instantly transports us back in time and makes us feel so much emotion.
I was around when it first came out ,it blew our minds
Wow! 2 guys that have never heard this song before! What luck!! Bowie's masterpiece🤘
Indeed Donna but this was recorded over 50 years ago...lol
@@Isleofskye OMG! I never thought of the music we grew up with in that light. Does that mean we're getting old? 😭😭
Of course not Donna ! I am 64 and have been single all my life and my 3 open relationships with girlfriends have lasted 23 and 22 and 19 years, respectively and they were all 40 last year so NO !
You have put that in a new light for me Donna. This means THEY are all in their FIFTH decade as soon as they became 40 years and 1 Day. It might be time for a Trade-In but how do I tell them.?? If I tried to end it they would just turn up here in THe London Suburbs so might as well keep going :) .lol @ @@donnaransom3770
Isleofskye I am speechless. I cannot fully understand /process your post. If you are saying that you have managed to have these 3 women date you concurrently, when they were barely of legal age, you would be a fool to get rid of them .... Younger than the current models are not going to be as trained as you seem to have these currently.. Big risk. Currently you have 3 possible advocates for you when age creeps in it's nasty surprises. ( Been a caregiver, nasty business-aging!) Being alone in the end would be a crushing come down.
David Bowie released this song on July 11, 1969. Neil Armstrong took mankind's first step on the moon 10 days later.
Did he? Really? Just sayin'
Guys, when glam rock arrived on the scene, the excitement was palpable. We fell so hard for Bowie, he truly appeared from another planet. ❤
Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars!!!! One of the best albums ever produced. Please check it out. Pick any song but you guys gotta check it out. Don't move away to Billy or Elton yet I beg you, haha. This from a huge Billy and Elton fan. Really loved Alex's take on this song!
Wrong album buddy! Space Oddity was released years earlier.
this is just the start. this put bowie on the map. what happened from here was just genius....many years and many albums of fantastic stuff...usually changing styles along the way. i hope you guys dig in an experience more bowie. the guy changed my life when i was a teenager. by the way....the chord progression you were talking about...not complicated at all. simple song ....but awesome just the same
Now you need to do UNDER PRESSURE.. QUEEN and Bowie collaboration. EPICINESS.
Oh please no!
He wasn't a music icon, he was the icon. He's above Lennon for me.
Bowie is God!!!
Above anyone. ✨💕
They say 'above' but really he was just beyond the crowd carving his singular path through that generation of Boomers whose romantisism fired up the world. Thats when music changed and technology and spreading it out there saturated us all with new vibrant music. It coundlnt help but catch fire. I'm 76 born 2 years after the 2nd World War when the warriors were returning to their loved ones and founding a new dynamic generation of positive beings. We thought then that we had won the war and so jubilation was extreme. It was years later that we finally grocked that we were decieved big time. Still our vibes created the hippie movement, flower power, Peace Love Dove and great music.
As a 56 year old guy we grew up on David Bowie and Pink Floyd ( yes I went to the concerts) great groups back then. Thanks guys
i would suggest doing bowie chronologically,,,,this way you can see how he grew and changed ever album. i would also suggest entire albums. next album after this was 'the man who sold the world' ...a much heavier album...guitar driven...the introduction of Mick Ronson and Woody Woodmansey (later of the spiders from mars). very different album. then hunky dory went in the other direction...more song based, piano based...less 'rock'....but maybe his best album ever....Trevor bolder joins here...mick ronson does some INCREDIBLE string arrangements.....and then.....ziggy happens. go for it guys. you won't regret
@steven murano
Thanks for the tip friend!!! 😁
Did Diamond Dogs just totally suck and everyone forgot to tell me? That was my first, though I think I was looking for "Space Oddity". Which of course was my second. Then "David Live". Close, but Ziggy is probably my favorite overall.
@@andyfletcher3561 diamond dogs sucks ? hmmmm. to each his own i guess...If bowie only wrote Sweet thing/Candidate/Sweet thing and We Are The Dead in his career i'd still consider him a genius. that said...hard to top ziggy///or any album with ronson
Great idea!!
Changes, The Man Who Sold The World, Jean Genie, Starman, Ziggy Stardust, Heroes, All You Pretty Things, Suffragette City....
Five Years
Nirvanas cover of the man who sold the world is better imo
Excellent list.
