LIFE ON MARS? versus SOUND AND VISION


I urge people to sit down, take a few deep breaths and think long & hard before making their decisions.

Thanks in advance for voting

Life on Mars?

"Oh, baby, cleave thy flesh unto mine. Oh yeah, cleave for me, baby."

Sound and Vision

But if you're gonna dine with them cannibals, sooner or later, darling, you're gonna get eaten

Is that it?

You start a thread in the Coffee Shop whinging about how dull & tedious TW has gotten and then you come to the NVQ & vote for your prefered song without an explanation of any kind!

So how do you suppose a lacklustre post like yours in this the Final of the Bowie Hits contest is gonna brighten things up around here?

Is that it?

You contribute to FastChanges' miserable thread in the Coffee Shop with your own version of how dull & tedious TW has gotten and then you come to the NVQ & vote for your prefered song without an explanation of any kind!

So how do you suppose a lacklustre post like yours in this the Final of the Bowie Hits contest is gonna brighten things up around here?

Have you read my dream interpretation thread? I need to know what you think.

"Oh, baby, cleave thy flesh unto mine. Oh yeah, cleave for me, baby."

The one with me as a prawn you mean?

Yes, I don't quite know what to make of that, 'though one things certain -- You're headed for a smack in the teeth.

LIFE ON MARS?

It has become over the years Bowie's theme song much in the way "My Way" was Sinatras, as Bowie himself has said


London Bye Ta-Ta...

You'll never catch me, twat!

"Oh, baby, cleave thy flesh unto mine. Oh yeah, cleave for me, baby."

Okay okay!!! But it's a feeling thing. I can't explain why I like it. It must have something to do with the lyrics... I think that druggy thing fascinates me more than the lyrics on Life on Mars? But I don't know! If I prefer some album over another, I can always say, which songs I like on each album, and the other one having more songs I like, makes that album better. But this is too difficult.

But if you're gonna dine with them cannibals, sooner or later, darling, you're gonna get eaten

Life On Mars?
It's just, bettar!
It would've been a much harder choice if it were Ashes to Ashes vs. Life On Mars.

I wish I'd described every decision I've made so far. It would've been a great thing to avoid reading.

I don't like the way these competitions work. Anything that came up against Life on Mars? and Ashes to Ashes had no chance at all... Let's Dance could've ended up 'third' or 'fourth' if it were against something other than Life on Mars? in the first round...
Well, it wouldn't've, but meh.

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But this is too difficult.

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This was the easiest choice I have made so far with these recordings, If you find it that difficult Kati? try splitting the lyrics from both songs and then see what you find the most interesting, I'll wager "Life On Mars?" wins




London Bye Ta-Ta...

Two Bowie songs, both brilliant songs.

What is amazing, is how, in the space of six years, the style of writing, arranging and even singing is totally different. If you were to play these two songs to someone who has never heard them, or Bowie, they would not believe they were by the same artist.

Life on Mars, a beautiful ballad, with an amazing score and a fantastic guitar solo, and Bowie voice sounding life nothing on earth. It may have been inspired by the same original song as My way, but where as My way comes accross Schmaltzy, this sounds triumphant.

Sound and vision, in the mainstream, like nothing that had been heard before. Less a song, more an instrumental with lyrics. Starting with Dennis Davis' drums crashing in and then settling into this hypnotic, repetitive groove. Midway through there is the most beautiful synth line I have ever heard in my life, followed by Mary Visconti's gorgeous Doo doo doo's. Then like an afterthought, Bowie appears, almost growling the first line. Then almost before it begins it is all over. Short but very very sweet.

It is almost an impossible choice, both are up there at the top of the tree, but I will go with Sound and vision, purely because it was so groundbreaking.

Sound and vision.

Two final worthy tracks. "Sound & Vision" is certainly one of the most timeless things Bowie has ever recorded. Possibly the most thrilling version of rocking funky electro dance wave on record ever.

And still my vote goes to Life On Mars? for it's sheer beauty, it's unbelievable vocals, it's invincible tune and unforgettable pathos which leave you breathless even after you have given this work of genius a hundred thousand runs. Possibly the best pop song ever written.

And I want to believe
In the madness that calls 'now'

Thank you for that, LadyGravedigger, and thanks also to Dogz who has even made the effort - Makes proceedings much more interesting when folk supply explanations (whether large or small, it matters not) with their votes.

Seems the French spastic is still struggling with that concept.

