Bowie was obviously having serious problems with cocaine in the middle 70s, but his work in these troubled years... was just brilliant! Diamond Dogs is one of my favorite albums, and I think it's too underrated (most people just know Rebel Rebel). His performance in this video mesmerizes me. His voice, his spontaneity, his appearance...
People read too much into the request by David to use the 1984 George Orwell for a planned stage show. He was refused,but this was only because Mrs Orwell as the custodian of all her husbands 'works' was merely honouring his request,that these were not to be tampered with or altered in any way. So we should perhaps respect the woman for not cashing in on her late husbands universal success,and making a quick buck.
+rAndom light thanks for explaining this. I love Orwell a lot. That book is amazing. I also love Animal Farm. Orwell was a genius. However, I also love Bowie. The idea of the two combined is just so awesome!! This song right here is a proof of that. I think that even Orwell would have agreed on the genius of Bowie. But now that you mentioned Orwell's wishes, it makes a lot of sense. But me, on my selfish way, would have loved to have Bowie do the stage show.
a really phantastic Bowie,soul-funky and the sound of the early thin white duke,maybe to much cocain,but so it is,genius can be managed and freaks out a lot of idea's,when you are in a time between reality insanity
awesome - he developed his voice so much in such a short time - I really like his tortured low bluesy soul style he does here... compare it to the ziggy whine in the "1980 floor show" vids from less than a year before... amazing.
Dammit, but this performance is so thrilling! The studio recording almost comes as a disappointment after this. But I just read the lyrics, and it's incredibly disturbing when applied to today: "They'll split your pretty cranium, fill it full of air, Tell you that you're eighty, brother you won't care, You'll be shooting up on anything, tomorrow's neverthere, Beware the savage jaw Of 1984." We're living this song right now.
An amazing piece of pop history, along with Bowie are Luther Vandross, Carlos Alomar and Earl Slick. The whole band kicked ass! Bowie had already abandoned Ziggy and was transitioning to his blue-eyed soul Young American persona. This is a funkier rendition than the "Diamond Dogs" version of "1984," which is softened by a string section. The backing vocals here are the best, shades of "Young Americans."
I been a Bowie fan for years and trust me he was very ill in this video. He was doing a lot of cocaine he looked like a skelton...Even his voice was off... I believe he went to Berlin after a bit to cleanup. Bowie looked great once he got with Iman. Anyhow it is what it is...Rip xox
I love to hear Bowie reinterpret his songs to fit his current style. To see a major difference watch 1984/Dodo from the 1980 Floor Show (didn't actually occur in 1980, 1973 I think) and then watch this. Besides the music, a move from Ziggy to anything is a major change. If I'm right about the date of the 1980 Floor Show this is a year later, probably less.
Holy shit, wow, this is a new side of Bowie I haven't seen. It's awesome that he wrote music to Orwell's 1984. WHY isn't he a huge part of our history lessons? This man has been through so many personas, he puts Britney Spears to shame.
@Jirlow "We are the Dead" has been one of my all time favorite Bowie songs since I can remember... Unfortunately I'm positive that he did not perform it at all during the D-Dogs tour, and I'm pretty sure that he has never played it live.
Some chap here describes the DD set as disappointing, it was the best set ever, best tour ever, and he's still in DD mode, that's why this is so good, OK he's a bit ill, but still great.
When I am looking to that...and many others David BOWIE ' s videos...I am thinking...indenpendantly of him and his quite complex personality - even VERY cold sometimes ! -...than many of VERY FAMOUS PEOPLE WHO ARE THINKING THEMSELVES AS VERY HUGE ARTISTS FOR YEARS / MALE OR FEMALE...MUST HAVE TO QUIT THIS WRONG IDEA OF THEMSELVES....STRAIGHTLY, IMMEDIATLY ! This man SURELY '' is not God '' but he inspired SO MANY TRUE AND VERY GOOD ARTISTS DURING MORE THAN 40 YEARS RIGHT NOW ! LOT OF RESPECT !
