Let's Dance [ECD] [Enhanced, Original recording reissued]

David Bowie | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 28, 1999)
• Original Release Date: 1983
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Enhanced, Original recording reissued
• Label: Virgin Records Us
• ASIN: B00001OH7Z
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (96 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,366 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #17 in Music > R&B > Soul > Blue-Eyed Soul
  • #50 in Music > Alternative Rock > New Wave & Post-Punk > New Wave

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

David Bowie returned to recording after a four-year break with this relatively clean-cut 1983 album. Although offering another definite new direction for Bowie, with Nile Rodgers of Chic helping to produce a stylish post-disco dance sound, Let's Dance is a mixed bag. Much of the album's success was due to its three danceable hit singles--"China Girl," a sensuous Bowie/Iggy Pop collaboration, the distinctive "Modern Love," and the funky title track. However, much of the rest of the album is bland and vapid, marking the start of serious decline in Bowie's songwriting skills. A cover of Metro's "Criminal World" and "Cat People" are the only other strong tracks here. --James Swift

Product Description

2003 reissue of 1983 album pressed onto a Super Audio CD. EMI. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

48 of 49 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Hardly as evil as you've heard, August 23, 2004

By 

John Stodder "a.k.a. Juan La Princi" (livin' just enough) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Let's Dance [ECD] (Audio CD)

Hard core Bowie fans hate this album, because it was "commercial" and light, and lacked the angst of "Scary Monsters" or "Lodger." At the time, it seemed like it was an enjoyable album of the moment, picking up on the dance rhythms that had taken over the airwaves by the mid-80s. With hindsight, it is musically a lot more sturdy than that, and seems like a minor classic. Don't follow biography that closely, but I suspect Bowie was just in a good mood then, and that impacted his music, giving it a jolly quality his CD's typically lack. The beats are beautifully constructed, and it is a very pleasing meeting of rock and dance aesthetics.

26 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Sounds, Good Beat- -and You Can Dance To It!, April 4, 2001

By 

M. Allen Greenbaum (California) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Let's Dance [ECD] (Audio CD)

Why so much disagreement over this album? I suppose it's because this time around, Bowie reinvents himself as a smooth progenitor of blue-eyed soul. This is a dance/pop fest ("Let's Dance"--get it?) with excellent fat guitar sounds from Stevie Ray Vaughan, great sax work, and some cheeky background vocals. The well mannered, tasteful sounds may disappoint those expecting rocker songs like "Cracked Actor," etc.

After the excellent, ironically romantic, "Modern Love" (with it's great opening line "I know when to go out; I know when to stay in"), Bowie follows with two other commercial hits "China Girl" and "Let's Dance." "Let's Dance" is a riot, an MGM musical of a number with a boy background chorus, impassioned vocals (listen to Bowie wonderfully over-emote on the line "tremble like a Floweeer!"), and an infectious beat. This song has stood the test of time better than any other song on the album. It's high drama seasoned with camp and it's one of Bowie's best efforts. With excellent jazz-infused sax, Latin percussion, and memorable lyrics, it's one of the funnest songs in the Bowie discography. I think he really took chances with this song, and he thoroughly succeeds. The final song on the first side, the laid-back "Without You," features some trademark falsetto, but is not up to the other songs.

"Ricochet" is a reggae track that gets a little tiresome, but it's a harbinger of his later work for kids, with great sci-fi voiceover effects, and a very sound-trackish feeling to it. It sounds like something important is going on, though I can't figure out what the narrative is. (It doesn't matter--this is all for fun.) "Criminal World" has a nice hook about three minutes into it, leading to the best guitar solo on the album--this is the time to turn it up LOUD. I just wish the solo were longer.

"Cat People" is another hit from the album, and features classic Bowie vocals: The big slow spooky voice over some ponderous drumming, then a breakout into his singular rock voice. With some snarling blues guitar by SRV, this is superb. The final song is reminiscent work by the "Tom-Tom Club." It has a zany, almost throwaway quality to it, but I think that's the intended effect... a funky little dance piece with no pretense. An underrated album if anything, this album delivers on its promise: It's infused with the sound and the spirit of rock/pop dance. Highly recommended, but remember that it's a bit of a departure from the Bowie you may have come to expect.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Let's bring up the bass, October 15, 2004

By 

Will Bueche (Boulder, CO) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Let's Dance (Hybr) (Audio CD)

This presentation of Bowie's 80s album Let's Dance is in stereo, exactly as the album was originally presented (except now it is in the high resolution of SACD). While I'd very much have liked Bowie to have remixed it into 5.1 surround, we have no advance knowledge as to whether that will ever be done. So how's this current SACD? I'd say that although the tapes seem to have held up well, the presentation here is lacking in bass, and indeed, I wonder if this was even made from the original masters...I wonder if it may have been made from Rykodiscs' old digital backup (which would explain the lack of bass -- the old Ryko's having been lacking in bass as well). So I'm pleased with the clarity but profoundly dissapointed that this album doesn't have the kind of punch I feel it should have. In short, while this SACD is an ok substitute for the regular CD, it still doesn't do the album justice. Additionally, the lack of any of the standard bonus tracks from this period (such as the original version of Putting Out Fire) is another let-down.