David Bowie’s greatest career period came in the 1970s with his Berlin Trilogy. The albums Low (1977), “Heroes” (1977), and Lodger (1979) remain some of his most beloved records to date. And some songs from that period, or around it, were way ahead of their time. Let’s look at just a few examples.
“Warszawa” from ‘Low’ (1977)
This mainly instrumental masterpiece, put together by Bowie and Brian Eno, seems to predict the onset of electronic ambient music in the 1970s. Bowie decided to take full advantage of the then-new technological advancements in music, namely the synthesizer. But he didn’t totally abandon old ways of making music, and “Warszawa” features quite a diverse range of sounds and methodologies of performance, with Brian Eno on the Mini-Moog and EMS Synthi, as well as the good ol’ piano. During live performances of this song, Bowie would bring out session artists on guitar, traditional percussion, grand piano, and violin.
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“Breaking Glass” from ‘Stage’ (1978)
Written by Bowie, George Murray, and Dennis Davis, this iconic art rock song was originally a track on Low but was reworked for the live album Stage. I picked that version for this list because it’s so much more explosive and interesting than the Low version, in my opinion. It’s a short song, one that is incredibly minimalist. And yet, it easily sounds like it’s from the new wave era at its peak, rather than its beginning. I’m not surprised that this one became a go-to for setlists performed on a number of tours, including the Isolar II and Heathen tours.
“Look Back In Anger” from ‘Lodger’ (1979)
Most remember this Lodger classic for its killer guitar solo, a la Carlos Alomar. I remember it for sounding like an alternative rock song before alternative rock was even really a thing. David Bowie was doing things in the 1970s that easily wouldn’t be heard of again until the late 1980s or 1990s.
A heavier live version of “Look Back In Anger” would later make it to his Earthling and Heathen tours in the 1990s. Bowie was always adapting and changing, each time without compromising his artistic integrity. Today’s musicians could find some inspiration in that.
(Photo by John Lynn Kirk/Redferns/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
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