The Width of a Circle
Encyclopedia
"The Width of a Circle" is a song written by David Bowie
in 1970 for the album The Man Who Sold the World, released later that year in the U.S.
and in April 1971 in the UK
. It is the opening track to the album, a hard rocker with heavy metal
overtones. Bowie had performed a shorter version of the song in concerts for several months before recording it.
Featuring Mick Ronson
's lead guitar work and occasional choral effects from the band, this 8-minute song is divided into two parts. The music takes on a heavy R&B
quality in the second half, where the narrator enjoys a sexual encounter - with God
, the Devil
or some other supernatural being, according to different interpretations - in the depths of Hell
.
Some sources claim that the song was released as a single by RCA
in Eastern Europe
, with "Cygnet Committee
" from Bowie's 1969 album Space Oddity
on the B-side. However, this 'Russian' single was pressed by a fan and therefore is unofficial.
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...
in 1970 for the album The Man Who Sold the World, released later that year in the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and in April 1971 in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. It is the opening track to the album, a hard rocker with heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
overtones. Bowie had performed a shorter version of the song in concerts for several months before recording it.
Featuring Mick Ronson
Mick Ronson
Michael "Mick" Ronson was an English guitarist, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, arranger and producer. He is best known for his work with David Bowie, as one of The Spiders from Mars...
's lead guitar work and occasional choral effects from the band, this 8-minute song is divided into two parts. The music takes on a heavy R&B
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
quality in the second half, where the narrator enjoys a sexual encounter - with God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
, the Devil
Devil
The Devil is believed in many religions and cultures to be a powerful, supernatural entity that is the personification of evil and the enemy of God and humankind. The nature of the role varies greatly...
or some other supernatural being, according to different interpretations - in the depths of Hell
Hell
In many religious traditions, a hell is a place of suffering and punishment in the afterlife. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hells as endless. Religions with a cyclic history often depict a hell as an intermediary period between incarnations...
.
Some sources claim that the song was released as a single by RCA
RCA Records
RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
in Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe is the eastern part of Europe. The term has widely disparate geopolitical, geographical, cultural and socioeconomic readings, which makes it highly context-dependent and even volatile, and there are "almost as many definitions of Eastern Europe as there are scholars of the region"...
, with "Cygnet Committee
Cygnet Committee
"Cygnet Committee" is a song written by David Bowie in 1969 for his second eponymous album...
" from Bowie's 1969 album Space Oddity
Space Oddity (album)
-Release history:-7" open reel tape releases:There was only one release of Space Oddity on open reel, in 1972 duplicated by Magtec, North Hollywood, CA 91605. This is a high speed 7.5 ips release...
on the B-side. However, this 'Russian' single was pressed by a fan and therefore is unofficial.
Live versions
Several live versions of the song have been released:- A 10-minute, 43-second version recorded at Santa Monica Civic AuditoriumSanta Monica Civic AuditoriumSanta Monica Civic Auditorium is a multipurpose convention center in Santa Monica, California owned by the City of Santa Monica. It was built in 1958 and designed by Welton Becket....
, on 20 October 1972 was released on Santa Monica '72Santa Monica '72Santa Monica '72 is a live album by David Bowie, recorded at Santa Monica Civic Auditorium on 20 October 1972 during the Ziggy Stardust tour. Taken from an FM radio broadcast, it was available only as a bootleg for more than 20 years; according to author David Buckley, possessing a copy was the...
. - A 14-minute version recorded at the Hammersmith OdeonHammersmith ApolloHammersmith Apollo is a major entertainment venue located in Hammersmith, London. Designed by Robert Cromie in Art Deco style, it opened in 1932 as the Gaumont Palace cinema, being re-named the Hammersmith Odeon in 1962...
, LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, on 3 July 1973 was released on Ziggy Stardust - The Motion PictureZiggy Stardust - The Motion PictureZiggy Stardust: The Motion Picture is a live album by David Bowie, corresponding to the film of the same name. The music was recorded at the Hammersmith Odeon in London on , although the album was not issued by RCA Records until 1983...
in edited form in 1983, the complete performance being issued on the 30th Anniversary 2CD Special Edition in 2003. The additional length, featuring an extended instrumental break by Mick RonsonMick RonsonMichael "Mick" Ronson was an English guitarist, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, arranger and producer. He is best known for his work with David Bowie, as one of The Spiders from Mars...
and the band, allowed for Bowie’s costume change, a common occurrence during the Ziggy StardustThe Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from MarsThe Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars is a 1972 concept album by English musician David Bowie, which is loosely based on a story of a rock star named Ziggy Stardust. It peaked at number five in the United Kingdom and number 75 in the United States on the Billboard Music...
tours. - A version from Bowie's 1974 North American tour was released on David LiveDavid LiveDavid Live is David Bowie’s first official live album, originally released by RCA Records in 1974. Recorded on the initial leg of Bowie’s US tour supporting Diamond Dogs in July of that year , it has been cited as one of the best live...
in 1974. - A version recorded with the Tony Visconti Trio (aka The Hype) on The Sunday Show introduced by John PeelJohn PeelJohn Robert Parker Ravenscroft, OBE , known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004...
, on February 5, 1970, was released on Bowie at the BeebBowie at the BeebBowie at the Beeb is a compilation album by David Bowie, first released in 2000. Originally, it came in a three CD set, the third, bonus CD being a recording on at the Portland BBC Radio Theatre...
in 2000.
Other releases
As well as its 1973 release as a single in Eastern Europe, the song appeared on the Japanese compilation The Best of David Bowie in 1974.Cover versions
- Spurge - Crash Course for the Ravers - A Tribute to the Songs of David Bowie (1996)
- The Spiders from MarsThe Spiders from MarsThe Spiders from Mars were rock singer David Bowie 's backing band in the early 1970s, and consisted of Mick Ronson on guitars, Trevor Bolder on bass guitar, and Mick Woodmansey on drums....
- The Mick Ronson Memorial Concert (2001); the Spiders here consisting of Joe ElliottJoe ElliottJoseph Thomas "Joe" Elliott Jr is an English singer-songwriter, and musician, best known as the lead vocalist and occasional rhythm guitarist of the British rock band Def Leppard. He has also been the lead singer of David Bowie cover band, the Cybernauts and the Mott the Hoople cover band, Down...
(vocals, acoustic guitar), Trevor BolderTrevor BolderTrevor Bolder is an English rock bassist, musician, songwriter and record producer. He is best known for his long association with Uriah Heep and his tenure with The Spiders From Mars, the one-time backing band for David Bowie, although he has played alongside a variety of musicians since the...
(bass), Woody Woodmansey, (drums), Billy RankinBilly Rankin (guitarist)Billy Rankin is a Scottish guitarist and rock musician active in the 1980s and 1990s. Best known for his work with Nazareth , he also had a successful solo career, including a US hit single "Baby Come Back".-Biography:Classically trained, he played cello at school and attained his A level in...
(guitar), and Nicky GrahamNicky GrahamNicky Graham is a musician, songwriter and music producer from the UK.He played keyboards for David Bowie throughout most of 1972 including on the Spiders from Mars tour, August and September 1972. He was A & R Manager at CBS Records UK during the 1980s when he signed The Clash...
(piano)