“These are your favourite things”
David Bowie’s most frequently employed producer, Tony Visconti, has selected his own favourite Bowie recordings for the NME Blog.
It’s a generous list that doesn’t lean as heavily on Tony’s own work with DB as you might have expected from a less giving producer. Indeed, almost 50% of the tracks are the work of other producers.
Anyway, here’s what the master knob-twiddler had to say regarding each track.
My Personal Favourite David Bowie Tracks and Why I Love Them by Tony Visconti
It’s Gonna Be Me (Produced by Tony Visconti. From Young Americans, 1975)
“If Bowie and Ray Charles wrote a song together, this would be it. Soulful and sad. Great vocal performance.”
Sweet Thing (Produced by David Bowie. From Diamond Dogs, 1974)
“Strange, goes to dark places, yet romantic. It’s almost impossible to separate it from the following song Candidate.”
Sunday (Produced by David Bowie, Tony Visconti. From Heathen, 2002)
“So ominous and atmospheric. A big shift in his writing. The vocals are wonderful.”
Blackout (Produced by David Bowie, Tony Visconti. From “Heroes”, 1977)”
“Insane (in a good way) music, lyrics and vocal performance. Dennis Davis is spectacular, live drums, no overdubs.”
Life On Mars? (Produced by Ken Scott, David Bowie. From Hunky Dory, 1971)
“A classic, always very moving to hear. Ronson wrote a wonderful string arrangement. Goosebumps galore!”
African Night Flight (Produced by David Bowie, Tony Visconti. From Lodger, 1979)
“Ingenious commandeering of Eno over a standard Roland beat box. Not apparent, but this is a rap song…”
She Shook Me Cold (Produced by Tony Visconti. From The Man Who Sold The World, 1970)
“Birth of grunge. I’m proud of all involved, Ronson, Woodmansey and Bowie. No overdubs, just us.”
It’s No Game (Part One) (Produced by David Bowie, Tony Visconti. From Scary Monsters, 1980)
“Just when you thought you’ve heard everything – a Japanese woman rapping on a song Bowie wrote when he was 16.”
Stay (Produced by David Bowie, Harry Maslin. From Station To Station, 1976)
“Funky and passionate, I always listen to this one to the end (and it’s long).”
I Know It’s Gonna Happen Someday (Produced by David Bowie, Nile Rodgers. From ‘Black Tie White Noise’, 1993)
“Morrissey wrote it, Bowie made this his own, a tearjerker. One of his best vocal performances ever.”
Lady Grinning Soul (Produced by Ken Scott, David Bowie. From ‘Aladdin Sane’, 1973)
“An ex-girlfriend played this over and over. I grew to love it (but not her). One of (pianist) Garson’s shining hours and, again, a great vocal performance.”
Check out the NME piece with accompanying videos, here.