David Bowie - Hunky Dory｜Vinyl Monday 

what’s your favorite bowie song? any era is up for grabs - comment below!

"Quicksand" is truly the secret masterpiece of Hunky Dory.

From a 64 year old man. Thank you for reawakening my love for the albums that were so much part of the soundtrack of my early life. And thank you for reminding me that revisiting amazing artists like David Bowie, was exactly what I needed, right now. Truly enjoying your enthusiasm...keep rolling them out. I'll be watching and more importantly, listening.

"The Bewlay Brothers", man... What a song.

I love all Bowie albums because they're so completely different from one another. Bowie? Absolute Genius!

Heroes made me get into Bowie, Hunky Dory made me a full blown Bowie fan

My favourite Bowie album, for the same reasons why Rubber Soul is my favourite Beatles, raw talent, finding its feet

"Death on two legs" - you're so right!

Life on Mars was the first Bowie song I've ever heard and it's still my favourite one. It has everything: poetic cryptic lyrics that are begging to be analysed, a beautiful vocal performance by Bowie, the haunting piano courtesy of Rick Wakeman. Time may change me, but it's yet to change my preference for it

Life on Mars appearing in Licorice Pizza renewed my interest in this album. Always felt his pre-Ziggy work has been largely overlooked.

this is my favourite bowie album and perhaps it’s his first great album (tho man who sold the world is quite a good record). ‘changes,’ ‘oh! you pretty things,’ ‘life on mars?,’ ‘queen bitch,’ and ‘the bewlay brothers’ are my standout songs

Bowie has had as many accolades as any performer can have. He had the respect of fans and contemporaries alike. The only negative is how he treated his band mates that helped him gain his Rock N' Roll stature. His Ego transcended his heart and soul. It's a heartless business.

Thanks for giving Hunky Dory the love it deserves. Freak Out next?? Be still my beating heart!!! Do you know how much of an FZ fan I am???

My family ran a vending company ( aimed at the bar and tavern trade ) here in Southern Calif. and Bowie's music always played well on our jukes across all types of locations and musical taste. Shine on David Bowie, shine on. Great take on a transformational LP, like Morrison, Bowie was an changeling as well. Dig your style, aloha

This was great. I really enjoy your commentary. And the "sailors fighting in the dance hall..." bit had me laughing 😃 😊

I value this album about as much and in as many ways as anything else in life and could go on endlessly ---but in a nutshell: there's something distinctly and indelibly sublime about walking down a quiet and empty Chicago side street on a summer afternoon and hearing the familiar strains of "Eight Line Poem" wafting thru an open screen door to someone's second floor balcony, and that was a third of a century ago...

also love the janine appreciation, space oddity has to be one of my favorite bowie lps

Loved hunky dory since I discovered it 2yrs after release. But it was only later in my life when I realized how amazing a song Life On Mars is. It and Kinks’ Waterloo Sunset, and Beatles Across The Universe.

Bowies bravery inspired me to seek out the path less travelled. He was always a welcome glow in my life. Sadly gone too soon. ON the topic of Warhol I met Bowie's ex-boyfriend in 81 through his brother whom I was friendly with. I was invited to his new hairdressing salon. Over the stations were four "Marilyn's". I commented on what good prints they were and was told, "Oh no, they're Originals". I always wondered if these came from Bowie as I knew he was a collector.

Quicksand is the heart of that album.

About Ronson - He absolutely DESTROYS on the "Live in Santa Monica 72". On Moonage Daydream the pipe whistle solo is replaced by Ronson's guitar and it elevates the song.

That...was....great. Thanks, from Sydney. ✌ Sound & Vision.

I love how Bowie continued to revisit "Oh You Pretty Things!" well into his Ziggy/Aladdin Sane era. The intricate piano part gives it a sort of old-fashioned style glamor, like the Hunky Dory album overall, but the drums and bass and vocals (especially on the chorus) point the way towards Bowie's next act!

