13 Candidate (alternate version)-David Bowie

Bonus track from the album Diamond Dogs

[@murielsartre]

This is such a monster song. It could've been released today and fit right in. God damn, what a genius David Bowie was.

[@pgurl1971]

murielsartre he’s the best thing that happened to post-Beatles music until Nirvana

[@girpo]

NIRVANA? Are you kidding? They are no where near as good as Bowie. WTF!?

[@omnibus4157]

@@pgurl1971 I've gotta say Pixies. And I think David would have, too.

[@perfectbabyperfect0]

Joy Division were seismic on multiple levels, influence wise and sound wise.

[@murielsartre]

@@user-yz9kz6vt9y In indie rock circles? This would go down like gangbusters. But, yes, unfortunately, his actual top 10 singles outside of the UK were few and far between. The great stuff (like, say, Station To Station) would never appeal to a mass audience.

[@AshleySmithalvs]

My all-time favourite Bowie song. Timeless.

[@sergeantspook2970]

+Ashley Smith Mine, too

[@Lucoflemaz]

Incredible addictive tune

[@alejandramori679]

***

[@mickweathers6168]

Fully addicted to this song…..and fentanyl but that’s not the topic right now, let’s focus….this song is fantastic and should have been put on any album back in the day…..but we have this little gem all to ourselves now!!!! I mean come on….”A cock ain’t a cock on a 12” screen!” ….that’s friggin gold!!!!!

[@mikewest1542]

This is unbelievably fucking brilliant, first heard on Rykodisc in 1990 , even this guys rejects are better than anyone else’s gems !

[@myautobiographyafanfic1413]

Dammit Mrs Orwell!

[@Lucoflemaz]

Who is him sorry

[@myautobiographyafanfic1413]

Lucoflemaz The reason Bowie never made a rock opera about 1984.

[@rogelioaraoz813]

My Autobiography A Fanfic so sad :( it would have been historical

[@yakimishi13]

Such an idiot mewhewhdeasdas

[@joannefrancia5940]

Lucoflemaz Mrs. Orwell was the wife of George Orwell, author of the book “1984”, upon which the Diamond Dogs album is based. He’d wanted to create a rock opera about it, but Mrs.Orwell was very protective of her husbands work and would not give permission. Ever.

[@christopherthomas7253]

I wouldn't call this an "alternate version" of the song from Diamond Dogs, but rather a different song entirely, with the same title.

[@fufuman27]

Christopher Thomas you'll stole this from the book by rob Sheffield

[@christopherthomas7253]

Sorry, I'll stole what? Not familiar with Rob Sheffield or his book, but I don't suppose it's unheard of for more than one person to make the same observation.

[@fufuman27]

Christopher Thomas my bad bro, you just said the exact same thing what it says in the book, maybe he saw your comment lol, you should give it a read though, it's good

[@christopherthomas7253]

Thanks, I'll keep an eye out. It can't be that bad if he says the same stuff I do! ; )

[@roccoharris]

I completely agree, but I must add... IT'S SO FRICKIN' GOOD!!

[@davidunger222]

For your futures sake I’m the candidate. Yeah. I miss you man.

[@hysterixx]

Lyrics Inside every teenage girl there's a fountain Inside every young pair of pants there's a mountain Inside every mother's eyes is Tommy Tinkrem's bed Inside every candidate waits a grateful dead I make it a thing, when I'm on my own to relieve myself I make it a thing, when I gazelle on stage to believe in myself I make it a thing, to glance in window panes and look pleased with myself Yeah, and pretend I'm walking home I took it so bad, I sat in the correction room Took me a fag, and a kick in the moon Well, I ain't gonna suck no radar wing Because inside this tin is tin Would you like to techno-plate cause I'm your candidate Oh yeah It's a matter of life And the way you walk, you've got a BrylCream queen It's a matter of tact In the things you talk, that keeps his passport clean A matter of fact That a cock ain't a cock on a twelve inch screen So I'll pretend I'm walking home You don't have to scream a lot to keep an age in tune You don't have to scream a lot to predict monsoons You don't have to paint my contact black Now I've hustled a pair of jeans Do I have to give your money back when I'm the Fuhrerling I'll make you a deal I'll say I came from from Earth and my tongue is taped I'll make you a deal You can get your kicks on the candidate I'll make you a deal For your future's sake, I'm the candidate Let's pretend we're walking home uh-huh, uh-huh I'm the candidate I'm the candidate Vote now for the candidate

[@markgillan3750]

Thank you Rykodisc

[@walterbianco3664]

Can anyone believe thi is an outtake?!? Such a beautiful song! How many artists can choose to leave such a beautiful track out of the tracklist of an album?!?

