A very prog track even for 1970. It’s one of the highlights of the album and continues Bowie’s use of apocalyptic themes and Sci Fi imagery. The 3/4 and 6/6 cross play is reminiscent of Brubeck. Bowie culminated his Sci Fi fascination with the albums Ziggy Stardust ,and Diamond Dogs, but frequently returned to the subject.
Scott from England. The man who sold the world is bowies best album from 1970. Nirvana must have listened to it. Have you heard the ground breaking bowie track from the old grey whistle test. The song is 5 years off the ziggy stardust album. Press ogwt david bowie five years. Great song.
Bowie was a jazz fiend and played exclusively with Jazz players on his last couple of recording projects, the 'Sue' single with the Maria Schneider Orchestra and Black Star, both wonderful.
The jazz quartet did such an excellent job on "Blackstar", perfect choice. "The Next Day" is also a great album, with his usual (amazing) post-2000 band.
YES, Saviour Machine is one of the more underrated Bowie tracks, especially for that early era before Ziggy. The riff is killer, the instrumentation creates such a good mood, and Bowie's vocals and storytelling is super clean. I love whenever he gets more sci-fi ish and apocalyptic, the idea of The Prayer is so much fun to explore as a story, a machine built to help humanity deciding that the best way to do so is creating conflict and destruction, that that's the way to save mankind, really good stuff. It's also one of my favorites off the record, glad you enjoyed it
And it's very timely - with Them (the collectives, whether they call themselves businesses or branches of "the State") who dehumanize and disempower individuals by stealing more and more bits of our autronomy and anonymity (you can't have the one without the other)
The great thing about TMWSTW is that its not overplayed by radio as it’s completely uncommercial and off the wall , the whole album is brilliant and one of his best , also Mick Ronson is on fire ( excuse the pun , Ronson lighters and all that ).
This track always gives me an operatic vibe, especially the pre-choruses. So dramatic. I've never gotten a jazz vibe, but I understand where you're coming from. No matter what, it's a wonderful song.
Play it all. It is the best album of a music genius. The second track is about bowies brother Terry who became mentally ill and was put in a mental hospital........ all the madmen.
Did you just make an oblique Harlan Ellison reference?! How awesome is that! It kinda blows my mind that the same man who wrote "I Have No Mouth.. " and "The Whimper of Whipped Dogs" also wrote "Jeffty is Five." A new collection of his stories, "Harlan Ellison's Greatest Hits" came out in the not too distant past, and the (very) long awaited third volume of his groundbreaking Dangerous Visions trilogy just came out after fifty ish years. Oh, yeah, and, great reaction to a great song...!
Have you ever seen a film called Colossus: The Forbin Project? I suspect Bowie had - it opened earlier in the year this album came out, and follows the plot of the film pretty closely!
I hate remasters generally. Albums should only be heard as they were when originally released. Studio engineers, producers and the band got the best from the tech of the time, and that should be set in stone.
Stylistically, I got the impression of a Mexican ballad, and the synth horns reminded me of a Morricone score to a Sergio Leone film. So the Saviour Machine could be a Mexican outlaw.
I love Bowie. I just want to make that clear. I think he is one of the best and most influential artists of the 20th century. But this album is so "meh" for me. Apart from the title track, I really don't ever listen to it. I prefer Space Oddity if I want to hear super-early Bowie.
From time to time, I repeat the request - please listen to some No-Man. And I'm recommending the first two tracks (continuous) from their 5th album "Together We're Stanger" (2003) - the title track running into "All The Blue Changes".
👍The brilliant and depressing Together We're Stranger has to be a full album listen as it has to be savored in one go in total immersion. Yeah, it would be nice if Justin made a reaction video to it, but maybe he's already listened to the album since I recommended it to him about three or four years ago (knowing that he liked the ambient piece "Drugged" by Bass Communion, whose instrumental framework served as the basis for the title track of this No-Man album).
Apart from the brilliant "After All", which is one of my favourite Bowie tracks, I've always found the rest of The Man Who Sold the World to sound totally dated (I'm even including the tolerable "The Width of a Circle" and the title track) and "Saviour Machine" is the perfect example of a song with an outdated sound and arrangement! As much as I have affection for David Bowie's 1969 album (aka Man of Words/Man of Music, aka Space Oddity), and admiration for Hunky Dory, but The Man Who Sold the World is, for me, a failure.
All the madmen is my favourite track off the album about his brother.
A very prog track even for 1970. It’s one of the highlights of the album and continues Bowie’s use of apocalyptic themes and Sci Fi imagery. The 3/4 and 6/6 cross play is reminiscent of Brubeck. Bowie culminated his Sci Fi fascination with the albums Ziggy Stardust ,and Diamond Dogs, but frequently returned to the subject.
Scott from England. The man who sold the world is bowies best album from 1970. Nirvana must have listened to it. Have you heard the ground breaking bowie track from the old grey whistle test. The song is 5 years off the ziggy stardust album. Press ogwt david bowie five years. Great song.
This record so interesting and so damn good.
Never noticed before that this whole song is in waltz time. Great rocking waltz! Leave it to Bowie.
Strictly speaking no, if you listen to the drums it's 6/8 rather than 3/4
Bowie was a jazz fiend and played exclusively with Jazz players on his last couple of recording projects, the 'Sue' single with the Maria Schneider Orchestra and Black Star, both wonderful.
