How David Bowie Wrote A Perfectly Weird Chorus
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- Опубликовано: 2 окт 2024
- In today's livestream we discuss David Bowie's masterful and weird songwriting.
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What if Bowie was the only normal person and we were all weird
I didn’t truly get into Bowie until I was 30. And that’s when I realized that it’s a Bowie world and we’re just
living in it.
well that would need us all to completely disregard the meaning of the word “normal.”
His music gets better the more I age.
Yes I think you got it!
Our brains are fat and water with electricity running through it. Expecting anything near normal is weird.
Decades later, this song still gives me the butterflies. Between the chord changes, the verse, the vocals, I knew that great, dark truths were being communicated.
The members of Mott the Hoople apparently couldn''t believe it when Bowie offered them this song. They couldn't believe he didn't want to keep it for himself. It is such a great song, but they did such a great job with it also. The dead guitar lead and Ian Hunter's vocals are stellar. Plus the claptrap is almost like a funeral march. I thought from the second I heard it it was a Bowie song, even though I didn't know much about music at the time. Bowie also sings backing in the chorus I believe.
Mott had earlier turned down Suffragette City.
@@marlonelliot8943 OUCH! XD wow.
I had always thought it was Bowie then learned it was Mott the Hoople but not that Bowie wrote it. When I learned he wrote it I felt vindicated lol.
Bowie is the most harmonically complex popular musician of all-time. He flirts with everything from time signatures, to modes, to modulation, to modal interchanges and all of it interacts with the melody flawlessly. He essentially progressed from The Beatles while paying respect to them and never looked back. Cohesively, the Beatles are the greatest of all time ... singularly Bowie is the best for me.
And then there is this "Dancing in the Street // Silent Music Video"
You can't talk about Bowie in the early 70's without talking about Mick Ronson.
Bowie wouldn't have ever made it without Mick. He surely played the riff on this song?
Ronson is the most underrated and under appreciated guitarist and composer.
@@richmacer2108 actually, it was Mick Ralphs who came up with that riff. It’s a beautiful riff. The one thing I will say about Mark, before Mick Ronson Ralph’s just noodled and rocked out play lotta notes. After Mick came in and worked on that record, every record after that Mick Ralphs playing is.
very tidy, didn’t play a lot of notes, just played a little melodies much like Mick Ronson did. that’s the influence of Mick Ronson on Mick Ralphs.
@@richardfairlamb9728 absolutely true!
@@richardfairlamb9728 ……I think so. Mick’s contributions to popular music are many and varied but when it comes to Bowie, what I find most telling is the vast difference between the “Folky” acoustic music Bowie was playing when Mick arrived on the scene, and the release of the heavier, darker and I think, utterly brilliant “The Man Who Sold The World”, imo an absolutely superb album. I preferred Bowie’s earlier (Spiders) material and while TMWSTW might not be to everyone’s taste, I always thought the songs were exceptional and with Mick’s expert arrangement and production, it became that rarity, a “perfect” album. It’s certainly my favourite from Bowie. Once Mick was on board, David’s music became more experimental and infinitely more interesting musically. Ultimately though, while Mick was held in the highest esteem by his musical peers, he never enjoyed the acknowledgment he so richly deserved (for all of his musical contributions!) and he certainly never reaped the financial rewards. A fabulous example of Ronno’s prowess is his solo/outro on “Moonage Daydream” and that’s but one song, Mick Ronson was magnificent!
The chorus is so Beatles inspired it almost feels deliberate from the harmonies up to the lyrics, love it!
I totally agree!
That’s what I thought too!
Yes..I thought of the Beatles too..
One of my favorite bridges is David Bowie's song "Changes" How it slides into that bridge, in a melodic sense is sublime...I don't know whether it is odd or conventional but it just sounds so perfect to me.
"Strange fascinations fascinate me
Ah, changes are taking
The pace I'm goin' through"
Ian Hunter is severely underapreciated - his songwriting as a solo artisit is stellar - and he's still going strong.
You are right about that! I was surprised at how excellent some of his later day albums were/are.
