I woke up at 4:00 this morning and, of course, reached for my phone. When I went to Facebook I found out that David Bowie passed away yesterday. I am both shocked and saddened by his death.
David Bowie was such an iconic singer and songwriter. His style was so unique and ever changing, and his voice! I loved the distinct sound. And - he even loved dachshunds.
I grew up hearing Bowie music on the radio, but especially found I loved his music in the 1980's when the album Let's Dance was released. (Earlier blog post about "Let's Dance" here.) It is easily one of my top 10 all time albums. Over the years I have gone back to his early music as well, and found songs I really love, like "Young Americans," "Heroes," and "Life on Mars."
And then there is "Absolute Beginners." I love this song. I love it so much I have to stop what I am doing and just listen to it anytime I hear it on the radio. It was also the title song of the 1986 movie Absolute Beginners, set in 1950's London as jazz transitioned to rock, and young people started to rebel. This unusual musical movie is pretty amazing ... and if you haven't seen it, one I recommend. David Bowie's performance in the movie is a standout.
The "Absolute Beginners" music video is so striking. It starts out like a film noir, with David Bowie walking down a late night street. The video, directed by Julien Temple, was inspired by the Strand cigarette tagline: "You're never alone with a Strand."
Do you remember this song? And what are your favorite David Bowie songs? I'd love to hear from you in the comments, below.
