Aladdin Sane
Studio album by David Bowie
Released	April 13, 1973
Recorded	Trident Studios, London; RCA Studios, New York and Nashville; 6 October 1972 - 24 January 1973
Genre	Rock, Glam rock
Length	40:47
Label	RCA Records Rykodisc Reissue July 13, 1990 Virgin Records Reissue September 28, 1999 Virgin Records 30th Anniversary Edition June 24, 2003
Producer(s)	Ken Scott, David Bowie
Professional reviews
All Music Guide link Robert Christgau (B+) link Rolling Stone link
David Bowie chronology
The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (1972) Aladdin Sane (1973) Pin Ups (1973)

Aladdin Sane (i.e. "A Lad Insane") is a 1973 album by David Bowie. The follow-up to his breakthrough The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, it was the first album Bowie wrote and released as a bona fide pop star. While many critics agree that it contains some of his best material, opinion as to its overall quality has often been divided. NME editors Roy Carr and Charles Shaar Murray called the album "oddly unsatisfying, considerably less than the sum of the parts",^[1] while Bowie encyclopedist Nicholas Pegg has described it as "one of the most urgent, compelling and essential" of his releases.^[2] It was one of six Bowie entries in Rolling Stone's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time (at #277). It is #77 on Pitchfork Media's Top 100 Albums of the 1970s. Cover of the David Bowie album Aladdin Sane. ... A studio album is a collection of previously unreleased, studio-recorded tracks by a recording artist. ... David Bowie (IPA: []) (born David Robert Jones on 8 January 1947) is an English singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, arranger and audio engineer. ... April 13 is the 103rd day of the year (104th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1973 (MCMLXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar) of the 1973 Gregorian calendar. ... Trident Studios is a British recording facility, located at 17 St Annes Court in Londons Soho district. ... London — containing the City of London — is the capital of the United Kingdom and of England and a major world city. With over seven million inhabitants (Londoners) in Greater London area, it is amongst the most densely populated areas in Western Europe. ... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ... Nickname: Location in Davidson County and the state of Tennessee Coordinates: Country United States State Tennessee Counties Davidson County Founded: 1779 Incorporated: 1806 Government  - Mayor Bill Purcell (D) Area  - City  526. ... October 6 is the 279th day of the year (280th in leap years). ... Year 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... January 24 is the 24th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1973 (MCMLXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar) of the 1973 Gregorian calendar. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... For other uses, see Rock music (disambiguation). ... David Bowie as Glam superstar Ziggy Stardust on the cover of his 1973 Album Aladdin Sane Glam rock (also known as glitter rock), is a style of rock and roll music, which initially surfaced in the post-Hippie early 1970s. ... This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony BMG Music Entertainment. ... Rykodisc Records is an American record label, and subsidiary of Warner Music Group. ... July 13 is the 194th day of the year (195th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1990 (MCMXC) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar). ... Virgin Records is a British recording label founded by British entrepreneur Richard Branson, and Nik Powell in 1972. ... September 28 is the 271st day of the year (272nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar). ... Virgin Records is a British recording label founded by British entrepreneur Richard Branson, and Nik Powell in 1972. ... June 24 is the 175th day of the year (176th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 190 days remaining. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... In the music industry, a record producer (or music producer) has many roles, among them controlling the recording sessions, coaching and guiding the musicians, organizing and scheduling production budget and resources, and supervising the recording, mixing and mastering processes. ... Ken Scott (born April 20, 1947 in London) is an influential English record producer and engineer. ... David Bowie (IPA: []) (born David Robert Jones on 8 January 1947) is an English singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, arranger and audio engineer. ... The All Music Guide (AMG) is a metadata database about music owned by All Media Guide. ... Image File history File links 4. ... Robert Christgau (2007) Robert Christgau (sometimes abbreviated in print to Xgau), born April 18, 1942, is an American essayist, music journalist, and the self-declared Dean of American Rock Critics[1] His first reviews were published by Esquire in 1967. ... This article is about the magazine. ... David Bowie (IPA: []) (born David Robert Jones on 8 January 1947) is an English singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, arranger and audio engineer. ... The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, or simply Ziggy Stardust for short, is a 1972 concept album by David Bowie, praised as the definitive album of the 1970s by Melody Maker magazine. ... Pin Ups is a 1973 covers album by David Bowie. ... David Bowie (IPA: []) (born David Robert Jones on 8 January 1947) is an English singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, arranger and audio engineer. ... The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, or simply Ziggy Stardust for short, is a 1972 concept album by David Bowie, praised as the definitive album of the 1970s by Melody Maker magazine. ... Not to be confused with the Canadian music magazine Music Express The New Musical Express (better known as the NME) is a populist music magazine in the United Kingdom which has been published weekly since March 1952. ... Roy Carr is an English music journalist. ... Charles Shaar Murray is an English music journalist. ... Nicholas Pegg is a British actor, director and writer. ... This article is about the magazine. ... Promotional Book Cover The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time was the cover story of a special issue of Rolling Stone magazine published in November 2003. ... A typical example of Pitchforks main page, as of 12-12-06 Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork and occasionally shortened to P4K, pitchy, or pfork,[1] is a United States-based daily Internet publication devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. ...

