Cover version of the month #94
M. Ward covers David Bowie
Tonight I'm going to be dancing to David Bowie songs at The Admiral Woods in Glasgow as the pub celebrates the life of the inspirational and unique artist. So I thought it might be appropriate to write a blog about one of my favourite Bowie songs - Let's Dance.
Bowie's Let's Dance, from the album of the same name, was released back in 1983. Co-produced with the wonderful Nile Rodgers of Chic, Let's Dance swiftly becoming the biggest selling single of Bowie's career.
It's not hard to hear why.
Everything Rodgers touched turned to gold. And Bowie was on to this, informing Nile that he wanted his help in making 'hits'. I would highly recommend reading Nile's Le Freak autobiography which is exceptionally fast-paced and incredibly entertaining.
Bowie played Rodgers an acoustic version of Let's Dance on a 12-string guitar that only had 6-strings. Rodgers completely rearranged the song and his original demo was released on Record Store Day in 2018.
As for the released version, it is a sensational work of pop art!
Bowie and Rodgers signal their intentions to create a hit from the get go with a Beatles Twist n Shout rip off into huge shimmering riffs over bass and beats. Bowie sounds incredible as he demands
Let's dance
Put on your red shoes and dance the blues
Bowie doesn't only sound incredible, check out the video of him performing the song in a pub in the Australian outback, bleached blonde hair, gloriously tanned, resplendent in white and somehow managing to play his guitar while wearing gloves!
There is a rush as Bowie hits the chorus at the one-minute mark
If you say run
I'll run with you
If you say hide
We'll hide
Because my love for you
Would break my heart in two
If you should fall, into my arms, tremble like a flower
The groove continues, Rodgers adds shimmering guitar riffs, Bowie sounds super seductive, almost whispering through the second verse until he rises for the line;
Under the moonlight, the serious moonlight
And then we're into another rush through the euphoric chorus. The single cut is 4-minutes long while the album version stretches to a magnificent 7-minutes.
Let's Dance is an incredible song by an all-time great, so it is a bold move to cover it!
M Ward isn't an artist I know a great deal about, so I've enjoyed delving into sections of his back catalogue of 10 solo albums, his work with She & Him (with Zooey Deschanel) and Monsters of Folk (with members of My Morning Jacket and Bright Eyes).
After a couple of lofi album, Ward signed to to Merge Records and released the Transfiguration of Vincent album in March 2003, featuring his version of Let's Dance, 20-years after Bowie's.
Ward completely strips the song right back, potentially to be more akin to Bowie's original demo (that I sadly can't find online anywhere). It's just Ward, his acoustic guitar, mouth organ and some faint piano in the background at times. Ward's voice is very soothing, particularly while listening on headphones. It is rather lovely, while Bowie's is beautifully bold as brass - setting out to be a hit and achieving the goal with ease.
Bowie's original and the M Ward cover version are added to my Everything Flows Cool Cover Versions playlist on Spotify which also features all of the songs below. Search for the title or CLICK HERE
Nile Rodgers tells the story of Let's Dance
Previous covers of the month blogs
40. Jumpin' Jack Flash
44. Witchi Tai To
45. Our Lips Are Sealed
46. Sunshine Of Your Love
47. Here Comes The Sun
48. I Think We're Alone Now
49. Don't Let Me Down
50. It's Oh So Quiet
51. Alcoholiday
52. Summer Holiday
53. Who Do You Think You Are?
54. Head On
55. Nothing Compares 2 U
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