Without doubt, STATION ranks among David Bowie's
best albums. Transitional
like most of his work in the 1970s, it turned
out to be a precursor for
the "Berlin Sound" inspired by Kraftwerk &
Brian Eno. Sounding as cool
and fresh today as it did fifteen years ago,
it was recently elected
"best Bowie 1970s LP" by ROLLING STONE. No one
would have anticipated it in
1975, Bowie needed two months to finish the five
original songs in the
studio - once recording ran from seven in the
morning to nine the
following morning! David had entered the studio
with only two songs,
still unsure of the direction he wanted to go.
Amazingly, his diet on
amphetamine & other drugs (sometimes he stayed
up for four days without
sleep), his bizarre private life and, most important,
the filming of
Nicholas Roeg's THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH starring
Bowie as an alien
from outer space "who fell in love and became
an alcoholic"
provided him with the inspiration for the album.
Gradually, he began to
adopt a new persona, the Thin White Duke. This
cold New European, forever
restless, introduces the whole album on the title
song. "Station to
Station" is about the strains of the three-day
train journey from New
York to Los Angeles - all condensed into ten
minutes of music. It begins
with the sound of a train moving from speaker
to speaker and ends as an
all-out rocker. "It's not the side effects of
the cocaine - I'm
thinking that it must be love", he tells us.
Only the song's coldness
and desperation prevents it from being as commercial
as, say,
"Modern Love" from his 1983 "Let's Dance" album.
The next song,"Golden Years", was the album's
only hit single. A
melodic but restrained disco song with strong
lyrics, it became the
follow-up to to his US chart-topping song "Fame."
Legend has it that
Bowie originally wrote the song for Elvis Presley,
he reportedly
rejected it.
"Word On A Wing," on the other hand, is a ballad
about Bowie's
restless searching - this time for God. Perhaps
inspired by "The Man
Who Fell To Earth", refuge is found in the Lord
and prayer. The song
is literally heavenly with is choir-of-angels
effect.
The B-side begins with "TVC 15," a bizarre, raunchy
song inspired by
a (supposedly drug-inspired) story Iggy Pop told
Bowie -about how Iggy's
girlfriend was swallowed by his TV set! Earl
Slick's guitar noises in the
background and Roy Bittan's (of Springsteen's
E-Street Band) piano make
this song a good one, although it bombed when
released as a single.
"Stay" is a smooth effort from the master. Running
breathless on
a funk groove, it continues on the "it's too
late..." theme ["Stay . . .
or do something. . ."]. Carlos Alomar and Earl
Slick get a chance to
reveal their talent in the final [instrumental]
two minutes of the song.
"Wild Is The Wind" is a cover of a song written
for a 1957 western
starring Anna Magnani. The romantic mood of the
song seems to have
inspired Bowie, his singing is brittle and vulnerable.
Claiming he was
"a sucker for a romantic song", he later released
it as a single in
1981 as a trailer for the "CHANGESTWOBOWIE" compilation
album.
*** STATION TO STATION (David Bowie) ***
Playing time : 37:46
Recorded at Cherokee Studios, California
Produced by David Bowie and Harry Maslin
David Bowie - Vocals, guitar, saxophone
Earl Slick - Guitar
Carlos Alomar - Guitar
Dennis Davis - Drums
George Murray - Bass
Roy Bittan - Piano & keyboards
Warren Peace - Backing vocals
@SONG: STATION TO STATION (Duration - 10:08)
THE RETURN OF THE THIN WHITE DUKE
THROWING DARTS IN LOVERS' EYES
HERE ARE WE, ONE MAGICAL MOMENT, SUCH IS THE
STUFF
FROM WHERE DREAMS ARE WOVEN
BENDING SOUND, DREDGING THE OCEAN, LOST IN MY
CIRCLE
HERE AM I, FLASHING NO COLOUR
TALL IN THIS ROOM OVERLOOKING THE OCEAN
HERE ARE WE, ONE MAGICAL MOMENT FROM KETHER AND
MALKUTH
THERE ARE YOU, DRIVE LIKE A DEMON FROM STATION
TO STATION
THE RETURN OF THE THIN WHITE DUKE
THROWING DARTS IN LOVERS' EYES
THE RETURN OF THE THIN WHITE DUKE
MAKING SURE WHITE STAINS
ONCE THERE WERE MOUNTAINS ON MOUNTAINS
AND ONCE THERE WERE SUNBIRDS TO SOAR WITH
AND ONCE I COULD NEVER BE DOWN
GOT TO KEEP SEARCHING AND SEARCHING AND, OH,
WHAT WILL I BE BELIEVING AND WHO WILL CONNECT
ME WITH LOVE?