I love this performance but damn, Bowie's vocal range was really limited during this time. Don't know if it was drugs, smoking more the usual or what....
@bimsie01 you are spot on Lady gaga made ner name from Lady Stardust by our man and Queen Radio Gaga....shes playing the character card perfectly...the kiddies just haven't been around long enough to see it.....
@spookmonster52 yes your right he NEVER performed this song live. Shame really as it is one of the best songs on the DD album and one of his best. The lyrics are utterly fantastic. I think George Orwell would have approved even if his wife didn't ( she refused to allow Bowie to make a musical out of 1984).
Great performance. So glad to find a CD copy of Live at the Tower to replace my LP a couple of years ago. One thing: whenever I sang along, I went "beware the sounds in store, in 1984", correct I thought in theme and rhyme. One lyric site says 'sound mixture', most say 'hammer jaw', which makes no flippin' sense at all. Hammer jaw, WTF?
Do anyone know if there is a vid uploaded here on UA-cam when he does We Are The Dead? Surely the best song on the Diamond Dogs album. Cheers to all Bowie fans!
Tremendous song, hands down the best thing on the disappointing Diamond Dogs set, especially redone in this soul context which he'd take to amazing heights a year later. But the milk, peppers, Marlboros, and coke diet nearly ruined the man and it shows. Somebody get him a cheeseburger. By the way, look for a very young Luther Vandross among the background singers; he'd help DB write Young Americans.
Who wants to live in ease when George Orwell's TV's are on and the monitors do what they please and the security force is out there of course. Democracy: Ha!
1984 is a book by George Orwell. David Bowie wanted to make it into a musical but George Orwell's wife would not give him the rights...That really sucks I'd rather see a disco musical of 1984 .. it would have made the book more interesting to read during english class
I have to find a jacket like that, too. maybe not as gigantic shoulder pads. And I've tried to do my hair like that, but it just doesn't work. Not the Ziggy-look either. His hair must be really talented for styling.
Bowie was obviously having serious problems with cocaine in the middle 70s, but his work in these troubled years... was just brilliant! Diamond Dogs is one of my favorite albums, and I think it's too underrated (most people just know Rebel Rebel). His performance in this video mesmerizes me. His voice, his spontaneity, his appearance...
There is nobody on earth who ever even is able to come near to this supernatural Star.
I'm so glad he had another 42 years with us.
I wish I could "like" this video a billion times...
He was wearing 1984 fashion in 1974!!! Talk about being ahead of his time!
Look at Carlos Alomrar always soo happy.... especially with an afro haha love it
This is one of my favourites.
See ya buddy. You were awesome! RIP
People read too much into the request by David to use the 1984 George Orwell for a planned stage show. He was refused,but this was only because Mrs Orwell as the custodian of all her husbands 'works' was merely honouring his request,that these were not to be tampered with or altered in any way. So we should perhaps respect the woman for not cashing in on her late husbands universal success,and making a quick buck.
+rAndom light thanks for explaining this. I love Orwell a lot. That book is amazing. I also love Animal Farm. Orwell was a genius. However, I also love Bowie. The idea of the two combined is just so awesome!! This song right here is a proof of that. I think that even Orwell would have agreed on the genius of Bowie. But now that you mentioned Orwell's wishes, it makes a lot of sense. But me, on my selfish way, would have loved to have Bowie do the stage show.
With the exception of Don Van Vilet.....Bowie is the most interesting artist. He's like a 100 people, always new, always creative...never ever boring.
This is the same rendition of his performance from 1974's "David Live" (David Bowie At The Tower Philadelphia) album,which pleases me very much!!
a really phantastic Bowie,soul-funky and the sound of the early thin white duke,maybe to much cocain,but so it is,genius can be managed and freaks out a lot of idea's,when you are in a time between reality insanity
awesome - he developed his voice so much in such a short time - I really like his tortured low bluesy soul style he does here... compare it to the ziggy whine in the "1980 floor show" vids from less than a year before... amazing.
