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David Bowie — Modern Love
Album: Let's Dance
Avg rating:
7.6

Your rating:
Total ratings: 2398









Released: 1983
Length: 4:41
Plays (last 30 days): 0
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I don't want to go out
I won't stay in
Get things done

I catch a paper boy
But things don't really change
I'm standing in the wind
But I never wave bye-bye

But I try, I try

There's no sign of life
It's just the power to charm
I'm lying in the rain
But I never wave bye-bye

But I try, I try

Never gonna fall for (modern love)
Walks beside me (modern love)
Walks on by (modern love)
Gets me to the church on time (church on time)
Terrifies me (church on time)
Makes me party (church on time)
Puts my trust in god and man (God and man)
No confessions (God and man)
No religion (God and man)
Don't believe in modern love

It's not really work
It's just the power to charm
I'm still standing in the wind
But I never wave bye-bye

But I try, I try

Never gonna fall for (modern love)
Walks beside me (modern love)
Walks on by (modern love)
Gets me to the church on time (church on time)
Terrifies me (church on time)
Makes me party (church on time)
Puts my trust in god and man (God and man)
No confessions (God and man)
No religion (God and man)
Don't believe in modern love

(Modern love), (modern love), (modern love)

(Modern love) modern love walks beside me (modern love)
(Modern love) modern love walks on by (modern love)
(Modern love) modern love walks beside me (modern love)
(Modern love) modern love walks on by (modern love)
(Modern love) never gonna fall for (modern love)
(Modern love), (modern love), (modern love)
Comments (93)add comment
A minor thing I liked about Bowie is that he defiantly retained his Lahndan accent when everyone else in pop was going mid-atlantic. Be proud of yer roots, narmean john? :o)
Posted 1 month ago by fredriley    [ Reply ]
I have always appreciated the cover image and theme 
Posted 2 months ago by mach-hog    [ Reply ]
 Montreal_Mort wrote:

Same tour, Oakland stadium - without doubt, the best show of the 120 I’ve gone to…. By far. Oh man, the stage presence he had that night. Had 80k people in the palm of his hand


I was supposed to see him in Syracuse NY on that tour, but we got snowed out.  Or in.  I'm still disappointed.
Posted 2 years ago by dwhayslett    [ Reply ]
Same tour, Oakland stadium - without doubt, the best show of the 120 I’ve gone to…. By far. Oh man, the stage presence he had that night. Had 80k people in the palm of his hand
Posted 3 years ago by Montreal_Mort    [ Reply ]
 h8rhater wrote:

Caught him at Washington DC's Capital Centre two weeks prior back in '83.  STILL one of the 3 or 4 best concerts that I have ever seen in nearly 4 decades of shows.  The setlist, the costumes, the stage show, and the production set a standard that few bands have matched over the years.



Same tour, but Hartford Civic Center for me. Just incredible.
Posted 3 years ago by moto848    [ Reply ]
 jelgator wrote:
9 ---> 10 for Stevie Ray Vaughn playing on this album.  And I believe he was on this tour.
 

Wow! No wonder I loved this album so much when I bought it....

Fantastic information on RadioParadise, as well as killer music! Thanks everybody, and thanks very much to you, Bill!
Posted 3 years ago by BHTMMan    [ Reply ]
I think this is one of the greatest pop songs ever written. Just my opinion, but as poppy music goes this is tops. And it's a nice break from all the melancholy music RP plays.
Posted 3 years ago by Stuff_n_Nonsense    [ Reply ]
This album really gave a boost to SR Vaughn's career and gave him a much wider audience than he was getting in Austin TX music scene.  It is also a shining example of just how open minded Bowie was to his approach to his music.  I mean to bring in a Texas Blues guitarist to his progressive sound?   Who would have thought of it? 
Posted 4 years ago by cmactavish    [ Reply ]
 h8rhater wrote:

No doubt... a lot of crybabies on this thread.  The constant "wah, wah, wah!" of some of these posters is tedious.

