The Best of David Bowie 1980 / 1987 by David Bowie - DeepRiffs

COMPILATION

The '80s were a curious time for David Bowie. Never had he sold more records, had bigger hits, his influence was everywhere, and yet, the music he made often fell a little flat, especially after his commercial high-water mark of 1983's Let's Dance. The 2007 compilation Best of David Bowie 1980/1987 deals with that drop-off in quality in an admirable fashion, perhaps the only appropriate fashion: it ignores it. There are two tracks from 1984's Tonight, and two from its 1987 sequel Never Let Me Down, while there are four apiece from Let's Dance and Scary Monsters -- a skewed ratio that is nevertheless an accurate barometer of the worth of the albums. It also makes for a better listen as a compilation, since the hit singles from these records are surrounded by non-LP cuts and soundtrack contributions like "This Is Not America" and "Absolute Beginners," a move that's not only helpful as a clearinghouse of relative oddities, but also helps make this Best of David Bowie 1980/1987 a truly representative collection of the best music of some patchy years, which is a more worthwhile endeavor than having this be truly representative of the decade as a whole. For some Bowie fans, this may be all they need from that decade (although they'd be well-advised not to ignore the truly masterful Scary Monsters, and use that as a supplement to this excellent disc).
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo

1. Let's Dance

Guitar: Nile Rodgers; Performer
Lead Guitar: Stevie Ray Vaughan; Performer
Lead Vocals: David Bowie; Performer
Percussion: Sammy Figueroa; Performer
Composer: David Bowie; Composer
Mixing: David Bowie
Nile Rodgers
Bob Clearmountain; Production
Produced By: David Bowie
Nile Rodgers; Other
Horn Arrangement: Nile Rodgers
David Bowie; Composer
Primary Artist: David Bowie; Main Performer
Background Vocals: David Spinner
Frank Simms
George Simms; Performer
Baritone: Steve Elson; Performer
Drums: Omar Hakim
Tony Thompson; Performer
Flute: Steve Elson
Stan Harrison
Robert Arron; Performer
Keyboard: Rob Sabino; Performer
Engineer: Bob Clearmountain
Dave Greenberg; Production
Tenor: Stan Harrison
Robert Arron; Performer
Trumpet: Mac Gollehon; Performer
Assistant Engineer: Dave Greenberg; Production
Mixing Assistant: Nile Rodgers
David Bowie; Production
Producer: David Bowie
Nile Rodgers; Production

2. Ashes to Ashes

Featured Artist: David Bowie; Main Performer
Primary Artist: David Bowie; Main Performer
Background Vocals: Chris Porter
David Bowie
Tony Visconti
Roy Bittan
Lynn Maitland; Performer
Guitar: Carlos Alomar
Chuck Hammer; Performer
Keyboard: David Bowie; Performer
Piano: Tony Visconti; Performer
Synthesizer: Andy Clark; Performer
Vocals: David Bowie; Performer
Composer: David Bowie; Composer
Assistant: Larry Alexander
Jeff Hendrickson; Production
Mixing: Tony Visconti; Production
Producer: David Bowie
Tony Visconti; Production
Recording: David Bowie
Tony Visconti; Production
Recording Assistant: Jeff Hendrickson
Larry Alexander; Production
Produced By: David Bowie
Tony Visconti; Other

3. Under Pressure

by Queen, David Bowie

Primary Artist: Queen
David Bowie; Main Performer
Lead Vocals: Queen
David Bowie; Performer
Composer: John Deacon
Brian May
Freddie Mercury
David Bowie
Roger Taylor; Composer
Producer: David Bowie; Production

4. Fashion

Featured Artist: David Bowie; Main Performer
Primary Artist: David Bowie; Main Performer
Assistant: Larry Alexander
Jeff Hendrickson; Production
Background Vocals: Chris Porter
David Bowie
Tony Visconti
Lynn Maitland; Performer
Guitar: Robert Fripp
Carlos Alomar; Performer
Percussion: Dennis Davis; Performer
Composer: David Bowie; Composer
Mixing: Tony Visconti; Production
Produced By: David Bowie
Tony Visconti; Other
Bass Guitar: George Murray; Performer
Keyboard: David Bowie; Performer
Recording: David Bowie
Tony Visconti; Production
Recording Assistant: Jeff Hendrickson
Larry Alexander; Production
Synthesizer: Andy Clark; Performer
Vocals: David Bowie; Performer
Mixing Engineer: Tony Visconti; Production
Producer: David Bowie
Tony Visconti; Production