Everyone should look up the 1980 Floor Show version of this song... He did it so much better as Ziggy Stardust.
Dammit, but this performance is so thrilling! The studio recording almost comes as a disappointment after this.
But I just read the lyrics, and it's incredibly disturbing when applied to today:
"They'll split your pretty cranium, fill it full of air,
Tell you that you're eighty, brother you won't care,
You'll be shooting up on anything, tomorrow's neverthere,
Beware the savage jaw
Of 1984."
We're living this song right now.
the backing dancers outfits are special
What a singer.
Oh my...I still love this! It has been 35 years and this is still fabulous!
dont do drugs children. bowie is lucky to come out of that alive and still beautiful.
Diamond Dogs was GOLD, one of my favourite albums of all time. If only I could find it lying around somewhere.
bowie at his best.
Coolest guy that ever walked the planet !!
Woah... quite the funky rendition.
this song will never leave my life.....!!!
insanely great- this is my fav bowie song -wow!
Me too, I watch that performances (also Young Americans) 100-times. Never get enough. So fascinating, such a god!
Best version of this one, so ahead of his time. The best part of his style-never any bellbottoms, he was past them before they ever started!
classic. still holds up 34 years since the song (and 24 years since 1984). ha.
He is so talented...he's amazing! Great band too...
very special performance ---
Beware the savage jaw! That and "V-2 Schneider" are my Bowie favs! He's a genius! What an artist...
He is so cool!
a truly amazing tune and performance
I love the little nod to the band to drop in at 0.06 seconds. Classic performance !
Got to love Bowie. He's got the moves and style!
The best of Bowie...
OMG! He rocks! Bowie is out of this world!
He wore bell-bottoms in the late 70's.
Seeing David like that makes me a bit sad. He's so skinny. Thank god he came out of it.
great look here
Love his entrance.
An amazing piece of pop history, along with Bowie are Luther Vandross, Carlos Alomar and Earl Slick. The whole band kicked ass! Bowie had already abandoned Ziggy and was transitioning to his blue-eyed soul Young American persona. This is a funkier rendition than the "Diamond Dogs" version of "1984," which is softened by a string section. The backing vocals here are the best, shades of "Young Americans."
Living Legend
I been a Bowie fan for years and trust me he was very ill in this video. He was doing a lot of cocaine he looked like a skelton...Even his voice was off... I believe he went to Berlin after a bit to cleanup. Bowie looked great once he got with Iman. Anyhow it is what it is...Rip xox
I love to hear Bowie reinterpret his songs to fit his current style. To see a major difference watch 1984/Dodo from the 1980 Floor Show (didn't actually occur in 1980, 1973 I think) and then watch this. Besides the music, a move from Ziggy to anything is a major change. If I'm right about the date of the 1980 Floor Show this is a year later, probably less.
My favorite.
Thank you for uploading this!!
If you need stage presence, this is the man to look for.
love David Sanborn !!
Holy shit, wow, this is a new side of Bowie I haven't seen. It's awesome that he wrote music to Orwell's 1984. WHY isn't he a huge part of our history lessons? This man has been through so many personas, he puts Britney Spears to shame.
@Jirlow "We are the Dead" has been one of my all time favorite Bowie songs since I can remember...
Unfortunately I'm positive that he did not perform it at all during the D-Dogs tour, and I'm pretty sure that he has never played it live.
Bowie, totally insane and with a near fatal drug abuse problem still records brilliant music and plays brilliant shows. His best and weirdest period..
OH...GOD...YES!!
i love
RIP MITICO i miei 18 anni
RIP David...
Ooh, and I forgot to tell that I like his moves. And the stick insect-look he got in 74/75
woo david bowie
Excellent backup vocals.
Some chap here describes the DD set as disappointing, it was the best set ever, best tour ever, and he's still in DD mode, that's why this is so good, OK he's a bit ill, but still great.
