David Bowie part 4

In 1973, "Aladdin Sane" consolidated Bowie's Starpower: it was hugely commercial (5 weeks at #1 and produced two Top 3 singles) and was critically acclaimed, even by the "difficult" critics, who cringe when an act that they champion when unknown becomes a hit. It was a sort of travelogue, as it was written and recorded while DB was extensively touring (mainly the US) - in fact most of the songs are linked to cities (Jean Genie: NY, Cracked Actor: LA, Panic in Detroit: duh). Also the additon of pianist Mick Garson in the line-up gave the album a more jazzy feel.

None of the songs are clearly gay, but a number can be taken as such: "Jean Genie" is said to be inspired by friend (and lover?) Iggy Pop, while the title is a word play on Jean Genet, the out French author/playwrighter (A song of love, Querelle, etc). "Cracked Actor" could be about a closeted middle-aged Hollywood star and a male prostitute. "Time" was characterized as a gay song by Bowie himself. Even in his cover of the Stones' "Let's Spend the Night Together" "Bowie is asking us to re-perceive 'Let's Spend The Night Together' as a gay song, possibly from its inception". Ben Gerson/ Rolling Stone (19 July 1973).

We'll start with the camp melodrama of "Time", a song which was described as "burlesque vamp". The most notorious lyrics came in the 1st verse: "Time - He flexes like a whore, falls wanking to the floor, his trick is you and me, boy." (For those of you not acquainted with English expressions, wanking refers to the most universal of sexual practices).

The 2nd song presented here is "Jean Genie", the big hit of the album (#2 in the UK). The song was composed and recorded in New York City and mixed in Nashville. What stands out musically is the relentless beat, as close to the rhythm of copulation as one can get. The lyrics are quite surreal. What we can make out of the Jean Genie character are the following: he "lives on his back", he "sits like a man but he smiles like a reptile", "he's outrageous, he screams and he bawls", but most importantly, he "loves to be loved". Don't we all...

After "Aladdin Sane", Bowie released "Pinups", an album full of covers of songs that shaped him in the 60s. It was just as successful as the previous one and included hit single Sorrow. Many complained, however, for the lack of new original material.

He did make it up in his next release, 1974's "Diamond Dogs". It was a concept album, loosely based on George Orwell's “1984". The title song was introduced with the phrase "This ain't Rock'n'Roll, this is genocide" and contains a line that was so typical of the spirit of the times: "As they pulled you out of the oxygen tent you asked for the latest party."

But it's the song that closes the A-side of the LP that will be the last in our Bowie presentation. His last Glam Rock single, it was a fitting farewell to a movement that was already fading out, to be soon replaced by Punk. Bowie would re-invent himself as a soul man, before he moved to Berlin for his Brian Eno-produced, Krautrock-inspired trilogy.

The song in question, "Rebel, Rebel", is based on a fabulous riff and lyrics such as "You've got your mother in a whirl, she's not sure if you're a boy or a girl" and "You like me and I like it all, we like dancing and we look divine". It rightly became the last glam anthem. It was one of the 4 songs that David would perform at the Live Aid concert in 1985.