[@matildah7374]

I fully agree!!!!!!

[@thepepperpot3809]

This was only an "outtake" in the sense that the musical Bowie had planned to make of "1984" was nixed. George Orwell's widow, Sonia, was the executor of the Orwell estate, and refused Bowie the rights to her husband's book. So he salvaged what he could, came up with his "Hunger City" concept, wrote some new songs, and turned it all into a regular album. What didn't fit in had to be cut, including this song and "Dodo".

[@93CarpeDiem]

He did the same with Bombers, Who can I be Now, So She and God Bless the Girl I can't understand lol

[@benzvanrossum7962]

@@thepepperpot3809such a shame

[@mrengulfeddirector]

Greatest songwriter of the 20th century right here, folks.

[@JeffreyAnderson-kh6vv]

I love Bowie, but he believed Lou Reed was the best songwriter of the 20th century. I love that Bowie always wanted to surround himself with people he believed could teach him.

[@wellesradio]

It sucks that they took this off Spotify. It’s not on the 2016 remaster. :(

[@TheRodrigoCamargos]

Indeed!

[@alexanderhahn501]

Aw man just heard this for the first time. This is so theatrical I swear this is top tier for him. Why don't people drive around blasting this in their cars instead of other junk!

[@tomlewis5227]

Alexander Hahn I do haha!

[@SkyVettel]

I agree and I'd so love to see/hear that! :)

[@tomlewis5227]

Well, if you see me you can almost guarantee il have one of his albums playing 🙂

[@SomeOfTheJuice]

I actually did that today :P

[@bigdunc1313]

I do.

[@TomMarrJohnson]

I make it a thing to glance in window panes and look pleased with myself.

[@Themis2027]

This song would have fitted well on Aladdin Sane

[@davidjazay9248]

Or on 1.Outside, to be sung by Leon Blank.

[@Themis2027]

@@davidjazay9248 please expand on your comment

[@davidjazay9248]

@@Themis2027 Leon Blank, Bowie's teenage character on 1.Outside. Obviously it would have had to be a re-recorded version, like the early songs he redid some years later for Toy. Just some alternate reality speculation on my part.

[@solarwindlass]

I agree - especially the brilliant piano

[@cheriebomb158]

definitely!

[@annettemyers8479]

I loved it the first few seconds, and it gets better and better. I feel like I almost see through solid objects when it's playing. It's so damn catchy!!!!

[@bigdunc1313]

I do.

[@user-cs5hh5qi4u]

Listened on a few acid trips back in the 90s, old fave

[@Sandrie82]

i'll pretend i'm walking home....

[@cjm2886]

There will never be another like David! The best!

[@user-px4qo6fy8b]

Bought this CD (its on Ryko Japanese edition) in Tokyo in 1991. Rediscovered today this exact track. Its bloody fabulous!

[@christopherhunter2892]

I have loved this version for over 30 years.

[@dackmont]

One of the greatest things Bowie (or anyone) left in the can... and Bowie's got a LOT of those.

[@bronhedman3953]

I remember hearing this for the first time in the 1990’s on the Ryko reissue CD. I was blown away. I was already a long time Bowie fan at that point in my life and couldn’t believe I had not heard this amazing song. It is to this day one of my fav Bowie songs. It’s also cool I have to break out my CD to hear it. I can’t find it on Spotify.

[@billperkins74]

When I first heard this I loved it more than the song on the album. This is like a Spoon song, but by Bowie. So good.

[@Lucoflemaz]

Same,, best of all album... And its one of my three favorite, with Ziggy and heroes

[@joeagger]

probably my fav from the Diamond Dogs era! really wrapped up his glam rock period with elegance

[@grahamkakerel4183]

this song makes me miss something but i don't know what it is

[@yvonnecampbell7036]

It's called DAVID...

[@grahamkakerel4183]

@@yvonnecampbell7036 all the feels

[@patriknilsson2466]

@@yvonnecampbell7036 Damn it, you stole my comment! I miss my demigod,so much

[@yvonnecampbell7036]

@@patriknilsson2466 Me too, but wait......if he was a demigod, who was his father?.......Or was it one of the "angels"? Must have been just as naughty, haha.

