Modern Love (song)
| "Modern Love" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by David Bowie | ||||
| from the album Let's Dance | ||||
| B-side | "Modern Love (Live)" | |||
| Released | 12 September 1983[1] | |||
| Recorded | 3-20 January 1983[2] | |||
| Studio | Power Station, Manhattan, New York City | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 3:56 (single) 4:46 (album) | |||
| Label | EMI America – EA158 | |||
| Songwriter(s) | David Bowie | |||
| Producer(s) |
| |||
| David Bowie singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "Modern Love" on YouTube | ||||
"Modern Love" is a song written and recorded by English singer-songwriter David Bowie. It is the opening track to his album Let's Dance, and was issued as the third single from the album in late 1983.
Background
"Modern Love" was the 2nd song Bowie started recording for the album, after its title track, recorded in the first few weeks of January 1983. By the time "Modern Love" was issued as a single, Bowie's Serious Moonlight Tour was underway. The video for the song used footage of Bowie and his band performing the song from concert in Philadelphia on 20 July 1983. A live version, recorded in Montreal on 13 July 1983, was on the B-side.
As well as being a staple of the Serious Moonlight Tour, it was featured in Bowie's set at Live Aid in 1985, and in his subsequent Glass Spider and Sound+Vision tours of 1987 and 1990. It was also performed occasionally during his 2003-4 A Reality Tour. To promote the Glass Spider Tour, as part of his commitment to Pepsi for their commercial sponsorship, Bowie re-recorded the song with Tina Turner for a commercial which aired briefly in 1987.[6]
Reception
The single reached No. 2 in the UK, and No. 14 on the US Billboard Hot 100.[7]
Formats and track listings
7": EMI America / EA 158 (UK)
- "Modern Love [Edit]" (David Bowie) – 3:56
- "Modern Love [Live]" (Bowie) – 3:43
12": EMI America / 12EA 158 (UK)
- "Modern Love" (Bowie) – 4:46
- "Modern Love [Live]" (Bowie) – 3:43
Credits and personnel
- David Bowie – vocals
- Stevie Ray Vaughan – guitar
- Nile Rodgers – guitar
- Carmine Rojas – bass guitar
- Omar Hakim – drums[8]
- Robert Sabino – keyboards; piano
- Robert Aaron – saxophone
- Stan Harrison – saxophone
- Steve Elson – saxophone
- Sam Figueroa – percussion
Production
- David Bowie – producer
- Nile Rodgers – producer
Chart performance
| Chart (1983–2016) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report)[9] | 6 |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[10] | 3 |
| Belgium (VRT Top 30 Flanders)[11] | 3 |
| Canada (RPM 50 Singles)[12] | 2 |
| France (SNEP)[13] | 71 |
| Ireland (IRMA)[14] | 3 |
| Israel (Media Forest)[15] | 2 |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[16] | 9 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[17] | 10 |
| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[18] | 6 |
| Poland (Polish Singles Chart)[19] | 17 |
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[20] | 17 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[21] | 2 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[22] | 14 |
| US Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks[22] | 6 |
| West Germany (GfK)[23] | 27 |
Certifications
| Country/Region | Certification | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (BPI) | Silver | >200,000[24] |
Other album appearances
- The song has appeared on several compilations:
- Changesbowie (1990)
- Bowie: The Singles 1969-1993 (1993)
- The Singles Collection (1993)
- Best of Bowie (2002)
- Sound + Vision (2003 and later editions) – live B-side version
- The Platinum Collection (2006)
- The Best of David Bowie 1980/1987 (2007)
- Nothing Has Changed (2014) (3-disc, 2-disc, and vinyl editions)
- Bowie Legacy (2016) (2-disc and vinyl editions)
- Loving the Alien (1983-1988) (2018) (re-mastered album version, single version, 1983 and 1987 live versions)
In popular culture
Movies
- Featured in the opening credits of Couples Retreat (2009).
- Featured in the soundtrack of Adventureland (2009).[25]
- Featured prominently in Leos Carax's Mauvais Sang (1986).
- Heard on the radio in Hot Tub Time Machine (2010).[26]
- Featured in the film Frances Ha (2013).
- Featured in the Brazilian film The Way He Looks (2014).
- Featured in the film The Business (2005).
- Featured in the film Sleeping with Other People (2015).
- Featured in the film Swing Kids (2018).
