"I Can't Read" is a song written by

David Bowie David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer-songwriter and actor. A leading figure in the music industry, he is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the ...

and

Reeves Gabrels Reeves Gabrels (born June 4, 1956) is an American guitarist, songwriter and record producer. A member and guitarist of British band the Cure since 2012, Gabrels worked with David Bowie from 1987 to 1999, and was a member of the band Tin Machine. ...

for

Tin Machine Tin Machine were a British–American rock band formed in 1988, and fronted by English singer-songwriter David Bowie. The band consisted of Bowie on lead vocals, saxophone and guitar; Reeves Gabrels on guitar and vocals; Tony Fox Sales on ba ...

on their debut album in 1989. The song was subsequently re-recorded by Bowie and Gabrels together in 1997, and performed live during Bowie's concerts in the late 1990s.

Background

Bowie described the song as "full of remorse and agony, I expect, it's when jobs go wrong, and home doesn't really feel warm any more, and you don't need anybody - you don't even pretend you do - and you end up in this kind of state."David Bowie, Bridge Concert Benefit X, 19 October 1996 Bowie recorded two new versions of the song in 1997, one for the film '' The Ice Storm'' and a different version for inclusion on his album '' Earthling'' (1997), although this latter version was not released outside of this single until its inclusion on ''

Is It Any Wonder? "Is It Any Wonder?" is a song written and performed by English alternative rock band Keane, released as the second single from their second studio album, ''Under the Iron Sea''. The single was released to the iTunes Store on 16 May and to sho ...

'' (2020). The ''Ice Storm'' version was released as a single in Germany and Scandinavia by Velvel Records in December 1997. In January 1998 it was also released in Australia by Shock Records under exclusive license from Velvel Records. The single stayed in the UK Top 200 for 3 weeks, peaking at No. 73.

Track listing

1997 Single / Soundtrack version

The 1997 single contained both of Bowie's re-recorded versions of the song. The "short version" was included on the soundtrack to "The Ice Storm" and the "long version" wouldn't appear anywhere else until 2020's EP ''Is It Any Wonder?''

CD: Velvel / ZYX 8757-8 (Germany)

# "I Can't Read" (Short Version) (Bowie, Gabrels) – 4:40 # "I Can't Read" (Long Version) (Bowie, Gabrels) – 5:30 # "

This Is Not America "This Is Not America" is a song by English singer David Bowie and American jazz fusion band Pat Metheny Group, taken from the soundtrack to the 1985 film ''The Falcon and the Snowman''. It was released as a single in February 1985, reaching numb ...

" (Bowie, Metheny) – 3:48

2020 ''Is It Any Wonder?'' version

# "I Can't Read '97" (Bowie, Gabrels) - 5:27

Live versions

A performance from 25 June 1989 was released on the 12" and CD version of the single "

" (1989). Another live version recorded during Tin Machine's 1991

It's My Life Tour The It's My Life Tour was a concert tour headlined by Anglo-American hard rock band Tin Machine. The tour commenced on 5 October 1991 after two warm-up shows, one press show and three trade-industry shows, visiting twelve countries and conclud ...

was released on the live album '' Tin Machine Live: Oy Vey, Baby'' (1992), and a final version recorded in 1999 by Bowie and Gabrels, but without the other members of Tin Machine, was released on ''

VH1 Storytellers ''Storytellers'' is a television music series produced by the VH1 network. In each episode, artists perform in front of a (mostly small and intimate) live audience, and tell stories about their music, writing experiences and memories, somewhat ...

'' (2009).

Charts

Cover versions

Tim Bowness Tim Bowness (born 29 November 1963) is an English singer and songwriter primarily known for his work as part of the band No-Man, a long-term project formed in 1987 with Porcupine Tree's Steven Wilson. Music career In addition to recording album ...

and Samuel Smiles - ''Diamond Gods: Interpretations of Bowie'' (2001)

References

{{authority control 1989 songs 1997 singles David Bowie songs Music videos directed by Tim Pope Songs written by David Bowie Songs written by Reeves Gabrels Tin Machine songs