5. Modern Love

Composer: David Bowie; Composer
Mixing: David Bowie
Nile Rodgers
Bob Clearmountain; Production
Produced By: David Bowie
Nile Rodgers; Other
Background Vocals: David Spinner
Frank Simms
George Simms; Performer
Baritone: Steve Elson; Performer
Bass: Carmine Rojas; Performer
Drums: Omar Hakim
Tony Thompson; Performer
Primary Artist: David Bowie; Main Performer
Engineer: Bob Clearmountain
Dave Greenberg; Production
Flute: Steve Elson
Stan Harrison
Robert Arron; Performer
Guitar: Nile Rodgers; Performer
Keyboard: Rob Sabino; Performer
Lead Guitar: Stevie Ray Vaughan; Performer
Lead Vocals: David Bowie; Performer
Percussion: Sammy Figueroa; Performer
Tenor: Stan Harrison
Robert Arron; Performer
Trumpet: Mac Gollehon; Performer
Vocals: David Bowie; Performer
Horn Arrangement: Nile Rodgers
David Bowie; Composer
Assistant Engineer: Dave Greenberg; Production
Mixing Assistant: Nile Rodgers
David Bowie; Production
Producer: David Bowie
Nile Rodgers; Production

6. China Girl

Composer: David Bowie
Iggy Pop; Composer
Mixing: Bob Clearmountain
David Bowie
Nile Rodgers; Production
Produced By: David Bowie
Nile Rodgers; Other
Background Vocals: David Spinner
Frank Simms
George Simms; Performer
Baritone: Steve Elson; Performer
Bass: Carmine Rojas; Performer
Drums: Omar Hakim
Tony Thompson; Performer
Primary Artist: David Bowie; Main Performer
Engineer: Bob Clearmountain
Dave Greenberg; Production
Flute: Steve Elson
Stan Harrison
Robert Arron; Performer
Guitar: Nile Rodgers; Performer
Keyboard: Rob Sabino; Performer
Lead Guitar: Stevie Ray Vaughan; Performer
Lead Vocals: David Bowie; Performer
Percussion: Sammy Figueroa; Performer
Tenor: Stan Harrison
Robert Arron; Performer
Trumpet: Mac Gollehon; Performer
Horn Arrangement: Nile Rodgers
David Bowie; Composer
Assistant Engineer: Dave Greenberg; Production
Mixing Assistant: Nile Rodgers
David Bowie; Production
Producer: David Bowie
Nile Rodgers; Production

7. Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)

Acoustic Guitar: Tony Visconti; Performer
Background Vocals: Chris Porter
David Bowie
Tony Visconti
Lynn Maitland; Performer
Assistant: Larry Alexander
Jeff Hendrickson; Production
Primary Artist: David Bowie; Main Performer
Bass Guitar: George Murray; Performer
Guitar: Robert Fripp
Carlos Alomar; Performer
Keyboard: David Bowie; Performer
Lead Vocals: David Bowie; Performer
Percussion: Dennis Davis; Performer
Composer: David Bowie; Composer
Mixing: Tony Visconti; Production
Produced By: David Bowie
Tony Visconti; Other
Mixing Engineer: Tony Visconti; Production
Producer: David Bowie
Tony Visconti; Production
Recording: David Bowie
Tony Visconti; Production
Recording Assistant: Jeff Hendrickson
Larry Alexander; Production

