Tonight (song)

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"Tonight"
Single by David Bowie
from the album Tonight
B-side(s)	Tumble and Twirl
Released	November 1984
Format	7"/12" single
Recorded	Le Studio, Morin Heights, May 1984
Genre	Rock
Length	3:43
Label	EMI EA187
Producer(s)	David Bowie, Hugh Padgham, Derek Bramble
Chart positions
#53 (UK) #53 (US)
David Bowie singles chronology
"Blue Jean" 1984	"Tonight" 1984	"This Is Not America" 1985

"Tonight" is the title track from the album Tonight by David Bowie. It was originally co-written with Iggy Pop for the latter’s 1977 album Lust for Life.

Bowie re-recorded the song in 1984 for his new album, which also featured two new co-compositions with Pop (including Tonight’s B-side, "Tumble and Twirl") – causing some cynics to remark that the whole album was largely motivated by Bowie trying to earn some money for his friend. The original spoken word introduction of the 1977 version, establishing that the lyric is addressed to a lover dying of a heroin overdose, was excised for Bowie’s version, substantially changing the message of the song. Bowie claimed at the time that he didn’t want to inflict this reading on guest vocalist Tina Turner, though it’s also likely that this was to soften the song and make it more commercial.

Nevertheless, the reggae-flavoured song was a considerable flop, only reaching #53 in the UK singles charts (the first ‘current’ Bowie single to miss the top 40 since "Be My Wife" in 1976) at the same time its parent album was rapidly sliding down the album chart.

Contents 1 Track listing 2 Production credits 3 Live versions 4 Cover versions 5 References

[edit] Track listing

7" version: -

1. "Tonight" (Bowie, Pop) – 3:43
2. "Tumble and Twirl" (Bowie, Pop) – 4:56

12" version: -

1. "Tonight (Vocal Dance Mix)" (Bowie, Pop) - 4:29
2. "Tumble and Twirl (Extended Dance Mix)" (Bowie, Pop) – 5:03
3. "Tumble and Twirl (Dub Mix)" (Bowie, Pop) – 4:18

[edit] Production credits

• Producers:
  • David Bowie
  • Hugh Padgham
  • Derek Bramble
• Musicians:
  • David Bowie: Vocals
  • Tina Turner: Vocals
  • Carlos Alomar: Guitar
  • Derek Bramble: Bass, Synthesizer
  • Carmine Rojas: Bass
  • Sam Figueroa: Percussion
  • Omar Hakim: Drums
  • Guy St Onge: Marimba

[edit] Live versions

• Bowie would perform the song live with Turner at the latter’s 23 March 1985 concert at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham. This version was included on Turner’s 1988 live album "Tina Live in Europe".

[edit] Cover versions

• Les Rita Mitsouko - The No Comprendo
• Herman van Veen - A Dutch version called "De Laatste Dans".

[edit] References

Pegg, Nicholas, The Complete David Bowie, Reynolds & Hearn Ltd, 2000, ISBN 1-903111-14-5