Lady Grinning Soul - from Aladdin Sane - not heard very often, but pretty cool, and Time, also the album Diamond Dogs also seems relevant these days 😳
Blue Jean
Another Yes tie in. This time it's Rick Wakeman, who did the Mellotron on this. He and Bowie were friends from then onward. If you do Yes, we recommend starting with either Roundabout, Yours is No Disgrace, or On the Silent Wings of Freedom. Note that Yes never had more than two albums without someone coming or going or returning.
Love David and this was a favorite song of his when I was a kid!
I almost met him in person in the 80’s. Meaning he was filming scenes for the video for the song China Girl in Vancouver’s (B.C., Canada) China Town and my Aunt was visiting and I was showing her Vancouver. We turn onto one of the streets and there are film trucks and movie equipment and we realized something was being filmed across the street.
Out steps out a of trailer, David Bowie. We weren’t allowed to cross the street but I made my Aunt walk with me up and down our side of the street in case we were filmed. I did ask one of the personnel if they needed extras, no they had been filming most of the day and were close to wrapping up 😭
My poor Aunt had been into Country music all her life, had no idea who David Bowie was and couldn’t care less. After an hour we had to move on as she was so tired. My Mom gave me crap fir being a bad host.
But I was able to see David in real life!. Review the China Girl video if you get a chance, the song was a hit then. I was across the street during the street scene but didn’t make it to the video as they didn’t shoot our side 😵 It was fun watching what we could see though and to see the scenes in the video later!
Bowie was a Pink Floyd fan. He was a guest star on one of Gilmour's 2006 concerts, and sang Arnold Layne and Comfortably Numb.
Glad you enjoyed that...Ziggy Stardust, was an incredible stage personality for Bowie. REST IN PEACE sir.
Heroes is a great song, which he released continent wide in four languages: English, German, French, and Italian-Sounds best to me in German. But def a great song no matter what!
Sort of related... check out Peter Schilling's "Major Tom (Coming Home)". English version.
I'm a GenX fan of his, and a couple of years older than his son. Until "Let's Dance" came out in my teens, though, I didn't realize that I'd heard Bowie's music in some way or another all my life, I just didn't know him by name.
A good memory I have of hearing his music as a small child is from 3rd grade. I went to an "artsy" grade school. Our teacher would put a stack of 45s on the classroom record player during our art period. One day, she put on "Sound And Vision" (released in 1977), and it was amazing to me. I'd heard nothing like it before. Americans around my age and older know what kind of pop songs were hits in the 70s, and this one was just beyond anything that was mainstream at the time. When I heard it again in high school and realized it was Bowie, I was awed. It wasn't a hit, but it's such a good song. It could be released today, that's how timeless it is.
Another song like that is from even earlier, 1974, a demo he'd done when he was making the Diamond Dogs album, known as "Alternative Candidate". It sounds like an dark indie rock song that could be released this week, and with the amazing piano playing of Mike Garson.
I think I have that on a special disk of "Diamond Dogs" or "David Live".
Moonage Daydream! The Ziggy Stardust album was a game changer 😊
at the risk of being too repetitive I would suggest David Bowie's 'Starman' and 'Cat People' (putting out the fire). For Elton John 'Funeral for a Friend' is an epic must hear. Also 'Madman Across the Water' and 'Someone Saved My Life Tonight'.
@flubblert
Thanks friend!! 😁
Flubbert is right,react to that Cat People theme from Bowie...putting out fire...with gasoline!
"Station to Station" is one of his best and longest songs. The underrated "Lady Grinning Soul" is amazing too.
Station to Station is like nothing I've ever heard before...it's on a whole other level. One of my favorite albums for sure!!
Lady Grinning Soul is one of favs. Love Aladdin Sane.
This tune is magic. You two are SO cute reacting to it, too. There's an early video of Bowie singing Space Oddity that was apparently played on British TV, with probably, MOST of the TV owning & watching Brits, at the time, young, middle-aged, old, rich, poor, etc, and I laugh imaging them ALL seeing it thinking, "Oh, my God, wtf," etc, while being absolutely transfixed & stunned by the fantastical creature that was the young David Bowie, pre-Ziggy, by his extraordinary appearance & by this incredibly unique, timely (post Apollo moon landing) and gorgeous original song of his...
I love so much of Bowie’s music but this has to be one of the most influential songs to me personally. I’m now 51 and I still play it, but now as an acoustic cover with my 23 year old son at the end of any gig we play together. Some of the finest 2 part harmonies ever recorded.
David Bowie always was tailor made for college students. Intellectual rock.
