The Width of a Circle
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| "The Width of a Circle" | ||
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| Song by David Bowie | ||
| from the album The Man Who Sold the World | ||
| Released | November 4, 1970 (US) April 1971 (UK) |
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| Recorded | 1970 | |
| Genre | Rock, Heavy metal | |
| Length | 8:05 | |
| Label | RCA | |
| Writer(s) | David Bowie | |
| Producer(s) | Tony Visconti | |
| The Man Who Sold the World track listing | ||
| "The Width of a Circle" (1) |
"All the Madmen" (2) |
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"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.
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[edit] Live versions
Several live versions of the song have been released:
- A version recorded at Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, on 20 October 1972 was released on Santa Monica '72.
- A version recorded at the Hammersmith Odeon, London, on 3 July 1973 was released on Ziggy Stardust - The Motion Picture in 1983.
- A version from Bowie's 1974 North American tour was released on David Live in 1974.
- A version recorded with the Tony Visconto Trio (aka The Hype) on The Sunday Show introduced by John Peel, February 5, 1970, was released on Bowie at the Beeb in 2000.
[edit] Other releases
The song also 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)
[edit] Notes
- ^ David Buckley (1999). Strange Fascination - David Bowie: The Definitive Story: p.101
- ^ Martin Aston (2007). "Scary Monster", MOJO 60 Years of Bowie: pp.24-25
- ^ Roy Carr & Charles Shaar Murray (1981). Bowie: An Illustrated Record: p.38
[edit] References
- Pegg, Nicholas, The Complete David Bowie, Reynolds & Hearn Ltd, 2000, ISBN 1-903111-14-5
