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Rating:
The second piece of the "infamous trilogy" of the '80s, this album with its lavish cover is characterized by scarcity: scarce duration, about half an hour; scarcity of new songs, abundant with covers and self-remakes, a sign of creative stagnation; scarcity (or rather, absence) of musician Bowie, who delegates, even more than in "Let's Dance", the arrangement and sound choices to sound engineers and producers.
It is clear the desire to strike while the iron is hot, to ride the long wave of the global success of "Let's Dance", the subsequent world tour, and the media omnipresence of the former white duke (on cinema screens, pre-MTV videos, and posters hanging in the bedrooms of the cousins of those teenagers from the early '70s who enjoyed Ziggy's epic).
The contractual obligation towards the major EMI results in 1984 in a half fiasco: in contemporary interviews, Bowie claimed to have sought and achieved a fresh sound, where brass harmoniously blended with synthesizers and acoustic instruments, but a quarter of a century later, the album appears out of focus, the tracks are forgettable, and the sound is bloated, pompous, and artificial.
The participation of Tina Turner goes unnoticed, at the time just returned to the limelight, in the hardly credible reggae reinterpretation of "Tonight", already appeared on Iggy Pop's "Lust for Life"; but the dishonorable mention goes to "God Only Knows", a Beach Boys cover stripped of its essence by an emphatic and dramatic approach, with a sugary and irritating sound.
Even the audience of the time noticed this confusion, which after enthusiastically pushing (also fueled by a long video directed by Julian Temple for Blue Jean, the first single) the album into the world top ten, soon lost interest, not at all excited by the release of subsequent extractions.
To be generous, three tracks are worth saving: "Loving the Alien", an anticlerical tirade on a soft sonic carpet partially spoiled by the bombastic drums then in vogue, with a dreamy sampled sigh looped throughout the long song (appropriately cut in the version released on the 45 RPM single); "Blue Jean", an aggressive and concise romantic song, a prototype of what the album could have been with more essential production; "Dancing with the Bog Boys", where Iggy's baritone singing can be recognized in the background vocals (cynics still claim that the choice of tracks was driven more by an attempt to continue helping the friend with royalties than by creative necessity, trying to replicate the glories of China Girl).
The album did not result in a tour but rather a plethora of promotional appearances, even thrilling live performances (a Tina Turner concert and especially Live Aid), and more videos, films, other soundtracks, calendars, social events, gossip...; confirming that Bowie of the '80s is more pop artist and less musician.
Tracklist Lyrics Samples and Videos
05 Neighborhood Threat (03:13)
Down where your paint is cracking
Look down you backstair buddy
Somebody's living there and
He don't really feel the weather
And he don't share your pleasures
No he don't share your pleasures
Look at his eyes
Did you see his crazy eyes
You're so surprised he don't run to catch your ash
Everybody always wants to kiss your trash
Ah you can't help him
Nobody can
Now that he knows
There's nothing to get
Will you still place your bet
On the neighborhood threat
Somewhere a baby's bleeding
Somewhere a mother's needing
Outside a boy is lying
But mostly he is crying
And he just shouts in anger
You'll find him interesting
Look at his eyes
Did you see his crazy eyes
You're so surprised he doesn't build for you
Everybody always wants to run with you
Ah you can't help him
Nobody can
Now that he knows
There's nothing to get
Will you still place your bet
On the neighborhood threat
You're so surprised he don't run to catch your ash
Everybody always wants to kiss your trash
Ah you can't help him
Nobody can
Now that he knows
There's nothing to get
Will you still place your bet
On the neighborhood threat
On the neighborhood threat (a night in your face)
Don't place your bets (a night in your place)
On the neighborhood threat (will you still place your bets)
Don't place your bets (when the neighbor comes)
On the neighborhood threat (neighborhood threat)
Don't place yor bets
On the neigborhood threat
07 Tumble and Twirl (04:59)
I've seen the city
I took the next flight
for Borneo
They say it's pretty
I like the t-shirts
in Borneo
Some wear Bob Marley
Others in Playboy
or Duvalier
Make the last plane come
Let me rise through the cloudy above
with a book on Borneo
Strangers come and go
It's such a waste of time
Problems far behind
Another day
But even in springtime
It's a rich slice of life
So send me a letter
I'll reply with a broken spear
That dusky mulatto
In nylons and tattoos
Hot juice in coke bottles
We dance in the sand
Well, they twirl and they tumble
Yes, they twirl and they tumble
Well, I'll twirl and I'll tumble
I've been to Leon's
He's got nine daughters
And a stereo
They say that Leon
Watches from the tree tops
in Borneo
When the road is mud
Everything stops with a thud
That's the way it goes down yonder in Borneo
Far beneath his mansion
There's an open drain
Sending all the sewage down the hill
But when the general shows movies
No one hesitates
To sneak from the jungle
They laugh and they mumble
Enjoying the show
And that dusky mulatto
Hot juice in coke bottles
In Blue Jeans and tattoos
Well, they twirl and they tumble
Yes, they twirl and they tumble
Well, I'll twirl and I'll tumble
I like the free world
They say it's pretty
This time of year
They tumble and twirl
They tumble and twirl
I'll tumble and twirl
They twirl and they tumble
They twirl and they tumble
I like the free world
I like the free world
They say it's pretty
This time of year
This time of year
Tumble and tumble
I like the free world
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