David Bowie’s most iconic songs are generally tied irreparably to the classic albums that hosted them. You immediately associate “Changes” with Hunky Dory, for example, or “Ashes To Ashes” with Station To Station.
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For that reason, Bowie’s standalone songs sometimes don’t get the respect they deserve. We’re here to change that by putting the spotlight on “Absolute Beginners”, a standout track from a long-forgotten 80s film.
Dealing in “Absolute”
Bowie has often written off the music that he released in between his smash hit 1983 album Let’s Dance and his formation of Tin Machine at the end of the decade. His abuse of alcohol and drugs at the time is often cited as the reason. But Bowie was also spending a lot of time focusing on films.
This was the time period when he did the beloved Jim Henson project Labyrinth. He also took a role in the 1986 musical film Absolute Beginners, for which he also provided several songs for the soundtrack. The title song was played at the beginning and end of the film.
For the recording, Bowie assembled an impressive ad hoc lineup. It included Steve Nieve, who played keyboards for Elvis Costello’s Attractions, guitarist Keith Armstrong, who would play with Bowie for years after this, and Rick Wakeman, whose dramatic piano flourishes once graced famous Bowie albums like Space Oddity and Hunky Dory.
Alan Winstanley and Clive Langer, then the hottest hitmaking duo in Great Britain, produced the track with Bowie. Amazingly, the ever-productive Bowie recorded the main session for “Absolute Beginners” early one day, and then joined Mick Jagger to record their hit cover of “Dancing In The Streets” later that night.
Exploring the Lyrics of “Absolute Beginners”
By the time David Bowie put “Absolute Beginners” together, he was closing in on 40 years old. That didn’t stop him from capturing all the excitement of young love in the song. The title indeed suggests those who are starting from scratch, with none of the hangups or preconceptions that trip people who’ve lived, loved, and lost.
The narrator doesn’t build himself up as much. “I’ve nothing much to offer,” he admits. “There’s nothing much to take.” He and his girl tackle the world with the courage of the blissfully ignorant. “As long as we’re together / The rest can go to hell.”
“With eyes completely open,” he says of their approach to their romance. “But nervous all the same.” This kid manages to be a realist and an optimist all at once. In the second verse, he suggests that their humble status means that no loss, outside their love for each other, will be too great: “With nothing much at stake.”
“But if my love is your love,” he promises. “We’re certain to succeed.” The soaring melody in the chorus matches both their lofty ambitions and grandiose dreams. “If our love song,” he ponders. “Could fly over mountains / Could laugh at the ocean / Just like the films.” Were that to happen, no bad endings could happen. “There’s no reason,” he sings. “To feel all the hard times / To lay down the hard lines / It’s absolutely true.”
“Absolute Beginners” scored big in Great Britain, but it was mostly overlooked in the US. And maybe it’s still a bit overlooked. It’s a Bowie song without an album, but absolutely brilliant nonetheless.
Photo by White/Sunday People/Mirrorpix/Getty Images
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