Underground (David Bowie song)
"Underground" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by David Bowie | ||||
from the album Labyrinth | ||||
B-side | "Underground (Instrumental)" | |||
Released | 9 June 1986[1] | |||
Recorded | 1985 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 5:57 (Album version) 4:25 (Edited version) | |||
Label | EMI EA216 | |||
Songwriter(s) | David Bowie | |||
Producer(s) | ||||
David Bowie singles chronology | ||||
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7" Picture Disc Cover | ||||
Music video | ||||
"Underground" on YouTube |
"Underground" is a song written and recorded by
Details and background
Bowie wrote and recorded five songs for Labyrinth, in which he also starred as
Bowie and producer Arif Mardin recorded "Underground" at Atlantic Studios in New York. The track included a large chorus of backing vocalists including Chaka Khan, Luther Vandross and Daphne Rubin-Vega,[3] along with the Radio Choir of the New Hope Baptist Church.[5]
Lead guitar was played by blues guitarist Albert Collins, whose contribution to the song was described by Bowie as "a very savage, rough, aggressive sound which goes against some of the maybe superficial slickness of the synthesizers."[5]
Video
Labyrinth director
According to Screen Rant, the video can be interpreted as "background and lore to Bowie's character" Jareth, showing an origin story "of how he was an ordinary man that wandered into the Underground (the world of Labyrinth), and became the Goblin King."[15]
Reception
Sean Stangland of the
Smooth Radio chose "Underground" as number 15 on its ranking of Bowie's 20 greatest songs.[17] Newsweek considered it the strongest song on the Labyrinth soundtrack,[18] a view shared by Screen Rant, which considered "Underground" as one of "the 10 best movie theme songs from the 80s".[19]
Follow-up singles
"As the World Falls Down" was considered for a Christmas 1986 single release, but was canceled.[20] "Magic Dance" was released as the second single from the soundtrack to limited countries in January 1987.
Track listing
All tracks by Bowie
7" Commercial Single/12" Promo Single: EMI / EA 216 (UK)
- "Underground (Edited version)" – 4:25
- "Underground (Instrumental)" – 5:40
- This is the only Instrumental version featuring the backing singers.
All other Instrumental versions are slightly longer, backing-tracks only except on the back of the promo 12-inch single.
12" Club Single: EMI / 12EA 216 (UK)
- "Underground (Extended dance mix)" – 7:51
- "Underground (Dub)" – 5:59
- "Underground (Instrumental)" – 5:54
- Additional production and Re-mix by Steve Thompson and Michael Barbiero.
7" Picture Disc: EMI / EAP 216 (UK)
- "Underground (Edited version)" – 4:25
- "Underground (Instrumental)" – 5:52
Download: EMI / iEA 216 (UK)
- "Underground (Edited version)" – 4:25
- "Underground (Extended dance mix)" – 7:51
- "Underground (Instrumental of album version)" – 5:54
- "Underground (Dub)" – 5:59
- released in 2007
Personnel
- David Bowie – vocals, backing vocals, producer
- Arif Mardin – producer
- Albert Collins – guitar
- Richard Tee - piano
- Steve Ferrone – drums
- Robbie Buchanan – keyboards, synthesizer
- Bob Gay – saxophone
- Chaka Khan – background vocals
- Cissy Houston – background vocals
- Fonzi Thornton – background vocals
- Luther Vandross – background vocals
- Marcus Miller - background vocals
- Daphne Rubin-Vega - background vocals
Charts
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
|
References
- ^ Underground Discogs
- ^ a b Stangland, Sean (15 January 2016). "For kids of the '80s, Bowie will always be the Goblin King". Daily Herald. Arlington Heights, Illinois. p. A31.
- ^ a b c Block & Erdmann (2016), pp. 165–166
- ^ Pegg (2016), pp. 673–675, "Labyrinth" in chapt. Stage and Screen
- ^ a b c d e Pegg (2016), p. 294, "Underground" in chapt. The Songs From A to Z
- ^ Eames, Tom (17 July 2020). "A guide to David Bowie's underrated songs from Labyrinth". Smooth Radio. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
- ^ Gale IO0701431518.
- Martin, Peter (14 December 1986). "Personality: David Bowie melts that icy cool image". The Straits Times. Singapore. IPS. p. 7. Retrieved 11 May 2021 – via NewspaperSG.
- ^ a b Palmer (2020), p. 172
- ProQuest 389704937
- NewspaperArchive.
- ^ "Dave In, Dave Out". Music & Sound Output Magazine. June 1987. Archived from the original on 25 August 1999. Retrieved 11 July 2013.
- ^ "Dave In, Dave Out", Music & Sound Output Magazine, June 1987, retrieved 11 July 2013
- ^ Anderson, Kyle (11 January 2016). "David Bowie's 20 best music videos". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 18 July 2017.
- ^ Miller, Matt (11 January 2016). "David Bowie's 10 Greatest Music Videos". Esquire. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
- ^ Haywood, Olivia (3 October 2022). "10 Aspects Of Older Films Audiences Miss, According To Reddit". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on 19 October 2022. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
- ^ Brusie, David (12 June 2017). "Labyrinth's soundtrack is an essential part of David Bowie's legacy". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
- ^ Eames, Tom (26 June 2020). "David Bowie's 20 greatest ever songs, ranked". Smooth Radio. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
- ^ Schonfeld, Zach; Macallaster, Matt; Seeley, John (8 January 2017). "70 David Bowie Deep Cuts to Listen to on What Would Have Been Thin White Duke's 70th Birthday". Newsweek. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
- ^ Desmarais, Guy (10 February 2020). "The 10 Best Movie Theme Songs From The 80s". Screen Rant. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
- ^ Pegg (2016), p. 27, "As The World Falls Down" in chapt. The Songs From A to Z
- ISBN 978-0-646-11917-5.
- ^ "David Bowie – Underground" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 27 September 2021.
- ^ "RPM Top 100 Singles - June 28, 1986" (PDF).
- ^ Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava.
- ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 28, 1986" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 27 September 2021.
- ^ "David Bowie – Underground" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 27 September 2021.
- ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Underground". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
- ^ "David Bowie – Underground". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 27 September 2021.
- ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
- ^ "David Bowie – Underground". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 27 September 2021.
- ^ "David Bowie – Underground". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 27 September 2021.
- ^ "David Bowie: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 27 September 2021.
- ^ "David Bowie Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
- ^ "David Bowie Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
- ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – David Bowie – Underground" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 27 September 2021.
- ^ "Jaaroverzichten 1986". Ultratop. Retrieved 27 September 2021.
- ^ "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1986". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 27 September 2021.
Bibliography
- Block, Paula; Erdmann, Terry (2016). Labyrinth: The Ultimate Visual History. Insight Editions. ISBN 978-1-60887-810-9.
- Palmer, Landon (2020). Rock Star/Movie Star: Power and Performance in Cinematic Rock Stardom. ISBN 978-0-19-088840-4.
- ISBN 978-1-78565-365-0.
External links
- Official music video on YouTube