"I'm just one of the boys
One of the boys
I don't say much but I make a big noise..."
Bowies good friend.
David Bowie didn't die, he just returned home ✌️
True. Saw him when I was cycling down to Bromley from home on Shooters Hill the other day... I wish
@What Guitars looking as cool as on the cover of Young Americans, I so dream!
He fell to Earth and then went back to space😀
👍👍👍👍🤭🤭🤭 he never turn back to the Earth after waht he lived here...
@Rick Beato - Excellent analysis, Rick! Also interesting that apart from the last "Carry the Dudes" over the C chord at the end of each chorus, Ian is basically singing all the time in D major, despite the chords modulating underneath him rather like a wobbly canoe!
PS: I joined Mott on keyboards less than a year after Dudes was released. I have never not enjoyed playing Dudes live ever since - it still raises the hairs on the back of me neck (and invariably raises most of the audiences arms)! And yes - you should interview Ian - at age 83 he just released an astonishingly good new album!
Saw your reunion show in Philly a few years back. Goddamned glorious!
You are Legend!
Ian Hunters Last Album is The Absolute Dogs Bollox I LOVE IT , the track Angel is a Masterpiece ❤️❤️❤️🎸🌞⭐️
So cool to come across this video and your comment. Curious (as a keyboard player / singer that happens to have a Bowie tribute band) … when you play Dudes live, do you play organ, piano or both?
@@zeekmitchellz When I played it with Mott (in 1973, 1974, 2018 and 2019) I played piano and another gent played organ. When I play it alone or with a friend or two, I usually have my digital piano MIDI'd to an organ which I can fade in and out with a volume pedal.
Bowie songs pop into my head frequently. For that I am thankful. ✌
Likewise. Today, I felt compelled to listen to “Survive” several times. What a song!
@@GT380man amazing song. Was lucky enough to see him perform it live in London, just as Hours was released. Such a cherished concert
I’m sure Bowie said the same when they popped into his head!
What an incredible and greatly missed artist.
Bowie - a reputation that keeps growing.
When I was 10, Starman was released, and I was an instant fan. 51yrs later, I'm so glad I chose the right artist. He opened a window to the big world outside. He enriched my life and still does.
Nice comment.
😁👍🏼
I thought Starman was gonna be the pick for 'perfect chorus'.
right, me too "starman" at about the same time, what a great song and it works to this very day, cause it's timeless, like all of Bowies work. There's a really cute version of Bowies daughter Lexi singing "starman" on youtube btw.
As soon as Rick started talking about a Bowie song with a strange chorus, I hoped he was talking about All The Young Dudes, because it's very dear to me, and has been since I was 17, 53 years ago.
One of the most perfectly conceived and executed pop records of all time, I'd argue. Hugely inspiring.
I've always loved that song.
My first thought was All The Young Dudes too
Given to Mott the Hoople, my favourite group, who did the brilliant version before Bowie recorded it
I also hoped it’d be ATYD. It’s a terrific song. And touching that he wrote if for struggling friends. 😊
Definitelo a great Song! But I wish it was Cygnet Committee or Quicksand.... there are so many Interesting Strange Bowie songs
I think the Bowie songs always have that happy sing along factor with the perfect melancholic touch
of course in all the young dudes, but also in starman, life on mars, heroes, changes, ... the list goes on and on
Basically the whole Ziggy Stardust album.
Bowie could make a 3 minute song epic. Just a wave of emotions and tempos in a short span of time.
Two of my favourite Bowie albums are Low and Heroes. And there are so many Tiny little two to three minute songs on them that feel like a symphony. So much things are going on in such a short span of time and each of those songs contain more musical brilliance than most other songs at the time, music to come and music that has been.
Bowie was so full of surprises. I remember when I first heard The Politics Of Dancing (Re-flex) I thought for moment it was him singing.
'Starman' is my all time favorite Bowie song. Gives me goosebumps and tearing eyes every time I listened to it.
I still have the half packet of confetti that was dumped on the audience when Mott the Hoople played "All the Young Dudes" as their encore at the Agora Ballroom in Chicago July 27th, 1973. It was Epic.
