Side
One
1 Future Legend, 1:06
2 Diamond Dogs,
5:56
3 Sweet Thing,
3:32
4 Candidate,
2:40
5 Sweet Thing (Reprise), 2:30
6 Rebel Rebel,
4:30
Side
Two
7 Rock ‘N’ Roll With Me, 3:59
8 We Are The Dead, 4:58
9 1984, 3:27
10 Big Brother,
3:22
11 Chant Of The Ever Circling Skeletal Family,
1:57
Bonus Tracks
(on RYKO/EMI
re-release 1990, RYKO/RALP 0137-2 - LP)
12 Dodo
(Previously Unreleased), 2:55
13 Candidate (Demo Version),
5:07
Bonus Tracks
(on EMI re-release 2004, EMI 07243 577857)
12 1984/Dodo, 5:27
13 Rebel Rebel (US Single
Version), 2:58
14 Dodo, 2:55
15 Growin’ Up,
3:26
16 Candidate, 5:07
17 Diamond Dogs (K-Tel Best
Of Edit), 4:37
18 Candidate
(Intimacy Mix)), 2:57
19 Rebel Rebel (2003
Version), 3:10
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Recorded: Olympic & Island Studios,
London, UK
Studio L Ludolf Machineweg 8-12,
Hilversum, Holland
(December 1973 – January 1974)
Musicians: David Bowie, vocals, guitar,
saxes, moog, mellotron
Herbie Flowers, bass
Tony Newman, drums
Aynsley Dunbar, drums
Mike Garson, keyboards
Tony Visconti, strings
Alan Perker,
guitar (on 1984)
Producer: David Bowie
Released: 24 April 1974
Label: RCA APLI 0576
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After Ziggy's suicide and temporary resurrection as Aladdin
Sane (who retreated into his mod youth on Pin Ups), David Bowie had to look
futurewards-and being David Bowie, went as far as he could, to Apocalypse
Now. After plans to stage a musical 1984 were thwarted by George Orwell's
estate, David Bowie stirred in a cast of androgynous deviants and completed
Diamond Dogs, abandoning the Spiders, hiring sessioneers (Herbie Flowers,
Tony Newman) and handling all guitar chores himself. Diamond Dogs was
musical years away from David Bowie's past too; from 1984's Phillyfunk excursion and the
futuristic garage band raunch of the title track and Rebel Rebel (an anthem
of prime Ziggyish glitter-pop) to extravagant ballads like Rock 'n' Roll With Me, Big Brother and Sweet Thing/Candidate that used a
scene-painting Moog, mellotron and pining sax to considerably dramatic
effect. David Bowie's voice also added a rich, sonorous warble to its
register. The re-issue's bonus tracks, the early plastic soul prototype
Dodo and a completely different Candidate, lack clarity and finished
arrangement but are nevertheless semi-precious curios.
Martin Aston
Q Magazine
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