8. Up the Hill Backwards

Acoustic Guitar: Tony Visconti; Performer
Primary Artist: David Bowie; Main Performer
Background Vocals: Tony Visconti
Lynn Maitland
Chris Porter
David Bowie; Performer
Bass: George Murray; Performer
Bass Guitar: George Murray; Performer
Guitar: Robert Fripp
Carlos Alomar; Performer
Keyboard: David Bowie; Performer
Percussion: Dennis Davis; Performer
Piano: Roy Bittan; Performer
Vocals: David Bowie; Performer
Composer: David Bowie; Composer
Assistant: Jeff Hendrickson
Larry Alexander; Production
Engineer: Peter Mew
Nigel Reeve; Production
Producer: David Bowie
Tony Visconti; Production
Recording: David Bowie
Tony Visconti; Production

9. Alabama Song (Aufstieg Und Fall Der Stadt Mahagonny)

Primary Artist: David Bowie; Main Performer
Lead Vocals: David Bowie; Performer
Composer: Kurt Weill
Bertolt Brecht; Composer
Producer: David Bowie
Tony Visconti; Production

10. The Drowned Girl

Primary Artist: David Bowie; Main Performer
Alto Saxophone: David Kreitner; Performer
Arranger: Dominic Muldowney; Composer
Bandoneón: Bernd Machus; Performer
Bass: Tony Visconti; Performer
Cello: Rolf Brecker; Performer
Clarinet: Joachim Welz; Performer
Drums: Thomas Hoffmann; Performer
Flute: Erwin Milzkott; Performer
Producer: David Bowie
Tony Visconti; Production
Guitar: Ingo Cramer; Performer
Piano: Eckehard Scholl; Performer
Composer: Kurt Weill
Bertholt Brecht
Bertolt Brecht; Composer
Tenor Saxophone: Axel-glenn Müller; Performer
Trombone: Ralf Armbruster; Performer
Trumpet: René Waintz; Performer
Tuba: Michael Bucher; Performer
Viola: Uwe Weniger; Performer
Vocals: David Bowie; Performer
Concert Master: Jans-joachim Glas; Production
Contrabass Bass: Ulrich Berggold; Other

11. Cat People (Putting out Fire)

Horn Arrangement: Nile Rodgers
David Bowie; Composer
Engineer: Bob Clearmountain; Production
Mixing: Bob Clearmountain; Production
Primary Artist: David Bowie; Main Performer
Mixing Assistant: Nile Rodgers
David Bowie; Production
Producer: Nile Rodgers
David Bowie; Production
Background Vocals: David Spinner
Frank Simms
George Simms; Performer
Baritone: Steve Elson; Performer
Bass: Carmine Rojas; Performer
Drums: Omar Hakim
Tony Thompson; Performer
Composer: David Bowie
Giorgio Moroder; Composer
Flute: Steve Elson
Stan Harrison
Robert Arron; Performer
Guitar: Nile Rodgers; Performer
Keyboard: Rob Sabino; Performer
Lead Guitar: Stevie Ray Vaughan; Performer
Percussion: Sammy Figueroa; Performer
Tenor: Stan Harrison
Robert Arron; Performer
Trumpet: Mac Gollehon; Performer
Vocals: David Bowie; Performer
Assistant Engineer: Dave Greenberg; Production

12. This Is Not America

by David Bowie, Pat Metheny

Primary Artist: David Bowie
Pat Metheny Group; Main Performer
Lead Vocals: Pat Metheny Group
David Bowie; Performer
Vocals: Pat Metheny; Performer
Composer: Lyle Mays
David Bowie
Pat Metheny; Composer
Producer: David Bowie
Pat Metheny; Production
Produced By: Pat Metheny
David Bowie; Other
Produced By: David Bowie
Pat Metheny; Other