WONDER WHO, WONDER WHO, WONDER WHEN
HAVE YOU SOUGHT FORTUNE, EVASIVE AND SHY?
DRINK TO THE MEN WHO PROTECT YOU AND I
DRINK, DRINK, RAISE YOUR GLASS, RAISE YOUR GLASS
HIGH
IT'S NOT THE SIDE-EFFECTS OF THE COCAINE
I'M THINKING THAT IT MUST BE LOVE
IT'S TOO LATE - TO BE GRATEFUL
IT'S TOO LATE - TO BE LATE AGAIN
IT'S TOO LATE - TO BE HATEFUL
THE EUROPEAN CANNON IS HERE
I MUST BE ONLY ONE IN A MILLION
I WON'T LET THE DAYS PASS WITHOUT HER
IT'S TOO LATE - TO BE GRATEFUL
IT'S TOO LATE - TO BE LATE AGAIN
IT'S TOO LATE - TO BE HATEFUL
THE EUROPEAN CANNON IS HERE
SHOULD I BELIEVE I'VE BEEN STRICKEN?
DOES MY FACE SHOW SOMEKIND OF GLOW?
IT'S TOO LATE - TO BE GRATEFUL
IT'S TOO LATE - TO BE LATE AGAIN
IT'S TOO LATE - TO BE HATEFUL
THE EUROPEAN CANNON IS HERE, THIS IS HERE
IT'S TOO LATE
IT'S TOO LATE etc.
Words & Music : B O W I E (1975)
@SONG: GOLDEN YEARS (4:03)
GOLDEN YEARS, GOLD WHOP WHOP WHOP
GOLDEN YEARS, GOLD WHOP WHOP WHOP
GOLDEN YEARS, GOLD WHOP WHOP WHOP
DON'T LET ME HEAR YOU SAY LIFE'S TAKING YOU NOWHERE
ANGEL
COME GET UP MY BABY
LOOK AT THAT SKY, LIFE'S BEGUN
NIGHTS ARE WARM AND THE DAYS ARE YOUNG
COME GET UP MY BABY
THERE'S MY BABY, LOST THAT'S ALL
ONCE I'M BEGGING YOU SAVE HER LITTLE SOUL
GOLDEN YEARS, GOLD WHOP WHOP WHOP
COME GET UP MY BABY
LAST NIGHT THEY LOVED YOU
OPENING DOORS AND PULLING SOME STRINGS, ANGEL
COME GET UP MY BABY
IN WALKED LUCK AND YOU LOOKED IN TIME
NEVER LOOK BACK, WALK TALL, ACT FINE
COME GET UP MY BABY
I'LL STICK WITH YOU BABY FOR A THOUSAND YEARS
NOTHING'S GONNA TOUCH YOU IN THESE GOLDEN YEARS,
GOLD
GOLDEN YEARS, GOLD WHOP WHOP WHOP
COME GET UP MY BABY
SOME OF THESE DAYS, AND IT WON'T BE LONG,
GONNA DRIVE BACK DOWN WHERE YOU ONCE BELONGED
IN THE BACK OF A DREAM CAR TWENTY FOOT LONG
DON'T CRY MY SWEET, DON'T BREAK MY HEART
DOING ALL RIGHT, BUT YOU GOTTA GET SMART
WISH UPON, WISH UPON, DAY UPON DAY, I BELIEVE
OH LORD
I BELIEVE ALL THE WAY
COME GET UP MY BABY
THERE'S MY BABY, LOST THAT'S ALL
ONCE I'M BEGGING YOU SAVE HER LITTLE SOUL
GOLDEN YEARS, GOLD WHOP WHOP WHOP
COME GET UP MY BABY
DON'T LET ME HEAR YOU SAY LIFE'S TAKING YOU NOWHERE
ANGEL
COME GET UP MY BABY
RUN FOR THE SHADOWS, RUN FOR THE SHADOWS
RUN FOR THE SHADOWS IN THESE GOLDEN YEARS
I'LL STICK WITH YOU BABY FOR A THOUSAND YEARS
NOTHING'S GONNA TOUCH YOU IN THESE GOLDEN YEARS,
GOLD
GOLDEN YEARS, GOLD WHOP WHOP WHOP
etc
Words & Music : B O W I E (1975)
(Released as a single 11/75, reaching #8 in UK,
#10 in US)
@SONG: WORD ON A WING (6:00)
IN THIS AGE OF GRAND DELUSION YOU WALKED INTO
MY LIFE
OUT OF MY DREAMS
I DON'T NEED ANOTHER CHANGE, STILL YOU FORCED
AWAY
INTO MY SCHEME OF THINGS
YOU SAY WE'RE GROWING, GROWING HEART AND SOUL
IN THIS AGE OF GRAND DELUSION YOU WALKED INTO
MY LIFE
OUT OF MY DREAMS
SWEET NAME, YOU'RE BORN ONCE AGAIN FOR ME
SWEET NAME, YOU'RE BORN ONCE AGAIN FOR ME
OH SWEET NAME, I CALL YOU AGAIN, YOU'RE BORN
ONCE AGAIN FOR ME
JUST BECAUSE I BELIEVE DON'T MEAN I DON'T THINK
AS WELL
DON'T HAVE TO QUESTION EV'RYTHING IN HEAVEN AND
HELL
LORD, I KNEEL AND OFFER YOU MY WORD ON A WING
AND I'M TRYING HARD TO FIT AMONG YOUR SCHEME
OF THINGS
IT'S SAFER THAN A STRANGE LAND, BUT I STILL CARE
FOR MYSELF
AND I DON'T STAND IN MY OWN LIGHT
LORD, OH LORD, MY PRAYER FLIES LIKE A WORD ON
A WING
MY PRAYER FLIES LIKE A WORD ON A WING
DOES MY PRAYER FIT IN WITH YOUR SCHEME OF THINGS?