"Ziggy goes to America"

Although technically a new Bowie 'character', Aladdin Sane was essentially a development of Ziggy Stardust in his appearance and persona, as evidenced on the famous cover by Brian Duffy and in Bowie’s live performances throughout 1973 that culminated in Ziggy’s ‘retirement’ at the Hammersmith Odeon in July of that year. Moreover there was not the thematic flow on this album that was present on its predecessor.^[3] Bowie himself described Aladdin Sane as simply "Ziggy goes to America",^[2] most of the tracks being observations he composed on the road during his 1972 U.S. tour - the reason for the place names following each song title on the original record sleeve. Biographer Christopher Sandford believed the album showed that Bowie "was simultaneously appalled and fixated by America".^[4] The Hammersmith Apollo, located in Hammersmith, London, England, opened in 1932, and was known as Gaumont Palace Hammersmith until 1962. ...

Production and style

The bulk of Aladdin Sane was recorded at Trident Studios in London from December 1972 to January 1973, between legs of Bowie's U.S. Ziggy Stardust tour. A desire to rush release the record was blamed for mixes on the Rolling Stones influenced "Watch That Man" and "Cracked Actor" that buried vocals and harmonica, respectively.^[1][5] Bowie and producer Ken Scott have since refuted this suggestion regarding "Watch That Man", claiming that a remix they produced which brought the vocals forward was considered by Mainman management and RCA Records to be inferior to the original that was eventually released.^[5][6] Trident Studios is a British recording facility, located at 17 St Annes Court in Londons Soho district. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... “Rolling Stones” redirects here. ... Ken Scott (born April 20, 1947 in London) is an influential English record producer and engineer. ... RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony BMG Music Entertainment. ...

Aladdin Sane featured a tougher rock sound than its predecessor,^[5] particularly on tracks like "Panic in Detroit" (built around a Bo Diddley beat) and Bowie’s breakneck version of the Stones' "Let's Spend the Night Together".^[1] The album was also notable for its exploration of unusual styles such as avant-garde jazz in the title track and Brechtian cabaret in "Time", the latter being famous for the line "Time ... falls wanking to the floor". Both numbers were dominated by Mike Garson’s acclaimed piano work,^[5] which also featured heavily in the James Bond flavoured ballad "Lady Grinning Soul", inspired by singer Claudia Linnear.^[1] Panic in Detroit is a song written by David Bowie for the album Aladdin Sane in 1973. ... Bo Diddleys emphasis on rhythm largely influenced popular music, especially that of rock and roll in the 1960s. ... Lets Spend the Night Together was a 1967 song by the Rolling Stones. ... Avant-jazz (also known as avant-garde jazz) is a style of music and improvisation that combines elements of avant-garde art music composition with elements of traditional jazz. ... Aladdin Sane (1913-1938-197?) is the title track from the album Aladdin Sane, by David Bowie. ... Bertolt Brecht Brecht redirects here. ... Time is a song written by David Bowie in New Orleans in November 1972 during the American Tour for the album Aladdin Sane (1973). ... Mike Garson is a professional pianist, most notable for his work with Nine Inch Nails, David Bowie, Billy Corgan and The Smashing Pumpkins. ... Flemings image of James Bond; commissioned to aid the Daily Express comic strip artists. ...

