"Lady Grinning Soul" | |
---|---|
Song by David Bowie | |
from the album Aladdin Sane | |
Released | 19 April 1973[a] |
Recorded | January 1973 |
Studio | Trident, London |
Genre | Art rock, glam rock |
Length | 3:46 |
Label | RCA |
Songwriter(s) | David Bowie |
Producer(s) | Ken Scott, David Bowie |
"Lady Grinning Soul" is a song by the English musician David Bowie, released on the album Aladdin Sane in 1973. It was a last-minute addition, replacing the "sax version" of " John, I'm Only Dancing" as the closing track. [1] The composer's first meeting with American soul singer Claudia Lennear in 1972 is often cited as the inspiration for the song. [5] [6] [7] [8] In 2016, after Bowie's death, an interview with Lennear revealed that Bowie called her in 2014, and told her the song had been written about her. [9]
The style of the piece has been compared to a James Bond theme. [10] [1] [11] Pianist Mike Garson described his own performance as "about as romantic as it gets ... French with a little Franz Liszt thrown in there". [12] Rolling Stone's contemporary review called Bowie's singing "the album's most expansive and sincere vocal", [13] while author Nicholas Pegg considers the track "one of Bowie's most underrated recordings ... quite unlike anything else he has ever done". [7] Mojo magazine listed it as Bowie's 93rd best track in 2015. [14]
The track was used in the films The Runaways (2010) and Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel (2012).
With the release of his album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars and his performance of " Starman" on the BBC television programme Top of the Pops in early July 1972, David Bowie was launched to stardom. [15] To support the album, Bowie embarked on the Ziggy Stardust Tour in both the UK and the US. [16] [17] He composed most of the tracks for the follow-up record on the road during the US tour in late 1972. [18] Because of this, many of the tracks were influenced by America, and his perceptions of the country. [19]
"Lady Grinning Soul" was recorded at Trident Studios in London in January 1973, following the conclusion of the American tour and a series of Christmas concerts in England and Scotland. [20] [21] Like the rest of its parent album, the song was co-produced by Bowie and Ken Scott and featured Bowie's backing band the Spiders from Mars – comprising guitarist Mick Ronson, bassist Trevor Bolder and drummer Woody Woodmansey, as well as pianist Mike Garson and saxophonist Ken Fordham. [22] [23]
According to Chris O'Leary: [1]
Technical