An excellent, space tune by Bowie is "Ashes to ashes" off of scary monsters and super creeps. Probably my favorite track by him
I cry everytime I hear this fantastic song.
I do too.
Ah! The master of reinvention. Bowie is an awesome choice for a series. So many different styles on so many albums. Classics like 'Station to Station' ' Hunky Dory' 'Ziggy Stardust' 'Scary Monsters and Super Creeps', a covers album of 60's tunes (that includes a version of Pink Floyd's 'See Emily Play') called 'Pin Ups', and my all time fave Bowie album 'Aladdin Sane'. There are many other albums that I'm sure other subscribers can, and will, suggest, but if I was going to recommend a few tracks I'd have to go for 'Life on Mars' 'Heroes' 'Drive-in Saturday' 'Ashes to Ashes' and 'Jean Genie'.
Other artists I would like to suggest? Kiss. Lou Reed, The Clash, The Cult, The Mission, Police, Thin Lizzy, The The and Siouxsie and the Banshees (My all time fave band. 'Candyman' 'The Last Beat of my Heart' live version, 'Cities in Dust' but a few). Anyway. Keep up the good work guys.
Sheik Yebouti Terrific post. I can only endorse everything it says. Aladdin’s my fave, too.
@@hannyhawkins7804 Great minds huh? ;)
my fav David's song
Im happy you both got to listen to this track, A truly classic song and it shall be forever more 😀
React to moonage daydream of Bowie his solo is fantastic
What solo? Do you mean the guitar solo that Mick Ronson play?
Nico, its Mick Ronsons solo WTF
I beg u guys l, hear mick ronson solo
Early 70s, I was at the Hollywood Palladium Concert of David Bowie and his Spiders From Mars. No seats, only standing. The stage was not visible but from a few feet from it. We squeezed our way through. The last song of the night was only Bowie sitting on a stool with a guitar singing Space Oddity. It was obvious to everyone that this man was a lot more than just a glam showman.
The fact that the song spirals off into nowhere is so fitting. And amazing. Bowie managed that sort of thing a lot. His final album before he died is just as amazing as his early stuff. The guy never quit.
Iam 52 year old English lady and its brilliant that you two are enjoying Bowie moments, Blessings,
Beautiful, haunting, trippy, sonically stunning. There's no telling how many classic rock era bands were influenced by this amazing song/sound. Including Floyd. (We're talking 1969 guys - four yrs before Dark Side. You don't think Roger was listening?) This song was ubiquitous back then, and remains a staple on classic rock stations everywhere. It's one of those songs we used to use to adjust the equalizer settings on the new 6 speaker car stereo back in the day. lol. Absolutely groundbreaking.
A few years back Astronaut Chris Hadfield sang this song on board the International Space Station and beamed it back to earth. That's how influential this song has been both artistically and beyond. Needless to say it went viral. You can hear it here ...
czcams.com/video/KaOC9danxNo/video.html
@flubblert
Yes it’s brilliant! Love hearing different bands in this era! Marvelous! 😁
You need to react to how Bowie used to hard rock, The Width of a circle is one underrated amazing one, great guitar solo
Stevie Ray Vaughn played on Bowie's "Let's Dance" album. Stevie declined going on tour with David to do his own thing with Double Trouble. The rest is history.
Good stuff guys - many people consider that Bowie's 'Heroes' is the best song that he ever did. If you've not heard it before, could you review it please?
@showmoke
I’ll have to get to that one for sure, thanks!! 😁
So many metaphors in this song. I love the way it explores isolation.
Ashes to ashes , a song from Bowies 1980 album Scary monsters, is a follow up song to space oddity, it revisits Major Tom , who is a junkie "strung out on heavens high"
Vernon Allen "Ashes to Ashes" is a continuance of the plight of Major Tom and is "Blackstar" from the final album is his final chapter.
Ashes to Ashes is an autobiographical tune about his own struggle with drugs. He uses Major Tom as a reference to himself.
Awesome reaction guys! You're one of the few that actually listen and get into songs. You even get the dynamics, the mood changes, the links between the music and the story that's being told. Not many have the patience to do that these days (in my experience). It warms my heart to see someone else having the very same reaction to these songs I had so many years ago :-)
Classic! If you had your headphones on you would hear him singing in one key in one ear and a higher key in the other. There's a mellow song about the end of the world and people leaving on spaceships you would love. It's called Spaceship Orion by the Ozark Mountain Daredevils. Thanks A & A!
This is my absolute favorite Bowie song. You should think about reacting to Major Tom by Peter Schilling.
