The Width of a Circle

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“The Width of a Circle”
Song by David Bowie
Album The Man Who Sold the World
Released November 4, 1970 (U.S.)
April 1971 (UK)
Recorded Trident and Advision Studios, London
18 April - 22 May 1970
Genre Hard Rock, Heavy metal
Length 8:05
Label Mercury Records
Writer David Bowie
Producer Tony Visconti
The Man Who Sold the World track listing
The Width of a Circle
(1)
"All the Madmen"
(2)


"The Width of a Circle" is a song written by David Bowie in 1970 for the album The Man Who Sold the World, released later that year in the U.S. and in April 1971 in the UK. It is the opening track to the album, a hard rocker with heavy metal overtones. Bowie had performed a shorter version of the song in concerts for several months before recording it.

Featuring Mick Ronson's lead guitar work and occasional choral effects from the band, this 8-minute song is divided into two parts. The music takes on a heavy R&B quality in the second half, where the narrator enjoys a sexual encounter - with God, the Devil or some other supernatural being, according to different interpretations - in the depths of Hell.[1][2][3]

In June 1973 the song was released as a single by RCA in Eastern Europe. Its B-side was "Cygnet Committee", from Bowie's 1969 album Space Oddity.

Contents

[edit] Live versions

Several live versions of the song have been released:

[edit] Other releases

As well as its 1973 release as a single in Eastern Europe, the song appeared on the Japanese compilation The Best of David Bowie in 1974.

[edit] Cover versions

  • Spurge - Crash Course for the Ravers - A Tribute to the Songs of David Bowie (1996)
  • The Spiders from Mars - The Mick Ronson Memorial Concert (2001); the Spiders here consisting of Joe Elliott (vocals, acoustic guitar), Trevor Bolder (bass), Woody Woodmansey, (drums), Billy Rankin (guitar), and Nicky Graham (piano)

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ David Buckley (1999). Strange Fascination - David Bowie: The Definitive Story: p.101
  2. ^ Martin Aston (2007). "Scary Monster", MOJO 60 Years of Bowie: pp.24-25
  3. ^ Roy Carr & Charles Shaar Murray (1981). Bowie: An Illustrated Record: p.38
  4. ^ Nicholas Pegg (2000). The Complete David Bowie: pp.238-239

[edit] References