Singles

Two hit singles that would be included on the album preceded its release, "The Jean Genie" and "Drive-In Saturday". The former (recorded at RCA's New York studios during the first leg of Bowie's American tour in late 1972) was a heavy R&B chug with lyrics loosely based on Iggy Pop,^[7] the latter a futuristic doo wop number describing a time when the population has to relearn sex by watching old porn movies.^[1] "Time" was later issued as a single in the U.S. and Japan, and "Let's Spend the Night Together" in the U.S. and Europe. In 1974, Lulu released a version of "Watch That Man" as the B-side to her single "The Man Who Sold the World", produced by Bowie and Mick Ronson. The Jean Genie was a single by David Bowie. ... Drive-In Saturday was a single by David Bowie. ... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ... Rhythm and blues (also known as R&B or RnB) is a popular music genre combining jazz, gospel, and blues influences — first performed by African American artists. ... James Newell Osterberg, Jr. ... For the Lauryn Hill single, see Doo Wop (That Thing). ... PORN can refer to: An abbreviation for pornography Progressive outer retinal necrosis, a disease of the retina Categories: | ... Marie McDonald McLaughlin Lawrie, OBE, (born 3 November 1948 in Lennoxtown, Stirlingshire), best known by her stage name Lulu, is a Scottish singer, songwriter, actor, model, and television personality who has been successful in the entertainment business from the 1960s through the 2000s. ... The Man Who Sold the World is a song by David Bowie. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Release and aftermath

With a purported 100,000 copies ordered in advance,^[5] Aladdin Sane debuted at the top of the UK charts and reached #17 in America, making it Bowie's most successful album commercially in both countries to that date. Critical reaction was generally laudatory, if more enthusiastic in the U.S. than in the UK.^[2] Rolling Stone remarked on "Bowie's provocative melodies, audacious lyrics, masterful arrangements (with Mick Ronson) and production (with Ken Scott)",^[8] while Billboard called it a combination of "raw energy with explosive rock". In the British music press, however, letters columns accused Bowie of 'selling out' and Let it Rock magazine found the album to be more style than substance, considering that he had "nothing to say and everything to say it with".^[2] This article is about the magazine. ... Billboard can refer to: Billboard magazine Billboard (advertising) Billboard antenna In 3D computer graphics, to billboard is to rotate an object so that it faces the viewer. ...

Bowie performed all the tracks, except "Lady Grinning Soul", on his 1972-73 tours and many of them on the 1974 Diamond Dogs tour. Live versions of all but "The Prettiest Star" and "Lady Grinning Soul" have been released on various discs including Ziggy Stardust - The Motion Picture, David Live and Aladdin Sane - 30th Anniversary. "The Jean Genie" is the only song on the album that Bowie has played in concert throughout his career. However "Panic in Detroit" has also appeared regularly in recent years, a remake of which was cut in 1979 but not released until added as a bonus track to the Rykodisc CD of Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps). Diamond Dogs is a concept album by David Bowie, originally released by RCA in 1974. ... Ziggy Stardust - The Motion Picture is a live album by David Bowie, corresponding to the film of the same name. ... David Live is David Bowie’s first official live album, originally released by RCA in 1974. ... Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps) is an album by David Bowie. ...

Track listing

All songs written by David Bowie except where noted. David Bowie (IPA: []) (born David Robert Jones on 8 January 1947) is an English singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, arranger and audio engineer. ...

1. "Watch That Man" New York – 4:25
2. "Aladdin Sane (1913-1938-197?)" RHMS Ellinis – 5:06
3. "Drive-In Saturday" Seattle–Phoenix – 4:29
4. "Panic in Detroit" Detroit – 4:25
5. "Cracked Actor" Los Angeles – 2:56
6. "Time" New Orleans – 5:09
7. "The Prettiest Star" Gloucester Road – 3:26
8. "Let's Spend the Night Together" (Mick Jagger, Keith Richards) – 3:03
9. "The Jean Genie" Detroit and New York – 4:02
10. "Lady Grinning Soul" London – 3:46

