"SPACE ODDITY" DAVID BOWIE (1969)

For the month of November, I’ll be selecting songs in conjunction with the music Twitter challenge: #WelcomeToTheOccupation.

Songwriter. Performer. Artist. Cultural icon. Like his characters, David Bowie has taken on many different forms through his career. One of my deepest regrets is not seeing him live. I read somewhere that when his debut album bombed, he redid everything. Found a new manager and found new ways to create, promote and perform. One of the ways Bowie has distinguished himself from his rock & roll peers is by expanding beyond music and exploring different art forms, most notably fashion and film. A perfect example of this is “Space Oddity”, a song that I’m featuring for the second time on Mental Jukebox.

Bowie was always a master at creating characters – even embodying them at times – from Aladdin Sane to Ziggy Stardust. On “Space Oddity”, we met Major Tom, a fictional astronaut who launched into space with much promise, but ultimately faced his own demise by the end of the five minute song. “Space Oddity” was an imaginative story that pointed us to a universe where electric guitar rock can co-exist with a string symphony. It’s also a song that extended beyond sound wave through a promotional film, an unusual approach at the time. It was Bowie constantly innovating even as a relatively new artist.

“Ground Control to Major Tom. Take your protein pills and put your helmet on.”

"ZIGGY STARDUST" DAVID BOWIE (1972)

A great title track is par for the course when it comes to great albums. If the title track doesn’t cut it, what does that say about the album itself? This month, the Mental Jukebox will be playing some of my favorite title tracks – inspired by @NicolaB_73’s music Twitter challenge, #TopTitleTracks.

I don’t think I could ever summarize the impact that “Ziggy Stardust” has had on rock & roll in just a couple of paragraphs. But I’ll say this. When I was in high school, a half-decent set of musicians played it at Battle of the Bands and the thing was powerful. They weren’t exceptional. They weren’t in sync. But they unlocked Bowie’s emotion, ingenuity and attitude. That’s the power of Ziggy. In many ways, the song, like the main character, helped save rock & roll.

To really understand Ziggy’s power, you just have to look at two elements: the guitar and the vocals. The opening line in the first verse sets the tone: “As Ziggy played guitar…”. The song is a force to be reckoned with because of the riffs. Mick Ronson shreds his way through one of the most guitar-driven songs from the Bowie canon – and it is an ode to the electric guitar in many ways. Then there’s Bowie himself who croons and cries his way through the verses and chorus, a lyrical masterpiece that reminds us why we got into rock ‘n roll in the first place.

“Making love with his ego, Ziggy sucked up into his mind.”

"YOUNG AMERICANS" DAVID BOWIE (1975)

This month on Twitter, @sotachetan hosts #BrandedInSongs – which is a head-on collision of my personal world of music and my professional world of branding and advertising. The challenge is to simply pick a song with a brand name in its lyrics or title. I added one more criteria to my picks, which is this: the songs themselves must be as iconic as the brands they mention. No filler here.

Some consider this to be Bowie’s best song. It’s certainly up there, along with “Heroes”, “Space Oddity” and “Rebel Rebel”. “Young Amercians” showcases Bowie’s ability to traverse various genres like no one’s business. On this song, he’s all soul. The melody. The lead vocals. The piano slide. And the supporting cast are no slouches. The backing vocal harmonies feature a young Luther Vandross. Yes, it’s him. And the saxophone flourishes come from David Sanborn.

On the album of the same name, “Young Americans” is the throwback opener that eventually leads to the album closer, “Fame”, which stands in stark contrast with its post-modern, new wave aesthetic. “Young Americans” feels like a song from another era. Hearing it back now, I can’t help but think that they just don’t write songs like this anymore. And it’s a shame.

“A pimp's got a Cadi and a lady got a Chrysler.”

