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Superb Bowie track. Mike Garson on piano and Bowie on Vox and Sax. Beautiful song about the young men going off to the first world war thinking it was a great big adventure only to find the horrors of mechanised carnage. The brilliant Mick Ronson on guitars Wood Woodmandsy on drums and Trevor Bolder on Bass.
It’s not Bowie on sax on this song. He played sax on that album, but on this recording it’s not him we hear. It’s Ken Fordham playing the sax here. Bowie sang and played guitars.
Mike Garson is the undisputed king, not just for this song but also for his other work on the album and 1.Outside. He's got a lot of fantastic solo work as well. This song was written on a ship called the RHMS Ellinis, hence why it sounds like a cruise song. Every Aladdin Sane track borrows flavor from the locales David was in on both legs of his Ziggy Stardust Tour. Aladdin Sane was a war veteran in the throes of PTSD, and Bright Young Things was a common name for an Evelyn Waugh novel called Vile Bodies, which is about the glamourization of adults going to war as soon as they're out of school. That piano solo represents Aladdin's psyche falling apart. On Broadway is a song by The Drifters that David threw in a line from to indicate his interest in utilizing soul music on his next record, which he did. I'm glad you enjoyed this song. It's particularly classy. Keep up the great work! ❤
The cabaret style of Time on this album and the gorgeous haunting Lady Grinning Soul, might be of interest. There is so much Bowie to dive into it can be dizzying. Not off this album but Diamond Dogs, Sweet Thing suite can't be ignored. It is phenomenal.
I first got in to music in the mid 70's listening to John Peel on the radio. (Brits will get the reference). He introduced me to Bowie and so began a life long love of the man and his music. First album I bought was Man Who Sold The World and the opening track Width of A Circle with its driving bass remains one of my favourite songs. Favourite album is Diamond Dogs, Sweet Thing is a tour de force of his vocal range.
Very much so. A lot of the tracks look like their from the early David Bowie album. When I Live My Dream etc, but there's new tracks as well that I've never heard.
I knew you’d appreciate that song! The rest of the album is a treasure. I look forward to you checking out Station to Station and the Berlin era of his career.
Bowie didn't like to fly and took boats to cross the Atlantic. With time to spare he read. A lot. One of the books he read on one of these voyages, after the Ziggy tour was: Vile Bodies by Evelyn Waugh. (Pronounce Eve -Lynn. It's a man's name once used in England, and Waugh was a dude.) This song is loosely based on this novel. In the book a generation of really rich, partiers in Europe live it up after the ravages of World War 1, not knowing World War 2, is just around the corner. The book is full of glamour and glitter and booze and sex, money and party upon party. They were called the 'Bright Young Things'. In this tune Bowie calls them passionate, bright young things. The song is filled with these references: "Takes him away to war, don't fake it." "Paris, or maybe hell, I'm waiting." "Battlecries and champagne, just in time for sunrise.")The books ends with the beginning of World War 2, men being sent off, to, as we know, die. And as we know, between 75 to 80 million did indeed die during that war. The world is coming to an end, and these pretty people have no idea of what's just about to hit them. The name of this song/album is a play on the British: 'A lad, insane.' A crazy young man. Alladin Sane has nothing to do with genies in bottles. The story of the piano solo is a great story you should look into. A great album by perhaps the greatest influencer of taste, style and music of the last 100 years.