IN THIS AGE OF GRAND DELUSION YOU WALKED INTO
MY LIFE
OUT OF MY DREAMS
SWEET NAME, YOU'RE BORN ONCE AGAIN FOR ME
JUST AS LONG AS I CAN SEE, I'LL NEVER STOP THIS
VISION FLOWING
I LOOK TWICE AND YOU'RE STILL FLOWING
JUST AS LONG AS I CAN WALK
I'LL WALK BESIDE YOU, I'M ALIVE IN YOU
SWEET NAME, YOU'RE BORN ONCE AGAIN FOR ME
AND I'M READY TO SHAPE THE SCHEME OF THINGS
OOH, READY TO SHAPE THE SCHEME OF THINGS
OOH, READY TO SHAPE THE SCHEME OF THINGS
OOH, READY TO SHAPE THE SCHEME OF THINGS
OOH, READY TO SHAPE THE SCHEME OF THINGS
OOH, READY TO SHAPE THE SCHEME OF THINGS
OOH. . .
LORD, I KNEEL AND OFFER YOU MY WORD ON A WING
AND I'M TRYING HARD TO FIT AMONG YOUR SCHEME
OF THINGS
IT'S SAFER THAN A STRANGE LAND, BUT I STILL CARE
FOR MYSELF
AND I DON'T STAND IN MY OWN LIGHT
LORD, LORD, I KNEEL AND OFFER YOU MY WORD ON
A WING
AND I'M TRYING HARD TO FIT AMONG YOUR SCHEME
OF THINGS
IT'S SAFER THAN A STRANGE LAND, BUT I STILL CARE
FOR MYSELF
AND I DON'T STAND IN MY OWN LIG
LORD, OH LORD, MY PRAYER FLIES LIKE A WORD ON
A WING
MY PRAYER FLIES LIKE A WORD ON A WING
DOES MY PRAYER FIT IN WITH YOUR SCHEME OF THINGS?
Words & Music : B O W I E (1975)
(Also released as the B-side to "Stay" in the
US 6/76)
@SONG: TVC15 (5:29)
OH OH OH OH, OH OH OH OH
OH OH OH OH, OH OH OH OH
OH OH OH OH, OH OH OH OH
OH OH OH OH, OH OH OH OH. . .
UP EV'RY EVENIN' 'BOUT HALF EIGHT OR NINE
I GIVE MY COMPLETE ATTENTION TO A VERY GOOD FRIEND
OF MINE
HE'S QUADRAPHONIC, HE'S A, HE'S GOT MORE CHANNELS
SO HOLOGRAMIC, OH MY T V C ONE FIVE
I BROUGHT MY BABY HOME, SHE, SHE SAT AROUND FORLORN
SHE SAW MY T V C ONE FIVE, BABY'S GONE, YEAH
SHE CRAWLED RIGHT IN, OH MY
SHE CRAWLED RIGHT IN MY
SO HOLOGRAMIC, OH MY T V C ONE FIVE
OH, SO DEMONIC, OH MY T V C ONE FIVE
MAYBE IF I PRAY EV'RY, EACH NIGHT I SIT THERE
PLEADING:
"SEND BACK MY DREAM TEST BABY, SHE'S MY MAIN
FEATURE"
MY T V C ONE FIVE, HE, HE JUST STARES BACK UNBLINKING
SO HOLOGRAMIC, OH MY T V C ONE FIVE
ONE OF THESE NIGHTS I MAY JUST
JUMP DOWN THAT RAINBOW WAY. BE WITH MY BABY,
THEN
WE'LL SPEND SOME TIME TOGETHER
SO HOLOGRAMIC, OH MY T V C ONE FIVE
MY BABY'S IN THERE SOMEPLACE, LOVE'S RATING IN
THE SKY
SO HOLOGRAMIC, OH MY T V C ONE FIVE
TRANSITION . . .
