David Bowie – Let's Dance

This 10 pounds original sounds 10 times better than any modern audiophile cash grab. Bob Ludwig and Bowie at their best.

I was a huge fan of David Bowie way back then, and with nearly 60 years of age I am a huge fan of his 70's catalogue also today. "Low" (1977) and "Heroes" (1977) always will stick out as two of the most innovative records of its era, heavily influenced by Kraftwerk, Eno, NEU and Edgar Froese /Tangerine Dream, but using those influences very unique. "Scary Monsters" (1980) was kind of a pinnacle of that development, and after that we all were awaiting something else, something fresh in 1983. When "Let's Dance" came round the corner, it appears to be an album as innovative as its title... Man, what a letdown it was, though it was successful commercially, because it had written "mainstream" all over it.

"China Girl" is the best song, the only one I like, and it already appeared on Iggy Pop's "The Idiot" (1977) six years earlier. The re-recording of "Cat People" was totally forgettable, "Criminal World" was a cover, and the remaining five songs did sound like b-sides, and they still do. The production (though I liked Nile Rodgers late 70's Chic albums) was soooo typical for its period, nothing new and exciting either, and I still can't stand the drum sound, which I found significant for this slick and over-produced sell out. "Let's Dance" was a pandering to the tastes of the masses, and we were wondering where all the subtle intelligence and idiosyncrasy of the "Thin White Duke" had gone.

The eighties were David Bowie's worst period, - similar to the output of Bob Dylan and Neil Young - and this album was the first nail in the coffin, though I have to admit that I like his version of "China Girl", which made a great single. But we needed to wait 30 years (!) before David Bowie got back on the track and presented "The Next Day" (2013), his first truly clever and enjoyable album since "Scary Monsters" (1980).

The notes on this page mention a "Lacquer Cut At" credit (on this version). Sorry if this is a dumb question, but where would that be found, if anywhere?

The version I have matches the description here, but I cannot see any reference to lacquer. Thanks

What an album !

Everyone knows the music , Bowie does 80s! and does it properly with Nile Rogers at the helm.

The record sounds absolutely incredible ... picked mine up crate digging in the wild for £8, over the moon with it.

On the rear it says the album was engineered by Bob Clearmountain and mastered by Robert Ludwig - not entirely sure about this UK vinyl , but it sounds special either way.

Seems they are getting harder to come by and the price is creeping up as with all things vinyl now.

Ricochet

In a way, too much has been said of Bowie’s album, Let’s Dance. People opposedly claiming the album ended Bowie’s pristine run of rock albums, breaking the successful Bowie character, it was a bad album, it was a great dance album, it was innovative, it was formulaic; but no doubt it was a commercial success. Even Bowie added to some of the negative comments and it always made me defensive of my own personal stance – that I liked the album so much. So am I not a ‘proper’ Bowie fan?

So, although too much has been said about this album, I’m now going to overload and state: I love the Let’s Dance album. I love it along with the classics, Ziggy and the ‘experimentals’ such as Outside. But Bowie was always experimental, he was always with the times and ahead of the times, if that makes sense. Bowe might have said Let’s Dance was the beginning of his downfall, but perhaps said ‘downfall’ was inevitable anyway. And thank the powers of rock Bowie made a comeback toward the end. [I say this with heavy irony, as I never believed in the ‘downfall’ of Bowie, Outside, a particular favourite of mine is in the nadir of that downfall; and then Next Day, which isn’t one of my favourites, seemed to bring Bowie back. ‘Vindicating’ the true fans? It was certainly a very cunning retrospective – Where Are We Now? In fact this all brings back the issues of why it is not easy reviewing Bowie’s broad-spectrum work, it brings in so many conflicting tastes and diverging opinions. Some opinions can get set as stone as irrefutable.]

