Your Thursday 80's Flashback Album - David Bowie " Let's Dance "

[castpolymer]

Released in 1983, this album was my first real exposure to the Thin White Duke. Catchy tunes, great guitar ( SRV and Niles Rodgers ) and cool videos ( for those of us who remember videos ). Opened up the entire Bowie catalog to me from then on. My favorite tune is the title track " Let's Dance."

Here is a pretty sweet live version of " Let's Dance ": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyVjdQXNs9s

[EasyEB]

great record.

Here is an audio clip of Jean Genie with SRV during rehearsals for the tour. Good stuff. Have to dig out my copy. Haven't listened to it in ages.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCqtQo6cHig

[Coop47]

I remember falling in love with SRV's playing on this - first I had ever heard of him was "China Girl", and I thought "He's so restrained and economical - he makes every note count." Then I got "Texas Flood". "Oh..."

The stuff on this record is still some of my favorite SRV work. Unmistakably him, but in a completely different context.

[Tele-Monster]

Put on your red shoes and dance the blues!!!! Love love love this album. Thanks for posting this CP. I will be jamming this hard today. If anyone ever sees Bowie Greatest Hits - The Videos, buy it! Soooo goood. I'm a huge Bowie fan (hard to tell, I know).

[Mechanic]

Yes this was my 1st exposure to SRV. I'd known of Bowie for a few years and liked him, but this album set me off wanting more of that guitar of SRV.

[castpolymer]

Originally Posted by Mechanic

Yes this was my 1st exposure to SRV. I'd known of Bowie for a few years and liked him, but this album set me off wanting more of that guitar of SRV.

Come to think of it, it was my first exposure to SRV also. It is like a two - for - one!

[BritishBluesBoy]

Originally Posted by Mechanic

Yes this was my 1st exposure to SRV. I'd known of Bowie for a few years and liked him, but this album set me off wanting more of that guitar of SRV.

Same here... I even took a tape of the album to my guitar teacher and asked him to show me how to play like that (I was all of 13 years old). He laughed... and just said "Practice"...

Wise words...

[hekawi]

[garymaddox]

There is a long version of China Girl that has a tad more SRV playing. It dates back to when they were making 12" disco singles.

[rghill]

I saw David Bowie on the Let's Dance tour in Phoenix - without SRV though.

Great concert, but a very odd mix in the crowd.

This was probably my first DB album, though I was familiar with him from my brother's band playing songs from Ziggy Stardust.

[RodeoTex]

I always loved the Modern Love video. David reminds me of my late friend Greg.
Thanks for the reminder, gotta dig that one out and have a listen again.

[e-merlin]

Great album! It's one of my car stereo setup CDs. Awesome drum tracks. Great clarity.

[Just-Jim]

I really liked that album! Brings me back to the days when I actually liked MTV.

I just heard the song "Cat People - Putting Out Fire" in Inglorious Bastards by someone else. I forgot how good that song was.

Jim

[BigDaddyLH]

I love David Bowie's Heroes:

And you
You can be mean
And I
I'll drink all the time

That sums my marriage up pretty well!

That's Fripp on the guitar, right? And it's more of a '70s flashback song, sorry...

[Skully]

The version of "Putting Out The Fire" in the movie "Cat People" and "Inglorious Basterds" is a different one than the version on "Let's Dance."

I love all the singles from "Let's Dance" (the title track, "China Girl," "Modern Love") and I like the other tunes, but it doesn't rank very high as an album for me.

[Squier Buyer]

The Serious Moonlight concert DVD was filmed here in Vancouver over two consecutive nights, presumably to choose between versions of tunes and maybe even editing the two together. I went to both concerts. The Pacific Coliseum was transformed into an ideal venue for the DVD with many alterations including echo dampers and heavy black curtains in all the entrances. The DVD is a must see for fans.

[Walker]

Originally Posted by Skully

The version of "Putting Out The Fire" in the movie "Cat People" and "Inglorious Basterds" is a different one than the version on "Let's Dance."

I love all the singles from "Let's Dance" (the title track, "China Girl," "Modern Love") and I like the other tunes, but it doesn't rank very high as an album for me.

+1

The singles from this album are great and I prefer the movie version of "Cat People" to the Let's Dance version. The rest of the album doesn't hold up as well for me. It was the first Bowie album I ever bought, but Stevie Ray Vaughan was really the reason for the purchase. I certainly had enjoyed Bowie's music before that, but again, really more the singles than anything.

[hannigan]

When it came out I did not like lets dance.

It grew on me over time .

[Rasmuth]

I'm pretty sure I saw somewhere that Bowie doesn't like that record at all...felt it was too commercial...that being said...I liked it.

[Skully]

I'm pretty sure I saw somewhere that Bowie doesn't like that record at all...felt it was too commercial...that being said...I liked it.

The one he really hates is "Never Let Me Down." The funny thing is, while that album definitely has its reach-for-fast-forward moments (e.g. "Glass Spider") and it never reaches the high points of "Let's Dance," I'm much more likely to listen to it in its entirety (minus "Glass Spider") than just about any Bowie album.

At the moment, I'm watching his "MTV Live at the 10 Spot" appearance from 1997.