I've always liked this song, it came out before I was born. I've always loved it.. but it also gives me goosebumps, every time I hear it, it makes me think of Challenger, which I am old enough to remember. Changed my perception of the risk that they take every time they fly. Because up until that point every mission had been a complete success. No one believed something like that could ever happen... Then it did.
Love you reaction videos, keep up the great work.
Great reaction and discussion afterwards, guys. The anticipation of what it would be like to float weightless, and the risk of dying in space, was felt all over the world. Bowie hit it us all right in a soft spot. I had goosebumps too when the song turns serious after Major Tom is lost in space. That was when I heard it for the first time, in 1969. In a Dutch youth music program where Bowie performed. He was young and sat on the floor with crossed legs with his hands on a keyboard drawn on the floor. It was a new look for sure. An then the music started, wow. Instant hit.
Lesser known Bowie Faves of mine are "TVC15" "I'm Afraid of Americans" "The Heart's Filthy Message" . Bowie was a trained mime. Bowie wrote a comic book. Bowie introduced me to many of my favorite guitarists including Mick Ronson, Adrian Belew and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Bowie always surprises. Bowie worked with Bing Crosby (They both hated it. Both were too professional to let it show).
The result was beautiful in the end. I liked his acting as well. That I've seen anyway.
@@andyfletcher3561 : His Elephant Man on broadway was considered a tour de force. Played John Merrick without any make-up effects. Just the way he held his body, hit his marks, gestured implied the monstrosity. When you can make people look at David Bowie and see the victim of a disfiguring degenerative disease, that's acting!
TVC15 0ne of my very favorites. Also Diamond Dogs doesn't get mentioned too often - very good though.
"Ashes to Ashes" is the sequel . Speaking of Syd Barrett, Bowie does a cover of "See Emily Play". It's a must-play for Floyd fans. Syd was a very big influence on way-early Bowie. Ashes to Ashes video: play.google.com/music/playlist/AMaBXykmovrLd5vgPKHFMk3GgQnARFYDoCDFodoTD_8zYNyfM4EcWAIuQywo7zxFVW9JJmOXeIiDOCTlnGy7I5OAea-EHBnjcw%3D%3D
@Brian Cypher
I could feel the connection, thanks for verifying! I’ll have to check it out!! 😁
Something else about this song that many younger people may not realise.. that helps put it in context.
This song was recorded less than a month before the Apollo 11 mission, when Neil Armstrong became the first man to set foot on the Moon.
I cry every time I hear this song! Very moving to me! I grew up watching the space program...and it throws me back every time I hear a count down, too!
Your faces! I love your reaction!! Great song!!!
"and the stars look very different today..."
"tell my wife that I love her, though she knows"
always gives me goose bumps even to this day.
The part at the end of the song where it goes up was played by Bowie on a little analog keyboard called a Stylophone, (it uses a Stylus, hence the name) that can fit in your hand..They stopped making them many years ago, but the inventor's son decided to make them again, and you can pick one up for about $25, I believe...The other interesting sound you're hearing is a Mellotron, and it was played by the incomparable Keyboardist Rick Wakeman, who later became famous as a member of the band Yes...The Beatles, and many others used it throughout the 60's.
BTW, My favorite Bowie album is Hunky Dory..Fantastic album!
Bowie songs - Fame, The Man Who Sold the World, Under Pressure (with Queen), China Girl, Let's Dance, Young Americans, Rebel Rebel, Jean Genie, Suffagette City, Ziggy Stardust … there so many
Great track I was very young when this was released if I remember it reached number one in the UK.
Bowie was one of those singer song writer on the edge and lived life to the full.
Good choice the Laughing Gnome is so funny it's so not Bowie.
Or Life on Mars is awesome.
Elton John I would say Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboys is an awesome song and not well known.
Stay lucky stay safe Mike UK.
Since you are reacting to David Bowie, you should react to Queen and David Bowie's collaboration, Under Pressure.
@lawrence abeyta
I should soon!!