Wasn´t it called Aragon Ballroom?
Awesome just awesome
Aragon Ballroom
Space Oddity always gets me. Would be just as mind blowing if it came out now. Really unique.
I remember hearing it for the first time while I was vacationing at my aunt and uncle's house. I was totally enthralled and still am.
Crowd control to Mao Tse Tung...
It's a perfect sentimental rock single, so evergreen. David was the best.
Cool! My all-time favorite Bowie song is Ashes To Ashes. I don’t know exactly what it is about it, but it absolutely captures me. For me, it’s best ever, no contest, but everyone has their favorites, right?
I change from time to time, but Station to Station, Golden Years & 5.15 Angels have gone must be up there (today).
It's hard to pick one song among his many great ones, but i think if I had to pick one, I agree it would be Ashes to Ashes.
It’s the sequel to ‘Space Oddity’, so it’s about about a character who’s on drugs (the ‘space cadet’ in British slang called ‘Major Tom’ in both songs) except this time it’s a lament because he’s died of drug abuse. Bowie had just stopped taking drugs at that point. When he sings in the opening lines ‘do you remember a guy that’s been / in such an early song’, he’s referring to ‘Space Oddity’, his first hit.
Rick, as a songwriter and producer for nearly 40 years, my study of Bowie is well over 50 years now.
I garuntee you that the more you look, the more fascinating layers of musicality will appear. It never ends. Both musically and lyrically it is nearly unmatched in the 20th century.
I recall in 1973 being dog eared hearing the strange chord changes that at first 50 listens baffled me.
And still I’m finding more and more.
The jumps of styles from album to album are mind blowing.
He stayed flawlessly true to his gut. The record label and fans be damned. If you followed, you learned lesson after lessen.
His long time pianist Mike Garson is a dear friend so I’ve had the privilege of learning the influences and mechanics of his work and it runs as deep as any philosophical master of our times.
Having Mike as a guest on your show would be fantastic as his genius would be a fascinating treasure for you to search through.
“All the Young Dudes” still brings tears to my eyes with it’s profound beauty. Thank you
I’ve seen recordings of David and Mike Garson and their affection and respect is overt.
As a mega Bowie fan I advise you to check out King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard. Talk about musical depth… and more so style changes from album to album tops even Bowie. Plus they are more prolific and productive.
@@MyRUclipsNameisTaken but sound awful and can’t hold a candle, to Bowie’s music… imho!
Now THAT'S Epic! Bowie wasn't human, he really was a Starman.
@@TheJML1975 maybe not in the Villa of Orman, with a solidarity candle… however have you really explored KGLW discography? It doesn’t sound like you’ve given them much of a chance.
Another masterpiece written by DB and Mick Ronson.His unmistakable voice in the chorus as well
Written by David Bowie. Mick Ralphs (Mott The Hoople) actually wrote the guitar intro and Bowie & Ronson recorded their version later.
Written as a gift to save Mott the Hoople……amazing tune, but in the 70’s we were awash in amazing artists….another great video Rick 👏👏👏👏👍🥂
Bowie has so many unique songs. Ashes To Ashes is up there for one of my favorites.
Where we learn Major Tom was a junkie.
@@LeggoMyLamb ashes to ashes, fun to funky
Such a great song. Love the chorus.
I didn’t like that phase. Just out of the Berlin trilogy. I felt it a trivial song, though it’s not.
I've been seeing that video on "I Want My '80s" on MTV Classic and I can only imagine that LSD was involved at least once in the production. "Rubber spacesuit? Padded cell? Bulldozer? Yes, we can do that! This makes sense!"
Bowie's harmonies were peculiar to him. Nobody sounded like him. And it gives you chills over and over.
I think his incredibly expressive and adaptive voice is his genius and what makes him unique. His song writing reflects this adaptability and ability to change on a dime
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about his vocal layering on records. It’s not just the harmonies; the different overlapping tracks have different moods. Isolating one or the other would completely change the mood of the song on a lot of tracks.
