David Bowie 1947-2016

[Rob Baker]

RIP David.

Three of my favourites:

Life on Marshttps://youtu.be/v--IqqusnNQ?list=RDv--IqqusnNQ
Starmanhttps://youtu.be/4B5zmDz4vR4
The Man Who Sold The Worldhttps://youtu.be/lAy7XYBQwc4

[Roger Kettle]

I always loved Bowie. Sometime back in the seventies, I learned to play "Space Oddity" on the guitar. It was one of the few songs that I could perform in its entirety---all the right chords and all the right lyrics. I was so chuffed. I had to give up playing the guitar a few years back when arthritis in my fingers meant that I could no longer shape the chords but it's a happy memory. Just a great song---even the way I did it!
Bowie was a massive talent. A true original in music, art and culture. A sad day.

[Mince]

I have always hated Bowie, and found his "Major Tom" just too stupid to take seriously. I couldn't until today tell you any song he wrote other than the "Major Tom" one.

I decided to play Rob's three songs from Bowie to my wife. I recognised "Life on Mars" but still find the song annoying. My wife and I recognised Starman as it's in the amazing film "The Martian".

The third song I stopped playing after a few bars.

So apart from Starman, I'm not too impressed by him, though I have not heard much of his work.

On the plus side, my wife likes Nothing Rhymes by whatsisname.

[Rob Baker]

The third song I stopped playing after a few bars.

I have to admit the sound quality on this link is atrocious.  Have a listen to the version sung by Lulu.

[Roger Kettle]

Anyone who likes "Nothing Rhymed" by Gilbert O'Sullivan is okay by me!
It's strange that you've "always hated Bowie" while admitting to not having heard much of his work. Both "Space Oddity" and "Life on Mars" are regarded as classics by music critics and musicians.
But there you go---it's all about individual taste.

[Sandy Buttcheeks]

"Heroes"

One of my favourite songs of all time. His voice on it is incredible.

[Mince]

I just wasted the last hour and a half listening to his songs and reading about him, and am now convinced his critics and fans are writing reviews in the desperate attempt to be more pretentious and crap than the man himself, just morons who don't realise that he's just a man, not a god hiding the deep and meaningful in a song, just the emperor's new tunes. So I guess my opinion of him has not improved in the slightest.

And Heroes sounds awful.

[Diane CBPFC]

I always have liked David Bowie -  Under Pressure and Rebel Rebel and of course "Heroes" are among my favourites. He was beautiful to look at too; like a piece of art.

I just noticed his new album was out and was thinking how great he looked in promotion photos for that - so I thought he was on to a new jazz stage in his career, another new start and maybe a series of new music, so it came as a shock that he instead passed as I didn't know he was sick.

He added a touch of magic to the world and will be missed. 

[Tarquin Thunderthighs lll]

I just wasted the last hour and a half listening to his songs and reading about him, and am now convinced his critics and fans are writing reviews in the desperate attempt to be more pretentious and crap than the man himself, just morons who don't realise that he's just a man, not a god hiding the deep and meaningful in a song, just the emperor's new tunes. So I guess my opinion of him has not improved in the slightest.

And Heroes sounds awful.

Sniff! Brought a tear to my eye, that did, I don't mind admitting it.

They should rename the word 'curmudgeon' Mince.

Bowie was a showman, not a god, and he was an extraordinarily brilliant one. You don't last five decades at the top by appealing only to pseuds. I have long since had his greatest hits on my iPhone, and not only do most of them conjure up great memories whenever I listen to them, but on a much simpler level, they're just bloody good songs.

 'Starman' was the first I ever heard from him, and 'Young Americans' never fails to stir the blood and bring out the dance.

All right, so he was no Bieber, but I always thought he'd make a great Dr Who...

Look away now, Mince.

[Mince]

All right, so he was no Bieber

Well, I never said he was a useless tw@t. I just said that most of the songs I heard of his seem stupid or awful.

[Tarquin Thunderthighs lll]

You need your brain syringed! 

[Mince]

I watched a video on his ten best songs, and laughed when the "narrator" spoke about Heroes: [paraphrase] "It didn't do too well in the US, nor in the UK, and not many people put it on their listen-to list, but it's an amazing song." It just reminded me of Yes, Minister: [again paraphrasing] "Yes, I know no one listens to Radio 4, but it's nice to know that it's there."

[Tarquin Thunderthighs lll]

You watched all three YouTube songs, listened to and read about Bowie for 90 minutes, and sat through his ten best songs video? No-one can ever accuse you of not properly researching artists you hate. That's proper dedication to slagging off, that is.

[Diane CBPFC]

Lovely tribute drawing Tarqs

[Sandy Buttcheeks]

That's proper dedication to slagging off, that is.

If somethings worth doing, it's worth doing half-arsed !!