Sound + Vision (box set)

For the David Bowie song of the same name, see Sound and Vision.
Sound + Vision
Compilation album by David Bowie
Released 19 September 1989 (original)
2 December 2003 (reissue)
Recorded 1969–1980 (original)
1969–1997 (reissue)
Genre Rock, glam rock, art rock
Length 196:38 (original)
298:03 (reissue)
Label Rykodisc/EMI/Virgin Records
Producer David Bowie, Ken Scott, Tony Visconti, Harry Maslin (original and reissue)
Giorgio Moroder, Nile Rodgers, Derek Bramble, Hugh Padgham, David Richards, Tin Machine, Tim Palmer (reissue)
David Bowie chronology

Tin Machine
(1989)		 Sound + Vision
(1989)		 Changesbowie
(1990)
David Bowie Compilation chronology
Fame and Fashion
(1983)		 Sound + Vision
(1989)		 Changesbowie
(1990)
Alternative cover
2003 edition
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic (original) [1]
Allmusic (2003 reissue) [2]
Rolling Stone [3]

Sound + Vision is David Bowie's box set compilation released on Rykodisc in 1989. By the end of the 1980s, the rights to Bowie's pre-1983 catalogue (released under the RCA label) reverted to Bowie. Rykodisc had approached Bowie in 1988 to re-release albums on CD and Bowie agreed, and in September 1989 the Sound + Vision box set was released.[4] By April 1990 the box set had sold over 200,000 copies, which, for a set costing $50–$60 (or about $100 today)[5] was considered "phenomenal."[6]

Set contents

Sound + Vision contains few of Bowie's greatest hits in their original form, instead frequently opting for demos, live versions and even a German vocal version of "Heroes" ("Helden"). This box set was originally conceived in 1989 as less of a comprehensive career retrospective than as a "teaser" for the then-upcoming Rykodisc CD reissue campaign covering Bowie's output from 1969 to 1980. As a result of this commercial logic, none of the "rarities" originally included on the 1989 edition of Sound + Vision (the rare single versions of "Wild-Eyed Boy From Freecloud" and "Rebel Rebel," or the previously unreleased studio outtakes "London Bye Ta–Ta," "1984/Dodo," "After Today," or "It's Hard To Be A Saint in the City") were included as bonus tracks on the Rykodisc editions of Bowie's albums. Conversely, some rarities were reserved exclusively for the Rykodisc re-releases and do not appear in this release.

Awards and reception

The set won the 1990 Grammy Award for Best Album Package, including Album Cover, Graphic Arts, with photography by Roger Gorman. The quality of the boxset was so high that Rolling Stone said the boxset "stood above the rest [of the 1989 boxset releases]" and called the release a "promising harbinger" for the then-upcoming re-release of Bowie's RCA back catalogue on CD with Rykodisc,[7] for which Bowie launched a world-wide supporting tour.[8]

Release versions

It exists in two primary editions, each of which has been released in an original version and a subsequent repackaged version:

  1. The original 1989 Rykodisc edition, in an LP-size box, was either in LP, audiocassette or CD format, as six LPs, three cassettes or three CDs and one CD-Video (a Laserdisc type disc that was retired in 1991), with the latter containing audio tracks and the music video of "Ashes To Ashes". Content from this release included material from Bowie's catalogue through 1980 (including several live performances from the 1970s). A second Rykodisc version of this edition, released in 1995 on CD, replaced the CD-Video with a regular CD-ROM and was packaged in a smaller slipcase. The contents of this release are otherwise identical to the original release.
  2. A new edition of the album, issued by Virgin/EMI in 2003, added Bowie studio material released from 1982 - 1993 (plus live tracks from 1983 and 1997), and replaced some of the tracks from the original set with alternate versions. This version contains more tracks on each CD than the original release, and does not include the CD-Video/CD-ROM tracks from the original release. This edition was re-released on CD, in a smaller slipcase, under the Rhino imprint in 2014.

Track listing

All songs written by David Bowie unless otherwise indicated.