"YOUNG AMERICANS" DAVID BOWIE (1975)

This month, I’m looking back at movies and tv shows to rediscover songs that graced the screen. The scenes and the music are inseparable. They’re engrained in our heads and our hearts. And they’re proof that the best music we have doesn’t exist in isolation. It attaches itself to a moment or an experience. #SceneSongs

Movie: Sixteen Candles

Few songs did more to prop up a movie soundtrack than “Young Americans”. It elevated the soundscape of Sixteen Candles with instant credibility. Not to downplay Thompson Twins, Spandau Ballet, Billy Idol, Oingo Boingo and the like, but the rest of the soundtrack has a one-dimensional feel to it. A mediocre combination of new wave hits at best – a couple of solid tracks surrounded by mostly forgettable songs. But the scene in the movie where the family is getting ready for Sam’s older sister’s wedding is put on a pedestal with the Bowie classic “Young Americans”.

Some consider this to be Bowie’s best song. It’s certainly up there, showcasing his ability to traverse various genres. On “Young Americans”, Bowie is all soul. The melody. His lead vocals. The piano slide. The backing vocal harmonies, featuring a young Luther Vandross. And the saxophone flourishes from David Sanborn. On the album of the same name, “Young Americans” is the throwback opener that eventually leads to the album closer, “Fame”, which stands in stark contrast with its post-modern, new wave aesthetic.

“All night, I want the young American.”

"SPACE ODDITY" DAVID BOWIE (1969)

I generally gravitate to the music first before the lyrics. But as a writer, I still marvel at well-spun verses and choruses. This month, I’m joining the music Twitter community in #31DaySongLyricChallenge

Day 9

It’s right up there with the most memorable rock & roll lyrics of all time. The thing that made it stand out was that the lyrics themselves defied the established norms of rock lyrics. “Space Oddity” was brilliant because it wasn’t merely a song, it was a story whose words made us imagine Major Tom floating in space. We could actually picture it. “Space Oddity” was more like a novel or movie than a rock song.

“Take your protein pills and put your helmet on. Ground Control to Major Tom (ten, nine, eight, seven, six). Commencing countdown, engines on (five, four, three). Check ignition and may God's love be with you (two, one, liftoff).”

"DEAD MAN WALKING" DAVID BOWIE (1997)

This month, the Mental Jukebox revisits the movie soundtracks of the nineties. The music I’m highlighting are some of my personal favorites. In many cases, the movies themselves were huge for me as well. But the focus will still be on the music – as always. Let’s bring on the throwback classics, the grunge, the gangsta rap, and the indie gems. #31DaysOf90sMovieSongs

Movie: The Saint

Few soundtracks have the cohesion felt and heard on The Saint. It took very different artists — Bowie, Moby, Duran Duran, Duncan Sheik, Daft Punk, The Chemical Brothers, Luscious Jackson, among others — and somehow miraculously put them all together on the same sonic wavelength. There are a ton of great tracks on the album. But my favorite is still Bowie’s “Dead Man Walking”. Fans have often commented that the eighties were not Bowie’s best years. But it appears that in the nineties, the famed artist had regained his form.

As we’ve seen throughout his career, Bowie evolved with each recording — always changing, but always distinctly Bowie. With “Dead Man Walking”, his music went into hyperdrive. There are a ton of delicious electronic layers to this thing. And while it works marvelously as an electronic symphony, something in me wants to pick out and isolate each individual layer. Each one captures the mood and frenetic pace of the film in its own unique way. One of those layers is a guitar riff that Jimmy Page handed over to Bowie on a platter. Page said: “I've got this riff and I can't do anything with it. Do you want it?” Bowie answered the call.

“And I'm gone through a crack in the past like a dead man walking.”

"YOUNG AMERICANS" DAVID BOWIE (1975)

After spending an entire month looking back at the 80’s, I realized one thing. I need more. Luckily, a couple of fellow music fans on Twitter came up with the brilliant idea to highlight #30DaysOf80sMovieSongs during the month of April. I couldn’t resist at the opportunity to keep going, to keep listening, and to keep celebrating the decade that has meant more to me than any other from a musical standpoint. Each day I’m playing a different soundtrack favorite on the Mental Jukebox.