You truly are amazing Rick. Your dedication to and love of music and artists who create it and your continual gift to all of us, breaking it all down, giving context for appreciation, it's truly unparalleled. Please don't ever stop. Can I just say an eternal and undying thank you?
One of the stories I heard about this track is that the guys in Mott The Hoople were thinking of breaking up, and Bowie didn’t want them to, so he gave them this song. Which turned out to be their biggest hit. If it’s true, I think that awesome…
Totally true. He saved the band by doing that.
Yep. They also turned down Suffragette City.
"I wanted to do this for years" the outro is like a sigh of relief from Ian :>)
Very true. People forget how generous and giving Bowie was to other artists.
There’s very little new music that grabs my attention, nothing inspiring but today I watched Rick Beato’s breakdown of “All The Young Dudes” a song that was released in 1972. Rick dissected this song in such a way that it’s very nearly a brand new song for me. AND the story of how this song came into existence thru David Bowie! Rick’s breaking down of this chord progression has really excited me in a very tough time in my life. I’m going to learn these chords and play along with the record as a therapy, a sanctuary until these dark clouds pass.
Thank you Rick,
Your videos bring inspiration and good distraction for people in ways you’ll never know.
Keep On Truckin’
jack james ~
Let music be your guide.
Rick It was Mick Ronsons classical training and should of had co writers credit on a lot of Bowies tracks. His guitar work production n composing skills with Bowie. Check out Mick Ronsons film documentaries. Bowie and Ronson did the same thing on Lou Reeds Transformer album
Best Wishes
Kimball
Rick, you must do Moonage DayDream or Life on Mars. The melodies in those songs are unbelievable! Btw, his closing record had some phenomenal songs on it.
I can’t give it all away had me bursting into tears the first time I heard it, and I fell asleep to it on repeat, the night he died.
I was woken to numerous texts from my wife, sister and friends, and my day went dark, numb and awful. I remember stumbling through the streets of San Francisco, feeling very lost and so far from home.
Agreed. Blackstar gets a lot of praise, but I feel like it is underappreciated from a musical standpoint. For me, how “I can’t give everything away” pays homage to “A new career in town” is just mind blowing.
Moonage Daydream. Is beyond comprehension
As a 14 year old in the 70s the David Live arrangement really got me. So beautiful!
The first time I remember hearing this song it reminded me of the Beatles and Procol Harum...
The Bowie tune that always breaks my brain is Up the Hill Backwards off of Scary Monsters. The chord changes, the tempo changes... first I think WTF? Then how TF? But it's still a BANGER!
bowie's got the talent to make keychanges without the listener noticing it
i always liked quicksand and couple of years ago i wanted to learn the chord progression and was surprised that the whole first verse was in a different key (and with weird chords i couldn't play then) than the rest of the song
such a great composer
I work with Bowie in the studio once. I'll never forget the experience. He was truly amazing.
What did you work on?
@@jonolacy2644 They came into our studio to do some remixes on glass spider and we also reconstructed the "Fame x24...." part that was used for their tour at the time.
Some good story?
@@F.O.H. I own NLMD CDs. I like it in strange way haha. (Zeroes, bang Bang...)
Bro u dont realise how damn lucky you are
One of the best songs ever written, For me it’s Totally London 70s era, Sadly never to be repeated, there was so much great music and musicians and songwriters coming out of London back then, It pains to be nostalgic I know, but it was the real thing, As was the late Great David Bowie 💔, and Mott the Hoople for that matter 🎸⭐️🌞❤️..Thank you Rick, it’s a real shame you never got to do a musical interview with David Bowie that would really have been something special ❤️❤️❤️
My junior year hs Mott's All the Young Dudes & Deep Purple Machinehead. Mott seemed the definition of a pro working band, not superstars but excellent shows. Heard Starman that summer & saw Bowie at the Tower that Fall. Good days !
Still have Mott LPs and Hunter's definitive book, 'Diary of a Rock 'n Roll Star'
For another sublime Bowie chorus look no further than Oh! You Pretty Things. Such an amazing song and one of the first ones that he wrote at the piano.
