Just re-found an insanely good Bowie track from 1986...

[Zog]

I was listening to Bowie's great last two songs "Dollar Days" and "I Can't Give Everything Away" on his postumously realeased (after his death) and final album "Blackstar", when I thought I'd take a browse around iTunes to find a good remastered version of a classic, beautiful, and ever so slightly unhinged ballad "Wild is the Wind" (last track on Station to Station)
A great track by any measure from the '70s.

However when browsing, I noticed that there was and expertly engineered remaster of this song on "The Best of Bowie-1". So I bought the track, because there is a style of Bowie that I prefer over others. That said, I looked at and heard some long iTunes samples from the "Best of Bowie-2", I knew most of those songs, and they definitely had been (again, expertly remastered).

Now make a make a long story longer... I accidentally hit "When the Wind Blows". I suddenly remembered that I heard it once before way back in the '80s, for it was composed for a film score. But somehow I had completely and utterly forgotten it, since I don't beleive it appeared on any of his regular releases.

In a matter of seconds I pushed "buy" and bought just that track. Put my good headphones on and listened. What followed was a forceful yet catchy electronic plus opening, signalling a dance track of some sort, but about 20 seconds or so into the track
a lush PSB-style big orchestral track took over, with what appeared to me a promising anthemic slow sad melody, but "the best bits" were to follow, because Bowie enters with one of the most powerfully beautiful ballads I have ever heard. At first Bowie crooned, but as the fantastic melody developed, Bowie's voice started to take on that slightly more sinister edge and his voice soared above the mix (as Neil at his peak does too, when his voice cuts through the mix like a laser). Oh, but that melody had still more to offer, and I found myself overwhelmed and remembered two of my best friends that had died within the last 3-4 years (way, way too early).

Then came the so called Middle 8, and then
the anthem returned full force, but with Bowie at his almost terrifyingly beautiful full power, swooping high and low in and out... with an even more fantastic version of the original anthem. I almost hate to admit it, but years of grief I'd kept mostly bottled up inside of me, welled up , and I cried for them and indeed for Bowie himself.

Now that's not a very manly thing to do is it? Or is it? I dunno, but it's been years that a track has broken through me (in a good way).

"Oh Zog!" you're likely thinking, "Get a f*** hold of your self: stiff upper lip
and all that!". Yeah maybe. But it seems that quite a few people familiar with Bowie had missed this track too for some unfathomable reason. But if you know this track, have a listen now anyway. It is an amazing in every sense of the word. Amazing. Quite possibly the finest Bowie track I've heard. And it is huge, PSB-style huge!

So without further ado, lay back pour a drink (hell tea, if you want!), but your headhones/earbuds on, and turn up the volume:

David Bowie: "When the Wind Blows" (1986)

http://youtu.be/4cXO1ddrbuY

-Zog

[Andie]

Thanks Zog, a great song indeed.
Btw, David's final album is Blackstar not Darkstar.

[ZiggyPSB]

If the song doesn't make you want to cry, the film it was made for would. It has a cheerful exterior (as the story was written by the same author as The Snowman, same artstyle!) that eventually turns to a hopeless post-nuclear turmoil.

One Christmas 10 years ago, my brother got me The Platinum Collection, containing The Best of 1969-1974, 1974-1979 and the as at the time unreleased 1980-1987. The third disc containing hits from Ashes to Ashes to the Time Will Crawl, and the amazing trio of soundtrack songs he made in 1986 Absolute Beginners, Underground and When The Wind Blows. That CD was the first time I heard this song. It definitely stood out from the rest that was on the CD. Love this song.

[Zog]

Thanks Zog, a great song indeed.
Btw, David's final album is Blackstar not Darkstar.

Yeah, i do actually know that, but for some reason at times I accidentally write "Darkstar". I noticed it immediately when I reread my post before reading your comments.

-Zog

[Johnny Marr]

Then came the so called Middle 8, and then
the anthem returned full force, but with Bowie at his almost terrifyingly beautiful full power, swooping high and low in and out... with an even more fantastic version of the original anthem. I almost hate to admit it, but years of grief I'd kept mostly bottled up inside of me, welled up , and I cried for them and indeed for Bowie himself.

Now that's not a very manly thing to do is it? Or is it? I dunno, but it's been years that a track has broken through me (in a good way).

"Oh Zog!" you're likely thinking, "Get a f****** hold of your self: stiff upper lip
and all that!". Yeah maybe. But it seems that quite a few people familiar with Bowie had missed this track too for some unfathomable reason. But if you know this track, have a listen now anyway. It is an amazing in every sense of the word. Amazing. Quite possibly the finest Bowie track I've heard. And it is huge, PSB-style huge!

So without further ado, lay back pour a drink (hell tea, if you want!), but your headhones/earbuds on, and turn up the volume:

David Bowie: "When the Wind Blows" (1986)

http://youtu.be/4cXO1ddrbuY

-Zog

Thank you, read this and listened a couple of times. Love it! Also like the extended mix and instrumental versions.

[Zog]

Then came the so called Middle 8, and then
the anthem returned full force, but with Bowie at his almost terrifyingly beautiful full power, swooping high and low in and out... with an even more fantastic version of the original anthem. I almost hate to admit it, but years of grief I'd kept mostly bottled up inside of me, welled up , and I cried for them and indeed for Bowie himself.

Now that's not a very manly thing to do is it? Or is it? I dunno, but it's been years that a track has broken through me (in a good way).

"Oh Zog!" you're likely thinking, "Get a f****** hold of your self: stiff upper lip
and all that!". Yeah maybe. But it seems that quite a few people familiar with Bowie had missed this track too for some unfathomable reason. But if you know this track, have a listen now anyway. It is an amazing in every sense of the word. Amazing. Quite possibly the finest Bowie track I've heard. And it is huge, PSB-style huge!

So without further ado, lay back pour a drink (hell tea, if you want!), but your headhones/earbuds on, and turn up the volume:

David Bowie: "When the Wind Blows" (1986)

http://youtu.be/4cXO1ddrbuY

-Zog

Thank you, read this and listened a couple of times. Love it! Also like the extended mix and instrumental versions.

Just found the extended version
thanks!

-Zog

[Undertaker]

When the Wind Blows is quite brilliant. All his work with tv seemed to be. Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence, Labyrinth and Absolute Beginners.

I was listening to the very old stuff the other day. Rubber Band, Gospel Acording To, Laughing Gnome etc and its still great.

I do find Black Star and The Next Day really bad though. Unlistenable. Cant get into it at all.

[daveid]

Yes, Where the Wind Blows is a good track. Very much setting the hard rock template for the sound of his Never Let Me Down album.