Movie: Sixteen Candles

Few songs did more to prop up a movie soundtrack than “Young Americans”. It elevated the soundscape of Sixteen Candles with instant credibility. Not to downplay Thompson Twins, Spandau Ballet, Billy Idol, Oingo Boingo and the like, but the rest of the soundtrack has a one-dimensional feel to it. A mediocre combination of new wave hits at best – a couple of solid tracks surrounded by mostly forgettable songs. But the scene in the movie where the family is getting ready for Sam’s older sister’s wedding is put on a pedestal with the Bowie classic “Young Americans”.

Some consider this to be Bowie’s best song. It’s certainly up there, showcasing his ability to traverse various genres. On “Young Americans”, Bowie is all soul. The melody. His lead vocals. The piano slide. The backing vocal harmonies, featuring a young Luther Vandross. And the saxophone flourishes from David Sanborn. On the album of the same name, “Young Americans” is the throwback opener that eventually leads to the album closer, “Fame”, which stands in stark contrast with its post-modern, new wave aesthetic.

“All night, I want the young American.”

"PANIC IN DETROIT" DAVID BOWIE (1973)

The decade in which I was born has given me a strange perspective on its music. I discovered pretty much all of the 70’s sounds – from prog rock to punk to disco – well after they came into the world. It wasn’t until the late 80’s that I discovered what I was missing. I would characterize the decade as one where budding genres leaped off their inspiration pads and came to fruition. For the month of February, Mental Jukebox will feature some of these gems with a different 70’s song each day. #28DaysOf70sSongs

I’m a Ziggy Stardust guy all the way. As prolific as Bowie was in the 70s, it’s the only album of his that I truly enjoy from beginning to end. But my next favorite album is probably Aladdin Sane. It’s glammy at times. But it also rocks pretty hard at other times. Most Bowie albums have a couple of songs that outshine the others, but there was a consistency about Aladdin Sane that was unmatched by his other records. Still, I’m most drawn to the hard-edged “Panic in Detroit”.

It all starts with the guitar work. Widely considered one of the best session players of all time, Mick Ronson shined here. “Panic in Detroit” is considered essential listening for Ronson enthusiasts. His guitar solo starts at the 3:15 mark and captures the imagination of the Detroit riots that inspired the song. At one point, the solo evokes the rise of smoke and flames. At another, it sounds like a symphony of sirens. The backing vocals are fierce, like chants in the uprising. The percussion lays down a steady, insistent drum roll and congas that make it feel like the panic will never end. And then there’s Bowie. Being cool, just being Bowie.

“He looked a lot like Che Guevara. Drove a diesel van. Kept his gun in quiet seclusion. Such a humble man.”

"SPACE ODDITY" DAVID BOWIE (1969)

For the month of January, I’m selecting some of the most memorable and influential songs of the 60’s. While they all hail from the same decade, these are some of my favorite songs of any era. They remind me that the 60’s were so much more than just Woodstock and psychedelic rock. It was a flourishing period for blues, folk, progressive and straight-ahead rock. #31DaysOf60sSongs

Songwriter. Performer. Artist. Cultural icon. Like his characters, David Bowie has taken on many different forms through his career. One of my deepest regrets is not seeing him live. I read somewhere that when his debut album bombed, he redid everything. Found a new manager and found new ways to create, promote and perform. One of the ways Bowie has distinguished himself from his rock & roll peers is by expanding beyond music and exploring different art forms, most notably fashion and film. A perfect example of this is “Space Oddity”, a song that I’m featuring for the second time on Mental Jukebox.