Careful, though, they may not all be Americans.
 
They also seem to not realise there's a "NEXT" button right beside the "PLAY" button. 

Don't like a song? Hit NEXT.

But whinging like a 4-year-old I guess is the preferred option.
Posted 4 years ago by stevecossaboom    [ Reply ]
Can't get any more Conservative then that
Posted 4 years ago by jmsmy    [ Reply ]
Mama always said, "If you want to get things done, don't mess around with Major Tom."

 Skydog wrote:
"I don't want to go out
I won't stay in
Get things done"
.
.
 Bowie always got things done
 

Posted 5 years ago by ThePoose    [ Reply ]
I miss Bowie. I don't miss this.
Posted 5 years ago by thewiseking    [ Reply ]
 RabbitEars wrote:
love bowie hate this album
 
Great album! Are you INSAAAANE?
Posted 5 years ago by BCarn    [ Reply ]
love bowie hate this album
Posted 5 years ago by RabbitEars    [ Reply ]
 jelgator wrote:
9 ---> 10 for Stevie Ray Vaughn playing on this album.  And I believe he was on this tour.
 
Per various SRV sources:  Vaughan showed up for rehearsals in Dallas in April (soundboard tapes from the rehearsals exist), but Vaughan showed up with a cocaine habit, a hard-partying wife and an entourage looking for easy access to drugs.  Given that Bowie himself had moved to Berlin in the late 1970s to try and kick his own cocaine habit,  Bowie and Vaughan's management failed to come to an agreement on how to
temper the situation, and in the end Vaughan pulled out of the tour. Vaughan was replaced by longtime Bowie guitarist Earl Slick.

Carlos Alomar, long time Bowie collaborator, served as band director and guitarist on the tour as well.
Posted 5 years ago by h8rhater    [ Reply ]
Strong Omar Hakim 
Posted 5 years ago by noe.architecte169    [ Reply ]
 MiracleDrug wrote:


funny how having to learn a "meh" piece of music adds to your appreciation of it... {#Lol}
 
Whats so MEH about this?
Yes, the production is dated!
But this song is a great piece of art!
Check out this accoustic cover to see for yourself.
Posted 5 years ago by ExploitingChaos    [ Reply ]
9 ---> 10 for Stevie Ray Vaughn playing on this album.  And I believe he was on this tour.
Posted 5 years ago by jelgator    [ Reply ]
 mrtuba9 wrote:
I gave it a 9 for the sax alone.
 

I know, silly to comment on my own comment, but I have always wanted (since the introduction of internet radio) wanted to create a sax solo playlist...
Posted 5 years ago by mrtuba9    [ Reply ]
I gave it a 9 for the sax alone.
Posted 6 years ago by mrtuba9    [ Reply ]
To me 5 - Decent   but my current favorites are :

10 - Johann Sebastian Bach - Violin Concerto No.4 In E, Adagio
10 - Ludovico Einaudi - Primavera
10 - The Beatles - While My Guitar Gently Weeps
10 - Dire Straits - Brothers In Arms
10 - Ludovico Einaudi - Divenire
10 - The Beatles - Hey Jude
10 - Peter Gabriel - In Your Eyes (live in Athens 1988)
10 - Otis Redding - (Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay
10 - Procol Harum - A Whiter Shade Of Pale
10 - Shannon McNally - Down and Dirty
10 - Ennio Morricone - The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

More Peter Gabriel  PLEASE  
Posted 6 years ago by Tomasni    [ Reply ]
ode to Bobby
Posted 6 years ago by hedgie    [ Reply ]
 easmann wrote:

I understand these sentiments, and I won't argue, but I would like to provide an alternate view.

Bowie I think simply ignored anything like a label, category, or box, and pursued his own artistic vision. Most times he led, occasionally he followed, but always produced music with his unique interpretation. That doesn't mean you should or should not like any particular work of his, that's your entirely subjective evaluation, one I believe he recognized, and did what he did knowing full well that not all fans would accept or like everything he did. He did it anyway.