1989 issue

CD one
  1. "Space Oddity" (Demo version) (previously unreleased) – 5:09
  2. "Wild Eyed Boy from Freecloud" (from "Space Oddity" single b-side, 1969) – 4:50
  3. "The Prettiest Star" (Single version) – 3:11 (Mono)
  4. "London Bye Ta–Ta" (previously unreleased) – 2:35 (Mono)
  5. "Black Country Rock" (from The Man Who Sold the World, 1970/1971) – 3:33
  6. "The Man Who Sold the World" (from The Man Who Sold the World, 1970/1971) – 3:56
  7. "The Bewlay Brothers" (from Hunky Dory, 1971) – 5:22
  8. "Changes" (from Hunky Dory, 1971) – 3:35
  9. "Round and Round" (Chuck Berry) (from "Drive-In Saturday" b-side, 1973; recorded during Ziggy Stardust sessions, 1971) – 2:41
  10. "Moonage Daydream" (from Ziggy Stardust, 1972) – 4:39
  11. "John, I'm Only Dancing" (Aladdin Sane outtake, 1973; Sax version) – 2:43
  12. "Drive-In Saturday" (from Aladdin Sane, 1973) – 4:30
  13. "Panic in Detroit" (from Aladdin Sane, 1973)" – 4:25
  14. "Ziggy Stardust" (Live) (from Ziggy Stardust - The Motion Picture, recorded 1973, released 1983) – 3:16
  15. "White Light/White Heat" (Lou Reed) (Live) (from Ziggy Stardust – The Motion Picture, 1973/1983) – 3:57
  16. "Rock 'n' Roll Suicide" (Live) (from Ziggy Stardust – The Motion Picture, 1973/1983) – 4:30
CD two
  1. "Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere" (Roger Daltrey, Pete Townshend (from Pin Ups, 1973) – 3:08
  2. "Sorrow" (Bob Feldman, Jerry Goldstein, Richard Gottehrer) (from Pin Ups, 1973) – 2:53
  3. "Don't Bring Me Down" (Johnnie Dee) (from Pin Ups, 1973) – 2:05
  4. "1984/Dodo" (previously unreleased, 1973) – 5:29
  5. "Big Brother" (from Diamond Dogs, 1974) – 3:21
  6. "Rebel Rebel" (U.S. single version, 1974) – 3:01
  7. "Suffragette City" (from David Live, 1974) – 3:50
  8. "Watch That Man" (from David Live, 1974) – 5:07
  9. "Cracked Actor" (from David Live, 1974) – 3:30
  10. "Young Americans" (from Young Americans, 1975) – 5:12
  11. "Fascination" (Bowie, Luther Vandross) (from Young Americans, 1975) – 5:45 (A different, more echo heavy mix which was not on the 2003 issue)
  12. "After Today" (Young Americans outtake, 1975, previously unreleased) – 3:50
  13. "It's Hard to Be a Saint in the City" (Bruce Springsteen) (previously unreleased, 1975) – 3:49
  14. "TVC 15" (from Station to Station, 1976) – 5:31
  15. "Wild Is the Wind" (Dimitri Tiomkin, Ned Washington) (from Station to Station, 1976) – 5:58
CD three
  1. "Sound and Vision" (from Low, 1977) – 3:05
  2. "Be My Wife" (from Low, 1977) – 2:57
  3. "Speed of Life" from Low, 1977) – 2:47
  4. "Helden" (Bowie, Brian Eno) (German version of ""Heroes"", recorded 1977; 1989 remix) – 3:39
  5. "Joe the Lion" (from "Heroes", 1977) – 3:07
  6. "Sons of the Silent Age" (from "Heroes", 1977) – 3:19
  7. "Station to Station" (Live) (from Stage, 1978) – 8:50
  8. "Warszawa" (Live) (Bowie, Eno) (from Stage, 1978) – 6:52
  9. "Breaking Glass" (Live) (Bowie, Dennis Davis, George Murray) (from Stage, 1978) – 3:35
  10. "Red Sails" (Bowie, Eno) (from Lodger, 1979) – 3:45
  11. "Look Back in Anger" (Bowie, Eno) (from Lodger, 1979) – 3:07
  12. "Boys Keep Swinging" (Bowie, Eno) (from Lodger, 1979) – 3:18
  13. "Up the Hill Backwards" (from Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps), 1980) – 3:15
  14. "Kingdom Come" (Tom Verlaine) (from Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps), 1980) – 3:44
  15. "Ashes to Ashes" (from Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps), 1980) – 4:23
CD-Video/CD-ROM
  1. "John, I'm Only Dancing" (Live) (previously unreleased) – 2:40
  2. "Changes" (Live) (previously unreleased) – 3:20
  3. "The Supermen" (Live) (previously unreleased) – 2:43
  4. "Ashes to Ashes" (video edit) – 3:34

2003 reissue (CD: EMI / 5945112)

All songs written by David Bowie unless otherwise indicated. Songs that are different from the original Sound + Vision box set or new to this release of the box set are indicated with an asterisk (*).