Bowie was always a master at creating characters – even embodying them at times – from Aladdin Sane to Ziggy Stardust. On “Space Oddity”, we met Major Tom, a fictional astronaut who launched into space with much promise, but ultimately faced his own demise by the end of the five minute song. “Space Oddity” was an imaginative story that pointed us to a universe where electric guitar rock can co-exist with a string symphony. It’s also a song that extended beyond sound wave through a promotional film, an unusual approach at the time. It was Bowie constantly innovating even as a relatively new artist.

“Ground Control to Major Tom. Take your protein pills and put your helmet on.”

"DEAD MAN WALKING" DAVID BOWIE (1997)

Exceptional soundtracks can make good movies great. They can also take on a life of their own, becoming a greater highlight than their respective films. In this series, I’m selecting some of my favorite soundtrack songs. While quite a few are well-known recordings, I’m also including a few that have flown under the radar over the years.

Few soundtracks have the cohesion felt and heard on The Saint. It took very different artists — Bowie, Moby, Duran Duran, Duncan Sheik, Daft Punk, The Chemical Brothers, among others — and somehow miraculously put them all together on the same sonic wavelength. There are a ton of great tracks on the album. But my favorite is still Bowie’s “Dead Man Walking”.

As we’ve seen throughout his career, Bowie evolved with each recording — always changing, but always distinctly Bowie. With “Dead Man Walking”, his music went into hyperdrive. There are a ton of delicious electronic layers to this thing. And while it works marvelously as an electronic symphony, something in me wants to pick out and isolate each individual layer. Each one captures the mood and frenetic pace of the film in its own unique way.

“And I'm gone through a crack in the past like a dead man walking.”

"SPACE ODDITY" DAVID BOWIE (1969)

Bowie was a master at creating characters—and even at times embodying their personas—from Aladdin Sane to Ziggy Stardust. On “Space Oddity”, we met Major Tom, a fictional astronaut who launched into space with much promise, but ultimately faced his own demise by the end of the five minute song. “Space Oddity” was an imaginative story that pointed us to a universe where electric guitar rock can co-exist with a string symphony.

“This is Major Tom to Ground Control. I'm stepping through the door. And I'm floating in a most peculiar way. And the stars look very different today.”

"ZIGGY STARDUST" DAVID BOWIE (1972)

I don’t think I could ever summarize the impact that “Ziggy Stardust” has had on rock & roll in a single paragraph. But I’ll say this. When I was in high school, a half-decent set of musicians played it at Battle of the Bands and the thing was powerful. They weren’t exceptional. They weren’t in sync. But they unlocked Bowie’s emotion, ingenuity and attitude. That’s the power of Ziggy. In many ways, the song, like the main character, helped save rock & roll.

“Making love with his ego, Ziggy sucked up into his mind. Like a leper messiah, when the kids had killed the man I had to break up the band.”

"STARMAN" DAVID BOWIE (1972)

When people say rock & roll songs aren’t as good as they used to be, I think they’re referring to the high bar set by songs like “Starman”. Here was a track that played a perfect role on one of the decade’s most renowned concept albums, but also could stand on its own. “Starman” caught our ears off guard with its opening minor chord strums, which led us into the harmonic explosion of the chorus and one of classic rock’s finest string arrangements.

“There's a starman waiting in the sky. He'd like to come and meet us, but he thinks he'd blow our minds.”

"UNDER PRESSURE" QUEEN WITH DAVID BOWIE (1982)

Once in a while, a song of epic proportions comes along. And when we hear it, we know we won’t come across anything else this good again for quite a while. “Under Pressure” is one of those songs. In most collaborations, inevitably one artist’s form or style will dominate the other. What makes “Under Pressure” a rarity is that it’s 100% Queen and 100% Bowie at the same time. It’s two divergent classic rock powerhouses going back and forth, without stepping on each other’s toes. Flawlessly composed, performed and produced.

“Because love’s such an old-fashioned word. And love dares you to care for the people on the edge of the night. And love dares you to change our way of caring about ourselves. This is our last dance. This is ourselves under pressure.”