Hi Matt! Great reaction as always! Whoever made you this recommandation is a real smart guy : it was the perfect choice ;) ! A bit of context, maybe ? In '72, Bowie reached stardom (after years of trials with different albums & different styles) with the Ziggy Stardust character. He became a superstar all of sudden (which enhanced his pre-existing paranoia and fueled his drug abuse...) and began touring in Europe and then the US. He wrote the songs of his next album ('Aladdin Sane') during the long trips between the concert cities (he travelled only by road due to his panic fear of planes). The cities where the songs were written are indicated on the album sleeve. As the tour was going on, Bowie got gradually sick of the Ziggy persona, who eventually threatened to overcome his own personality. He decided then, for the last show of the tour, to "kill" the character, surprising his own band who weren't informed of his decision until that night. He was then ready to move to a next adventure (and a new character), far from the decadent alien superstar he created, both conceptually and musically. The title track 'Aladdin Sane' portrays the reflexions of a young artistocratic boy on the eve of embarking to war. The complete title of the track is 'Aladdin Sane (1913-1938-197?)', the 2 first dates being the year just before the beginning of the Word wars, the last indicating a third one is about to break out (but with no precision). As Chris Simpson says, Mike Garson is on the piano, and his jazzy/contemporean/classical/dysharmonic style is litteraly carrying the song all the way through. Bowie played with him for quite a long time. If you want other examples of how the 2 interacted with astounding results, I suggest "A small plot of land" and "The motel" from the album "1-Outside", and "Time" from "Aladdin Sane" too. Glad to see you keep diving into the Bowie Rabbit Hole : for me, it's like discovering a new galaxy where you least expected it :-) ! Peace!
Those next 3 tracks are absolute classics and definitely highlight just how powerful Mike is at building an atmosphere. It will be great exposure, not just for Matt, but also for the songs. No one does them. They broke the mould in a way that few of the smash hits did. Very underrated.
Mike Garson, the pianist and long time band member, has a very active Facebook profile. He often has live performances of Bowie’s music with other band members on his fb live channel. Bowie surrounded himself with genius peers
For something weird and very cool involving a saxofone and strange chord progressions try Sons Of The Silent Age! One of the coolest Songs from his Berlin era. The Heroes album was a collaboration with Tony Visconti, Brian Eno and Robert Fripp!
Among the best experimental Bowie albums are the ones he did with Brian Eno: Heroes, Low, & Outside (he also did Lodger with him too but IMO that's one of Bowies very few misses, I would avoid it until much later) There's a few more really good experimental albums by him too, but that's a good start. I notice you already did a couple tracks from Blackstar which is also one of his best.
Well, coming after such glories as Station to Station, Low & Heroes, I admit Lodger can be considered a bit "weaker" than its predecessors. Nevertheless, songs like "Red sails", "African night flights" or "Boys keep swinging" will never cease to amaze me ;) !
Haven’t heard this in a while, this was Bowie at his best…….”Saddening Glissando Strings” “Battle cries and champagne” no one was writing lyrics like that back then…or even now! I don’t think any artist has had such a run of consecutively brilliant album as this guy did!
For more later year Bowie/ Mike Garson brilliance I suggest you try either South Horizon, Bring me the Disco King or The Hearts's Filthy Lesson. Or one of their top live performances together with just the two of them for their rendition of My death in '95 at a benefit concert. A personal favourite of Mike Garson.
I can't speak for everyone, but the Hammersmith 1973 version of My Death will probably be ideal for most fans vocally. Mike's piano is still very good, but most importantly, David looked and sounded completely enrapturing.
A bit ago you reacted to Yungblud's interpretation of "Life on Mars" and made a few comments about the veteran musicians who were backing him up ... those were all musicians that worked with Bowie at some stages (and in some cases, some very long stages) of his career. The keyboardist, Mike Garson, who you saw & commented re Blud , is banging out the chops on this original recording :)
Recommendations for my favorite David Bowie songs: Who Can I Be Now? Sons of the Silent Age Teenage Wildlife Letter to Hermione As the World Falls Down
The piano was played by Mike Garson, a US jazz musician. However, I would point out the fabulous and understated guitar work by Mick Ronson on this track. Other than the feedback low in the mix toward the end, his riffing during the piano solo and his earlier four note coda at the end of each line earlier is supreme accompaniment.
In the times back 1973 that was no comercial track obviosly. But that was a challenge to experiment like this, even though he had become a real star just one year before . What I liked every time: he often shows his adoring of other rock and pop artists or songs and so on. And this particular song refers to, I don`really know the title of the song : " the lights of Broadway" ore something simular.
