Pure Punk Picks
John, I’m Only Dancing – David Bowie
I remember ordering this single by mail in the seventies, not because of hearing it being played on the radio. As it wasn’t even released as a single here. But because I had bought my first Bowie album “Aladdin Sane” around then, and was duly impressed.
It was a hit song in England but here in America I guess the subject matter was deemed too controversial.
When I first played the song I had no misgivings about buying it.
Some energetically, strummed acoustic guitar is met with some thunderous beats along with some outrageous lyrics!
“Well, Annie’s pretty neat, she always eats her meat. And Joe is awful strong, bet your life he’s puttin’ us on. Oh, Lordy. Oh, Lordy! You know I need some lovin’. I’m movin’, touch me!”
The chorus switches to a swing beat with a walking jazz bass line that undulates with some strong, tribal drum beats and cool harmonic guitar leads. The latter, thanks to the great and underrated guitarist Mick Ronson.
David Bowie was not a punk.
But his two favorite American musicians that he wanted to promote and ultimately, produced were Lou Reed and Iggy Pop. And you can’t get any more proto-punk than those two palookas! (Sorry- old word!).
Bowie not only saved Iggy’s career but he saved Iggy’s life more than once! And he produced Reed’s probably best-selling album that contains two of his best known songs- “Walk On The Wild Side” and “Perfect Day.”
Even though Glam/Glitter rock in the early seventies didn’t do that well over here- it was all the rage in England. All the early British punk musicians were glam/glitter fans before punk started, and even some American punks like The Ramones.
So when British punk started, all those bands had great disdain for all the old rock bands, the “rock dinosaurs.” They hated every one of them except Iggy & The Stooges who were rightfully loved in both countries by punks.
But the one person who was respected and revered in England from the older bands was David Bowie.
I feel it had to do with the fact that Bowie then, and really always, never really fit in with mainstream rock or pop. He was always an outcast like the punks and he was really, as innovative and uncompromising, as well.
I feel like The Beatles were to music in the sixties, Bowie was like that in the seventies. Like them he was very much pop and popular, but also full of integrity and avant-garde at the same time.
I don’t feel any other artist, in either decade, had that combination of being very popular and very innovative as The Beatles and Bowie.
I do like Bowie much more, though.
And as I’ve written before Bowie had a huge, positive effect on society.
He made it more acceptable to be gay, to be bisexual and more importantly, to be weird or odd or different. Another reason why the punks could not help but to admire him.
The lyrics of this song describe a gay male trying to placate his partner, that even though he’s dancing with a female who “turns him on” he’s merely dancing.
But this song is from a time when Elton John was marrying his female publicist in order to hide his gayness from the public. When Bowie, who was married to a female, but who claimed to be bisexual, was thought as shocking.
By Bowie being so honest about himself, being so against the grain of society. Well, perhaps I’m wrong but I believe that Bowie was “The punk of the rock mainstream of his time”. But if you agree, you’ll have absolutely no argument from me.
The coda of this song has a needy voice saying, “Won’t someone touch me?” And here we hear a male vocalist being more emotionally open than possibly any male singer before. “Touch me!”- Bowie pleads and that sensation sounds like a song from the great, early sixties girls groups to me.
But part of the genius of Bowie was by expressing that he wasn’t totally straight- he could sing in different voices that most, straight male singers were forbidden, by society’s constraints, to do so.
And what became of John? Is he still standing forlorn on the outskirts of a dance floor?
No idea, really.
But I do wonder if Bowie just might still be dancing somewhere? I only know that I’m still jotting down my words and thoughts as always.
You could say that this is just another catchy, pop song and never be called out for that.
But for me, this is a song that had a bright, brilliant energy that mixed many potent musical parts along with lyrics that encouraged folks to be who they were or felt they could be.
Encouraging exploration musically, sexually and in lifestyle as well.
And is that John I still see in the shadows near the corner of the room?
I only ask cause I really want to, musically that is, cut in for one last dance.
(Slimedog)