So expect anything you like from Bowie or from any true artist: they're going to do what they do regardless of anyone's expectation. 

Peace. 

I agree with a lot of what you say. However this period was not in my view an Artist pursuing a unique vision, but a cynical cash in take the Money and run project. I doubt that Bowie liked it much but he needed a hit at the time. He deployed a similar strategy with Young Americans but that resulted in vastly superior output. Nice Roger's should be ashamed about what he did to China Girl that candy arsed culturally insensitive intro makes me cringe. Bowie was struggling to write worthwhile material at the time and resorted to plundering the Iggy Berlin stuff for diminishing returns . 
 

Posted 6 years ago by zaphod99    [ Reply ]
 Steely_D wrote:
What a horrible period for one of the great genii of pop music. I can barely stand this stuff.
 
+1
Posted 6 years ago by zaphod99    [ Reply ]
Probably the most underachieving Bowie track from his lamentable Springsteen stadium period. Horrible.
Posted 6 years ago by zaphod99    [ Reply ]
Man could Bowie write a hook - this song is catchier than tuberculosis!
Posted 6 years ago by ziggytrix    [ Reply ]
"I don't want to go out
I won't stay in
Get things done"
.
.
 Bowie always got things done
Posted 8 years ago by Skydog    [ Reply ]
 treatment_bound wrote:

Thanks to the wonder that is the internet, I was able to find the set list from that show I saw years ago but can barely remember!

9/14/83—Winnipeg Stadium

Look Back in Anger
"Heroes"
What in the World
Golden Years
Fashion
Let's Dance
Life on Mars?
Sorrow (The McCoys cover)
Cat People (Putting Out Fire)
China Girl (Iggy Pop cover)
Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)
Rebel Rebel
White Light/White Heat (The Velvet Underground cover)
Station to Station
Cracked Actor
Ashes to Ashes
Space Oddity
Young Americans
Fame
TVC15
Star

Encore:
Stay
The Jean Genie
Modern Love

 



 
Caught him at Washington DC's Capital Centre two weeks prior back in '83.  STILL one of the 3 or 4 best concerts that I have ever seen in nearly 4 decades of shows.  The setlist, the costumes, the stage show, and the production set a standard that few bands have matched over the years.
Posted 8 years ago by h8rhater    [ Reply ]
 treatment_bound wrote:

Saw Dave play this live in '83 in Winnipeg on The Serious Moonlight tour.  

 
Thanks to the wonder that is the internet, I was able to find the set list from that show I saw years ago but can barely remember!

9/14/83—Winnipeg Stadium

Look Back in Anger
"Heroes"
What in the World
Golden Years
Fashion
Let's Dance
Life on Mars?
Sorrow (The McCoys cover)
Cat People (Putting Out Fire)
China Girl (Iggy Pop cover)
Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)
Rebel Rebel
White Light/White Heat (The Velvet Underground cover)
Station to Station
Cracked Actor
Ashes to Ashes
Space Oddity
Young Americans
Fame
TVC15
Star

Encore:
Stay
The Jean Genie
Modern Love

 


Posted 8 years ago by treatment_bound    [ Reply ]
This song might have just saved my morning. 9.
Posted 8 years ago by mdnlsn    [ Reply ]
Was not a Bowie fan back in the day but have grown to appreciate his artistry. He is one of the few musicians that never stopped reinventing himself and in turn his music. Ton of respect and hey, I've grown to like his music.
Posted 8 years ago by Johnny-smooth    [ Reply ]
Hehe Bowie and his "FINALLY out of the contractual obligation with that crappy label now I can make some REAL money" album.
Posted 8 years ago by forge    [ Reply ]
Ah, that horrible 80's drum sound. Was bad then, is bad now.
Posted 9 years ago by Shimmer    [ Reply ]
This is a terrible song I know, but I have always liked it!{#Stupid}
Posted 9 years ago by sirdroseph    [ Reply ]
Tight.  Love it.
Posted 9 years ago by DaidyBoy    [ Reply ]
sorry - that sounds just terrible...
Posted 9 years ago by markus333    [ Reply ]
What a horrible period for one of the great genii of pop music. I can barely stand this stuff.
Posted 9 years ago by Steely_D    [ Reply ]
I grew up with Bowie...
For movie lovers, beautiful scene with Leo Carax:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gt2KlkBUgXA

Time 2 m. 30 s.