[@Luuncho]

Nice profile picture man

[@stevenhaywood6027]

We did not get to hear this masterpiece from 1974 until the Rykodisc editions with bonus tracks were brought out in 1990. And it was worth waiting for! sttgaegoaktd

[@NormBa]

The lyrics scream William Burroughs to me. Also, the voice in Sweet Thing is Uncle Bill talkin atcha: Inside every teenage girl there's a fountain Inside every young pair of pants there's a mountain Inside every mother's eyes is Tommy Tinkrem's bed Inside every candidate waits a grateful dead I make it a thing, when I'm on my own to relieve myself I make it a thing, when I gazelle on stage to believe in myself I make it a thing, to glance in window panes and look pleased with myself Yeah, and pretend I'm walking home I took it so bad, I sat in the correction room Took me a fag, and a kick in the moon Well, I ain't gonna suck no radar wing Because inside this tin is tin Would you like to techno-plate cause I'm your candidate Oh yeah It's a matter of life And the way you walk, you've got a BrylCream queen It's a matter of tact In the things you talk, that keeps his passport clean A matter of fact That a cock ain't a cock on a twelve inch screen So I'll pretend I'm walking home You don't have to scream a lot to keep an age in tune You don't have to scream a lot to predict monsoons You don't have to paint my contact black Now I've hustled a pair of jeans Do I have to give your money back when I'm the Fuhrerling I'll make you a deal I'll say I came from from Earth and my tongue is taped I'll make you a deal You can get your kicks on the candidate I'll make you a deal For your future's sake, I'm the candidate Let's pretend we're walking home uh-huh, uh-huh I'm the candidate I'm the candidate Vote now for the candidate

[@slaughterhouserecordings4550]

first record I had as a kid. I'll never forget it or stop listening to it.

[@Sirius186]

This has always been one of my favourite songs from mr. Bowie ♥

[@KERRILIBRA17]

There will NEVER be another David Bowie!❤❤

[@bludmadic]

love this version, one of my favorite Bowie songs

[@thenicklas615]

The regular "Candidate" was awesome, I love that song.

[@dennisk5500]

One of his very best

[@cindyburrell2173]

Makes me hold my breath

[@sushitf2]

what does this mean

[@truth4004]

love it and LOVE Bowie forever

[@franckgerard3773]

Always Loving this version since I heard it the first time on editing 90

[@pesosgouda8223]

I find it pretty fun that this song can be called "Alternate Candidate," because that's actually a thing!

[@whatafantasticdeathabyss]

This is a REJECTED song for the album. Yet it's still a total banger...Bowie had so much more talent than maybe any artist of the 20th, and so far the 21st Century. Incredibly prolific for a bona fide genius 🤯🤯

[@julzdalton1746]

My favourite song of his right now :)

[@Zowie39]

The gift that keeps on giving. I'm shocked and awed I have not heard this! Thank you for new breath that keeps this beautiful creature not of this world falling back to us.

[@johnlagan2160]

I have diamond dogs album on vinyl what a great album

[@benzvanrossum7962]

i love david bowie

[@bigdunc1313]

To glance at window panes and look pleased with myself , And look pleased with myself. Yer.

[@julzdalton1746]

I just love him more and more.

[@moonroxxx]

I think more then 20 times this week will be enought times to listen to this by now .

[@cedarowl9]

woudl love someone to put up a video of themselves playing JUST the piano track so I can learn it. Would love to play it forever and ever.

[@bigdunc1313]

Should of been first song on the album ,,,,,start the album with a drum beat like five years.

[@VVeltanschauung187]

would be awkward considering the sweet thing/candidate/reprise sandwich but agreed its a solid song

[@Canopenersmoothbrain]

I love this. I hope it’s somewhere on Apple Music

[@monicacespedesmalebran6292]

me encanta este tema....te amo bowie...💕

[@graziameo-colombo7703]

Masterpiece

[@AcrylicArtsCards]

I will dance in the streets to this

[@joancarlesclaros9217]

I hear it and I feel lost in space and time.

[@thejulies]

Of course the original was better, but after a few spins I've found this version to be infectious.

[@alejandramori679]

thejulies what do u mean the orginal song?

[@jiminverness]

@@alejandramori679 Yeah, what original?

[@alejandramori679]

This is another song entirely..

[@alejandramori679]

The Best Song of the Galaxy lol.

[@therailroader]

I wish this song and the spanish-influenced version of Rebel Rebel were on the original Diamond Dogs album.

[@yakimishi13]

Ow sorry but the normal version isn't even close to how AMAZING is this one.

[@joancarlesclaros9217]

No words.

[@taimuraziz726]

just perfect

[@benrifkin1981]

coked out walking around the flatiron district at 4am on Christmas Eve. “I ain’t gonna suck no radar wing.”

[@mimoincc]

R.I.P Master.

[@michaelobrien7515]

wonderful song

[@autobuddies5390]

a matter of tact

[@rhmbock]

+Auto Buddies A rare thing indeed.

[@bourgeoisproductions4291]

Magnifique ! Envoûtant !

[@liciasimonelli2850]

The only reason to buy a cd.....and that's quite bloody meaningful to me!! (Compared to an lp...obviously).

[@annettemyers3554]

Draws you in with its cute little tempo...