He looks like he is going to crack in half...yet he is so classy.
Nos vemos maestro!
When I am looking to that...and many others David BOWIE ' s videos...I am thinking...indenpendantly of him and his quite complex personality - even VERY cold sometimes ! -...than many of VERY FAMOUS PEOPLE WHO ARE THINKING THEMSELVES AS VERY HUGE ARTISTS FOR YEARS / MALE OR FEMALE...MUST HAVE TO QUIT THIS WRONG IDEA OF THEMSELVES....STRAIGHTLY, IMMEDIATLY !
This man SURELY '' is not God '' but he inspired SO MANY TRUE AND VERY GOOD ARTISTS DURING MORE THAN 40 YEARS RIGHT NOW !
LOT OF RESPECT !
Wow.
You're damn right, brother ;).
I love this performance but damn, Bowie's vocal range was really limited during this time. Don't know if it was drugs, smoking more the usual or what....
I can't tell if it's the cocaine high or just Bowie's natural awesome dance fever that cause him to move like that.
ohhhMAN!!! he looks fucking COOL!!
Now that's some stage presence!
a unica grande lenda viva do rock, David Bowie
David have some tea and honey!
@lastmile77 no the '80 floor show was filmed in October of '73, this was december of '74. but for him to change like that so fast is sad.
Fucking awesome.
Tina Turner covered it on her Private Dancer album... Excellent Version!
@bimsie01 you are spot on Lady gaga made ner name from Lady Stardust by our man and Queen Radio Gaga....shes playing the character card perfectly...the kiddies just haven't been around long enough to see it.....
great video!! Luther Vandross is one of the back-up singers!
@spookmonster52 yes your right he NEVER performed this song live. Shame really as it is one of the best songs on the DD album and one of his best. The lyrics are utterly fantastic. I think George Orwell would have approved even if his wife didn't ( she refused to allow Bowie to make a musical out of 1984).
Great performance. So glad to find a CD copy of Live at the Tower to replace my LP a couple of years ago. One thing: whenever I sang along, I went "beware the sounds in store, in 1984", correct I thought in theme and rhyme. One lyric site says 'sound mixture', most say 'hammer jaw', which makes no flippin' sense at all.
Hammer jaw, WTF?
It's from the 1974 diamond dogs album
december 1974
wooop wooop
I knew that was him, I just wasn't too sure.
bulls on!!
the song: 1984
the year: 1974
ironic
Do anyone know if there is a vid uploaded here on UA-cam when he does We Are The Dead? Surely the best song on the Diamond Dogs album.
Cheers to all Bowie fans!
this was 1974
I´m sure that Bowie is dancing samba at 1:26 of this video.
Tremendous song, hands down the best thing on the disappointing Diamond Dogs set, especially redone in this soul context which he'd take to amazing heights a year later. But the milk, peppers, Marlboros, and coke diet nearly ruined the man and it shows. Somebody get him a cheeseburger. By the way, look for a very young Luther Vandross among the background singers; he'd help DB write Young Americans.
He was very thin before the drugs. He used to eat nothing but green peppers and milk.
@SyzygyD it's actually "beware the savage jaw"
Damn those pants are high
@mrfarr Mesmerising is right :-)
that was 1974.....
sorry i may sound ignorant saying this but is this about george orwell's 1984?
good to see a young Luther Vandross there
Who wants to live in ease when George Orwell's TV's are on and the monitors do what they please and the security force is out there of course. Democracy: Ha!
Luther V in chorus
cocaine and milk,
he is still great.
1984 is a book by George Orwell. David Bowie wanted to make it into a musical but George Orwell's wife would not give him the rights...That really sucks I'd rather see a disco musical of 1984 .. it would have made the book more interesting to read during english class
I have to find a jacket like that, too. maybe not as gigantic shoulder pads.
And I've tried to do my hair like that, but it just doesn't work. Not the Ziggy-look either. His hair must be really talented for styling.