I'm amazed Bowie's earliest albums weren't selling - they were so great (well, still are...) it was good that Ziggy Stardust was a breakthrough, like Tommy and The Dark Side of the Moon.

I appreciate someone who displays the Gypsy double. Thought back then I was the lone listener! Somewhere there is a film about them.

You are so informative and interesting. Such a talented storyteller. Such a meticulous researcher. And so pretty and stylish, to boot! I am hooked.

I'm friends with Carlos Alomar. He teaches guitar at the University that I work at. He's on David Bowie's later more R & B like stuff. He played guitar on songs like Fame and Golden Years. The album Station To Station among others..

This is the only way I know it’s Monday 😂❤

Dear Abby, Mention of 'Janine' fills my heart with joy and reverent adoration! I'm helpless for your smile as well. All the brilliance to come is prefigured on that track, including best ever use of the word ''collocate' in popular music! I've never been able to listen to 'Janine' only once, it always gets a second spin or more, and I seek excuses to post it hither and yon on general principle. ('Cygnet Committee,' another deserving deep track deserves mention here as well, with most of the DB '69 album... especially as all have a 'Hunky Dory' feel as well.) Viva 'Janine!'

BOWPROMO (Gemm LP) In August 1971, David Bowie's manager, Tony Defries had 500 promo LPs pressed to secure Bowie and fellow Mainman artist Dana Gillespie a record deal. This promo album, featuring seven Bowie songs on one Side A and five by Gillespie on the flip is often referred to as the BOWPROMO white label album. It came in generic white outer and inner sleeves, and had no printed labels so its matrix number (BOWPROMO 1A-1/1B-1) is the only way to safely identify it. This Record Store Day release faithfully replicates the original promo, with Bowie's seven tracks on one side, and adds five exclusive Bowie prints.

Yes yes yes yes yes… and yes! Your powers of description are spot on! More power to yer elbow 🌟

Rick Wakeman went home after the Life On Mars session and mumbled to his girlfriend, "I think I've just done the best song I've ever played on".

As a decades long Bowie fan, who finds most Bowie stuff on RU-vid slightly underwhelming as I know too much, I really enjoyed this. Well done for touching an old cynics heart. Thanks

Lol, this album is only eight months younger than I am. One of my favorites! I’m glad you’re digging the soundtrack I grew up with … which is to say, not the music I chose to listen to in my early through late adolescence, which I guess is what a lot of people mean by “the music they grew up with” - I mean, rather, the music which was literally in the air the whole of my childhood: what was on the radio while I played with blocks, what played from passing cars as we walked down the street, what was on t.v. music shows as i flipped through channels, what my much older cousins all listened to and talked about … I seldom knew any artists or song titles, but as I reached eleven and twelve, I’d play someone’s decade-old album and realize “Oh, hey, it’s that song I remember from that party my parents took me to, huh, who knew it was Bowie?” and it turns out all this stuff is part of my molecular being. Anyhow. It’s fun to see you grooving over this music, it was the everyday tapestry of my life.

"Bipperty-bopperty hat" is probably a reference to the incantation by the fairy godmother in Cinderella to transform her attire and transportation into something fabulous enough to attend the ball. See "Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo" song.

My personal fav is Warszawa. Such a moving song

"Queen Bitch" is my favorite Hunky Dory song.

🌟 Excellent choice! I change my custom license plate every year (always music related) ... and this year it reads KOOKS. You will approve of next year's, I know for sure. MC5... just got to think of just the right thing for it to read (up to 7 characters including spaces) ...Fantastic episode as always, Luv... Cheers! 🍸

My favorite Bowie album.

Hunky Dory is my favorite Bowie album from the first time I heard it. It has a feel to it that I have identified with since I was 12 when I first heard it. Quicksand and the Bewlay Brother's are both in my top favorite Bowie songs. Thanks for posting it.