Absolutely. With the brilliant Rick wake man on the keyboards - then still known as Richard!
Not forgetting Mick Ronson who was responsible for much of David's (spiders) sound.
Moonage daydream guitar solo was epic 70’s
Up there with the best of the best
@@jimmorrison7417 totally agree about mick ronson & moonage daydream, stunning.
One of my favorite Bowie songs too. I have loved "Dudes" since first hearing it in middle school in the mid-70s. As I read the comments, it looks like I'm not alone here!
All the young dudes isn't just a great song, but a great rock anthem. Something I deeply miss these days. Sometimes, i get the impression that all those amazing Bowie's songs are amazing because - in a way - there are songs within songs, and that's what makes them stand out, and makes us love them so much.
1972 i was 15 just left school this was the back drop to my youth at this time ! you have no idea the memory's this song brings back to me this one and john im only dancing living in a new town in england you lot will never get it .
Bowie's background vocals are always brilliant. There's an entire episode in there.
I love Mott the Hoople that performed this song.🎸🎼🎵🎹
I loved the way Bowie's loss was so impactful to Rick, when talking about the internet, it really hit home what a remarkable artist he was. He's really never truly gone.
Also Ronson's fingers are all over this song, from start to finish
I’ve known this tune since the ‘80’s but never knew Bowie wrote it but once you mention it it I can totally hear it.
One of his greatest songs was "Is There Life On Mars". Very intricate chord changes. Rick Wakeman played piano on that track and told his friend that evening after his session that he had played on the most incredible song he'd ever worked on.
When it came out, my older sister had just got pregnant, had an enforced abortion and after all that got kicked out of the family home, aged 16, wrecking her education.
The lyrics to Life on Mars, as you might imagine, pull me apart.
Three years later, at 16, I followed her out the door, and we’re still close, 46 years later.
Yes, "Life On Mars?" is wonderful and so intricate. One of my all time Bowie favourites.
Agreed. Life on Mars is one of the greatest songs of all time.
@@GT380man Actually Life on Mars was influenced by the preAnkafied My Way FRENCH SONG progression so Bowie has claimed!!!
Actually Life on Mars was influenced by the preAnkafied My Way FRENCH SONG progression so Bowie has claimed!!!
Oasis- Stand By Me's chorus turnaround is very similar. Don't look back in anger has this song in the background too!
My wife & I were listening recently to Stand By Me and both of us spontaneously offered that the three chord riff was from ATYD!
@@GT380man check some live versions of Whatever as well, they actually sing all the young dudes too😁
Drawing a longer bow, there's something about Bowie's key changing (shape changing?) which evokes Jerome Kern's phenomenal turnarounds, eg in "All the Things You Are" where, to turnaround from the B section to the final A section of the chorus, he somehow manages to hold the same melody note through three somewhat paradoxical chords. The melody note starts as a G# (over E7 for one whole measure, then C+7 for another) and then carries into a third measure unchanged but differently spelled, as an Ab (over Fmin7).
This is not just showing off, he needs to pull a rabbit out of a hat, because he's pulled off a blinder in the second A section by transposing both the chords and the melody of the first section down by a perfect fourth (to marvellous effect), and he needs to find his way back to the original key.
When I hear the G-C-D-A turnaround at the end of the chorus, I think of several Queen songs ("The Game" and "Flash" among them) that use that same motif. Not surprising that in their hey day, Queen, Mott the Hoople, and Bowie were musical and personal contemporaries that influenced one another. All were masters of majestic, dramatic, and still quite hooky composition.
Been playing since 1965. Thank you for helping me understand the “why” of how my ear allows me to pickup songs so fast since I was 6 years old. So fascinating to me. Music is a gift from God and I’m so thankful for your channel.
Rick I sure wish you would do “Moon age daydream“ then you could feature the genius of Mick Ronson! You being a guitar player producer it’s amazing to me that you’ve never mentioned Mick Ronson in any of your Bowie videos. I highly recommend watching the movie Beside Bowie you might even discover a new music/guitar hero.