The jazz quartet did such an excellent job on "Blackstar", perfect choice.
"The Next Day" is also a great album, with his usual (amazing) post-2000 band.
The man who sold the world nirvana did the cover version.
Jazz has become my favorite musical genre!
Hurrah! 😊
YES, Saviour Machine is one of the more underrated Bowie tracks, especially for that early era before Ziggy. The riff is killer, the instrumentation creates such a good mood, and Bowie's vocals and storytelling is super clean. I love whenever he gets more sci-fi ish and apocalyptic, the idea of The Prayer is so much fun to explore as a story, a machine built to help humanity deciding that the best way to do so is creating conflict and destruction, that that's the way to save mankind, really good stuff.
It's also one of my favorites off the record, glad you enjoyed it
And it's very timely - with Them (the collectives, whether they call themselves businesses or branches of "the State") who dehumanize and disempower individuals by stealing more and more bits of our autronomy and anonymity (you can't have the one without the other)
"Saviour Machine" a superb early Bowie tune.
Your tag gives me "Vertigo" 😁
@@lemming9984 Don't fall for it. (the tag)
@@davidcopson5800 😅
The great thing about TMWSTW is that its not overplayed by radio as it’s completely uncommercial and off the wall , the whole album is brilliant and one of his best , also Mick Ronson is on fire ( excuse the pun , Ronson lighters and all that ).
“ President Joe once had a dream “ very apt as you have an election over the sea !
This track always gives me an operatic vibe, especially the pre-choruses. So dramatic.
I've never gotten a jazz vibe, but I understand where you're coming from.
No matter what, it's a wonderful song.
Definitely has a bit of an operatic tone to it :)
Play it all. It is the best album of a music genius. The second track is about bowies brother Terry who became mentally ill and was put in a mental hospital........ all the madmen.
Thematically and sonically this wouldn’t have been out of place on Diamond Dogs. Fabulous track.
Agreed AK!
Owooow! Holy s...! I didnt remember this. Amazing mr. Jones.
Yes, it sounds similar 😊
Justin, loved that you reacted to this, I KNEW you'd compare to Dave Brubeck! Very much a critique of militarized religionous theology.
Onto next, the most metal track "She Shook Me Cold", then "The Man Who Sold The World", then "The Suoermen", so excited!
Lol, ty Matt! I was like "that sounds familiar..."
Did you just make an oblique Harlan Ellison reference?! How awesome is that!
It kinda blows my mind that the same man who wrote "I Have No Mouth.. " and "The Whimper of Whipped Dogs" also wrote "Jeffty is Five."
A new collection of his stories, "Harlan Ellison's Greatest Hits" came out in the not too distant past, and the (very) long awaited third volume of his groundbreaking Dangerous Visions trilogy just came out after fifty ish years.
Oh, yeah, and, great reaction to a great song...!
Ty Habichi 😉
Have you ever seen a film called Colossus: The Forbin Project? I suspect Bowie had - it opened earlier in the year this album came out, and follows the plot of the film pretty closely!
my fave from The Man Who Sold The World
My favourite track from the album.
Great track from a great album. Keep going with Bowie's music.
Always dug this tune, finally someone doing the cool shit, songs like Mick Ronson at work?
Ty Dan, appreciate you watching 🙂
It sounds like prog to me. Epic track.
Good tune. Better in context of the whole album than stand alone, but i'll take it.
Very 1970 indeed! Like Jethro Tull and Jefferson Airplane in those days, and Jesus Christ Superstar lol
The mix is a bit different from what I remember, but it is a good one!
I hate remasters generally. Albums should only be heard as they were when originally released. Studio engineers, producers and the band got the best from the tech of the time, and that should be set in stone.
Stylistically, I got the impression of a Mexican ballad, and the synth horns reminded me of a Morricone score to a Sergio Leone film. So the Saviour Machine could be a Mexican outlaw.
I guess you know the instrumental hook (guitar and synth horns) was recycled from the dreaded Ching-a-ling?
You like the guitar? Check out a Mick Ronson solo album.
A little too short for my liking, but a decent enough slice of Bowie nonetheless! 🙂
I love Bowie. I just want to make that clear. I think he is one of the best and most influential artists of the 20th century. But this album is so "meh" for me. Apart from the title track, I really don't ever listen to it. I prefer Space Oddity if I want to hear super-early Bowie.
From time to time, I repeat the request - please listen to some No-Man. And I'm recommending the first two tracks (continuous) from their 5th album "Together We're Stanger" (2003) - the title track running into "All The Blue Changes".
👍The brilliant and depressing Together We're Stranger has to be a full album listen as it has to be savored in one go in total immersion. Yeah, it would be nice if Justin made a reaction video to it, but maybe he's already listened to the album since I recommended it to him about three or four years ago (knowing that he liked the ambient piece "Drugged" by Bass Communion, whose instrumental framework served as the basis for the title track of this No-Man album).
Apart from the brilliant "After All", which is one of my favourite Bowie tracks, I've always found the rest of The Man Who Sold the World to sound totally dated (I'm even including the tolerable "The Width of a Circle" and the title track) and "Saviour Machine" is the perfect example of a song with an outdated sound and arrangement! As much as I have affection for David Bowie's 1969 album (aka Man of Words/Man of Music, aka Space Oddity), and admiration for Hunky Dory, but The Man Who Sold the World is, for me, a failure.