- Marie Mazziotti’s cover plays over the closing credits of JCVD (2008).
TV
- Featured on the soundtrack of the Season 1 episode titled "Wedding" in New Girl.
- The Venture Bros.'s David Bowie character (voiced by James Urbaniak) quoted the first line of this song "I know when to go out" in the episode "Showdown at Cremation Creek (Part I)".
- Used as the opening theme for WWF All-Star Wrestling from 1984 to 1986.
- Used in the last episode of My Mad Fat Diary (S2, E7).
- Used in the second episode of Deutschland 83 (S1, E2).
- Used in the fourth episode of Dead of Summer. The song also gives the name of the episode.
- Featured on the BBC's Homes Under the Hammer on January 7, 2016.
- Featured on the BBC's Match of the Day on 13 January 2016—the first edition of the programme following Bowie's death.
- Featured in the first episode of Dynasty (2017).
- Featured in the second episode of A Million Little Things.
- Used in the third season, fourth episode of Riverdale.
Covers
- Biffy Clyro covered "Modern Love" in February 2018 for "The Howard Stern Tribute to David Bowie". It was hosted by Tony Visconti, David's longtime producer. [27]
in 1984, Hong Kong singer Danny Chan covered this song in Cantonese.
Rock Band music gaming platform
It was made available to download on 25 January 2011 for use in the Rock Band 3 music gaming platform in both Basic rhythm, and PRO mode which utilizes real guitar / bass guitar, and MIDI compatible electronic drum kits / keyboards in addition to vocals.
References
- ^ Loving the Alien (1983-1988) (Box set booklet). Parlophone. 2018.
{{cite AV media notes}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|1=(help) - ^ O'Leary, Chris (2019). Ashes to Ashes The Songs of David Bowie 1976-2016. Repeater Books. ISBN 9781912248308.
- ^ Thompson, Dave. "David Bowie - Modern Love song review". AllMusic. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
- ^ "David Bowie: Album guide". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 10 November 2013. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
- ^ Breihan, Tom (19 January 2016). "Greg Dulli – "Modern Love" (David Bowie Cover)". Stereogum. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
- ^ Loogman, Antoine (May 2007), "Bowie in Holland: Glass Spider", The Voyeur, archived from the original on 29 October 2013, retrieved 25 June 2013
- ^ Joel Whitburn (2004). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, 8th Edition (Billboard Publications)
- ^ Buskin, Richard (April 2005). "CLASSIC TRACKS: Chic 'Le Freak'". Sound On Sound. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
- ^ bulion. "Forum - ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts - CHART POSITIONS PRE 1989". ARIA. Australian-charts.com. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
- ^ "David Bowie – Modern Love" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
- ^ "Modern Love - DAVID BOWIE". VRT (in Dutch). Top30-2.radio2.be. Archived from the original on 9 April 2012. Retrieved 29 July 2013. Hoogste notering in de top 30 : 3
- ^ "Top Singles - Volume 39, No. 10, November 05 1983". Library and Archives Canada. Archived from the original on 24 February 2014. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
- ^ "InfoDisc : Tous les Titres par Artiste". Dominic DURAND / InfoDisc (in French). InfoDisc.fr. 29 July 2013. Retrieved 29 July 2013. You have to use the index at the top of the page and search "David Bowie"
- ^ "The Irish Charts - All there is to know". IRMA. Retrieved 29 July 2013. 2nd result when searching "Modern love"
- ^ "Media Forest weekly chart (year 2016 week 02)". Retrieved 29 January 2017.
- ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – David Bowie - Modern Love" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
- ^ "David Bowie – Modern Love" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
- ^ "David Bowie – Modern Love". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
- ^ "MODERN LOVE - David Bowie". Nowe Media, Polskie Radio S.A. LP3.polskieradio.pl. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
- ^ "David Bowie – Modern Love". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
- ^ a b "Let's Dance awards at Allmusic". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
- ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – David Bowie – Modern Love" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
- ^ https://www.bpi.co.uk/bpi-awards/ type modern love and search
- ^ "Adventureland review at Allmusic". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
- ^ Stephen Thomas Erlewine. "Hot Tub Time Machine [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack] review at Allmusic". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
- ^ Stern, Howard. "The Howard Stern Tribute to David Bowie". Howard Stern.
- Nicholas Pegg The Complete David Bowie, Reynolds & Hearn Ltd, 2000, ISBN 1-903111-14-5