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Seems the French spastic is still struggling with that concept.

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So you insult the French spastic but not me!
I'm insulted through lack of insult!

...I really can't place what's better about Life on Mars?
Can I just say it's beautiful? And, while Sound and Vision is also amazing, I wouldn't request it in a concert (not that that makes a huge impact on the quality), and it's just not quite so amazing?

I'm a snob, so I voted for the sophisticated song.

"Oh, baby, cleave thy flesh unto mine. Oh yeah, cleave for me, baby."

LIFE ON MARS?

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Claude

I suggest you use fewer question marks syndrome, or people will think you're an alter.

"Oh, baby, cleave thy flesh unto mine. Oh yeah, cleave for me, baby."

I would love to vote for sound and vision. If for no other reason, then just because life on mars is giving it a real trashing on this thread, but if i'll awnser honestly, then i'll have to awnser LIFE ON MARS

I guess I'll follow the crowd and go with Life on Mars? . It's got great lyrics, vocals and the arrangement is great.

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I suggest you use fewer question marks syndrome, or people will think you're an alter.

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Are you sure

OK, not too few.

"Oh, baby, cleave thy flesh unto mine. Oh yeah, cleave for me, baby."

Life On Mars.

My first Bowie single. How nice to see it's going to win.

/Carsten

A tough choice for me - no way to lose on this one. My vote is Sound and Vision. I liked everything Pablo had to say about it plus I think it captures the sense of despair and alienation that the post L.A. Bowie was apparently experiencing.
my two francs

Life on Mars?

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I'm an instant star. Just add water and stir.

Sound and Vision
I choose it because it is a song where I have been in those shoes. Trying to come back from the bottom and searching for sparks.

ice

Life On Mars?

Leave It.

SOUND AND VISION

If only because I can't stand Life On Mars? that much

I'm stunned these two are in the final.

Sound And Vision has such a sense of juxtapositon that its dark sentiments usurp its cheeky poppy beat.

Life on Mars? I like the lyrics for being so full of images, I like the vocals, I like the music.
Sound and Vision. The lyrics are so simple and still they let you understand so much more, I like the vocals (when I first heard the song I thought there were two people singing a duet) I love the drums and the synthesizer. Every time the song ends I need to listen to it a second time, which is not the case with Life on Mars?

So I vote for Sound and Vision and I don't care if it doesn't win. It will still be my favourite.

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Starting with Dennis Davis' drums crashing in

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I have the impression David once said that for Sound and Vision they used one of the first 'drum machines'. I'll try to find the exact quote if I still have it. So it can't be Dennis Davis. Correct me if i am wrong.

Sound and Vision. 'Cause it's better.

"C'mon, let's rock 'n' roll! But let's rock 'n' roll responsibly..."

Life on Mars?

"Oh, baby, cleave thy flesh unto mine. Oh yeah, cleave for me, baby."

Damn, this is really REALLY hard. AND we Melbournites were luck enough to get them both in the same gig last year too.

The dramatic lyric and vocal of Life On Mars? VS the bleak desperation of Sound and Vision....

Um....... Today my vote is SOUND AND VISION.

Get Bowie Back Downunder!
GBBD 2005 !!!!

I vote for Sound And Vision because I like it better than Life On Mars....and...um...I have more associated happy memories (Steve, you Low-loving stud) and....hmmm....Life On Mars is rather straightforward piano-ballad riff on My Way whereas Sound And Vision could really be from another planet. Maybe not Mars, but perhaps Uranus. The percussion is just amazing, especially the cymbals. And the strings are to die for. Plus Bowie's deep sexy voice. Also, I've never heard it live, which makes it almost mystical. I always think that when you hear a song live, it kinda cheapens it.

I like dogs. You always know what a dog is thinking. It has four moods. Happy, sad, cross and concentrating. Also, dogs are faithful and they do not tell lies because they cannot talk.

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Also, I've never heard it live, which makes it almost mystical. I always think that when you hear a song live, it kinda cheapens it.

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I know what you mean with this particular song, I don't agree with you on all live songs sounding kinda cheap, on the other hand I've heard and have got on CD and DVD Bowie singing "Sound and Vision" live ( Tokyo 1990 Boot ) It's not that type of song that works live. It's a very good song but not in the same room as "Life On Mars?".



London Bye Ta-Ta...

