“Hey babe, it’s time to say goodbye*”
Rebel Rebel and Alabama Song are two Bowie 45s which were originally released on this day in 1974 and 1980 respectively. (February 15th)
The former was a Top 5 single on the UK chart while the latter peaked at #23.
Alabama Song was a fan favourite on the 1978 World Tour, so even though the record buying public may have found the unusual tempo and key changes a challenge, fans were glad that a studio version of the song had finally been made available.
The release was coupled with a new stripped back recording of Space Oddity which Bowie performed on UK TV with a video filmed especially for the Kenny Everett New Year’s Eve TV show, as the decades changed from the 70s to the 80s.
If you’ve not seen it before, view it here. Certain scenes may seem familiar.
*Today’s lyric quotation lifts a bit from Rebel Rebel and Alabama Song. You do the math.
#BowieRebelRebel #BowieAlabamaSong