You should check LOOKING FOR LESTER (2003 remaster), it's the cool jazz/funk side of Bowie. Lester Bowie plays trumpet , Mike Garson the same guy as Aladdin Sane Piano and David Bowie plays SAX , Poogie Bell on drums, Philippe Saisse on keybords and Nile Rogers on Guitar :)
My favorite from the album too. Though the whole album is so good. And that's coming from a guy who looks a lot like Che Guevara (well more like Fidel Castro I suppose).
Hello everyone! You are the reason I do reaction videos. By supporting my channel, you help cover expenses and inspire me to keep making reaction videos for you! Giving as little as what a cup of coffee costs actually helps a lot! Thank you in advance! CLICK HERE >> : bit.ly/3wo0V1K
Thanks for the reaction. Matt, try Time by Bowie. It's lyrically very powerful I think.
David Bowie's whole musical catalog is to blow anyone's mind! I have never known any other artist to be that original and sophisticated level as him
totally agree! Once ya go down the rabbit hole . . . :)
Superb Bowie track. Mike Garson on piano and Bowie on Vox and Sax. Beautiful song about the young men going off to the first world war thinking it was a great big adventure only to find the horrors of mechanised carnage. The brilliant Mick Ronson on guitars Wood Woodmandsy on drums and Trevor Bolder on Bass.
It’s not Bowie on sax on this song. He played sax on that album, but on this recording it’s not him we hear. It’s Ken Fordham playing the sax here. Bowie sang and played guitars.
Mike Garson is the undisputed king, not just for this song but also for his other work on the album and 1.Outside. He's got a lot of fantastic solo work as well.
This song was written on a ship called the RHMS Ellinis, hence why it sounds like a cruise song. Every Aladdin Sane track borrows flavor from the locales David was in on both legs of his Ziggy Stardust Tour. Aladdin Sane was a war veteran in the throes of PTSD, and Bright Young Things was a common name for an Evelyn Waugh novel called Vile Bodies, which is about the glamourization of adults going to war as soon as they're out of school. That piano solo represents Aladdin's psyche falling apart. On Broadway is a song by The Drifters that David threw in a line from to indicate his interest in utilizing soul music on his next record, which he did.
I'm glad you enjoyed this song. It's particularly classy. Keep up the great work! ❤
The cabaret style of Time on this album and the gorgeous haunting Lady Grinning Soul, might be of interest. There is so much Bowie to dive into it can be dizzying. Not off this album but Diamond Dogs, Sweet Thing suite can't be ignored. It is phenomenal.
You haven't lived until to hear "Subterraneans", perfect combo of keyboards bass and sax.
True.
Agree with you. Bowie was an experimental genius. Love him. Thanks for the reaction.
brilliant!...music master..never forget ..and R.I.P
I first got in to music in the mid 70's listening to John Peel on the radio. (Brits will get the reference). He introduced me to Bowie and so began a life long love of the man and his music. First album I bought was Man Who Sold The World and the opening track Width of A Circle with its driving bass remains one of my favourite songs. Favourite album is Diamond Dogs, Sweet Thing is a tour de force of his vocal range.
Are you excited about the new Width of a Circle set? There appear to be incredible rarities on it.
Very much so. A lot of the tracks look like their from the early David Bowie album. When I Live My Dream etc, but there's new tracks as well that I've never heard.
I believe these are different takes entirely. For a mime play, so they may be eccentric. Here's hoping! 😃
David live for me has best version of sweet thing candidate and width of a circle, whole album up there for class musicians.
I knew you’d appreciate that song! The rest of the album is a treasure. I look forward to you checking out Station to Station and the Berlin era of his career.
Bowie didn't like to fly and took boats to cross the Atlantic. With time to spare he read. A lot. One of the books he read on one of these voyages, after the Ziggy tour was: Vile Bodies by Evelyn Waugh. (Pronounce Eve -Lynn. It's a man's name once used in England, and Waugh was a dude.) This song is loosely based on this novel. In the book a generation of really rich, partiers in Europe live it up after the ravages of World War 1, not knowing World War 2, is just around the corner. The book is full of glamour and glitter and booze and sex, money and party upon party. They were called the 'Bright Young Things'. In this tune Bowie calls them passionate, bright young things. The song is filled with these references: "Takes him away to war, don't fake it." "Paris, or maybe hell, I'm waiting." "Battlecries and champagne, just in time for sunrise.")The books ends with the beginning of World War 2, men being sent off, to, as we know, die. And as we know, between 75 to 80 million did indeed die during that war. The world is coming to an end, and these pretty people have no idea of what's just about to hit them.
