(Single from album, “The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars”)
"The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars" - the greatest album ever. As mentioned once before. I'm not usually in the habit of writing so few reviews before repeating an artist, though this is, I believe, the first repeat!
Starman is a lovely song. Lovely's not a word that gets tossed around. It has a cushiony sound to it, a kind of comfortable air surrounding it. This track from the 1972 album telling the story of transexual musical superstar, Ziggy Stardust, is a firm favourite of mine, having been played it by my Dad at a very young age. It's really stuck with me, and, yes I do feel very attached to it, but it's a great tack anyway.
The bass and acoustic guitars work wonderfully together, resonating and swaying at the same kind of speed and with similar character, but still retaining very different sounds. Both are complex and well composed, and the 'apparent' pitch change halfway through each chorus is masterfully achieved and one of the more memorable sounds from the track. Equally, the guitar solo after the chorus, played by the late, great Mick Ronson, is stunning and glam rock to the note.
The version found on the "Bowie at the Beeb" compilation is also something of a collector's gem. A much more raw sound, and very basic and stripped. Maybe, perhaps, more soulful than the glammed up album version?
Really, there's a very magic atmosphere on this song and because it's so deeply ingrained in my musical psyche, I don't know as there's too much I can actually say about it, other than that it should be listened to and held close on vinyl to really capture the innocence and vintage status it contains and represents.
Wonderful...
★★★★★
Versions of "Starman"
Album/Single Version - 4:16
Live on Johnnie Walker's "Lunchtime Show" Session, 22/05/1972 - 4:05