"Oh you Pretty Things" sparked inspiration for UK Children`s Television "The Tomorrow People" David Bowie`s meeting and conversation with Roger Price, gave Roger inspiration to formulate the idea of `Tomorrow People` The full details are in the book "Jaunt" . The UK show debuted in early 1973.

Love it. Andy Wharhol is one of my favorite songs to sing/play.

"Life on Mars?" Has to be my favourite Bowie song and "Hunky Dory" has to be my favourite Bowie album! Double win for me if you ask. Could we except a Ronettes "Presenting the fabulous ronettes" in the new year 👀👀

Life on Mars references a girl with the mousey hair called Hermione Farthingale. She was Bowie's girlfriend at the time. The superb song Letter to Hermione which appeared on the Space Oddity album adds some background to their relationship.

I love Janine. Our local social club in NE London has a Bowie night on the weekend closest to his birthday so that was this Saturday just gone. We went of course & as she lives in our home town Maggie Ronson, Mick's sister came along to this one too. Her band has performed there as well but l missed that. She used to take Mick down the local high street so he could get some very nice sausages from the local specialist supplier which he was a fan of. During his Moonage Daydream solo l commented to her that it was his finest hour & she nodded knowingly. A good night & my second 'second degree' from Bowie as l also met Woody at a Holy Holy gig. I saw Bowie in '78, '83 & '87 though l didn’t enjoy the Glass Spider much & drifted off to pastures new, Zappa, Crimson, Daevid Allen & Gong, Tull.....etc. Started listening to Bowie again some years back though the albums between Let's Dance & The Next Day remain largely out of my ken.

Perhaps it's not as grandiose as a Ziggy Stardust, but I find this to be the most concise and masterfully written album of Bowie's.

Thank you for your extra efforts in december getting double album reviews and regular vinyl monday reviews out for us all🎅♐️

Hunky dory is one of his best albums and his first masterpiece imo

For whatever it's worth, Paul Anka has actually had a pretty successful career writing songs for other people. "Puppy Love" helped to launch Donny Osmond's career, he wrote “It Doesn't Matter Anymore” for Buddy Holly, “She's a Lady” for Tom Jones, “Teddy” for Connie Francis, “This is It (I Never Heard)” for Michael Jackson and “The Tonight Show” theme for Johnny Carson, among a multitude of others -- so I would think that Bowie shouldn't have been too sour for whatever he wrote losing to "My Way." As far as where I started with Bowie, I started in a very strange place: I started with Outside and Earthling (yes, my appreciation for gothic things and Nine Inch Nails is where/how I first found Bowie) and then quickly worked my way backwards (in no small part because trying to play ANY of Earthling on guitar is nearly impossible, unless you're Reeves Gabrels).

What an emotional and evocative episode! You have somehow absorbed and appreciated your grandparents music, and communicate it’s power and significance with such understanding. Thank you.

The all-time great songs that are so infectious it is impossible not to lift your mood are: 1. Queen Bitch - David Bowie 2. September - Earth, Wind, and Fire 3. Watching the Detectives - Elvis Costello

"Life on Mars?" is an all-time great song and it's so under-appreciated.

Ziggy was my entry into Bowie but Hunky Dory is the Bowie record I listen to most now (and Ziggy is now 3rd most listened to after Station to Station). Life on Mars, Quicksand, and Queen Btch are my favorites on this album.

life on mars? is probably bowie's greatest song but i have to think "i can't give everything away" off of "lazarus" is my favorite. thanks for the tip on the clash's "midnight to stevens". i think i heard it before you were born and asked "why didn't they release that?" and forgot about it until you reminded me the other day. i knew "london calling" before you were born (talked to people (aka: a person) about joy division in high school after ian was gone) and am thrilled to watch you weekly.

Favourite Bowie song... Heroes. It completely knocked me out when I was 10 years old (when it came out). I knew it expressed emotions that were more important than anything but which I couldn't understand. I guess that's true for every song that freaking alien ever wrote.

