Diamond Dogs (song)

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“Diamond Dogs”
Single by David Bowie from the album Diamond Dogs
B-side	"Holy Holy"
Released	14 June 1974
Format	7" single
Recorded	Ludolf Studios, Hilversum January 1974
Genre	Rock
Length	5:26 (Single edit) 5:56 (Full-length album version)
Label	RCA Records APBO 0293
Writer(s)	David Bowie
Producer	David Bowie
David Bowie singles chronology
"Rock 'n' Roll Suicide" (1974) "Diamond Dogs" (1974) "Knock on Wood" (1974)
Diamond Dogs track listing
"Future Legend" (1) "Diamond Dogs" (2) "Sweet Thing" (3)

"Diamond Dogs" is a 1974 single by David Bowie, and the title track of the album of the same name.

The lyric introduces the listener to Bowie’s latest persona and his environment; Halloween Jack dwells on top of tenement buildings in a post-apocalyptic Manhattan. The guitar sound is heavily influenced by The Rolling Stones, and signalled Bowie moving away from glam rock and closer to a proto-punk Stooges-influenced sound.

The track was considered by many commentators to be an unconventional single, and only reached UK #21. According to NME critics Roy Carr and Charles Shaar Murray, "As a potential hit single, the title track from Diamond Dogs was something of a non-event. Too long, too bleak in vision, too tough to dance to... you know the drill."^[1]

While it failed to make the US charts, the song became a central part of Bowie’s North American tour in 1974.

The B-side was a version of Bowie’s 1971 single "Holy Holy", re-recorded during the Ziggy Stardust sessions the same year.

Contents 1 Track listing 2 Production credits 3 Live versions 4 Other releases 5 Cover versions 6 Notes 7 References

[edit] Track listing

1. "Diamond Dogs" (Bowie) – 5:26
2. "Holy Holy" (Bowie) – 2:20

[edit] Production credits

• Producers:
  • David Bowie on "Diamond Dogs"
  • Ken Scott on "Holy Holy"

• Musicians:
  • David Bowie: vocals, guitar, tenor saxophone, keyboards
  • Herbie Flowers: bass
  • Mike Garson: piano
  • Aynsley Dunbar: drums
  • Mick Ronson: guitar on "Holy Holy"
  • Trevor Bolder: bass on "Holy Holy"
  • Mick Woodmansey: drums on "Holy Holy"

[edit] Live versions

• A live version from the 1974 tour was released on David Live. This version was also issued on the Dutch release Rock Concert. Another live recording from the 1974 tour was released on the semi-legal album A Portrait in Flesh.

[edit] Other releases

• It appeared on several compilations:
  • ChangesOneBowie (1976)
  • The Best of Bowie (1980)
  • Chameleon (Australia/New Zealand 1979)
  • Changesbowie (1990)
  • The Singles Collection (1993)
  • The Best of 1969/1974 (1997)
  • Best of Bowie (2000)
• It was released as a picture disc in the RCA Life Time picture disc set.
• An edit taken from the Best of Bowie compilation from 1980 was released on the bonus disc of the 30th Anniversary edition of Diamond Dogs in 2004.

[edit] Cover versions

• Beck recorded a cover version of "Diamond Dogs", produced by Timbaland, for the film Moulin Rouge! in 2001. The dancers in the film were also called the Diamond Dogs, as were the dancers on Bowie's 1974 tour.
• Blind Willie's Johnson - Only Bowie (1995)
• Dramarama - Live recording (1992)
• Duran Duran - Thank You (Japanese version 1995)
• Rancid Vat - "Bowiecide" single

[edit] Notes

[edit] References

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

v • d • e David Bowie Studio albums David Bowie • Space Oddity • The Man Who Sold the World • Hunky Dory • The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars • Aladdin Sane • Pin Ups • Diamond Dogs • Young Americans • Station to Station • Low • "Heroes" • Lodger • Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps) • Let's Dance • Tonight • Never Let Me Down • Black Tie White Noise • Outside • Earthling • 'hours...' • Heathen • Reality With Tin Machine Tin Machine • Tin Machine II Live albums David Live • Stage • Ziggy Stardust – The Motion Picture • Tin Machine Live: Oy Vey, Baby • Santa Monica '72 • LiveAndWell.com • Bowie at the Beeb • Live Santa Monica '72 Soundtracks Christiane F. • Love You Till Tuesday • Labyrinth • The Buddha of Suburbia Compilations The World of David Bowie • Images 1966-1967 • ChangesOneBowie • ChangesTwoBowie • The Best of Bowie • Rare • Golden Years • Fame and Fashion • Sound + Vision • Changesbowie • Early On (1964-1966) • The Singles Collection • The Deram Anthology 1966–1968 • The Best of 1969/1974 • The Best of 1974/1979 • All Saints • Best of Bowie • The Collection • The Platinum Collection • The Best of 1980/1987 • Bowie Box Set (Outside, Earthling, Hours, Heathen, Reality- 10CD) Concert videos Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars • Serious Moonlight • Glass Spider • A Reality Tour Promotional films and compilations Love You Till Tuesday • Bowie – The Video Collection • Black Tie White Noise • Best of Bowie Tours Ziggy Stardust Tour • Diamond Dogs Tour • Isolar • Isolar II • Serious Moonlight Tour • Glass Spider Tour • Tin Machine Tour • Sound and Vision Tour • It's My Life Tour • Outside Tour • Outside Summer Festivals Tour • Earthling Tour • The 'hours...' Tour • Mini Tour • Heathen Tour • A Reality Tour Related articles Discography • Filmography • Tony Visconti • Brian Eno • Mick Ronson • Mick Woodmansey • Trevor Bolder • Iggy Pop • Mike Garson • Reeves Gabrels • Earl Slick • Major Tom • "Bowie"