Posted 10 years ago by Ptijoc    [ Reply ]
 kazuma wrote:
This song was the soundtrack of a multi-hour nightmare I had on the eve of my brother's wedding back in 1983.
 
 treatment_bound wrote:
I'd sure like to hear (or read) the rest of the story...
  
 rocco1207 wrote:
Thanks for leaving us hanging ....
  
Perhaps kazuma never recovered from the lingering after-effects...

Yes this is very poppy but hey after the three Berlin albums and "Scary Monsters" we all deserved something lighter. Apparently getting off the cocaine habit helped David's mood. 

 
Posted 10 years ago by kcar    [ Reply ]
 bluejay08003 wrote:
 Rick_V wrote:

Big Bowie fan though I was never too fond of the Let's Dance album. "Modern Love" is the definite exception. Great tune. You can't help but bust a move when this one is cranked up.

 All true statements.  I nearly gave it 5= Decent, but realized I was marking it down because I expect more from Bowie. 

  


I found myself thinking the same way.     
Posted 10 years ago by steeler    [ Reply ]
 Rick_V wrote:

Big Bowie fan though I was never too fond of the Let's Dance album. "Modern Love" is the definite exception. Great tune. You can't help but bust a move when this one is cranked up.

 All true statements.  I nearly gave it 5= Decent, but realized I was marking it down because I expect more from Bowie. 
Posted 10 years ago by bluejay08003    [ Reply ]
Of all the things that you could have played from his back catalog... UGH.
Posted 10 years ago by slr242    [ Reply ]

Big Bowie fan though I was never too fond of the Let's Dance album. "Modern Love" is the definite exception. Great tune. You can't help but bust a move when this one is cranked up.


Posted 10 years ago by Rick_V    [ Reply ]
Has David married Iggy meanwhile?
Posted 10 years ago by Stingray    [ Reply ]
30 y/old, and I still call those songs the 'new songs from Bowie'.
Posted 11 years ago by prickelpit96    [ Reply ]

Dave? All us lot know him as Big D.

 treatment_bound wrote:

Saw Dave play this live in '83 in Winnipeg on The Serious Moonlight tour.  We drove up from Fargo that day.  Remember that lovely era when you could just flash some ID at the Canadian border, tell them where you were going and for how long, and then they'd wave you through in about 3 minutes after giving you "the once-over"?  I miss those days.

I'm pretty sure it was the last song that night, as Dave and his backup singers waved us "bye-bye', and we climbed back into my crappy '76 SAAB and drove home.



 


Posted 11 years ago by richlister    [ Reply ]

Never been a fan of this Bowie but really love the cover done by Last Town Chorus…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAypnmdiCEk


Posted 11 years ago by WhiningBoy    [ Reply ]

Saw Dave play this live in '83 in Winnipeg on The Serious Moonlight tour.  We drove up from Fargo that day.  Remember that lovely era when you could just flash some ID at the Canadian border, tell them where you were going and for how long, and then they'd wave you through in about 3 minutes after giving you "the once-over"?  I miss those days.

I'm pretty sure it was the last song that night, as Dave and his backup singers waved us "bye-bye', and we climbed back into my crappy '76 SAAB and drove home.


Posted 11 years ago by treatment_bound    [ Reply ]
 Dog_Ear wrote:
Some of the comments here make you understand how he arrived at the phrase . . . "I'm afraid of Americans"
 
No doubt... a lot of crybabies on this thread.  The constant "wah, wah, wah!" of some of these posters is tedious.

