Aladdin Sane [Enhanced, Original recording reissued]

David Bowie | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 28, 1999)
• Original Release Date: 1973
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Enhanced, Original recording reissued
• Label: Virgin Records Us
• ASIN: B00001OH7Q
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Music
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (135 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #35,230 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Watch That Man

2. Aladdin Sane

3. Drive-in Saturday

4. Panic in Detroit

5. Cracked Actor

6. Time

7. The Prettiest Star

8. Let's Spend the Night Together

9. The Jean Genie

10. Lady Grinning Soul

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

The second most important moment in Bowie's glam period, Aladdin Sane is full of smart, cutting-edge songs that hold up decades later as classic moments in rock. Standout tracks include "Panic in Detroit," with Mick Ronson's screaming guitars and Mick Woodmansey's urgent drumming; "Watch that Man," a piano-driven, rollicking number perfect for the Bowie strut; the lascivious and sweaty "Cracked Actor"; the punky "Jean Genie"; and a perfectly raucous cover of "Let's Spend the Night Together." "Time" hearkens back to the theatrics of The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust, while "Drive in Saturday," "The Prettiest Star," and "Lady Grinning Soul" serve as precursors to Bowie's "plastic soul" sounds that came later in the '70s. Aladdin Sane is even more impressive when considering that the same year this album was made, Bowie was also working with artists like Iggy Pop and Lou Reed, producing some of their most heralded works (the Stooges' Raw Power and Reed's Transformer). --Lorry Fleming

Product Description

Audio CD.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

75 of 79 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars 5 stars for this GREAT album...0 stars for copy control July 26, 2003

By Marc Lahn

Format:Audio CD

David Bowie's Aladdin sane is a 70's masterpiece and I've loved it since I bought with my allowance it at age 7, in 1973.

The album is riddled with great songs, including all out classics:
WATCH THAT MAN, PANIC IN DETROIT, CRACKED ACTOR, TIME, DRIVE-IN SATURDAY, THE JEAN GENIE and the AWESOME title track!

The song ALADDIN SANE has remained nothing but amazing to me for 30 years now; beautiful, bizarre, engaging, fragile, excellent! Also includes a wildly imaginitive "insane" piano solo by one of the best...Mike Garson

One more thing...the track LADY GRINNING SOUL is one of the more underrated tracks of Bowie's career. Few songs in the world of rock emote as much raw passion, extravagance and beauty.

Also, lead guitarist Mick Ronson couldn't be better than he is on this album. The guitar is pushed up in the mix and drives it's way right into your soul

Bowie himself is totally on top of his game here. The ultimate rock star in full throttle. One thing that makes Bowie GREAT is his willingness to be completely original and different from the norm, without concern for the danger of such action. His lyrics are otherworldly and fantastic. Highly intelligent and very witty. One of the great songwriters (storytellers) of our time, as well as an amazing performer, with a penchant for the "larger than life"

Aladdin Sane really is a perfect rock album and one of the very best from 1973.

I've actually been a Bowie fan since age 6 (found my older sister's Ziggy Lp and that was that). My childhood was greatly enhanced by such magnificent music, imagery and exciting mystery that the 70's provided so well. Bowie was the Ultimate Rock star and I wouldn't trade that time of my life for anything. Totally inspiring and magical ....gave me something special to aspire to ... become a better musician than I would've otherwise

The packaging of this 3oth anniversary edition is beautiful and gives respect to a great album. The bonus disc includes tracks that most Bowie die hards already have, but in nice remastered fashion...*The SAX version of John, I'm Only Dancing and the very rare acoustic version of Drive In Saturday are the highlights of the bonus disc. Booklet is excellent and the hardcover "book" style of the outside packaging makes this release seem all the more special and respected

Now to address this ridiculous and disappointing COPY CONTROLLED version of this great album (please note that US versions are not copy controlled...just beware if you're ordering from Canada...all their versions ARE Copy Controlled):

I, like Mr Comegy, was unlucky enough to end up with a COPY CONTROLLED version. I purchased the Cd through a Canadian on line merchant (MyMusic) who were not professional or aware enough to signify on the site, that they would be sending a customer this defective, copy controlled version

Just as Mr Comegy writes, THIS COPY CONTROLLED version (on most Cd players) skips repeatedly about 10 seconds into each song, before returning to the music. EVERY song...ten secoinds in. Very annoying and this CD is GOING BACK!

The good news is..

There are NON- Copy Controlled versions I would guess that a much higher quantity of those versions are stocked in your local stores, or here at Amazon (US versions not copy controlled...just beware of canadian versions..easy to see...red print on back signifies COPY CONTROL)

This technology stinks and should not be incorporated into the CDs we buy anyway. We work hard for our money and if we want to make a collection Cd from our albums (like we have for decades), we should be able to. Not having the ability to record your own music, would be ABSOLUTE reason for THIS music lover, to end a lifelong affair with purchasing music ...altogether

I LOVE to make my own collection tapes and Cds. All for my own personal enjoyment. Take that away and I'm finished with it all

Moreover, this CD (the COPY CONTROLLED version)...is even worse than that

It's one thing to not be able to record songs from....it's ANOTHER to not even have the ability to PLAY the CD without skipping, 10 seconds into every track Is that what we're spending $$$ for??

ABSOLUTE 5 stars for this excellent Bowie album and a big FAT 0 stars for whoever is in charge of this COPY CONTROL nonsense and any merchant that decides to sell it

Marc

(NJ, USA)

42 of 43 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Best of Bowie's glam rock years December 1, 2001

By P. Nicholas Keppler

Format:Audio CD

His earlier albums, Hunky Dory and the Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust, inexplicably receive more acclaimed, but Aladdin Sane is the peak of David Bowie's heavily influential glam rock phase. With a fantastic back-up band, a keen knowledge of many pop structures (doo-wop, jazz, blues and rock all play integral parts in the album) and a sleek, sexy sound, the androgynous, charismatic, make-up clad singer struts through the glam rock's world of raucous partying ("Watch That Man" "Drive-In Saturday"), trashy decadence ("Cracked Actor," "Time") and champagne-scented romance ("Lady Grinning Soul," the title track) as if he owned it all. The album is one of Bowie's best, as well as a practical bible for all the young dudes whom would follow him into the weird, wonderful world of glitzy artrock.

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Classic Bowie album November 19, 1999

By Wayne Klein HALL OF FAMETOP 100 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Audio CD

The differences between this version of AS and the earlier issue on Rykodisc are mostly cosmetic. The use of the Sonic Solutions No Noise program and 24 bit mastering has sweeted the sound giving it a bit more depth and warmth. Since this one of the few reissues that didn't have bonus tracks to begin with little is lost in the transition to EMI.

I'd much rather have commentary from Bowie about the making of the album (much as Elvis Costello did with his reissued catalog)to give the listener a sense of what went on during the recording of this classic album. Always regarded as a poor cousin to Ziggy by most critics, what this album lacks in "concept" it more than makes up for in ambitious song writing and lyrical depth. In many respects, this is a step forward from that classic album showing further development in Bowie's songwriting.