How would you rate "Tonight" (1984) by David Bowie?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Haristar, Jul 27, 2017.

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  1. Bobby Morrow

    Bobby Morrow Senior Member

    Oh, for sure.
     
  2. Bobby Morrow

    Bobby Morrow Senior Member

    This is a prime example of someone drinking heavily and then posting. I will say Victory is a mostly pleasant listen, but I've never known an album so hobbled by one track (Be Not Always, natch) as this one. And I didn't even mention the horribly garish sleeve artwork.:D

    Anyway, back to Bowie who's getting a good kicking for Tonight.
     
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  3. Bobby Morrow

    Bobby Morrow Senior Member

    Yes, the days when Bowie 'did' acting. Very stilted performances by all (I seem to recall Robert Kilroy Silk being in the video). It was a blessed relief when the song eventually got played!
     
  4. Klassik

    Klassik Guerilla BeatLOLogist

    Location:
    United Kingdom
    But it's 8.40am in the UK.

    *hic*

    :p
     
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  5. Dodoz

    Dodoz Forum Resident

    Location:
    France
    What got us going, laughing our head off, was the scene with the hair dryer in the office...Hysterical !

    What I would like to know is what people, for which "Tonight' was only the second Bowie album they heard and purchased after "Let's Dance", thought at the time.
     
  6. Bobby Morrow

    Bobby Morrow Senior Member

    Yes. How many of those people stopped after Tonight thinking Bowie was a one hit wonder.:D
     
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  7. Dodoz

    Dodoz Forum Resident

    Location:
    France
    Isn't it surprising that Bowie came with a follow up so quickly after "Let's Dance" ? I know that artists used to release an album every year (or even more than that in the 60s) but the gap between albums was beginning to widen slowly but surely during the 80s. Is "Let's Dance" early 83 and "Tonight" late 84 ? Seems like a rushed release, especially after a world tour like the Serious Moonlight tour. Was there pressure from the record company ? That would explain the lack of original material on "Tonight".
     
  8. Bobby Morrow

    Bobby Morrow Senior Member

    Yes, I think Bowie was forced to put out Tonight. He clearly wasn't ready record another LP. Let's Dance (came out April 1983?) had been so immense and the record company wanted more. In many territories the latter had been his first real success. At 37 Bowie would be deemed old when Tonight (released September 1984) came out so I'm sure the record company would want to strike while the iron was hot.:)
     
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  9. Mother

    Mother Forum Resident

    Location:
    Melbourne
    He looks immaculate.
     
  10. antonkk

    antonkk Senior Member

    Location:
    moscow
    I prefer Tonight to most of the later years snoozefests, not to mention Outside and Earthling.
     
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  11. Dodoz

    Dodoz Forum Resident

    Location:
    France
    Yeah. I think he's one of these people who could wear rags and get away with it, just because of their charisma and the fact they are so photogenic!
     
  12. Haristar

    Haristar Apollo C. Vermouth Thread Starter

    Location:
    Hampshire, UK
    :yikes:

    May God have mercy on my soul.
     
  13. PaperbackBroadstreet

    PaperbackBroadstreet Forum Resident

    Some great songs (Blue Jean,Loving The Alien), pretty good (Tonight, Tumble and Twirl), and the awful (cover of God Only Knows, even if done tongue in cheek).

    This one gets a lot of spins from me, but I went with so so rating.
     
  14. Whirl-Fred

    Whirl-Fred Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Germany
    I have a soft spot for this one as it came out when i was discovering his work (first by home-taping all his albums and later buying them one by one), but it obviously doesn't hold a candle to his classic albums. Considering the rather uninspired approach, there is a lot to like though: dig the two-sided-concept (soft/hard), the sublime artwork, the singles (to me the 80s turned Bowie into a singles artist) and if you're able to ignore the Originals, then "Tonight", "Don't Look Down" and "Keep Forgetting" are quite decent tracks. God Only Knows is technically great but kinda over the top.
    All in all that would be more than "So-so, not great but not bad" to me, but just not enough for "Pretty great, worth recommending".
     
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  15. BlueSpeedway

    BlueSpeedway Curated Iconic Half-Speed Picture Disc

    Location:
    England
    For someone as prolific as Bowie, wanting finally for a time to (understandably) chase money with minimum effort, it's a waste of time being too nasty about it. But it's a diabolically bad album. Side two, except for Blue Jean, is the absolute total pits. Side one, except for Loving the Alien, is hardly any better.
     
  16. BlueSpeedway

    BlueSpeedway Curated Iconic Half-Speed Picture Disc

    Location:
    England
    It should still be avoided, those two tracks are on every dollar Bowie best of, better for new fans to get one of those and keep Tonight at bay :)
     
  17. Chris Schoen

    Chris Schoen Rock 'n Roll !!!

    Location:
    Maryland, U.S.A.
    Blue Jean is a cool song.
     
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  18. mikaal

    mikaal Sociopathic Nice Guy

    I have a soft spot for it because he was still lookin' after his mate Jimmy.
    :cheers:
    Plus painting shadows on your face is way cool!
     
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  19. stef1205

    stef1205 Forum Resident

    I voted so-so.
    Loving The Alien and Blue Jean are such catchy and good tracks that I can forgive him the rest.
    God Only Knows is worthwhile too but does not reach the vibe of the original.

    The three Ryko bonus tracks would even make this album a good album had they been part of Bowie's original sequencing.
     
  20. karmaman

    karmaman Forum Resident

    not Ryko, Virgin in 1995. and they are all songs recorded for soundtracks separately from and after Tonight with different musicians, so would never have been part of the plan.
     
  21. antonkk

    antonkk Senior Member

    Location:
    moscow
    I don't think that was his intention. He took a classic and transformed it beyond all recognition. To me his God only Knows is the ultimate one, goosebumps 100%
     
  22. Holy Diver

    Holy Diver Senior Member

    Location:
    USA
    So-so. I like Blue Jean.
     
  23. footprintsinthesand

    footprintsinthesand Reasons to be cheerful part 1

    Location:
    Dutch mountains
    Move over Screaming Lord Byron ...


    Bowienutter @3
     
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  24. pottsbotts

    pottsbotts New Member

    Location:
    Salt Lake City
    Ladies and gentlemen, Screaming' Lord Kilroy! :D
     
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  25. strummer101

    strummer101 The insane on occasion aren't without their charms

    Location:
    Lakewood OH
    When I think of the unholy 80's trilogy, I thank the Gods for Tin Machine.
     
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