Careful, though, they may not all be Americans.
Posted 12 years ago by h8rhater    [ Reply ]
 ziakut wrote:
Didn't like this tune when it was released. Then was required to learn it and play it in a cover band. Many years have passed and now I appreciate it more. Strange how that happens!
 

funny how having to learn a "meh" piece of music adds to your appreciation of it... {#Lol}
Posted 12 years ago by MiracleDrug    [ Reply ]
Didn't like this tune when it was released. Then was required to learn it and play it in a cover band. Many years have passed and now I appreciate it more. Strange how that happens!
Posted 12 years ago by ziakut    [ Reply ]
8 - for the bari sax!
Posted 12 years ago by mrtuba9    [ Reply ]
 gumbo73039 wrote:
Let's dance is my only Bowie album, bought it Cyprus on a yacht delivery in the eighties, had it on Walkman through all weathers, soundtrack to a great couple of months. Good memories.
 

A guy who lives in England, and listens to RP, and your only Bowie album is Lets Dance??? Huh??
Posted 12 years ago by lemmoth    [ Reply ]
 raggamuffin wrote:
Stevie Ray on guitar..what a excellent album.
 

I know and that IMHO is the reason, this album is so good{#Bananajam}
Posted 12 years ago by wolverine    [ Reply ]
Let's dance is my only Bowie album, bought it Cyprus on a yacht delivery in the eighties, had it on Walkman through all weathers, soundtrack to a great couple of months. Good memories.
Posted 14 years ago by gumbo73039    [ Reply ]
 raggamuffin wrote:
Stevie Ray on guitar..what a excellent album.
  Didn't know that ... seems like an unlikely collaboration.  For all those who are indignant to hear this on RP, it's ashame this was so overplayed on commercial radio but I don't think it's an abomination to hear it mixed in here. 


Posted 15 years ago by WayUpNorth    [ Reply ]
Dog_Ear wrote:
Some of the comments here make you understand how he arrived at the phrase . . . "I'm afraid of Americans"



Posted 15 years ago by Danny_G    [ Reply ]
I normally like Bowie, but this one is just too... something.
Posted 16 years ago by UltraNurd    [ Reply ]
 holborne wrote:


Seriously. I would rather not hear stuff like this on RP, frankly.
 
I couldn't agree more.  {#Puke}
Posted 16 years ago by Kittee    [ Reply ]
Some of the comments here make you understand how he arrived at the phrase . . . "I'm afraid of Americans"
Posted 16 years ago by Dog_Ear    [ Reply ]
 Panama_Floyd wrote:
Who replaced my RP with "Easy 102.1"?
 

Seriously. I would rather not hear stuff like this on RP, frankly.
Posted 16 years ago by holborne    [ Reply ]
Overplayed but I still like it

Posted 16 years ago by Danny_G    [ Reply ]
 Panama_Floyd wrote:
Who replaced my RP with "Easy 102.1"?

 {#Clap} 


Posted 16 years ago by michaelgmitchell    [ Reply ]
this is the ony one from David Bowie that I really like

Posted 16 years ago by raga    [ Reply ]

I can't this is a work of staggering artistic genius, but it does make me dance in my chair. And that's a good thing.


Posted 16 years ago by handyrae    [ Reply ]
Yep. So pop for Him
Rickvee wrote:
Ss commercial songs go this is one of the best.