Bowie is quoted as saying, “Let's Dance was not mainstream. It was virtually a new kind of hybrid, using blues-rock guitar against a dance format. There wasn't anything else that really quite sounded like that at the time. So it only seems commercial in hindsight because it sold so many. It was great in its way, but it put me in a real corner in that it fucked with my integrity.” (Steve Pond’s 1997 interview). Strange Bowie should say such a thing, surely he was used to public opinion by then? He knew how to deal with fame and not let it interfere with his work? But Let’s Dance was, perhaps the first time he’d touched on the pure pop / dance side of music – is that playing with the devil? So Rock doesn’t have a monopoly on satanism?

Let’s Dance is a great album, perhaps it is because of this “hybrid” aspect Bowie refers to, it’s good rock, but solid funk dance as well. Beyond that, the people (Stevie Ray Vaughan, Nile Rogers) all brought their magic at the right time, along with Bowie’s magical direction. The music videos are a good reference for the music at that time – Let’s Dance begins with a thrown-out radio being filmed backwards, bringing music ‘back’, a kind of post-apocalyptic resignation against throwing out technology and Bowe then crooning effortlessly in the middle of nowhere aboriginal Australia, getting everybody to dance: Bowie is global. Bowie’s blond hair was a bit of a shock, but I suppose part of the perfect pop package. The video is also interspersed with footage of the poverty and gruelling work of the aboriginals, contrasting the dusty outback with the gleaming skyscrapers of the booming eighties, they bare-footedly stamp on a pair of red stilettos.

The China Girl video was directed by the same director, David Mallet, so similarly covers racial issues (about modernism crushing out traditional values), with China Girl the contrast seems more overt, the lyric of “swastika’s in my head” on a Nile Rogers dance track is alarming, insinuating unexpected political undertones (obviously done a thousand times before in music). The video was controversial with its nudity, at the same time it won awards and people loved it. On top of it all Bowie’s voice reigns supremely devastating as an homme fatale.

Six of the eight tracks on the album were on singles. My favourite is possibly Criminal World, possibly because it wasn’t overplayed, but also because the guitar by Stevie Ray Vaughan is excellent. It’s worth pointing out Bowie’s soundtrack music. Like Let’s Dance, Bowie’s soundtrack music can be seen as more populist (sellout?). I’d argue, Bowie always maintained his integrity, not simply producing drivel, but strong music in keeping with the rest of Bowie’s work: This Is Not America, Buddha of Suburbia, Absolute Beginners – there were many, all excellent songs which increased the movie rather than filler fluff.

No doubt, Bowie has specific relevance for certain fans, but what Bowie excelled at as a musician, was not just repeating one tired formula, but bringing opposing ideas together and this is where often Bowie met resistance by confused critics / fans. He could work with Bing Crosby and NIN, and brought together many musical forms whether rock, grunge, jazz, funk, dance, hip-hop, pop; inevitably such playing of the field may ostracise a few. Some Bowie music may take repeated plays to appreciate it, other pieces might be immediately accessible.

But Let’s Dance – exactly as it says on the label.

they have pressed magic with this one. can never get over how good it sounds. absolute gold

Phew...that's a load of SO-17093's. Unfortunately, I could not find a perfect match. The closest came from the Winchester pressing.

Matrix / Runout (Variant 2, A Side Etched): SO-1-17093-Z-4 #1
Matrix / Runout (Variant 2, B Side Etched): SO-1-17093-Z-2 #2 RL

My copy:
Matrix / Runout (A Side Etched): SO-1-17093-Z-4 #1 0
Matrix / Runout (B Side Etched): SO-1-17093-Z-2 #4 RL 0

Another possibility could be from Jacksonville Press Alt. Both sides are stamped MASTER DISK with stamped 0's

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Teddy

The Variation 4 is with barcode and inner sleeve not rounded corners.

Different Matrix / Runout on my copy:
(Side 1) : AML 3029 A-3-1-1
(Side 2) : AML 3029 B-2-1-1