Watch That Man is a song written by David Bowie for the album Aladdin Sane in 1973. ... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ... Aladdin Sane (1913-1938-197?) is the title track from the album Aladdin Sane, by David Bowie. ... Drive-In Saturday was a single by David Bowie. ... Nickname: Location of Seattle in King County and Washington Coordinates: Country United States State Washington County King County Incorporated December 2 1869 Government  - Type Mayor-council  - Mayor Greg Nickels (NP) Area  - City  142. ... Nickname: Location in Maricopa County and the state of Arizona Coordinates: , Country United States State Arizona Counties Maricopa Incorporated February 25, 1881 Government  - Type Council-Manager  - Mayor Phil Gordon (D) Area  - City  515. ... Panic in Detroit is a song written by David Bowie for the album Aladdin Sane in 1973. ... Nickname: Motto: Speramus Meliora; Resurget Cineribus (Latin for, We Hope For Better Things; It Shall Rise From the Ashes) Location in Wayne County, Michigan Coordinates: Country United States State Michigan County Wayne County Settled 1701 Incorporation 1806 Government  - Type Strong Mayor-Council  - Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick Area  - City  143. ... Cracked Actor is a song written by David Bowie for the album Aladdin Sane in 1973. ... Nickname: Location within Los Angeles County in the state of California Coordinates: , State California County Los Angeles County Settled 1781 Incorporated April 4, 1850 Government  - Type Mayor-Council  - Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa  - City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo  - Governing body City Council Area  - City  498. ... Time is a song written by David Bowie in New Orleans in November 1972 during the American Tour for the album Aladdin Sane (1973). ... Nickname: Location in the State of Louisiana and the United States Coordinates: , Country United States State Louisiana Parish Orleans Founded 1718 Government  - Mayor Ray Nagin (D) Area  - City  350. ... The Prettiest Star is a song by David Bowie, originally released as a single in 1970. ... Gloucester Road (B325) [pronounced GLOSS-ster] is a street in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea of London. ... Lets Spend the Night Together was a 1967 song by the Rolling Stones. ... Sir Michael Phillip Mick Jagger CBE (born July 26, 1943) is an English rock musician, actor, songwriter, record and film producer and businessman. ... Keith Richards (born 18 December 1943) is an English guitarist, songwriter, singer and a founding member of The Rolling Stones in 1962. ... The Jean Genie (or simply Jean Genie) is a song by David Bowie inspired by the lives of Jean Genet and Iggy Pop. ... Lady Grinning Soul is a song written by David Bowie for the album Aladdin Sane in 1973. ... London — containing the City of London — is the capital of the United Kingdom and of England and a major world city. With over seven million inhabitants (Londoners) in Greater London area, it is amongst the most densely populated areas in Western Europe. ...

Rereleases

The album has been remastered for CD three times to date, the first in 1990 by Rykodisc/EMI, the second in 1999 by Virgin Records featuring 96 kHz/24bit sound, and the third by Virgin in 2003 being a 30th Anniversary Edition with two CDs and extensive liner notes; the first CD contained the original album, while the second contained ten additional tracks. A Compact Disc or CD is an optical disc used to store digital data, originally developed for storing digital audio. ... Rykodisc Records is an American record label, and subsidiary of Warner Music Group. ... The EMI Group (LSE: EMI) is a British music company comprising of the major record company EMI Music which operates several labels, based in Brook Green in London, England, and EMI Music Publishing, based on Charing Cross Road, London. ... Virgin Records is a British recording label founded by British entrepreneur Richard Branson, and Nik Powell in 1972. ...

2003 rerelease bonus disc

1. "John, I'm Only Dancing (Sax version)" – 2:45
2. "The Jean Genie (Original single mix)" – 4:07
3. "Time (Single edit)" – 3:43
4. "All the Young Dudes" (monaural) – 4:12
5. "Changes" Live at Boston Music Hall, October 1, 1972 – 3:20
6. "The Supermen" Live at Boston Music Hall, October 1, 1972 – 2:42
7. "Life on Mars?" Live at Boston Music Hall, October 1, 1972 – 3:25
8. "John, I'm Only Dancing" Live at Boston Music Hall, October 1, 1972 – 2:40
9. "The Jean Genie" Live at Santa Monica Civic Auditorium October 20, 1972 – 4:10
10. "Drive-In Saturday" Live at Cleveland Public Auditorium, November 25, 1972 – 4:53