It's good to sort of listen through your ears. And how you describe what's going on as events pan out. I've been a Bowie fan since 1972 when he appeared on British tv music show 'Top Of The Pops'. He and the Spiders From Mars performed 'Starman'. His Ziggy Stardust haircut and the space age clothes stood out. But of course the music was great. I do remember and liking 'Space Oddity' as a kid in 1969. It tied in very well with the moon landing at the time. Anyway, it's good to see you guys reacting to David Bowie. Oh, and since you say "dude!", try "All The Young Dudes" from the Ziggy Stardust movie. He actually wrote it for a band called Mott The Hoople, who were on the verge of splitting up. They had a hit with the song and carried on with a few more hits. You could try their version too. Bowie sings backing vocals on it ^_^ Ok then dude! ;)
Great Reaction Guys !I remember EXACTLY where I was when I first heard this ! I was with my best 3 friends from Grammar School at Killyon Road,Clapham,South West London and the Guy who we visiting was my first " Middle Class" friend. All my other mates were from Council ( Projects or Social Housing ) like me. We were sitting in his living room playing Football( soccer ) and Cricket Board Games and this came on and 51 years later I still remember my exact reaction. The Guy who we visited is 64 , like us, and runs in the mountains and hills for 10 miles a day and is as slim as 50 years ago :)
This is a great song. On the surface it just sounds fun, a novelty Apollo tribute, which I'm sure is what made it so succesful (Bowie's first big hit, I think, after a long time trying). But you don't have to listen very hard to hear the depths in there. It compares strongly to the "New Wave" science fiction of the time (e.g. the stories of J.G. Ballard) which used SF ideas as allegories of alienation, consumerism, apocalyptic fears and modern messianism, just as Bowie does in the song. I don't know if he read any of that stuff or was just having the same ideas. But I know he was, or came to be, inspired by William Burroughs, as many New Wave SF writers also were.
You're entirely right about the moment things turn tragic .. your circuits dead .. there's something wrong. Hits me every time.
I've been heartbroken for three years since he ascended. Thank you for this.
Remember listening to this song for the first time in my teens in my friends room(he is now my husband) in the 90's. I got goose bumps all over my arms, back and neck.
♥️I also love ,Life in Mars?♥️absolute beginners♥️heroes♥️rebel rebel♥️cat People and many others👏👏👏👏
John I'm only dancing, two and a half minutes of pop perfection.
why did you say john
My first David--it was 1973 and I was 13. I knew right then--yeah, THIS WAS MY GUY! I was his for my entire life. When he died, it was the end of everything...except my husband was dying of kidney failure and I was his 24/7 caregiver. So I couldn't just lie down and give up. I actually thought, "No, David wouldn't want that." So I have been caring for my husband over 7 years. When I feel like giving up, I put on a David album. He lifts me to a place above human pain. Thank you for my life, David!
This is one of the first songs to really feature a Moog Synthesizer. Bowie asked keyboard genius Rick Wakeman to play on this track, Bowie wanted the outer space sound, and Wakeman came up with all the background sounds on the Moog. Wakeman and Keith Emerson were two of the first keyboardist to start experimenting with and including the Moog in their music. Wakeman was an amazing studio musician, he played with Bowie and he also came up the beautiful piano on Cat Stevens "Morning Has Broken", and then really took off when he joined Progressive Rock Band YES on their albums FRAGILE, CLOSE TO THE EDGE, etc..
Some more great Bowie tracks are Life On Mars, Rebel Rebel, Diamond Dogs, Ziggy Stardust and Young Americans.
@Hells Bells
Thank you!!! 😁😁
@@andyandalex Life on Mars was his masterpiece
@@andyandalex check out Heros from top of the pops from 1977. Its live and he sticks this beautiful note in, on 'you' 'and you, you would be queen.'
Hey there my Rock Budds!!! A great reaction to THE David Bowie, a fantastic choice and what an album, a complete Game Changer. Andy please do a reaction to David Bowie singing his song "Heroes", the LIVE VERSION from THE FREDDIE TRIBUTE CONCERT, I promise you won't be disappointed, it's his best version. You guys totally Rock, and I just love the way Alex analyses the track by dissecting through the lyrics, Amazing job...Lots of Love to the both of you, have a great weekend and look forward (as always), to some more vids. Take care..keep rocking!
Love this and played this at my husband’s funeral.
I felt it depicted my husband going.
The coffin being his spaceship 🚀
Bowie being his favourite singer
"Here I am floating ON my tin can" nice writing. Great early Bowie. Life On Mars, Star, Rock N Roll Suicide, Aladdin Sane, Rebel rebel.......great mix of early Bowie. As someone said, Ashes to Ashes is the sequel to this song. You guys are great. Keep on the Bowie train!
so many great memories hearing this again he was one of Floyds inspirations
there is a video of Bowie as guest vocalist with Gilmour performing 'Comfortably Numb' in England at 2006 Gilmour concert. Just search 'Gilmour Bowie Comfortably Numb'. I doubt very much this rare invite from one legend to another to share the stage, was just happenstance. I gotta believe it was low key acknowledgement of Bowie's influence on the band.
