Speed of Life (David Bowie song)

"Speed of Life" is the first instrumental by David Bowie. It is the opening track for his album Low from 1977.

"Speed of Life"
Song by David Bowie
from the album Low
Released	14 January 1977
Recorded	September–November 1976
Genre	Instrumental rock art rock electronic rock
Length	2:46
Label	RCA
Songwriter(s)	David Bowie
Producer(s)	David Bowie and Tony Visconti

"Speed of Life" introduces the Low album, and, coupled with the instrumental "A New Career in a New Town", provides a front bookend for the A-side of the album. The track makes several immediate implications about the content of the album, with its heavy use of synthesizers as both effects and instruments, with the presence of Dennis Davis' drums and the overlaid harmonizer creating a distinctly different mix than any previous Bowie album.

Lyrics were originally planned for this song, but Bowie abandoned the idea after several attempts, deciding that the piece stood better on its own.

Live versions

Performances from the Isolar II Tour have been released on Stage (1978) and Welcome to the Blackout (2018).

Other releases

It was released as the B-side of the single "Be My Wife" in June 1977.
It also appeared in the Sound + Vision box set.
It was released as a picture disc in the RCA Life Time picture disc set.

Production credits

Producers:
- Tony Visconti
Musicians:
- David Bowie: ARP synthesizer, Chamberlin
- Carlos Alomar: Guitar
- George Murray: Bass
- Dennis Davis: Drums
- Roy Young: Piano

Cover versions

ST-37 - Only Bowie (1995)
Insect Surfers - Ziggy Played Surf Guitar (Various Artists Compilation) (2011)

Sources

Greatorex, Johnathan. "Just a Mortal With Potential." Teenage Wildlife. Nov. 1996. 6 Mar. 2006 <http://www.teenagewildlife.com/Interact/fc/misc/JG/index.html>.
Griffin, R. "Low." Bowie Golden Years. Jan. 2005. 6 Mar. 2006 <http://www.bowiegoldenyears.com/low.html>.
Wilcken, Hugo, Low, Continuum International Publishing Group Inc, 2005, ISBN 0-8264-1684-5

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External links

David Bowie singles
1960s	"Liza Jane" "I Pity the Fool" "You've Got a Habit of Leaving" "Can't Help Thinking About Me" "Do Anything You Say" "I Dig Everything" "Rubber Band" "The Laughing Gnome" "Love You till Tuesday" "Space Oddity" "Ragazzo solo, ragazza sola"
1970s	"The Prettiest Star" "Memory of a Free Festival" "Holy Holy" "Moonage Daydream" "Hang On to Yourself" "Changes" "Starman" "John, I'm Only Dancing" "The Jean Genie" "Drive-In Saturday" "Time" "Life on Mars" "Let's Spend the Night Together" "Sorrow" "Rebel Rebel" "Rock 'n' Roll Suicide" "Diamond Dogs" "1984" "Knock on Wood" "Rock 'n' Roll with Me" "Young Americans" "Fame" "Golden Years" "Station to Station" (French promo) "TVC 15" "Suffragette City" "Stay" "Sound and Vision" "Be My Wife" "'Heroes'" "Beauty and the Beast" "Breaking Glass" "Boys Keep Swinging" "DJ" "Yassassin" "Look Back in Anger" "John, I'm Only Dancing (Again)"
1980s	"Alabama Song" "Crystal Japan" "Ashes to Ashes" "Fashion" "Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)" "Up the Hill Backwards" "Under Pressure" "Wild Is the Wind" "The Drowned Girl" "Cat People (Putting Out Fire)" "Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy" "Let's Dance" "China Girl" "Modern Love" "Without You" "White Light/White Heat" "Blue Jean" "Tonight" "This Is Not America" "Loving the Alien" "Dancing in the Street" "Absolute Beginners" "Underground" "Magic Dance" "When the Wind Blows" "Day-In Day-Out" "Time Will Crawl" "Never Let Me Down" "Under the God" "Heaven's in Here" "Tin Machine" / "Maggie's Farm (live)" "Prisoner of Love"
1990s	"Fame '90" "You Belong in Rock n' Roll" "Baby Universal" "One Shot" "Real Cool World" "Jump They Say" "Black Tie White Noise" "Miracle Goodnight" "The Buddha of Suburbia" "Ziggy Stardust" "The Hearts Filthy Lesson" "Strangers When We Meet" / "The Man Who Sold the World (live)" "Hallo Spaceboy" "Telling Lies" "Little Wonder" "Dead Man Walking" "Pallas Athena" "I'm Afraid of Americans" "I Can't Read" "Without You I'm Nothing" "Thursday's Child" "The Pretty Things Are Going to Hell"
2000s	"Survive" "Seven" "Slow Burn" "Everyone Says 'Hi'" "I've Been Waiting for You" "Shadow Man" "New Killer Star" "Just for One Day (Heroes)" "Rebel Never Gets Old"
2010s	"Where Are We Now?" "The Stars (Are Out Tonight)" "The Next Day" "Valentine's Day" "Love Is Lost" "'Tis a Pity She Was a Whore" "Sue (Or in a Season of Crime)" "Blackstar" "Lazarus" "I Can't Give Everything Away"
Other songs	"Unwashed and Somewhat Slightly Dazed" "Cygnet Committee" "Wild Eyed Boy from Freecloud" "The Width of a Circle" "All the Madmen" "Black Country Rock" "After All" "She Shook Me Cold" "The Man Who Sold the World" "The Supermen" "Oh! You Pretty Things" "Kooks" "Quicksand" "Andy Warhol" "Song for Bob Dylan" "Queen Bitch" "The Bewlay Brothers" "Bombers" "Five Years" "Soul Love" "Lady Stardust" "Velvet Goldmine" "Sweet Head" "Amsterdam" "Round and Round" "Watch That Man" "Aladdin Sane" "Panic in Detroit" "Cracked Actor" "Lady Grinning Soul" "All the Young Dudes" "Future Legend" "Sweet Thing" "Big Brother" "Can You Hear Me?" "Right" "Fascination" "Word on a Wing" "Speed of Life" "What in the World" "Always Crashing in the Same Car" "A New Career in a New Town" "Warszawa" "Art Decade" "Weeping Wall" "Subterraneans" "Some Are" "Joe the Lion" "Sons of the Silent Age" "Blackout" "V-2 Schneider" "Sense of Doubt" "Moss Garden" "Neuköln" "The Secret Life of Arabia" "Fantastic Voyage" "I Pray, Olé" "It's No Game" "Teenage Wildlife" "Scream Like a Baby" "Criminal World" "As the World Falls Down" "Girls" "Nite Flights" "I'm Deranged" "Nature Boy" "Cactus" "The Loneliest Guy" "Fall Dog Bombs the Moon" "Bring Me the Disco King" "Girl Loves Me" "Dollar Days"

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