David Bowie woke me up to singing and composing my own songs again round 2013, and this album was one of them along with all the rest eventually. I lost the track of being up front in a band round turn of century to work on other skills in retrospect. As a fellow Capricorn with Libra rising, some charts say he had Sagittarius rising, but to me Neptune in first house Libra with Sun conjunct Mars in 4th house Capricorn and Moon in between Saturn and Pluto in the 11th house Leo seems the correct chart to me, his influence was just what I needed to kick my singing and songwriting awake once more. I covered Life On Mars for some years, guitar and voice arrangement. Learning a few Bowie songs gave me the practice required to translate the electronic notes I took trying to write songs with computer home studio and really only getting a bunch of great ambient music along the lines of Another Green World, Brian Eno with the fully composed songs only available in the recorded version as I had lost the skill to play a song live in my obsession with the computer studio. Bowie appeared to me in a dream in 2011, but I didn't realize it was him and blew him off in a frustrated huff. I revisited the dream later on and realized he was offering me his songs to help me get back to full power as a musician after I gave a set of his singles I had on my ipod a good listen and hearing things I never expected having first encountered him in the 80's and having no idea what was before. I now understand another aspect of Bowie's gift to my musicianship as around the time he appeared in my dreams I was in the first year of playing with a jam band that still rocks together during the warm weather months. A recent Daryl's House episode with Robert Fripp revealed the incredible value in that training to me in that Fripp claims that he only knows two people who can just drop every plan and jam, and enjoy it other than Daryl Hall and that's David Bowie and Brian Eno. I can improvise like that now, where I was too tense to do so in my original life as a musician ignorant of Bowie and only just getting to know Robert Fripp and Brian Eno's output. When he appeared to me in dream I was just trying to put together my first songs again in live coherence and not quite getting it. The missing element was to first learn some cover songs to retrain my ability to sing and play guitar at the same time. That's what Bowie's music gave me after I correctly understood the dream version of his offer in 2011.

GEM was a music publishing company associated with David Bowie during the early 1970s. It stands for "Grosvenor Estates Music," and was an imprint under MainMan, the management company run by Tony Defries.

off Topic for a sec. I just noticed that Elton put out 11 studio LP's in 7 years 😲😲

I LOVE JANINE TOO AHHHHHHHHH I AM WITH YOU

you have good taste (audience, included) - This is the right album for the world, rn - cuz, fer real - it looks a scream, sans any changes

Hi Abbi sounds like I owe this one another listen I have a cd copy of it and only played it once or twice. The Bowie albums I am very familiar with are Diamond Dogs love it. Ziggy Stardust love it. Lets Dance like it a little don't love it.

My copy of "Hunky Dory" is an extended one, and it has, among other alternate takes, the demo for "Quicksand". Don't remember why, I got to know the demo first - and it knocked me out. Such a pearl of delicassy, simplicity and moving feelings it is! I got mesmerized by this demo. But when I first heard the official... I don't want to be less than honest, and I won't: it frustrated me. He spoiled his own composition by his complex approach of it in the official. I like prog but, you know, but official "Quicksand" sounds, for its complexity, almost as a prog - a cheesy one. If you don't know the demo of "Quicksand", Abby, go after it - right now!

Love this video. And I feel the same, "this album is what I never knew I needed. " is very accurate.

You should hear the alternate "Bewlay Brothers" on A Divine Symmetry if you haven't already (it may be on that promo album you referenced - don't remember). Bowie does the outtro in a normal voice and it is very poignant and heartbreaking.

"my brother in Christ".. My morning latte came out my nose..

It's good to hear someone from a newer world be both encouragingly enthusiastic and capable of very good research present something from a different era. Gives life to it and bridges worlds. Well done. Perfectly accurate? - no, but it doesn't matter as you achieved your aim.

Amazing research and details. Your insights an opinions are thoughtful and appreciated. Great work!