Moonage Daydream, Width of a Circle, Drive in Saturday, Starman, Blackstar
That voice. Damn I love that voice.
This is technically his second album but he has distanced himself from his first album as it's naïve and simple and he didn't really like it as the years went by. I love it and compare it favorably to Syd's "Piper" album. Check it out if you want.
This is the first song from what some call "Man of Words/Man of Music" or just simply "David Bowie." It's a very acoustic heavy album and I highly recommend listening to the whole thing. The next song up would be "Unwashed and Somewhat Slightly Dazed" If you don't want to or just don't have the time to do the whole album then you MUST listen to "Cygnet Committee." from this album. It's a magnum opus and one of my favorite Bowie songs. (One of my favorite songs of ANY artist really) Thoughtful and dark with amazing singing by Mr. Bowie. A MUST I tell you, a MUST!
Some interpret the lyrics meaning there was a problem and Major Tom was lost accidently. Others interpret it as Major Tom deciding himself to float away into the vastness of space. It's Bowie so it's poetic and open to interpretation.
Glad you guys enjoyed it.
Peace, Love and Hair
Peter Schilling wrote and performed a follow-up to this song that tells what happened to Major Tom in 1982 that scored big on the charts and is quite good.
Suggestions: The Flaming Lips: 'Do You Realize' Incubus: 'Mexico' Arcade Fire: 'The Suburbs' Velvet Underground: 'Heroin' Jefferson Airplane: 'Today'
@Rockinghorse Winner
Thank you!!!
Love your guy's reactions! Check out Bowie's "Ziggy Stardust" and "The Man Who Sold the World" and "Let's Dance".
Bowie is definitely one of my favorite artists of all time. Glad you took a listen!
Songs to check out, the title song Aladdin Sane, (very complex, beautiful and avant-garde) man who sold the world, drive-in Saturday, panic in Detroit, moonage daydream, beauty and the beast, hearts filthy lesson, we are the dead, that’ll get u started...😀
This vid just came up on suggestions, fun!
Here's a recommendation, please trust me when I say you should watch the ethereal Soulwax mix of Bowie (and a few Bowie-written) songs. Search Radio Soulwax - Dave. Not only do you get a selection of fantastic David Bowie songs, but also the talents the Dewaele brothers (aka Soulwax aka 2manydjs) of transitioning between songs. I must have played this mix 50 times. Genius.
If you’re going to do Elton John, make sure you first listen to Your Song, his first hit and a really pretty song. Then, listen to Goodbye Yellow Brick Road album. Thanks!
First version I heard was actually by Three Dog Night.
Listen to "Lazarus" and "Blackstar" (From his last album), from the old stuff you should hear "The Man Who Sold The World", "Oh You Pretty Thins", "Changes", "Rock n' Roll Suicide", "Heroes" any thing from Ziggy Stardust album and his masterpiece: "Life on Mars".
DUDE! You listened to that song for the first time and you got all that from it, really nice work, I'm sure the first time I heard this song I got about 10% of what you pulled out of it... Thanks, great work..
In keeping of the space theme do ‘rocket man’ another classic
Just wondering....is it the Black Celebration album (cover) by Depeche Mode on your wall?
@Aimée K
Yes!!!! 😁😁😁
One of my favourite bands👍! Can I request Depeche Mode or do you already know most of their songs?
YES!! Depeche Node & The Cure are musts!
Bowie and Queen are my favorite. Need to listen to Ashes to Ashes it’s the follow up. Changes, Hero’s, Lets Dance, Golden Years, China Girl, Rebel Rebel, Blue Jean. Co wrote Under Pressure with Queen and sung with Freddy. 🎸🎸💫
My first concert as a youngster...getting goosebumps & watery eyes again!!!
Do you think you will look into updating your intro to fit Alex in?
@Spider- Man
Yes we will soon! 😁
Heroes at Live Aid
mangasky7 I was just going to suggest that!!!
So many great song from David Bowie. My very first concert in 1976 at 13.
"Ziggy Stardust" "The Man Who Sold The World" "Jean Genie" " Life on Mars" and many more.
Bowie was so unique & wonderful, he lived around the corner from me in downtown Nyc. Such a gentleman. Maybe true suffragette city, rebel rebel, starman, or some 89’s Bowie, Lets Dance, China Girl, Modern Love... hes awesome!