Review Summary: The beginning of David Bowie as we know him today.
Chapter IV: The Birth of a Legend
Even before
Hunky Dory was released, the British public got a nice glimpse of what direction David Bowie would take his career in: the alternate cover of
The Man Who Sold the World. Whether or not they were aware of it at the time, they were witnessing the birth of the androgynous, glammed-up persona that Bowie would experiment with for the rest of the 70s. The long blond hair, the satin dress, the expressive pose… it all creates a definitive link between the formative Bowie of the past and the idiosyncratic Bowie of the future. And with the artwork of
Hunky Dory, the transformation was complete: the singer-songwriter pulling his long locks back in a pose inspired by Hollywood Golden Age actresses Greta Garbo and Lauren Backall. This was a new era for Bowie, and his image certainly wasn’t the only thing that changed.
After all,
Hunky Dory also serves as the true launching pad for his classic glam/art pop sound, something the Thin White Duke would soon become synonymous with. Gone are the heavy guitars of
The Man Who Sold the World, now replaced by Rick Wakeman’s elaborate piano melodies and Ken Scott’s orchestral synths. In fact, the subject matter of the opening track “Changes” pretty much says it all: Bowie gives us an autobiographical account of his intentions to distance himself away from the typical rock music of the time, as well as being able to finally call his own shots. The peppy piano work is simply infectious, and Bowie sounds much more confident behind the mic than on past efforts; you can really tell he was putting a lot of passion into the finished product, something that continues on the rest of the songs.
Another development found on
Hunky Dory is the increased complexity and eclecticism of Bowie’s songwriting, both musically and lyrically. Some of these tunes are simply impossible to even predict if you haven’t heard them before; for instance, “Oh! You Pretty Things” is never content with staying on the same key for any given moment. Then there’s the sweeping, cinematic ballad “Life on Mars?”, a song whose harmonized guitar leads and dramatic vocals act as a precursor to what Queen would do a few years later. In fact, there are quite a few parallels you could draw between
Hunky Dory and Queen’s future musical direction: the latter’s love for pastiche and camp can be found in songs like the light folk rock romp of “Kooks” and the Velvet Underground-inspired ode to drag queens “Queen Bitch”. Still, the way Bowie approached that element of his work on
Hunky Dory set him apart from his other glam rock contemporaries. Not only was he paving the way for most of those artists, but he was also turning his quirks and idiosyncrasies into a singular style and approach he could only call his own.
I don’t think I’ll be breaking any hearts when I say that Bowie was never one of the best singers on a technical level, but the amount of energy and personality he puts into these performances pretty much renders that point moot. Going back to “Life on Mars?”, much of the reason that song is so celebrated is because of how Bowie delivers his surrealistic lyrics; the song tells the story of a girl who wants to escape the doldrums of reality, but the fucking
gusto Bowie puts into that chorus is enough to make one swear by every word he sings. There’s a certain conviction in his voice that’s infectious, even on something as silly as the brassy swing of “Fill Your Heart”, in which he puts on a strange over-the-top voice. Perhaps the best example of his unique vocals and penmanship - apart from “Life on Mars?” - comes in the form of the lovely folk rock ballad “Song for Bob Dylan”, which is obviously about the legendary singer-songwriter of the same name. The genius of the tune lies in the fact that no one seems to know whether Bowie was being reverent or sarcastic with his appraisal of Dylan; somehow, his vocals and obtuse lyrics could tiptoe that line perfectly.
“Idiosyncratic” is the word of the day, ladies and gents.
Hunky Dory was the true birth of David Bowie, and serves as an excellent glimpse into his beautifully unusual style; this was the first time that he was given full creative control, and he had immediately proven why he should have been given the reins from the beginning.
Hunky Dory wasn’t just Bowie’s creative breakthrough (his commercial breakthrough would come with the next album), but an absolute classic in its own right. If you’re new to his work, this is a fantastic starting point that embodies everything that made David Bowie an incredible artist.