13. Loving the Alien

Bass: Carmine Rojas
Derek Bramble; Performer
Clarinet: Lenny Pickett; Performer
Drums: Omar Hakim; Performer
Flugelhorn: Mark Pender; Performer
Guitar: Derek Bramble
Carlos Alomar; Performer
Marimba: Guy St Onge; Performer
Engineer: Hugh Padgham; Production
Mastering Engineer: Ted Jensen; Production
Mixing: Hugh Padgham
David Bowie; Production
Percussion: Sammy Figueroa
David Bowie; Performer
Saxophone: David Bowie
Stan Harrison
Steve Elson
Lenny Pickett; Performer
Primary Artist: David Bowie; Main Performer
Alto Saxophone: Stan Harrison; Performer
Background Vocals: George Simms
Robin Clark
Curtis King; Performer
Bass Guitar: Derek Bramble
Carmine Rojas; Performer
Synthesizer: Derek Bramble; Performer
Tenor Saxophone: Stan Harrison; Performer
Trumpet: Mark Pender; Performer
Vocals: David Bowie; Performer
Composer: David Bowie; Composer
Mixing Engineer: Hugh Padgham
David Bowie; Production
Strings Conductor: Arif Mardin; Other
Synthesizer Arranger: Arif Mardin; Other
Horn Arrangement: The Borneo Horns; Composer
Producer: Hugh Padgham
David Bowie
Derek Bramble; Production
Strings Arrangement: Arif Mardin; Composer

14. Absolute Beginners

Background Vocals: Janet Armstrong; Performer
Bass Guitar: Matthew Seligman; Performer
Primary Artist: David Bowie; Main Performer
Baritone Saxophone: Don Weller
Andy Mackintosh
Gordon Murphy; Performer
Drums: Neil Conti; Performer
Guitar: Kevin Armstrong
Neil Conti; Performer
Keyboard: Steve Nieve; Performer
Lead Vocals: David Bowie; Performer
Percussion: Luis Jardim; Performer
Tenor Saxophone: Gary Barnacle
Gordon Murphy
Paul Weimer; Performer
Vocals: David Bowie; Performer
Composer: David Bowie; Composer
Producer: David Bowie
Alan Winstanley
Clive Langer; Production
Additional Piano: Rick Wakeman; Other
Produced By: David Bowie
Alan Winstanley
Clive Langer; Other

15. When the Wind Blows

Primary Artist: David Bowie; Main Performer
Lead Vocals: David Bowie; Performer
Various Instruments: Erdal Kizilcay; Performer
Composer: David Bowie
Erdal Kizilcay; Composer
Engineer: Bob Clearmountain; Production
Producer: David Bowie
David Richards; Production

16. Blue Jean

Primary Artist: David Bowie; Main Performer
Alto Saxophone: Stan Harrison; Performer
Background Vocals: Curtis King
Robin Clark
George Simms; Performer
Baritone Saxophone: Steve Elson; Performer
Bass: Carmine Rojas
Derek Bramble; Performer
Bass Guitar: Derek Bramble
Carmine Rojas; Performer
Clarinet: Lenny Pickett; Performer
Drums: Omar Hakim; Performer
Flugelhorn: Mark Pender; Performer
Guitar: Derek Bramble
Carlos Alomar; Performer
Marimba: Guy St Onge; Performer
Percussion: Sammy Figueroa; Performer
Engineer: Hugh Padgham
Nigel Reeve
Peter Mew; Production
Mixing: Hugh Padgham
David Bowie; Production
Saxophone: David Bowie; Performer
Synthesizer: Derek Bramble; Performer
Tenor Saxophone: Stan Harrison
Lenny Pickett; Performer
Trumpet: Mark Pender; Performer
Vocals: David Bowie; Performer
Composer: David Bowie; Composer
Mixing Engineer: Hugh Padgham
David Bowie; Production
Strings Conductor: Arif Mardin; Other
Synthesizer Arranger: Arif Mardin; Other
Horn Arrangement: The Borneo Horns; Composer
Producer: David Bowie
Hugh Padgham
Derek Bramble; Production
Strings Arrangement: Arif Mardin; Composer