CD one
  1. "Space Oddity" (Demo version)
  2. *"The Wild Eyed Boy from Freecloud" (includes spoken intro)
  3. "The Prettiest Star" (Single version)
  4. *"London Bye Ta–Ta" (previously unreleased stereo mix)
  5. "Black Country Rock"
  6. "The Man Who Sold the World"
  7. "The Bewlay Brothers"
  8. "Changes"
  9. *"Round and Round" (alternate vocal)
  10. "Moonage Daydream"
  11. "John, I'm Only Dancing"
  12. "Drive-In Saturday"
  13. "Panic in Detroit"
  14. "Ziggy Stardust" (Live)
  15. "White Light White Heat" (Live)
  16. "Rock 'N' Roll Suicide" (Live)
  17. "Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere"
  18. "Sorrow"
  19. "Don't Bring Me Down"
CD two
  1. "1984/Dodo"
  2. "Big Brother"
  3. "Rebel Rebel"
  4. "Suffragette City" (Live)
  5. "Watch That Man" (Live)
  6. "Cracked Actor" (Live)
  7. "Young Americans"
  8. *"Fascination"
  9. "After Today"
  10. "It's Hard to Be a Saint in the City"
  11. "TVC 15"
  12. "Wild Is the Wind"
  13. "Sound and Vision"
  14. "Be My Wife"
  15. "Speed of Life"
  16. "Helden"
  17. "Joe the Lion"
  18. "Sons of the Silent Age"
CD three
  1. "Station to Station" (Live)
  2. "Warszawa" (Live)
  3. "Breaking Glass" (Live)
  4. "Red Sails"
  5. "Look Back in Anger"
  6. "Boys Keep Swinging"
  7. "Up the Hill Backwards"
  8. "Kingdom Come"
  9. "Ashes to Ashes"
  10. *"Baal's Hymn" (Kurt Weill) (from Baal, 1982) (previously unreleased on CD) – 4:00
  11. *"The Drowned Girl" (Bertolt Brecht, Weill) (from Baal, 1982) (previously unreleased on CD) – 2:24
  12. *"Cat People (Putting Out Fire)" (Bowie, Giorgio Moroder) (from Cat People Original Soundtrack, 1982) – 6:41
  13. *"China Girl" (Bowie, Iggy Pop) (from Let's Dance, 1983) – 5:32
  14. *"Ricochet" (from Let's Dance, 1983) – 5:14
  15. *"Modern Love" (Live) (from "Modern Love" b-side, 1983) (previously unreleased on CD) – 4:47
  16. *"Loving the Alien" (from Tonight, 1984) – 7:10
  17. *"Dancing with the Big Boys" (Bowie, Pop, Alomar) (from Tonight, 1984) – 3:34
CD four
  1. *"Blue Jean" (from Tonight, 1984) – 3:10
  2. *"Time Will Crawl" (from Never Let Me Down, 1987) – 4:18
  3. *"Baby Can Dance" (from Tin Machine, 1989) – 4:57
  4. *"Amazing" (Bowie, Reeves Gabrels) (from Tin Machine, 1989) – 3:04
  5. *"I Can't Read" (Bowie, Gabrels) (from Tin Machine, 1989) – 4:54
  6. *"Shopping for Girls" (Bowie, Gabrels) (from Tin Machine II, 1991) – 3:44
  7. *"Goodbye Mr. Ed" (Bowie, Tony Sales, Hunt Sales) (from Tin Machine II, 1991) – 3:24
  8. *"Amlapura" (Bowie, Gabrels) (from Tin Machine II, 1991) – 3:46
  9. *"You've Been Around" (Bowie, Gabrels) (from Black Tie White Noise, 1993) – 4:45
  10. *"Nite Flights" (Moodswings Back to Basics remix radio edit) (N. Scott Engels) (previously unreleased, original version from Black Tie White Noise, 1993) – 4:35
  11. *"Pallas Athena" (Gone Midnight Mix) (previously unreleased on CD, original version from Black Tie White Noise, 1993) – 4:21
  12. *"Jump They Say" (from Black Tie White Noise, 1993) – 4:22
  13. *"The Buddha of Suburbia" (from The Buddha of Suburbia, 1993) – 4:28
  14. *"Dead Against It" (from The Buddha of Suburbia, 1993) – 5:48
  15. *"South Horizon" (from The Buddha of Suburbia, 1993) – 5:26
  16. *"Pallas Athena" (Live) (from "Seven Years in Tibet" B-side, 1997) – 8:18

Charts

Album

Year Chart Position
1989 The Billboard 200 97
2014 UK Albums Chart 63

Certifications

Organization Level Date
RIAA – US Gold 7 November 1995

References

  1. ↑ http://www.allmusic.com/album/r2517
  2. ↑ http://www.allmusic.com/album/r674316
  3. ↑ Rolling Stone magazine, 14–28 December 1989, page 245
  4. ↑ White, Dennis R. (May 1990), "The Men Who Sold the Man", The Rocket (Seattle, WA) (127): 19
  5. ↑ Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–2014. Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. Retrieved February 27, 2014.
  6. ↑ "Bowie, Rebel in Repose" by Edna Gundersen, USA Today, 27 April 1990, Section D pp 1 & 2
  7. ↑ "CD News" by Pete Howard, Rolling Stone, 14–28 December 1989, page 216
  8. ↑ "Watch that Man" by Tina Clarke, Music Express, March 1990, page 9