@ALBUM: station.to.station 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)