I just wish you had a vinyl copy with a textured paper cover (without the black border). The album cover for Young Americans was a throwback to the Hunky Dory cover, with a similarly stylized watercolor look and printed on the same textured paper sleeve. Try to track down a copy, or one of the recent 180gram vinyl reissues that faithfully replicate it. In the 1970s more than any other decade, the design and the materials used in album cover production was, I believe, integral to the total artistic statement. But great job on your video!

For me Queen Bitch! Perfect proto punk with Dylan story type lyrics that sizzle with sarcasm in the delivery! Definitely the rocker on that LP. And then came...Man Who Sold the World!

Yeah, huge Bowie Fan fer sure. Love your comments, insights, lore, etc., comme d'habitude😘. But I can't help but notice the cover of Freak Out! staring out from your shelf. I've been a major Zappaphile most of my musical life, and look forward to your F.O. discussion. Aaand: I have a suggestion for that, if it's possible. Just as you pointed out the intersections between Bowie & Lou Reed's careers, Zappa had an important relationship with his high-school pal and occasional collaborator, Don (Van) Vliet, better known as Captain Beefheart. Their respective debut albums came out about a year apart, and, I believe, are worth comparing side by side. (As in two consecutive videos, say.) Dunno if you have Beefheart's Safe As Milk. You can at least hear it on RU-vid - or does that violate the premise or protocol of your channel? Anyway, FO's 1st two sides are variations on a variety of pop styles, as only Zappa could imagine & arrange them. (Sides 3&4 are much more experimental/challenging.) Similarly, SAM also consists in ingenious reimaginings of various pop styles, but of a different (often bluesy) sort, with Van Vliet's budding genius sensibility in place of Zappa's. If you don't have the LP, I can get it online for you (probably new & remastered; 50+ yr-old vinyl is muchos dineros). I'd send you my own copy, but I'm still alive and therefore not ready to let it go. (Unless you'd be willing to take it as a loan ... ?) Anyway, please let me know if you'd like a copy. Thanks for your attention. And your continuing "reviews". ❤

Has always been his greatest album to me and it continues to grow with every listen. Much as I love every song; the Bewlay Brothers with its memories of childhood, always soars with compassion and empathy for a brother lost to mental illness. The enigmatic lyrics are the echoes of a disjointed and cracked world of fragmentary reality, while the music conjures the cowboy imagination and innocence of young boys 'riding the range' together. Their final parting is in the coda at the end, in the beautiful image of the shoes and an unlocked door. Bowie never bettered this.

Beautiful!❤

Picking a favourite track would be like asking a millionaire to buy a mini not a roller just too many, aladin sane, let's dance, low ot name a few. Great review stay safe and happy Xmas.

Spot on Abi! Thx for your hard work 🎉

Ashes to ashes! Has to be! Great video Abi! As usual!

Yay! Double albums!

All the young dudes. 📀

Station to Station is where you should head next. Six epic tracks written in a cocaine haze. Bowie at cross roads in his life and career...

Outstanding review!

Good for you and your take on this record!

I used to sing Life on Mars as a vocal warm up before a gig. One day i was walking up and down my apartment singing and my roommate burst out of her room. I thought she wasn't in the apartment, but she was sleeping. She was pissed but instantly smiled when she realized it was me singing, not blasting a record.

Awesome 👌 Piano 🎹 by Rick Wakeman on this album. Yes was on his horizon. As for David , he joined Lou Reed & Elvis Presley as an RCA recording artist.

Terrific video. This is my favourite album!

I love your channel! Great trivia.

Thanks for another great review... love your enthusiasm : ) I'm not really a huge Bowie fan, but this is one of my all-time favorite albums by anyone.

My favorite Bowie era is '69-'73. The album originally just titled David Bowie, rereleased as Space Oddity to Aladdin Sane. Great music after, of course, but that earlier era was great. I like to say that the 70s is the greatest decade in music and Heroes is the best song of the decade.

