Classic Album Spotlight: Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars

Side One: Five Years/Soul Love/Moonage Daydream/Starman/It Ain't Easy 

Side Two:Lady Stardust /Star /Hang on to Yourself /Ziggy Stardust /Suffragette City /Rock 'n' Roll Suicide

   After the massive success of 1969's "Space Oddity" single, David Bowie released two excellent, but largely overlooked, folk rock albums. He was on the path to becoming a one hit wonder, but a startling transformation saved him from mediocrity and blasted him up to the status of rock god. In June of 1972, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars was released, Bowie breaks out(in more ways than one) and becomes the biggest act in the U.K. since The Beatles.

   The album is sort of a loose concept record as it follows Bowie new persona Ziggy , the rock star from mars, and his adventure on earth. It's a masterpiece of glam rock from start to finish. The very first song, sets a standard which the rest of the album echoes, "Five Years" is a hauntingly beautiful song which  desperately builds and builds before giving way to "Soul Love". This second track isn't as great as the rest of the songs on the album, nevertheless it hold it's own and provides a nice transition into one of the best songs on the entire record. "Moonage Daydream" opens strong and the rocker explodes into a sex filled stunning melody which perfectly showcases guitarist Mick Ronson work as he proceeds to lay some of the best licks on the entire LP. Then comes "Starman", the most commercially successful single from the album and after that arrives the only cover on the record, Bowie's version of "It Ain't Easy" (A Ron Davies song which was also covered by Three Dog Night). These songs are good too, Hell every song on here is good. However they are easily upstaged when the elegant "Lady Stardust" glides in. The piano driven melody was written as a sort of tribute to David's friend Marc Bolan(of T. Rex, who are fairly big in England at this time) who Bowie would grow to eclipse in stardom. The number seems like it would be a tough one to follow yet "Star" and the ensuing rocker "Hang on to Yourself" do a damn fine job. from Hang on the album transcends into a real guitar driven affair as "Ziggy Stardust" and "Suffragette City" amaze and rock you into the stunning finale.Now,  I'm not sure I can communicate just how much I enjoy "Rock n' Roll Suicide", it's the perfect album closer and possibly my favorite Bowie track of all time.

     

   Without a doubt The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars  is one of the best glam albums of all time. The songs work beautifully  together to create a sweeping sex filled masterpiece that deserves a place on any persons shelf.

                                                                -Adan Chance

 

 

 

Further Listening: Hunky Dory, Diamond Dogs, Low