'Ain't there one damn POLL that can make me break down and cry?': David Bowie Album Openers

For sheer pop joy, "Modern Love."

For sheer wtf-ness, "Speed of Life"

For sheer epic build and release, ebb 'n' flow, "Station to Station"

For gutbucket rock, "Watch That Man."

For an example of how terrible a singer and songwriter he could be, "Day-In Day-Out."

I like Day In Day Out and the NLMD album and find any dismissal of that stuff tacky. Even from the man himself.

Well, he was often wrong and loved his own PR; at the time he said it was a continuation of Scary Monsters

I don't hate the album. Tonight's far worse.

I don't hate Tonight either but do like it much less too. Although that opener is a serious contender here as far as I'm concerned!

if this poll was without Station to Station option, my OPO and obv pick, think i would've gone with Little Wonder, yeah

after from station to station, my #2 might be blackstar tbh

Blackstar is such a different type of song from Station to Station I'm somewhat torn between the two... but they are the only ones I feel come close

Tempted to vote ‘Width of a Circle’ cos it’s a great song that isn’t going to get enough love in these circumstances. ‘Station to Station’ is ‘objectively’ the best track here, insane number of other classics, personal favourites probably ‘Speed of Life’, ‘Fantastic Voyage’ and ‘It’s No Game Pt1’... Bowie!!!!! How was he so good?

I mean, shit, ‘Sunday’, ‘New Killer Star’ and ‘Blackstar’ are all better than respectable. I even enjoy the loping goonery of ‘Heaven’s in Here’, god help me.

Ok off the cuff, I've got it to Young Americans, Modern Love, and Watch That Man, a song I didn't know I loved as much as I apparently do from looking at this list... but it kicks of Aladdin so well, and has such a gloriously trashy feel that maybe I'm inclined to vote for it as I don't expect many to.

A decade ago it would have been Speed of Life in a walk...

lol you're not alone re: Heaven's In Here

I really love the Tin Machine record

Before I read the thread I thought well, "Five Years" will walk this, but I guess not!

the U.S. cassette release of Station To Station features a different track sequencing, which I actually prefer!
starts with "Word On A Wing" and places "Station To Station" in the same position (B1) that "Trans Europe Express" ended up in. "TVC 15" makes for a great closer.
https://www.discogs.com/David-Bowie-Station-To-Station/release/13808588

Intersting, I'm not that impressed by any of these! So maybe ... Five Years or Station to Station? Or Young Americans or Modern Love? Five Years is very "first song," "Station to Station" might as well be the album. "Young Americans" is a great single. "Modern Love" though ... that one really sounds like an album starter.

Since this is ILX I predict Station to Station or Speed of Life will win. OTOH sometimes my favorite Bowie song is:

I heard telephones, opera house, favorite melodies
I saw boys, toys, electric irons and T.V.'s
My brain hurt like a warehouse, it had no room to spare
I had to cram so many things to store everything in there
And all the fat-skinny people, and all the tall-short people
And all the nobody people, and all the somebody people
I never thought I'd need so many people

then:

I think I saw you in an ice-cream parlor,
Drinking milk shakes cold and long
Smiling and waving and looking so fine,
Don't think you knew you were in this song

That mix of hysterical and conversational kills me every time.

I love its apocalyptic clarity, like a glam "Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall".

Soto OTM, those are good picks. I'll vote STS.

I went for "Blackstar", hey.

Speed of Life. Maybe not the best song here in a vacuum but to me it’s the most opener-est.

Feel ‘Beauty And The Beast’ isn’t get enough love here...whatta rush that track is...so that’s what swung it...otherwise it would of been ‘Its No Gane’...probably the best set of openers ever...

Possibly my #1

hard to beat Young Americans in my book

‘Its No Gane’

the still-unreleased Monade LP

How I ranked'em!

Tempted to vote ‘Width of a Circle’ cos it’s a great song that isn’t going to get enough love in these circumstances.

me too, but . . . "modern love" is soooooooo good

"Five Years" deserves the win but it will be "Station To Station" and I'm OK with that, but seriously people "Five Years" my god

Five Years because of all the reasons stated up thread and especially how utterly crushing his vocal performance is on it. Fantastic Voyage nearly beat it though.

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

Thought so