Rick Wakeman was asked to join David and Yes the same day Bombers is the bomb - why it wasn’t released is just sad

I just found out about "A Divine Symmetry" a 4-CD box set of the making of Hunky Dory - meanwhile, there's a 1-LP vinyl edition which is basically "Hunky Dory" with alternate takes. Can't wait to hear it tonight. I picked it up during lunch hour.

Androgyny was cooly received (shocker), along with glam. Years later, unisex hair salons cut into barbershop trade, and guys wore cut-offs best suited to boys who hadn't yet "dropped."

Happy Christmas Abby from across th pond. Thank you for Vinyl Monday. I haven't found music fandom this exciting since listening to the late John Peel. Thank you

I also love this album, probably my 3rd favorite by Bowie. I was lucky enough to be invited to a Ken Scott presentation around 10 years ago at the Grammy Museum in L A. During one segment, he played the isolated tracks of Life on Mars . . .WOW! That was the highlight of the night for me. Thanks for another insightful video of an album that I have lived with for over 50 years.

Janine, Janine, you’re like to know me well!! The best! I love Drive In Saturday. I was given Space Oddity plus the same time pin ups came out. Shortly there would be Aladdin Sane, I’d get to know Hunky, and Ziggy! Then the Diamond Dogs/David Live/ Young Americans run! Whew! He has consistently been my favorite artist since. Keep up the kool show.

To be honest, before I checked out this record, I wasn't too keen on Bowie's earlier albums, I will forever gush over the Berlin Trilogy and Station to Station (One of the greatest album runs ever), but I have a soft spot for this album in particular. This album sounds whimsical, playful & charismatic, but it doesn't do it to the point where it feels like a parody, unlike his first two albums. Ziggy Stardust's great, but people don't give enough credit to its predecessor, which in my opinion, is equally good, perhaps even slightly better.

Anthony Newly, major influence on David. My mom was assistant to Leslie Bricusse for 47 years. Leslie and Anthony were partners for years. David openly credits Anthony for his early style and yes, Harry's influence is huge in r'n'roll. John and Harry got drunk together for a year in MY town? The nerve. Pussycats!

I love this episode Abby. Top shelf stuff here.

mellotrons are my weakness but the acoustic keyboard playing on HD is one of its loveliest features. quite often strings aren't doing much on an album, just blocking in, whereas on these songs they have something to 'say'. I think the embracing of ambiguity in your response to life on mars is positive. art can't always be pinned down, artist's aren't always in total control.great video. i say that a lot. thanks for the Christmas shopping reminder A!

One of my favorite records ever - fantastic review Abby!

I saw David Bowie in a 3000-seat venue, there were only 900 or so people there, this was in 1972. That's all, other than to say, lovely video, Abby.

Great video I remember buying this album after Bowie passed away I remember it costed my 70 dollars ouch but great video life on Mars and queen b***h are my favorite tracks on this album keep it up Abby ❤❤❤

I got into Bowie from about '76. The cassette underground at school assured that a group of us were covered from Space Oddity to Station to Station. Then I bought all of it on vinyl, starting with changesonebowie. If you did buy a Bowie album then the inner sleeve featured the cover art of all the other records to date and if you'd been used to the Ziggy or Duke look (Man Who Sold the World was released in Australia with the Ziggy looking cover) the one on Hunky Dory looked bizarre and it bothered me so much I delayed getting it until after Low. When I did it stayed on my player for weeks, even though I'd already heard it on tape for years. Something about having the artwork there beside it helped. During study for school exams at the end of the following year, I alternated between this and Station to Station and for a strange few days I was actually happy getting ready for exams (later, in 1980, I was preparing for exams again and I'd station hop until I found someone playing Ashes to Ashes again which actually worked pretty well). There were no books on Bowie at the time but he was touring Heroes which flooded the music press with retrospectives, whereby the earlier ones were reviewed through the filter of the later ones and favourably. HD's deceptive brightness was given a lot of context and the weird darkness of Station to Station felt like it fit in perfect complement. I still think of one when I play the other. Thanks for this dizzying coverage!