17. Day-In Day-Out

Mixing: David Richards
Bob Clearmountain; Production
Composer: David Bowie; Composer
Primary Artist: David Bowie; Main Performer
Mixing Engineer: Bob Clearmountain
David Richards; Production
Recording: Malcolm Pollack; Production
Alto Saxophone: Stan Harrison; Performer
Background Vocals: Carlos Alomar
Diva Gray
Erdal Kizilcay
Robin Clark
Loni Groves
Gordon Grodie; Performer
Engineer: Andre Gauchat
Jon Goldberger
Justin Shirley-smith
Malcolm Pollack; Production
Baritone Saxophone: Steve Elson; Performer
Bass Guitar: Erdal Kizilcay; Performer
Drums: Erdal Kizilcay; Performer
Synthesizer Guitar: Carlos Alomar; Other
Flugelhorn: Earl Gardner; Performer
Harmonica: David Bowie; Performer
Keyboard: David Bowie
Erdal Kizilcay; Performer
Lead Guitar: Sid Mcginnis; Performer
Lead Vocals: David Bowie; Performer
Mellotron: David Bowie; Performer
Moog Synthesizer: David Bowie; Performer
Additional Guitar: David Bowie; Other
Percussion: Crusher Bennett; Performer
Producer: David Bowie
David Richards; Production
Tambourine: Carlos Alomar
David Bowie; Performer
Tenor Saxophone: Lenny Pickett; Performer
Trumpet: Erdal Kizilcay
Earl Gardner
Laurie Frink; Performer
Additional Bass: Carmine Rojas; Other
Assistant Additional Recording Engineer: Malcolm Pollack; Other

18. Time Will Crawl

Primary Artist: David Bowie; Main Performer
Alto Saxophone: Stan Harrison; Performer
Background Vocals: Diva Gray
Loni Groves
Gordon Grodie
Erdal Kizilcay
Carlos Alomar
Robin Clark; Performer
Baritone Saxophone: Steve Elson; Performer
Bass: Erdal Kizilcay
Carmine Rojas; Performer
Mixing: David Richards
Bob Clearmountain; Production
Bass Guitar: Erdal Kizilcay
Carmine Rojas; Performer
Drums: Erdal Kizilcay; Performer
Engineer: Peter Mew
Nigel Reeve
Justin Shirley-smith
Jon Goldberger
Andre Gauchat; Production
Flugelhorn: Earl Gardner; Performer
Guitar: Erdal Kizilcay
Sid Mcginnis
David Bowie
Peter Frampton
Carlos Alomar; Performer
Harmonica: David Bowie; Performer
Keyboard: Philippe Saisse
David Bowie
Erdal Kizilcay; Performer
Mellotron: David Bowie; Performer
Moog Synthesizer: David Bowie; Performer
Percussion: Crusher Bennett; Performer
Piano: Philippe Saisse; Performer
Synthesizer: Carlos Alomar; Performer
Tambourine: Carlos Alomar
David Bowie; Performer
Tenor Saxophone: Lenny Pickett; Performer
Trumpet: Erdal Kizilcay
Laurie Frink
Earl Gardner; Performer
Vocals: David Bowie; Performer
Composer: David Bowie; Composer
Mixing Assistant: David Richards; Production
Mixing Engineer: Bob Clearmountain; Production
Producer: David Bowie
David Richards; Production
Recording: Malcolm Pollack; Production

19. Underground

Primary Artist: David Bowie; Main Performer
Lead Vocals: David Bowie; Performer
Composer: David Bowie; Composer
Producer: David Bowie
Arif Mardin; Production

Technical Specifications

Volume

1 volume only

Tracks

19 tracks available

Type

COMPILATION

Format

Digital Media

Duration

1 hour, 17 minutes and 11 seconds

Explicit

None

Coverart

Available and up to 1411x1411 px

Booklet

Not available

Max Quality

CD Quality (Lossless)

16bit / 44.1 kHz

Stereo

Audio Extension

Lossless: FLAC, M4A, WAV, WV, AIFF

Lossy: AAC, MP3, M4A, MP4, OGA, OGG, OPUS, WMA

Archive Format

Available in these formats: ZIP, TAR, RAR

Lyrics

All tracks have lyrics

Synchronized Lyrics

16/19 tracks have synced lyrics

Genres

Pop/Rock, Prog-Rock, Art Rock, R&B, Soul, Hard Rock, Arena Rock, Glam

Label

Parlophone UK

Music Distribution Service

WMG Mora

Country

United States

United Kingdom

Language

English (United States)

Popularity

Release Date

Mar 18, 2007

Track Preview

Available

Delivery Charge

Free

Delivery Method

Digital download link via Email or Personal Dashboard on this site

UPC

94638648055