The name of this song/album is a play on the British: 'A lad, insane.' A crazy young man. Alladin Sane has nothing to do with genies in bottles. The story of the piano solo is a great story you should look into.
A great album by perhaps the greatest influencer of taste, style and music of the last 100 years.
bowie will lead a person in so many different directions!
Bowie at the Beeb 'In the heat of the morning' (this specific version not the LP version)
you're welcome
Brilliant song x
As a young ladd growing up, I feel blessed that we had this type of music available to us. The 70s were a great time to be young.
You should have said, "As a young dude growing up...."
@@davidcopson5800 But I wasn't a young dude and I didn't take ludes... I was just a ladd insane.
Great reaction. What a killer track ! Mike Garson on piano is a genius. Do some more!
I listen to this Album since I was 13. Now I am 53 and I am still diggin it
We love the piano insane! Great reaction
Hi Matt! Great reaction as always! Whoever made you this recommandation is a real smart guy : it was the perfect choice ;) !
A bit of context, maybe ? In '72, Bowie reached stardom (after years of trials with different albums & different styles) with the Ziggy Stardust character. He became a superstar all of sudden (which enhanced his pre-existing paranoia and fueled his drug abuse...) and began touring in Europe and then the US. He wrote the songs of his next album ('Aladdin Sane') during the long trips between the concert cities (he travelled only by road due to his panic fear of planes). The cities where the songs were written are indicated on the album sleeve. As the tour was going on, Bowie got gradually sick of the Ziggy persona, who eventually threatened to overcome his own personality. He decided then, for the last show of the tour, to "kill" the character, surprising his own band who weren't informed of his decision until that night. He was then ready to move to a next adventure (and a new character), far from the decadent alien superstar he created, both conceptually and musically.
The title track 'Aladdin Sane' portrays the reflexions of a young artistocratic boy on the eve of embarking to war. The complete title of the track is 'Aladdin Sane (1913-1938-197?)', the 2 first dates being the year just before the beginning of the Word wars, the last indicating a third one is about to break out (but with no precision). As Chris Simpson says, Mike Garson is on the piano, and his jazzy/contemporean/classical/dysharmonic style is litteraly carrying the song all the way through. Bowie played with him for quite a long time. If you want other examples of how the 2 interacted with astounding results, I suggest "A small plot of land" and "The motel" from the album "1-Outside", and "Time" from "Aladdin Sane" too.
Glad to see you keep diving into the Bowie Rabbit Hole : for me, it's like discovering a new galaxy where you least expected it :-) !
Peace!
You recommended it ! Lol. Thanks! Great info. Grateful for the history lesson. Perfect.
Those next 3 tracks are absolute classics and definitely highlight just how powerful Mike is at building an atmosphere. It will be great exposure, not just for Matt, but also for the songs. No one does them. They broke the mould in a way that few of the smash hits did. Very underrated.
Best piano solo in the modern rock era.
Yep! 100%
Mike Garson, the pianist and long time band member, has a very active Facebook profile. He often has live performances of Bowie’s music with other band members on his fb live channel. Bowie surrounded himself with genius peers
For something weird and very cool involving a saxofone and strange chord progressions try Sons Of The Silent Age! One of the coolest Songs from his Berlin era. The Heroes album was a collaboration with Tony Visconti, Brian Eno and Robert Fripp!
Lady Grinning Soul next......😊
el mas grande david
Among the best experimental Bowie albums are the ones he did with Brian Eno: Heroes, Low, & Outside (he also did Lodger with him too but IMO that's one of Bowies very few misses, I would avoid it until much later) There's a few more really good experimental albums by him too, but that's a good start. I notice you already did a couple tracks from Blackstar which is also one of his best.