I agree completely
Great video as usual Rick, you can also interview Reeves Gabrels who was Bowie co-author for almost 50 songs, or long time collaborator Carlos Alomar, who arranged guitars in many Bowie albums too. Then Earl Slick the rock guy. Or as already someone suggested you Mike Garson from the keyboard side. Or Tony Visconti as producer, after Lanois now you’re able to reach outsiders like Brian Eno… and so on. There are still so many people out there to talk with about the Bowie world ;-)
I was here since 200-400k subscriber, and still great!
And to think he gifted this masterpiece to help a struggling band! Pure class. ✌
The first concert I went too in 1973, was Mott The Hoople.
Supported by Queen..................
Many ppl have mentioned Ashes to Ashes but the whole Scary Monsters album is idiosyncratically marvellous, not least the title track but also Because You’re Young & of course Fashion
Teenage Wildlife is still one of most amazing pieces of work I've ever heard in popular music.
I loved Bowie. Genius writing. The first song I ever learned (by ear) on guitar was Space Oddity, when I was like 7 or 8 years old. Years ago I worked in a bike shop and we played Bowie all the time. One day a customer came in but we didn´t notice him, but was just sitting there in the old leather couch in the shop, listening to the music. Some music just never gets tired.
Love the video, sorry my comments coming in a bit late.
This song has always been a favorite of mine. I've been jamming it sometimes lately also, and it just has such a great feel that you don't really notice all the oddities when you rock it live. Definitely an anthem!
In terms of how he wrote it, I have to wonder if was taking some inspiration from T. Rex- I believe this song was written probably around the peak of T Rexstacy in the UK and while Bowie and Bolan were apparently buddies, there was also lots of competition. I am sure Bowie was interested in sussing out Bolans writing style, and there are lots of odd/interesting modulations and descending runs on those big T. Rex albums. I mean, he also name checks TRex in the pre-chorus, which is awesome. Rick- how about some T. Rex content, and you know you should try and interview Tony Visconti- that guy produced so many amazing albums.
Anyone that hasn't listened to much Mott the Hoople outside of this song or even this album should do a little tour of their discography, they have some really great songs and albums.
Bowie was unlike any other before or since. Would love to see an interview with the great Tony Visconti.
Playing an instrument leads to Music Theory, Music Theory teaches you how to create modulations, creating modulation helps your ear training, and over time Ear Training teaches you how to better play an instrument, continuing the cycle of learning, experimentation and becoming a better player. It also reinforces your love and enjoyment of music and playing! Rick, I love your channel, it really inspires me to write songs and play guitar, thank you!
The initial chord progression always reminded me of Pomp and Circumstance… and the rest of the song and lyrics in my opinion seemed to fly in the face of all that. What a great anthem of the times. so good!
Rick you should do Sweet Thing --> Candidate --> Sweet Thing --> noise --> Rebel Rebel
Heck, “Diamond Dogs” too!
The descending progression, particularly when the organ comes in, is very reminiscent of Procul Harum's Whiter Shade of Pale and, of course, Bach.
Great band. Give them a listen - Homburg, Salty Dog, Pilgrim's Progress etc
@@chrisbentley1150 They certainly were. I'd also add Quite rightly so, Strong as Sampson and Whaling Stories to that list 👍
Way back in the day, an English kid I'd met, in trying to give me context for Bowie, described him simply as "a God-genius".
...and that is exactly how I eventually came to regard him, and have continued to think of him, ever since.
I was introduced to him by a young school friend / classmate, who regarded DB exactly that way. Your contact & my friend were spot on.
Such a great song. Powerful, yet smooth. Real genius.
"Golden Years" - Unexpected changes as the chorus progresses, yet it makes sense, and then the bar of 2 at the end. He really was a great composer.
Rick you really need to interview Tony Visconti if you haven't already. Tony was such a huge part of Bowie's genius and has lived such an interesting life himself.