[@staceyroh3729]

Just made my Day 😊 Thank you!!

[@stephaniekirch4938]

A masterpiece...and still on time! Makes me really sad to listen to....

[@matildah7374]

What a fantastic work 👌🏼 (a shame that it is just an outtake and rather unknown!!!)

[@TheRodrigoCamargos]

I love this song so much!!!

[@chrisbradshaw1335]

Great song!

[@philippemaillard4509]

UN délice.....

[@Antdevamp]

David's 1984 refusal by Orwell's wife actually spared him a failure and a massive headache. His tracks were clean, would have been an interesting Play at any rate.

[@smithym9]

Class

[@gorillian7]

This got taken off Apple Music and I am devastated

[@yakimishi13]

It's unrecognizable.

[@hunterjones8131]

:( Spotify does not have this anywhere...

[@evelynartfactory]

It would of been a fabulous musical if he had beenv allowed to do it.

[@thepepperpot3809]

Sonia Orwell, George Orwell's widow and the executor to his estate, refused Bowie the rights to use the book "1984" as source material. He wanted to make a musical of this book. Since he couldn't, he wrote some new songs and changed up others, including taking some lyrics from this song to create the "Candidate" portion of the "Sweet Thing" suite, and made the _Diamond Dogs_ album instead.

[@mysticlawlotus]

"Inside every candidate there's a Grateful Dead", say's it all really! Sans Feature lifestyle withstanding! One tears ones face off in retrospect! ;)

[@MichaelDOrazioMusik]

Why did Bowie neglect great songs.....his bonus ryko tracks were left for dead after Ryko stopped printing these CDs

[@DogFlavor]

Brucypants the oracle of the sewer.

[@user-qs1tf1fi1j]

Wow this is brill from diamond dogs sessions

[@pgurl1971]

⭐️

[@hoferinfo]

The Master Bowie 👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻😊 René Switzerland

[@adamgaywood8640]

My favourite tune , vote now for the canidate, ,,,, fade out xx

[@kanesugar7957]

Yes

[@AcrylicArtsCards]

This beat is absorbed

[@808Bear]

The original grunge song!

[@lulucottontails]

Sexy & soulful. Everything he did in the 70s was amazing, has this been officially released? I'd love to buy more of his rare tracks.

[@freedomof76_]

Lulu Cottontails, it’s on the RYKODISC reissue of DD from 1990.

[@JoeWild1984]

Also found on DD 30th Anniversary CD

[@Taijifufu]

2:18 oh yeah... 😋

[@paulrooney982]

As much as this song is so fucking incredible,I don't think it would have suited Diamond Dogs. It sounds more like something off Hunky Dory. Which, incidentally, has its own incredible omission in the form of Bombers.

[@Klui_]

The song was made for a 1984 (The novel) Musical that never came to life because of Mr. Orwell's wife. This is one of the few remainings of what it could have been, so it's only normal for it to be completely different to everything that was Diamond Dogs

[@oswing]

so much better than the LP version...

[@toti67pa]

👍👍👍👍👍

[@teadrinkerfication9160]

Why the F ain’t this on Spotify?

[@aliofly]

blackstar are they all worth checking out? This is fucking incredible

[@Klui_]

@@aliofly Oh for sure, there's a lot of Bowie content that isn't available on streaming services. The entirety of Toy, tons of outtakes and bonus tracks like Waterloo Sunset, So She, I Pray Olé, Lightning Frightening, Bombers, 1970's version of Holy Holy, Rupert the Riley, and a ton of other things

[@mrspeigel3593]

@@aliofly the rykodisc versions are well worth checking out, lot of good stuff there

[@shrimpquesadilla]

Bruh why tf is this not on Spotify

[@itaishemesh1458]

Right??? So annoying... Love this song

[@MrPhilipp456]

does somebody know the piano chords? Would be really glad to know!

[@aliofly]

Philipp Huber ask Mike Garson

[@ColtTalbot]

...I actually prefer this version, am I bad to say that?

[@200napkins]

Colt Productions Me too. Although it's also completely different!

[@ColtTalbot]

Daniel Permutt :)

[@JesperHellvik]

Me too

[@VictinhodeSouza]

I like to other version as a middle complement to Sweet Thing and Reprise, but this song as by itself is great!

[@jamiedaly5777]

Yes, lol

[@terryperring104]

It's great isn't it. I can see why it was left off of the album though, it doesn't quite fit in with the rest. It's too nice?

[@spottydog877]

Should have been on an album as it is a different song.

[@pgurl1971]

DB 4 EVER

[@thomashunt6016]

Can someone please tell me the piano chords for this

[@annettemyers8479]

Thomas Hunt You might find em on Google.