John, I’m Only Dancing was a single by David Bowie. ... All the Young Dudes is a song written by David Bowie, originally recorded and released as a single by Mott the Hoople in 1972. ... Monaural (often shortened to mono) sound reproduction is single-channel. ... Changes was a single by David Bowie, taken from the album Hunky Dory. ... Citi Performing Arts Center, formerly the Wang Center for the Performing Arts, is located in Boston, Massachusetts. ... is the 274th day of the year (275th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Supermen is a song written by David Bowie in 1971 for the album The Man Who Sold the World. ... is the 274th day of the year (275th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see Life on Mars (disambiguation). ... is the 274th day of the year (275th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 274th day of the year (275th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see Santa Monica (disambiguation). ... Santa Monica Civic Auditorium is a multipurpose convention center in Santa Monica, California. ... October 20 is the 293rd day of the year (294th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article needs additional references or sources to facilitate its verification. ... Public Auditorium (sometimes called Public Hall) is located in the central business district of downtown Cleveland, Ohio. ... is the 329th day of the year (330th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Personnel

• David Bowie – guitar, harmonica, keyboards, saxophone, vocals
• Mick Ronson – guitar, piano, vocals
• Trevor Bolder – bass
• Mick "Woody" Woodmansey – drums

David Bowie (IPA: []) (born David Robert Jones on 8 January 1947) is an English singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, arranger and audio engineer. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Piano, a well-known instance of keyboard instruments A keyboard instrument is any musical instrument played using a musical keyboard. ... The saxophone (colloquially referred to as sax) is a conical-bored instrument of the woodwind family, usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece like the clarinet. ... A singer is a musician who uses his or her voice to produce music. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... A short grand piano, with the top up. ... Trevor Bolder (born June 9, 1950) is an English rock bass guitarist. ... The electric bass guitar (or electric bass) is a string instrument played with the fingers by plucking, slapping, or using a pick. ... Mick Woody Woodmansey is an English rock drummer, best known for his work with David Bowie and the Spiders from Mars. He played on Bowies albums The Man Who Sold the World (1971), Hunky Dory (1971), The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (1972... Bass drum made from wood, rope, and cowskin A drum is a musical instrument in the percussion group that can be large, technically classified as a membranophone. ...

Additional personnel

• Mike Garson – piano
• Ken Fordham – saxophone
• Brian "Bux" Wilshaw – saxophone, flute
• Linda Lewis – backing vocals
• Juanita "Honey" Franklin – backing vocals
• G.A. MacCormack – backing vocals

Mike Garson is a professional pianist, most notable for his work with Nine Inch Nails, David Bowie, Billy Corgan and The Smashing Pumpkins. ... The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. ... Linda Lewis (born Linda Ann Lewis, 27 September 1950, West Ham, London) is an English vocalist, a songwriter and guitar player, renowned for her vocals. ... A backing vocalist or backing singer (or, especially in the U.S., backup singer or sometimes background singer) is a singer who sings in harmony with the lead vocalist, other backing vocalists, or alone but not singing the lead. ... Warren Peace (i. ...

Charts

Album

Single It has been suggested that Billboard be merged into this article or section. ...

Certifications

August 3 is the 215th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (216th in leap years), with 150 days remaining. ... Year 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar). ...

Trivia

Canadian rock group The Guess Who launched an ad campaign in the summer of 1973 to promote their album #10 and the single released from it, "Glamour Boy", a broadside against glam rockers like David Bowie. As part of its promotion, manager Don Hunter posed for an ad done up á la Bowie circa Aladdin Sane, with the legend "Not just another pretty body." After initially circulating it in the musical trades, RCA, label to both Bowie and The Guess Who and fearing lawsuits, had the ad pulled.^[9] The Guess Who is a Canadian rock band from Winnipeg, Manitoba, that was one of the first to establish a major successful following in their own country while still residing there. ...

Notes

Roy Carr is an English music journalist. ... Charles Shaar Murray is an English music journalist. ... Nicholas Pegg is a British actor, director and writer. ... Kris Needs is a British journalist and author, primarily known for his writings on the music scene from the 1970s onwards. ... David Bowie (IPA: []) (born David Robert Jones on 8 January 1947) is an English singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, arranger and audio engineer. ... is the 200th day of the year (201st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1973 (MCMLXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar) of the 1973 Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Aladdin Sane at The Ziggy Stardust Companion