When I began to assemble my list for albums of 1983, I was in two minds on whether or not to include Bowie's 1983 "Let's Dance" album. For me, it's not his best album. It's a long way down from classics like "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and Spiders From Mars," an album I visited many eons ago. However, being an open minded person and having mellowed a little with old age, I thought it fair that I give it another listen. My opinion of "Let's Dance" has improved but only a little bit. To me, it still sounds too 80s mainstream pop.
Here's the good news. When I first heard the title cut all those years ago, I was put off by the domineering bass in the song. I thought he was trying to go for a dance record with it. Hearing it again, I realise now that "Let's Dance" has a real killer guitar solo. Naturally, I had to look up to discover who played this great solo and very much to my surprise, I have learned that the guitar virtuoso was none other than guitar great Stevie Ray Vaughan. Better yet, not only does he shine on the title cut but his talents explode all over this album. So, I ask myself, "How could have I missed out this great guitar work over thirty years ago?" My only answer is that the mainstream 8os sound put me off so much, that I missed the great guitar solos.
[caption id="attachment_3051" align="aligncenter" width="299"]
Stevie Ray Vaughan[/caption]
Another point to make is that there is absolutely nothing wrong with Bowie's vocals anywhere on the album. When you listen to each song, you know without a shadow of a doubt that it's the Starman singing. His unique voice was as good as ever. This leads me to alter my original verdict on "Let's Dance" to state that Bowie's vocals and Vaughan's guitar work save the album. Like with many albums, I did find a lesser known good track on this one. That track is "Cat People (Putting Out Fire)" and that even takes the top spot from the former fave, "Modern Love."
Track Listing:
- Modern Love
- China Girl
- Let's Dance
- Without You
- Ricochet
- Criminal World
- Cat People (Putting Out Fire)
- Shake It
David Bowie[/caption]
David Bowie- vocals
Carmine Rojas- bass
Omar Hakim, Tony Thompson- drums
Nile Rodgers- guitar, horn arrangements
Stevie Ray Vaughan- lead guitar
Rob Sabino- keyboards
Mac Gallehon- trumpet
Robert Aaron, Lenny Pickett, Stan Harrison- tenor saxophone, flute
Steve Elson- baritone saxophone, flute
Sammy Figueroa- percussion
Frank Simms, George Simms, David Spinner- backing vocals
R.I.P. David Bowie
While "Let's Dance" is better than what I remember from over thirty years ago, after I listened to it, I did listen to "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and Spiders From Mars" again. That album is more my style. Whichever album you from David Bowie you prefer, you can't the fault the contribution this great singer made to music for over forty years.
Next Post: U2- War (Unless someone else who put out an album in 1983 dies)
To buy Rock And Roll Children, email me at: tobychainsaw@hotmail.com
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