TRANSMISSION . . .
TRANSITION . . .
TRANSMISSION . . .
ON MY T V C ONE FIVE, OH OH, T V C ONE FIVE
ON MY T V C ONE FIVE, OH OH, T V C ONE FIVE
ON MY T V C ONE FIVE, OH OH, T V C ONE FIVE
ON MY T V C ONE FIVE, OH OH, T V C ONE FIVE
Words & Music : B O W I E (1975)
(Released as a single 4/76, reaching #33 in UK
and #64 in US)
@SONG: STAY (6:08)
THIS WEEK DRAGGED PAST ME SO SLOWLY
THE DAYS FELL ON THEIR KNEES
MAYBE I'LL TAKE SOMETHING TO HELP ME
HOPE SOMEONE TAKES AFTER ME
I GUESS THERE'S ALWAYS SOME CHANGE IN THE WEATHER
THIS TIME I KNOW WE COULD GET IT TOGETHER
IF I DID CASUALLY MENTION TONIGHT
THAT WOULD BE CRAZY TONIGHT
STAY - THAT'S WHAT I MEANT TO SAY OR DO SOMETHING
BUT WHAT I NEVER SAY IS STAY THIS TIME
I REALLY MEANT TO SO BADLY THIS TIME
'CAUSE YOU CAN NEVER REALLY TELL WHEN SOMEBODY
WANTS SOMETHING
HEARTWRECKER, HEARTWRECKER, MAKE ME DELIGHT
NIGHT IS SO VAGUE WHEN IT BRINGS SOMEONE NEW
THIS TIME TOMORROW I'LL KNOW WHAT TO DO
I KNOW IT'S HAPPENED TO YOU
STAY - THAT'S WHAT I MEANT TO SAY OR DO SOMETHING
BUT WHAT I NEVER SAY IS STAY THIS TIME
I REALLY MEANT TO SO BADLY THIS TIME
'CAUSE YOU CAN NEVER REALLY TELL WHEN SOMEBODY
WANTS SOMETHING OR WANTS TO STAY -
THAT'S WHAT I MEANT TO SAY OR DO SOMETHING
BUT WHAT I NEVER SAY IS STAY THIS TIME
I REALLY MEANT TO SO BADLY THIS TIME
'CAUSE YOU CAN NEVER REALLY TELL WHEN SOMEBODY
WANTS SOMETHING
YOU WANT TOO...?
Words & Music : B O W I E (1975)
(Released as a US-only single in 6/76. Did not
chart)
@SONG: WILD IS THE WIND (5:58)
LOVE ME, LOVE ME, LOVE ME, SAY YOU DO
LET ME FLY AWAY WITH YOU
FOR MY LOVE IS LIKE THE WIND, AND WILD IS THE
WIND
WILD IS THE WIND
GIVE ME MORE THAN ONE CARESS, SATISFY THIS HUNGRINESS
LET THE WIND BLOW THROUGH YOUR HEART
FOR WILD IS THE WIND, WILD IS THE WIND
YOU . . . TOUCH ME, I HEAR THE SOUND OF MANDOLINS
YOU . . . KISS ME
WITH YOUR KISS MY LIFE BEGINS
YOU'RE SPRING TO ME, ALL THINGS TO ME
DON'T YOU KNOW, YOU'RE LIFE ITSELF!
LIKE THE LEAF CLINGS TO THE TREE,
OH, MY DARLING, CLING TO ME
FOR WE'RE LIKE CREATURES OF THE WIND, AND WILD
IS THE WIND
WILD IS THE WIND
YOU . . . TOUCH ME, I HEAR THE SOUND OF MANDOLINS
YOU . . . KISS ME
WITH YOUR KISS MY LIFE BEGINS
YOU'RE SPRING TO ME, ALL THINGS TO ME
DON'T YOU KNOW, YOU'RE LIFE ITSELF!
LIKE THE LEAF CLINGS TO THE TREE,
OH, MY DARLING, CLING TO ME
FOR WE'RE LIKE CREATURES OF THE WIND, AND WILD
IS THE WIND
WILD IS THE WIND
WILD IS THE WIND
etc.
Words & Music: Tiomkin & Washington (1956)