Life On Mars

Sound and Vision

All virgins are liars, honey

Sound & Vision
- because it has more emotional resonance, for me anyway.

all of us are in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars

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Plus Bowie's deep sexy voice. Also, I've never heard it live, which makes it almost mystical. I always think that when you hear a song live, it kinda cheapens it.

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I hear you. For almost a decade I never listened to any Bowie live stuff, couldn't stand bootlegs, couldn't get the excitment out of any single gig. The 50th Birthday Bash was a major exception - everytime I watched it I was on the edge of my seat feeling like I was in the front row (and still feel that way about it). But I only enjoyed album stuff, boots aren't the same if you weren't there.

Of course, things changed after Reality hit Melbourne last year. I rediscovered how good a live gig can be. Especially when you've got Bowie off his dial pretending stuffed marsupials are the Flaming Lips in the Twilight Zone and then he throws 4 in a row from Low for you when you're least expecting it.

Get Bowie Back Downunder!
GBBD 2005 !!!!

Life On Mars. Regarding the 'cheapening' of the song, I heard LOM at Brimingham on 20.11.03 - it's the longest applause and most emotional response from an audience to a single song at any DB concert I've ever heard. He was almost speechless for at least a minute. Seeing (and hearing) how much this song means to so many, it has to be the choice. Try to get hold of the boot if you can - a great show which was a genuine privilege to be part of.

I'll go with Life on Mars?

It was like trying to pick which one of your children is your favourite. I prefer the Low album over Hunky dory, but as stand alone songs, Mars gets my vote.

bye tr

trendy's trainpage is at http://www.geocities.com/trendy_rechauffe

"No peachy prayers, no trendy rechauffé
I'm with you so I can't go on"

Life on Mars... second only to Ashes to Ashes in this game

...and that's the truth!

"Life On Mars?" all the way. It took me a while to realise just how much I dug Hunky Dory, as for the longest time I couldn't escape the feeling that "Life On Mars?" - with all of its passion, imagination and grandeur - simply towered twenty feet tall over the rest of the material.

Making "Oh! You Pretty Things" feel disposable? If that isn't the ultimate testament, I'm sure I don't know what is.

I could be a genius if I just put my mind to it.

So is this an open ended contest?

Two very worthy finalists. So unctuously worthy that I needed a lot of thinking time, and some repeated listening time on my new MP3 player.

My natural Bowie preferences are for 75-80 over 69-74. But Life On Mars is an absolute gobsmacker of a showstopper, a song that not only transcends its origins as a Frank Sinatra revenge song, but just about everything else in its orbit. Lyrically, it's a masterpiece, all the more remarkable since it's not "about" very much at all. But by Buddha does it evoke.

Sound And Vision is also about not a lot (only the truly great artists like Bowie or Beckett can make great art about having "nothing to do, nothing to say"), but by contrast with Life On Mars' hyperbolic explosion of iconic imagery, it's a muted (pale blinded) affair. The melody is a lot less conventional than Life On Mars, but in its own way as affecting. Particularly since unlike Life On Mars the song seems to express where Bowie was at personally at the time.

So I went backwards and forwards on this, but in the end, Sound And Vision is probably my favourite song on what is definitely my favourite album, so it gets my vote.

Slan libh,

Dara

"Ireland is a great country to go to if you think you're drinking too much. Because it turns out you're not even close"

Great words for great songs, Dara.

ice

Sound And Vision I never really understood the fixation with Life On Mars?, indeed it took me a long time to fully appreciate it, but it still doesn't have the same effect Sound And Vision has on me, which just seems much more immediate, and perfectly timeless. It's one of those songs that can lift your mood, and frankly, I've been needing alot of that lately. So Sound And Vision it is.

Life On Mars? Had me the first time I listened to it. It was then I knew that Bowie was something truly extraordinary.

Your mother was a hamster, and your father smelt of elderberries!!

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It was like trying to pick which one of your children is your favourite.

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Yes, is it the one you hit the most or the least?

I vote for Ashes To Ashes because it's better than either of the other choices available.

Out!

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Yes, is it the one you hit the most or the least?

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In Claude's case, it's definitely the one you hit on the most.

""Looking for love, not sex" -- the tagline of many a troll who doesn't believe they are worthy or capable of sex in its own right, but god, the thought of carrying that sort of middling self-esteem all the way to 36 is disturbing."

Life On Mars? for me!

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What the hell is this?

LIFE ON MARS? for me.
It's my almost-favourite Bowie non-instrumental...so I think that it can't be omitted.