Song#: 0997
Date: 04/17/1982
Debut: 83
Peak: 67
Weeks: 10
Genre: Rock, Soundtrack
Pop Bits: After his 1980 LP "Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)," Bowie did a few high-profile side projects before recording a new album. On the acting front, he famously took over the role of "The Elephant Man" on Broadway, while in music he collaborated with Queen on the hit single "Under Pressure" (#29). Another music project was this single which served as the theme song to the 1982 film "Cat People" starring Nastassja Kinski. With music by Giorgio Moroder (who composed the film's score), Bowie added lyrics and recorded the song. While it wasn't a major hit, it was Bowie's best solo chart entry since 1976. Although it got nominated for Best Original Song at the Golden Globe awards, it missed out on an Oscar nod.
ReduxReview: I love Bowie and I really like this song, but I can't say it makes a great single. Which is not usual for Bowie. He had some amazing songs but he really wasn't a singles artist (he had only four solo Top 10 hits in his career). So I can't say that this one should have done better. I think it was just a little too out-there for pop radio at the time. His second version (see below) may have done better since it is a straight-ahead rocker, but this original soundtrack version is the one I prefer. Not a great single, but a good entry from Bowie.
ReduxRating: 7/10
Trivia: Moroder was contracted with MCA Records, so the soundtrack and single were issued on that label (Bowie was on EMI at the time). When it came time for Bowie to record his next album, "Let's Dance," he had to re-record this song in order to include it on the album. Therefore, the brooding, atmospheric soundtrack version (heard above) got a make-over into a more rockin' version that featured Stevie Ray Vaughan on guitar. The new version served as the b-side to Bowie's title-track lead single from the album.
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