Breaking Glass (song)
Encyclopedia
"Breaking Glass" is a song by the English singer/songwriter David Bowie
. It was co-written by Bowie, bassist George Murray
and drummer Dennis Davis
. Originally a track on Bowie's 1977 album Low; a reworked version was a regular on the singer's 1978 tour and a live version was used as the lead track on a 7" EP to promote Bowie's second live album, Stage in 1978. The EP reached number 54 on the UK Singles Chart in December 1978.
In the US, the track "Star" was chosen as the lead track for the live EP (with "What in the World" and "Breaking Glass" as B-sides), but failed to chart, while in Japan "Blackout" was released to promote Stage.
"Breaking Glass" has been performed on subsequent Bowie tours in 1978, 1983, 1995–1996, 2002 and 2003-2004 tours.
, introspective of his dark, drug-filled period living in America in 1975-1976. Its lyrics, when written out, look potentially more like a paragraph than a song, and when separated into phrases, the song has a disjointed feeling. The song is also curiously short, not spanning two minutes and only going through one verse.
The lines "Don't look at the carpet; I drew something awful on it" refer to Bowie's practice of drawing the Tree of Life
on the floor during that period, as he was interested in Aleister Crowley
and Qabbala at the time.
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
. It was co-written by Bowie, bassist George Murray
George Murray (musician)
George Murray is an American bass guitarist best known for his work with David Bowie as a part of his regular ensemble , on a number of Bowie's albums released in the 1970s.-Selective Discography:Weldon Irvine...
and drummer Dennis Davis
Dennis Davis
Dennis Davis is an American drummer and session musician best known for his work with David Bowie.He was born and raised in Manhattan, New York City and studied with the late drummers Max Roach and Elvin Jones. He met guitarist Carlos Alomar when they were both playing with Roy Ayers...
. Originally a track on Bowie's 1977 album Low; a reworked version was a regular on the singer's 1978 tour and a live version was used as the lead track on a 7" EP to promote Bowie's second live album, Stage in 1978. The EP reached number 54 on the UK Singles Chart in December 1978.
In the US, the track "Star" was chosen as the lead track for the live EP (with "What in the World" and "Breaking Glass" as B-sides), but failed to chart, while in Japan "Blackout" was released to promote Stage.
"Breaking Glass" has been performed on subsequent Bowie tours in 1978, 1983, 1995–1996, 2002 and 2003-2004 tours.
Lyrics
The original song was uncompromising even by Lows standards. The fractured lyric is, like several songs written during Bowie's stay in BerlinBerlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, introspective of his dark, drug-filled period living in America in 1975-1976. Its lyrics, when written out, look potentially more like a paragraph than a song, and when separated into phrases, the song has a disjointed feeling. The song is also curiously short, not spanning two minutes and only going through one verse.
The lines "Don't look at the carpet; I drew something awful on it" refer to Bowie's practice of drawing the Tree of Life
Tree of life (Kabbalah)
The Tree of Life, or Etz haChayim in Hebrew, is a mystical symbol used in the Kabbalah of esoteric Judaism to describe the path to God and the manner in which he created the world ex nihilo...
on the floor during that period, as he was interested in Aleister Crowley
Aleister Crowley
Aleister Crowley , born Edward Alexander Crowley, and also known as both Frater Perdurabo and The Great Beast, was an influential English occultist, astrologer, mystic and ceremonial magician, responsible for founding the religious philosophy of Thelema. He was also successful in various other...
and Qabbala at the time.
Track listing
- "Breaking Glass" (Bowie, DavisDennis DavisDennis Davis is an American drummer and session musician best known for his work with David Bowie.He was born and raised in Manhattan, New York City and studied with the late drummers Max Roach and Elvin Jones. He met guitarist Carlos Alomar when they were both playing with Roy Ayers...
, MurrayGeorge Murray (musician)George Murray is an American bass guitarist best known for his work with David Bowie as a part of his regular ensemble , on a number of Bowie's albums released in the 1970s.-Selective Discography:Weldon Irvine...
) – 3:28 - "Art DecadeArt Decade"Art Decade" is an instrumental by David Bowie for his album Low from 1977.The song is named for a street Bowie had encountered in West Berlin, whose name was a pun on the art deco style. In fact, the song itself is, like the rest of the songs on the b-side of Low, a portrait piece of a certain...
" (Bowie) – 3:10 - "Ziggy StardustZiggy Stardust (song)"Ziggy Stardust" is a song written by David Bowie in 1972 for the album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. The name Stardust was inspired by the Legendary Stardust Cowboy...
" (Bowie) – 3:32
Production credits
- ProducerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
s:- Tony ViscontiTony ViscontiAnthony Edward Visconti is an American record producer and sometimes a musician or singer.Since the late 1960s, he has worked with an array of performers; his lengthiest involvement with any artist is with David Bowie: intermittently from Bowie's 1969 album Space Oddity to 2003's Reality, Visconti...
- Tony Visconti
- MusicianMusicianA musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
s:- David BowieDavid BowieDavid Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
: Vocals - Adrian BelewAdrian BelewAdrian Belew is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and record producer...
: GuitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... - Carlos AlomarCarlos AlomarCarlos Alomar is an American guitarist, composer and arranger best known for his work with David Bowie, having played on more Bowie albums than any other musician...
: GuitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... - George MurrayGeorge Murray (musician)George Murray is an American bass guitarist best known for his work with David Bowie as a part of his regular ensemble , on a number of Bowie's albums released in the 1970s.-Selective Discography:Weldon Irvine...
: BassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Dennis DavisDennis DavisDennis Davis is an American drummer and session musician best known for his work with David Bowie.He was born and raised in Manhattan, New York City and studied with the late drummers Max Roach and Elvin Jones. He met guitarist Carlos Alomar when they were both playing with Roy Ayers...
: DrumDrumThe drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
s - Sean Mayes: PianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
- Roger Powell: KeyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
- David Bowie
Live versions
- A live version recorded on the Heroes tour at the Philadelphia Spectrum, April 28-29th, 1978, was released on the live album Stage and on the above mentioned single. This live version was also released as the B-side of the single "StarStar (David Bowie song)"Star" is a song written by David Bowie in 1972 for the album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars.-Live versions:...
" in 1978.
Other releases
- It appeared on the following compilations:
- Chameleon (Holland 1979)
- Best of Bowie (1980)
- Sound and Vision box set (1989)
- The Best of 1974/1979The Best of 1974/1979The Best of David Bowie 1974/1979 is a compilation album by David Bowie released in 1998 . This album was also included as the second disc of the compilation The Platinum Collection .-Track listing:...
(1998)
- It was released as a picture disc in the RCARCARCA Corporation, founded as the Radio Corporation of America, was an American electronics company in existence from 1919 to 1986. The RCA trademark is currently owned by the French conglomerate Technicolor SA through RCA Trademark Management S.A., a company owned by Technicolor...
Life Time picture disc set.