"Modern Love" by David Bowie

Song#:  1615
Date:  09/17/1983
Debut:  72
Peak:  14
Weeks:  13
Genre:  Pop, Rock



Pop Bits:  Bowie's "China Girl" became the legendary artist's second Top 10 hit from his album Let's Dance. It was his fourth overall US Top 10 and this third single from the album came close to becoming his fifth, but it stopped short. However, it was his fifth Top 10 at Rock where the tune hit #6. In his native UK, the song would reach #2 to become his nineteenth Top 10 hit.

ReduxReview:  This is the first posting of a David Bowie song since his surprising death on January 10, 2016. I have to admit that his death really affected me. Many artists that I have loved over the years have died (including one I worked for), but Bowie's passing seemed different. His contributions to music were historic and influential, and he was still making viable music. His passing was so unexpected and it didn't take long for me to realize that there would be no more new Bowie music. This hit me pretty hard after years of being a fan, owning all his albums and anxiously looking forward to his next venture. It was just a very strange feeling. The day after his death I was eating dinner in a bar and "Space Oddity" came on the jukebox. I came close to bursting into tears. I've never felt that way about any artist's or celebrity's passing. I spent the next three weeks constantly playing all his albums and enjoying his work. I appreciated all he did with his life and art. Getting back to his art, when this single came out I was all over it. I absolutely adored it and thought it was easily my favorite song from the album, outshining even "Let's Dance." However, these days it has lost its luster a bit and "China Girl" has kind of taken its place (even though the real classic is "Let's Dance"). I still love the song, but not like I did when it first came out. My favorite part of the song is near the end when the piano starts to go ballistic while the sax and Bowie sell the crap out of the song.

ReduxRating:  8/10

Trivia:  Bowie had two children. Duncan Zowie Heywood Jones was born in 1971 to Bowie and his first wife, Mary Angela Barnett. Bowie's second marriage to supermodel Imam produced one child in 2000, a girl named Alexandria Zahra Jones. Duncan Jones has gone on to become an award-winning film director. Jones wrote and directed his debut effort, 2006's Moon starring Sam Rockwell. It went on to win several awards including the BAFTA for Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Producer or Director. He also directed the well-received 2011 hit Source Code that starred Jake Gyllenhaal.

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