Back in the day, figuring out what famous celebrities you shared a birth-month with was all the rage. I have a distinct memory of sitting in the computer room of my Catholic elementary school (around 4th or 5th grade) and asking Jeeves to tell me what famous musicians had birthdays in January (because I was not concerned with all celebrities, just the ones I identified with).
What I found was that I shared a birth month with some of my absolute favorite musicians (Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, Eddie Van Halen, Malcolm Young, and Michael Schenker to name a few). This is also where I recognized the name David Bowie for maybe the second or third time. Since I had not yet had much exposure to his music, I figured I should seek it out to see if I felt the same kind of connection to his music that I felt with the other artists mentioned above. As soon as I got home from school I rifled through my dad’s CD collection and eventually found what I was looking for…an album called, ‘Let’s Dance’. This record would send me on a journey of musical discovery (both forward in time and back) that I’m still on today.
Not only did Bowie become one of my favorite musicians, writers, and actors but he was also someone I deeply respected for never being concerned with what others thought of him. Bowie died two days after his birthday in 2016 (January 10) and this week is the 6th year anniversary of his passing into the great beyond.
I can think of no better way to celebrate his life than to spin my favorite album of his, ‘Let’s Dance’.
David Bowie – Let’s Dance (1983)
Tracklist
| A1 | Modern Love | 4:46 |
| A2 | China Girl | 5:32 |
| A3 | Let’s Dance | 7:38 |
| A4 | Without You | 3:08 |
| B1 | Ricochet | 5:14 |
| B2 | Criminal World | 4:25 |
| B3 | Cat People (Putting Out Fire) | 5:09 |
| B4 | Shake It | 3:49 |
Elements & Character
The opening track ‘Modern Love’ gets the party started and sets the tone for the entire album. Have always really loved that huge snare/kick drum as it is completely at the front of the mix and overtakes everything. Add in the piano, sax, killer bass line, and catchy lyrics/melody and this is a one of a kind composition that only David Bowie could pull off. I’ve always felt like every time this song comes on at a wedding or large gathering of people, there should be a giant flash mob that does a choreographed dance like in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Maybe i’ll try and start a “Tik-Tok challenge”? Eh, Maybe not.
I also bet you didn’t know that Stevie Ray Vaughn played lead guitar all throughout this album? I can’t remember how old I was when I figured this out but I can tell you that it was for sure within the last 10 years. According to legend, Bowie discovered SRV after seeing him at some music festival and asked him to play on this album. Bowie also wanted SRV to tour with him (to support the album), but Stevie surprisingly declined because he believed in his group, Double Trouble, and thought they could reach the same level of fame their own way. Turned out to be a wonderful decision as SRV eventually became a household name and one of the greatest guitar players of all-time (top 5 for sure).
Another interesting thing is that the song, ‘China Girl’, was actually written by Iggy Pop and initially put out on Iggy’s album, ‘The Idiot’, in 1977 (see the video below to hear the original). The song didn’t see any success until Bowie slightly re-worked and re-released it in 1983 on ‘Let’s Dance’. The money that Iggy Pop made from this song, thanks to Bowie, gave him financial stability for the first time in his life and also allowed him to get married and have a wedding.
Bowie just bringing people together and making dreams come true, how cool is that?
How To Listen
Move your coffee table, grab a glass of your favorite dancing drink or favorite dancing strain and let loose.
Record Shelf Ranking
Of the music I have in my collection from the 80’s, David Bowie’s ‘Let’s Dance’ comes in as my #5 favorite record for the decade.
More than anything, this was the record that helped open my eyes to other genres of music. While a rock/blues album at its core, it explored new sounds that I had never heard up to this point (new wave especially). It’s a pop album and not a pop album all at the same time.
‘Let’s Dance’ also has some of the coolest bass work of anything that came out of the 80’s (see Criminal World). It’s hard not to shamlessley dance to this album every time it comes on.
Give it a spin and see for yourself!
The Restless Sound 