To my ear it's never been a key change, it's just where the progression goes, at least the way I hear it. Bowie was always theatrical and even when I was 14 I noticed a Broadway/London's East End element mixing with Rock-n-Roll in his stuff. I think that's going on here a bit and getting everybody's attention. Wonderful chords. "Quintessentially British"? A bit, but more specifically "theater" to me. The lyrics take me straight to U.S. great lakes region.
Would you say the same about the organ intro to "Light My Fire" (ie a chord progression but not a key change)?
Do you think of lines like "Wendy's stealing clothes from Marks & Sparks" as Great Lakes rather than British?
@@Gottenhimfella Not in particular. just the overall tone of the song and the chords.
I always wondered whether this could be a nice topic: the 20 best songs with additional or dropped bars, like in songs by the Beatles, Burt Bacharach, Radiohead, Tom Waits, Bowie etc. etc. - because the impact of, for example, an extra 2/4 bar or, let's say, a circle of 6 bars instead of always 4 is astounding, and it's kind of a revelation to understand what is going on there. Btw, thank you for the good work.
Bowie's uniqueness comes from his fascination with Broadway and show tunes. He somehow ingested that style, mixed it with the history of rock n roll at the time, and it came out in his unique songwriting style. Bowie was also an OPEN MIND, ready to do ANYTHING without thinking it was off-kilter, in fact he went looking for his extremes. He was also a master collaborationist. He allowed other people to truly change the directions of his style, then found other collaborators. Of course, he could do this, because he was such a great vocalist and lyricist himself.
Being opened minded is easier said than done. I know many musicians who think they are open minded in what they listen to, and they might be, but they're often anchored inside limits in their own playing and writing.
I am forever grateful to Bowie for bringing his music into a movie my kids loved to listen to that gave me a break from the syrup sweet monotony of the 90s kid movies. I along with my kids, knew every song from his movie Labyrinth. It was a welcome break from the typically dumbed down rhymed lyrics and elevator sound found in too many movies made for children. It at least opened my kids brains to a more complicated musical sound.
Mick Ronson was a huge part of what informed and inspired David Bowie. Also Peter Gabriel was a definite influence on him, both musically and with campo theater being used for stage presence... to some degree certainly that stage approach helped shape the music.
Can I say how great the recording of this song is? No where to hide if you have a crap melody, all sounds great.
Saw David live many times in the 70's and 80''.s Will never forget the curtains coming up on the Diamonds Dog tour with David dressed as half man/half dog just like the album cover. Ziggy Stardust was also a wonderful tour. He was a consummate performer.
Hey Rick . Been listening to ya for about two years now after I stumbled across your channel. I’m a big fan of the classics as to what made you stand out . In this video you were braking the song down and you said (most of you watching already know this ) and I was like dang ?! I’ve always loved music but just don’t have a musical bone in me nor the mindset to remember & understand the things you’re saying. I’ve tried learning but my fingers have been repeatedly broken to top it all off. I’ve watched a lot of what could have been’s just give up or throw away the gift that they have. I guess that’s why I enjoy you and your videos because you’re one of those guys that helped make the T shirt ( been there done that) & you’ve never given up on the music, really just wanted to say mad respect to for doing this to help people make music.🙏
When I read your title I immediately thought of 'All The Young Dudes', no kidding.
I love this video. Analyzing the relationships between a songs harmony and melody get us closer to understanding creative songwriting I think. On the A min you'll notice the vocal harmonies sing notes D and G I believe, which are notes at least an octave above the same played notes in that A min, which utilizes two songwriting tricks...(1) jumping up an octave and (2) giving the impression that the song is going upwards when it actually starts downward.
(later the vocal harmonies also sing a third note(A).
Bowie is a genius who also knew how to borrow from other musicians like Marc Bolan of T-Rex and Lou Reed. IMO Bowie discovered 'the essence' of Bolan's glam songwriting genius and invented Ziggy Stardust. Bowie idolized Bolan who was famous for doing his thing, before Bowie caught on to it. After he was through with the Bolan essence and Ziggy, he kept a band member rotation going of highly creative players whom he borrowed from. Zappa was well known to do that. A creative ear can take from others and extrapolate from it to create something that becomes their own. I believe bowie was a master at doing that. So,I have to also give Marc Bolan credit for ATYD as well.
