David Bowie – “Let’s Dance” (1983)

My dad gave me this album for my birthday. Probably it was the year of its release, possibly the year after. In other words, I was 11 or 12 years old. I remember this birthday morning well. I was in Jämtland (in the northern part of Sweden) at my grandmothers place with the rest of my family. Of course I recognized the shape of the present and understood what was hidden inside. Let's Dance had been on my wish list, thanks to the hit Let's Dance, so you can believe I was surprised when I opened the present and looked down on the album in my hand. Sure, it was a Bowie album, but not Let's Dance. Instead, it said Hunky Dory on it. What was this? I will not deny that a certain feeling of disappointment appeared.

My dear father, whose interest in music was primarily focused on jazz and classical music, had a vague idea about modern music. Therefore, he had walked into a music store and simply asked for a Bowie album. I imagine that the business owner probably had a pretty good knowledge of music and thought Hunky Dory was the Bowie album to own.

Like my son today sometimes says he doesn’t want to hurt my feelings if he thinks he will make me disappointed, I had a feeling this birthday morning of not wanting to make my dad sad by refusing to accept the gift. He had meant well, so I said with concealed disappointment that this album was problably also good and that I could keep it. However, my other family members said I should change it to the album I actually wanted, and so it was.

Bowie had already at this time had a relatively long and interesting career with a long list of hits. The album Let's Dance must probably still be said to be the first truly commercial album he did. The album earned three big hits - the title track, Modern Love and China Girl (which Bowie wrote together with Iggy Pop and appeared on the latters album The Idiot, 1977). Bowie’s videos for the songs China Girl and Let's Dance also caught a lot of attention and were played heavily on MTV. Bowie had by this time become one of the most important video artists.

When I listen to the LP today, I think it’s a good commercial pop record, but there is some sort of twist, something that makes it a bit different from other commercial pop music - as if someone has tuned the music an inch to the left. Maybe it's Bowie's voice that evokes this feeling. I have listened to some of Bowie's other creations, most not as commercial, and perhaps this has led me to associate his voice with a touch of weirdness. He doesn’t always seem to have been the most uncomplicated person.

I liked this album as a child and still think it’s alright. I don’t know what kind of audience Bowie had in mind when he made this record, if he had any such in mind, but it’s impressive to make an album both a 11-year-old and a 38-year old can enjoy and discover quality in. I'm not listening to this LP today, since this kind of pop music is not what I now prefer, but would recommend it if you want a good pop record. All the songs are not good, some are a bit boring, but overall it’s an okay album. The production is quite timeless and is not suffering from a typical 80's sound, according to me. It can be mentioned that Stevie Ray Vaughan plays guitar on the album, he later got a successfull solo career of his own.

Although I give this album an OK, I think today that I should have kept the Hunky Dory album. What had my (musical) life looked like if I, as an 11-12 year-old, had been spinning that album on the turntable on a nearly daily basis? How would it have shaped my mind and my perception of music? Maybe I would have been a totally different person than the one I am today – I might have been successful, well liked and admired. On the other hand, I might not have understood anything of it, lose my belief in music and eventually become a bitter man. I guess there’s no idea to regret things in past. Let’s dance, baby!

Favorite Tracks

China Girl

Without You

Cat People

 

Tracklist

Side A

1. "Modern Love" – 4:46
2. "China Girl"  – 5:32
3. "Let's Dance" – 7:38
4. "Without You" – 3:08

Side B

1. "Ricochet" – 5:14
2. "Criminal World"  – 4:25
3. "Cat People (Putting Out Fire)" – 5:09
4. "Shake It" – 3:49