How would you rate "Let's Dance" (1983) by David Bowie?

I bought this recently and although I'm not a fan of this era of Bowie I thought it was pretty good. I remember the singles getting played a lot at the time, I quite liked Modern Love.

An aside: the owner of the record shop I bought this from said a woman in her 50s has recently been buying Bowie records from him. She apparently had not heard of one of his key albums (may have been Ziggy)....it turned out that until he died she had not actually heard of him at all! How is that even possible?

 

One of his better post-70s albums

 

I bought ld first, and low and lodger im my first 5 bowie album

 

Well, perhaps listening only to SRV will give me some enjoyment when the times comes to justify spending £100 on a box of rubbish. I will try honestly.

Here's something (and yes, I'm serious), I think the choice of songs is poor - but on top of that, Niles is a large part of the problem, imo. His production is far too slick, too bouncy. It's not a nice sound at all. In the context of what he does, it is of course perfect, but for me it's not a pleasant sound at all - not for rock. I can take it in short bursts - hence Let's Dance as a track is great - but stretched over an album it's.... urgh. Mind, it's mainly the material that's the problem.

 

The album version is where the song spreads its wings and flies.

 

"This is Not America" (I believe w/ Pat Metheny) is one of my favorite cuts of his... I just wish it was recorded in the 70s, without that fake drum sound.

 

Check out the live version from 2000 BBC Theatre, if you haven't already.

 

I actually only heard the audio, so thanks for the video! Absolute Beginners, too!

 

I like about half of it, being the major singles and the track Criminal World.
As it has Omar Hakim, one of my favourite drummers on it, recorded with lots of punch, it will always be a favourite for that reason.

 

Just seen the Madonna (60 this week) thread regarding her upcoming 15th studio album.
To think Bowie's was in 1983, aged 36, only 18 years after his debut album.

 

Bowie released a studio album every year (except 1978) in the 70's. There were 2 in 1973 & 1977 as well as 2 double live albums and touring. Now 3-4 years (or longer) between albums is not thought of as unusual but rock stars in the old day had more of a work ethic!

 

The problem with this album is that its from David Bowie, and after 11 albums in a row that are instant classics , producing raw power, mott the hoopel, transformer , basically writing lust for life and the Idiot , He Sold out.

Most artists don't wait till that long to cash in, but he had to. So it gets compared to that unprecedented level of output and as a result it is more shallow with less depth than what we expect.

If this was a Mick Jagger album it would be 5 stars and essential, if this was Michael Jackson it would be 5 stars, but because it's Bowie it's held to a standard that few could ever get to.

 

What's so impressive is not just the work ethic but also the consistent quality that artists achieved. It seems like the two things may be related. Bowie, Joni, Van, Neil Young etc were all chasing their muse through the 70's. The only equivalent I can think of in the 80's is Prince and the only artist I can think of who took his golden run into the 80's and got better is Tom Waits so I guess he takes the prize.

 

Those three amazing singles dominate , and make it hard to remember the other tracks , and it’s a real shame the version of Cat People is so much weaker than the original soundtrack version. So it’s one I enjoy when I listen, but find it hard to recall the other tunes , but any album with Lets dance, China Girl and my favourite Modern Love has got to be worth a listen.

 

Why do some people dislike the ROCKING version of Cat People is so much?

 

Well I don't. I think I like them both equally. Let's Dance is an underrated album, but I strongly prefer Bowies 70's output versus the 80's..

 

It’s just Nowhere near as good as the full original 12inch version, which is a shame as the let’s dance version is probably the one more people own

 

Which version is the rockin one? The version from the Soundtrack album for Cat People is truly rockin, and is by far the better version. The version on Let's Dance really just shows that while Niles was good at what he did, at least at the time of Let's Dance he was not able to rock.....

 

My feelings exactly....

 

Pretty great, worth recommending... Heard it just a couple of days ago; I know it's supposed to be his big pop-sellout-whatever record but there is still a lot of edgy vocal moments, interesting and fun songs (Cat People, Ricochet, Shake It)... And of course the big hits are timeless and can get folks of many ages on the dance floor. A solid effort.

 

I love this album on vinyl it sounds stunning, I have early UK pressing and it's has amazing clarity and bass,also got original japanese cd and again wonderful recording,his albums always come across so well on the production side a real pro so missed by many.

 

There is a very interesting Mojo Bowie cover story (August 2018) concerning this period in David's career.

If I was reading it correctly David was sort of hands off on the album and let Nile Rodgers do most of the work and then David would do his vocals when everything else was ready.

Niles claims that Bowie later admitted to him that he felt it was basically a Chic album with Bowie vocals.

 

Let's Dance is a damn great single. At the time, I thought it was pretty good, but now with the passage of time, i like it even more. With the video being one of his best ever.
However, I prefer the version of Cat People song Putting out the Fire used in INglorious Bastards and probably the movie Cat People(I cant remember which version was used in that).
China Girl and MOdern Love are fun pop songs.

 

I think that if you listen to Diana Ross’s “Chic” album, or that of Sister Sledge, or Sheila & B. Devotion, than you can only conclude that Let’s Dance is not a Chic album at all.

 

Don't shoot the messenger.

I'm just passing along a relevant quote in the appropriate thread.