About time Mott the Hoople got some love
As the Beatles broke up, I was 12 years old. I was very sad about that and when I heard "all the young dudes" in the radio (in a really bad quality, the receiving was sometimes very bad theese days) I felt that the Beatles are back somehow. And when I find out that this was written by David Bowie I became a Bowie fan, up to this day.
I love Mott the Hoople that performed this song.❤
This was a hit when I was working nights at an ice cream factory in the summer of 1972, just before I went to college. It often played on the factory PA just as the sun was coming up. One of my favourite Bowie songs.
I got to see Bowie one time, on The Glass Spider Tour. I'm still happy that I was in the same building as he was 36 years later 😊
Been watching all these interviews with people who knew Syd Barrett, but none of them get deep into his weirdness on the musicology or production sides. Would love to hear a breakdown on a Syd tune.
Getting back to the chorus is also CHROMATIC (1st position gtr) G (B), C, A (C#) D
I must agree...this chorus has always felt to me, like it was the last chorus I ever wanted to hear, and it could literally play for eternity and not get boring!
'Hey Judes' outro chorus is a close 2nd!
As soon as I saw the title I was 99 % sure it was this. My favorite chorus of all time. I loved it when it came out and still do. I never thought about but the key change is everything.
Golden Years !!!! How incrediblyweird intro, chord structure, odd meter and yet so catchy
I love you Rick Beato. Thank you for this homage to British pop/rock
Velvet Goldmine is a very strange song I've only just discovered it! It seems to be nonsense for the whole song but I just love playing it and space oddity amongst others he was very diverse and much missed
It was a B side song on a vinyl single, could've been 'Space Oddity'.
I still have it somewhere 😄
Playing the chords to All the Young Dudes is as natural as the sound of breaking glass.
I see what you did there!...😉😉
Love this song. First time I heard it back in the day I wasn't aware of the Bowie original or the fact he wrote it, but I distinctly remember thinking it it reminded me of Life on Mars, of all things. There was something about how musically it took you on a little unexpected trip with the progressions. Unexpected, that was Bowie.
I am British and your age. I l also come from the same place as Bowie did. Anyway, I have always loved that song and, ironically, I listened to it on RUclips the other day for the first time in years. And here you are, analyzing it. Thank you.
Brixton?
@@spiritmatter1553 Bromley
Not weird, just clever and beautiful :0)
It's amazing how a simple key change can make your heart sing and stay in the brain for a long long time!. The power of music. 😎
We all know when we’ve been “hooked”, but few of us known how to create one. I’ve no idea how one might even begin.
*Nobody* assembled groups of musicians and bands like Bowie. He brought people in to do what they do best and seemed to orchestrate some incredible music and band chemistry.
but he screwed The spiders from Mars. After his last Ziggy appearance he fired them with no warning. Those musicians were an integral part of every song. I guess that's what The Bizz Is. I hope everyone has seen "Hired Gun", "The Wrecking Crew" and "Muscle Shoals".
@@stevecuzz8820 I never said anything about after he assembled them🤣
I like how you dissect all of the chords of All The Young Dudes. Bowie was a fantastic song writer. Great video Rick.
There's a wonderful live version of this song performed at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert.
With Bowie on sax, Mick Ronson on guitar and Ian Hunter vocals, backed by the boys from Queen.
Best version ever in my view. The arrangement is exceptional, drumming takes it to another level, and the backing vocals are perfection.
Please Rick "Cantata de puentes amarillos" - Luis Alberto Spinetta !!! you wont regret a second of what you are gonna discover! Argentina's early 70's
Hard to believe that this song was released more than 50 years ago. Still sounds timeless!!
Bodies version is AWESOME!
Escaped from NY....glad you made it out alive
Men Without Hats recently released a covers album with a good version of all the young dudes.
You should break down Aladdin Sane. Such an unusual song.
One of my very favorite of Bowie: song -and album.
He could analyse any of David Bowie's songs. They are all special and great.