Well, coming after such glories as Station to Station, Low & Heroes, I admit Lodger can be considered a bit "weaker" than its predecessors. Nevertheless, songs like "Red sails", "African night flights" or "Boys keep swinging" will never cease to amaze me ;) !
For Lodger, I'd throw in Fantastic Voyage or Look Back in Anger. Can't go wrong with them, even if a few other songs lack punch.
Love to see you enjoy his music. Very intelligent music ;)
I personally have often thought that jazz has been a underlying influence for Bowie .I detect hints of it throughout his long music career .
Love it! Check out "Watch That Man" from the same album.
Haven’t heard this in a while, this was Bowie at his best…….”Saddening Glissando Strings” “Battle cries and champagne” no one was writing lyrics like that back then…or even now! I don’t think any artist has had such a run of consecutively brilliant album as this guy did!
True words indeed.
For more later year Bowie/ Mike Garson brilliance I suggest you try either South Horizon, Bring me the Disco King or The Hearts's Filthy Lesson. Or one of their top live performances together with just the two of them for their rendition of My death in '95 at a benefit concert. A personal favourite of Mike Garson.
I can't speak for everyone, but the Hammersmith 1973 version of My Death will probably be ideal for most fans vocally. Mike's piano is still very good, but most importantly, David looked and sounded completely enrapturing.
And a personal favourite of mine as well.
@@chrismeadows4216 Check out the 1997 version of My Death- Garson's keyboard playing is awesome on that.
@@LiquidIronTV I don't like that version much, personally. There's not as much intimacy, and Bowie's range was shot.
My favorite song of all time, avant-garde and challenging!
A bit ago you reacted to Yungblud's interpretation of "Life on Mars" and made a few comments about the veteran musicians who were backing him up ... those were all musicians that worked with Bowie at some stages (and in some cases, some very long stages) of his career. The keyboardist, Mike Garson, who you saw & commented re Blud , is banging out the chops on this original recording :)
Recommendations for my favorite David Bowie songs:
Who Can I Be Now?
Sons of the Silent Age
Teenage Wildlife
Letter to Hermione
As the World Falls Down
epic track !!
Suggestion, Width of a Circle from David Live at the Tower Theatre in Philadelphia 1974. Enjoy 🍻
That is certainly a good suggestion.
The piano was played by Mike Garson, a US jazz musician. However, I would point out the fabulous and understated guitar work by Mick Ronson on this track. Other than the feedback low in the mix toward the end, his riffing during the piano solo and his earlier four note coda at the end of each line earlier is supreme accompaniment.
A bit of Rhapsody in Blue in there somewhere!
One of my favourite tracks of David Bowie because although everything is wrong it is perfect - and the piano is beautifully ugly
I always laugh when Mike plays this almost "Coco Cabana" thing xD
In the times back 1973 that was no comercial track obviosly. But that was a challenge to experiment like this, even though he had become a real star just one year before . What I liked every time: he often shows his adoring of other rock and pop artists or songs and so on. And this particular song refers to, I don`really know the title of the song : " the lights of Broadway" ore something simular.
You should check LOOKING FOR LESTER (2003 remaster), it's the cool jazz/funk side of Bowie. Lester Bowie plays trumpet , Mike Garson the same guy as Aladdin Sane Piano and David Bowie plays SAX , Poogie Bell on drums, Philippe Saisse on keybords and Nile Rogers on Guitar :)
I would be curious to see you react to the song Time from the same album. Bowie was something special
Next: It's no Game, pt. 1
Guess you like jazz/fusion. Bill Bruford's fusion band Bruford. Or his jazz group Earthworks (Great version of Up North on RUclips)
My favorite song from this album is Panic in Detroit and it sounds very panicky but all the songs on this album are great.
My favorite from the album too. Though the whole album is so good. And that's coming from a guy who looks a lot like Che Guevara (well more like Fidel Castro I suppose).
Aladdin sane e panic in détroit capolavoro di Bowie e garson genius
A Lad Insane
took me a while but i ended up figuring it out. lol . thanks!!
@@mattcriscuolo1541 Come now, that was pretty easy.
Mike Garson
Not Aladdin sane it is A lad insane