David Bowie Boys Keep Swinging - Fantastic Voyage (1979 Netherlands) estimated value € 7,00.
Label: RCA Victor – PD 1593
Format: Vinyl, 7", 45 RPM, Single
Recorded at: September 1978: The initial backing tracks were recorded at Mountain Studios in Montreux, Switzerland > March 1979: Vocals and final overdubs were completed at The Record Plant in New York City
Released: 1979
Country: Netherlands
"Boys Keep Swinging" is a song by the English musician David Bowie, released on 27 April 1979 by RCA Records in the United Kingdom as the lead single from his 1979 album Lodger. It was written by Bowie and Brian Eno and recorded in Montreux and New York City in September 1978 and March 1979. The recording utilised techniques from Eno's Oblique Strategies cards, which resulted in the musicians swapping instruments. Adrian Belew contributed a guitar solo, which he played receiving little guidance and was composited from multiple takes. The song was also built on the same chord sequence as the album track "Fantastic Voyage". Musically, "Boys Keep Swinging" contains elements of glam rock, funk and new wave; lyrically, it deals with the concept of gender identity, featuring various gender-bending lyrics. Bowie asserted that the lyrics were ironic
Recording and release
During the Lodger recording sessions, Bowie wanted to capture a raw garage band sound for the track. He agreed with Brian Eno that the best way to achieve this was to have the band swap instruments, an idea prompted by Eno’s deck of Oblique Strategies cards with the suggestion “Reverse Roles”. Guitarist Carlos Alomar played drums, while drummer Dennis Davis played bass.
Tracklist
Side A – Boys Keep Swinging – 3:17
Music / Text – David Bowie, Brian Eno
Producer – David Bowie, Tony Visconti
Side B – Fantastic Voyage – 2:55
Music / Text – David Bowie, Brian Eno
Producer – David Bowie, Tony Visconti
Description
Media Condition
Media: Very Good (VG)
Sleeve: Good (G)
Ring wear: Yes
All three seams looking perfect: No (left side)
Picture sleeve looks near mint: No
Creases or folds: No
Stamps or writing: No
“Boys Keep Swinging” shares exactly the same chord sequence as “Fantastic Voyage” from the same album, which also served as the B-side of the single. RCA decided against releasing the single in the United States, opting instead for “Look Back in Anger”. Bowie performed the song with a puppet body special effect on Saturday Night Live on 15 December 1979, joined by Klaus Nomi and Joey Arias as backing singers. During the broadcast, NBC censors muted the lines “life’s a pop o’ the cherry” and “other boys check you out”, but failed to notice the puppet’s bouncing phallus at the close of the performance.
The song reached No. 7 in the UK Singles Chart, returning Bowie to the Top 10 for the first time since “Sound and Vision” in February 1977. It was performed on only one tour, the 1995 Outside Tour. Interviewed in 2000, Bowie said of the song: “I do not feel that there is anything remotely glorious about being either male or female. I was merely playing on the idea of the colonization of gender.”
Production credits
Producers:
Tony Visconti
David Bowie
Musicians:
David Bowie – lead vocals, guitar on “Boys Keep Swinging”, piano on “Fantastic Voyage”
Adrian Belew – guitar on “Boys Keep Swinging”, mandolin on “Fantastic Voyage”
Dennis Davis – bass guitar on “Boys Keep Swinging”, percussion on “Fantastic Voyage”
Tony Visconti – bass guitar on “Boys Keep Swinging”, mandolin on “Fantastic Voyage”, backing vocals on “Fantastic Voyage”
Carlos Alomar – drums on “Boys Keep Swinging”
Brian Eno – piano on “Boys Keep Swinging”, ambient drone on “Fantastic Voyage”
Simon House – violin on “Boys Keep Swinging”, mandolin on “Fantastic Voyage”
Sean Mayes – piano on “Fantastic Voyage”
Key Production Details
Instrument Swapping: To achieve a raw "garage band" sound, Bowie used Brian Eno's Oblique Strategies cards, which suggested "reverse roles". Consequently, guitarist Carlos Alomar played drums and drummer Dennis Davis played bass (though producer Tony Visconti later overdubbed the bass to ensure it was usable).
Collaboration: The track was co-produced by David Bowie and Tony Visconti, featuring a prominent guitar solo by Adrian Belew.
Album and Release: It was the lead single for the album Lodger (the final part of the Berlin Trilogy) and was released on April 27, 1979.
Notable Performances
The Kenny Everett Video Show: A separate version was recorded on April 8–9, 1979, at Good Earth Studios in London specifically for this television broadcast.
Saturday Night Live: Bowie performed the song on December 15, 1979, using a puppet-body special effect to obscure the live broadcast censors