Posted 16 years ago by panoskatos    [ Reply ]
love this from the ever evolving thin white duke. Also from around this time "Putting Out Fires with Gasoline" is great.
Posted 16 years ago by Pharlap    [ Reply ]
Who replaced my RP with "Easy 102.1"?
Posted 16 years ago by Panama_Floyd    [ Reply ]
Ss commercial songs go this is one of the best.
Posted 16 years ago by Rickvee    [ Reply ]
Crappy, Cheesy pop!
Posted 16 years ago by EssexTex    [ Reply ]
UltraNurd wrote:
Shares a lot of sound with Elton John's "Island Girl", which I believe were roughly contemporary?
Let's Dance - 1983 Rock of the Westies - 1975 Pretty big gap as far as musical trends go. Still, an interesting catch on similarity of style. Are both drawing on ska?
Posted 16 years ago by lmic    [ Reply ]
kazuma wrote:
This song was the soundtrack of a multi-hour nightmare I had on the eve of my brother's wedding back in 1983.
treatment_bound wrote:
I'd sure like to hear (or read) the rest of the story...
Yes, please kazuma, give us the full story!
Posted 16 years ago by sub-arctic    [ Reply ]
what a song :)
Posted 16 years ago by marcucho    [ Reply ]
kazuma wrote:
This song was the soundtrack of a multi-hour nightmare I had on the eve of my brother's wedding back in 1983.
I'd sure like to hear (or read) the rest of the story...
Posted 16 years ago by treatment_bound    [ Reply ]
Stevie Ray on guitar..what a excellent album.
Posted 16 years ago by raggamuffin    [ Reply ]
Shares a lot of sound with Elton John's "Island Girl", which I believe were roughly contemporary?
Posted 16 years ago by UltraNurd    [ Reply ]
A tapestry of excellent rock musicianship.
Posted 16 years ago by nigelr    [ Reply ]
I always used this track to show off high-end audio systems. I love the sound of a closely, thouroughly miked drum set. And yes, it does have SRV, but he's got better parts on other tracks.
Posted 17 years ago by quesarah    [ Reply ]
kazuma wrote:
This song was the soundtrack of a multi-hour nightmare I had on the eve of my brother's wedding back in 1983.
Thanks for leaving us hanging ....
Posted 17 years ago by rocco1207    [ Reply ]
This song was the soundtrack of a multi-hour nightmare I had on the eve of my brother's wedding back in 1983.
Posted 17 years ago by kazuma    [ Reply ]
Professor_C wrote:
It's a great 80's style tune. Bowie purists should calm down, for heaven's sake. It's rather transparently fashionable to denigrate Modern Love and Let's Dance and wax rhapsodic about earlier (and/or later) Bowie. And I say this as a hard core Bowie fan.
Could not have expressed it better. Ditto, Prof.!
Posted 17 years ago by redeyespy    [ Reply ]
It only took 24 years, but I've learned to love it. 8
Posted 17 years ago by lmic    [ Reply ]
Not my favorite song off the album, but still a solid eight. Bowie did what Bowie does by creating a hit while still maintaining his individual style.
Posted 17 years ago by CafeRacer    [ Reply ]
Goes from 7 to an 8, just because the more SRV one can hear, the better...
Posted 17 years ago by FilmSurgeon    [ Reply ]
It's a great 80's style tune. Bowie purists should calm down, for heaven's sake. It's rather transparently fashionable to denigrate Modern Love and Let's Dance and wax rhapsodic about earlier (and/or later) Bowie. And I say this as a hard core Bowie fan.
Posted 17 years ago by Professor_C    [ Reply ]
It\'s a good song compared to Stock-Aitken-Waterman(yeah, those guys who rickrolled the 80ies). ... but THAT album started the long dark bleak corridor of extreme suck that followed. I like THAT song and hate anything else til Tin Machine and 1st Outside. But at least Bowie reemerged in the 90ies to full glory.
Posted 17 years ago by bfandreas    [ Reply ]
wow.. it's already gone down 0.1 as I was writing my last post!
Posted 17 years ago by superflyLD    [ Reply ]
I can't believe a classic like this is only rated a 6.7 (!) What's up with that?? It's BOWIE!
Posted 17 years ago by superflyLD    [ Reply ]
GF wrote:
just plain awful.
Well, just plain acceptable. Near the bottom of Bowie's output, which puts it a bit above the basement (the freakin' Eagles, say).
Posted 17 years ago by dionysius    [ Reply ]
A low point in a great artist\'s career! pre-80\'s or post-80\'s preferably...
Posted 22 years ago by spotter    [ Reply ]