Second appointment with David Bowie.

 

Today we talk about "Hunky Dory," which marks a turning point in Bowie's career and life, not only because it represents a project completely different from the hard rock of the previous "The Man Who Sold the World," but also because a new manager, the cunning Tony Defries, joins him on this journey and will strongly contribute to his success. In the early months of 1971, Bowie begins composing the future tracks of the album on the piano. Following a tour in the USA, the White Duke conceives the idea of writing tribute songs to three great American icons: Andy Warhol ("Andy Warhol"), Bob Dylan ("Song for Bob Dylan"), and Lou Reed ("Queen Bitch"). For this record, Bowie puts together the lineup of the future "Spiders from Mars": Mick Ronson on guitar, Trevor Bolder on bass, and Mick Woodmansey on drums. Keyboardist Rick Wakeman joins them, excited to participate in the project after listening to the demos of "Changes" and "Life on Mars." It is these latter two that are the highlights of the album and will be chosen as singles. The first, with its unforgettable chorus, is a bitter reflection on change and artistic reinvention, while the second, a glam rock ballad that has become a classic in Bowie's discography, deals with the theme of escape from reality and refuge in fantasy. "Hunky Dory" showcases the characteristics that will make Bowie an eternal icon, from the fusion of sound and visual dimensions to his sexual ambiguity, to recurring themes such as change and the passage of time. The album is positively reviewed by critics but initially does not achieve great success. It is only after the release of "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust" that it manages to reach the third position in the UK charts, a year and a half after its release.

The song we have chosen to listen to today is the famous "Life on Mars": initially conceived as a tribute to Frank Sinatra's "My Way," from which it initially takes the harmonic progression, it revolves around a young girl and her attempt to find comfort in the media facing the disappointment of the real world.