"Be My Wife" is a song by English musician

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 ...

. It was the second single from '' Low'' (1977), released on 17 June 1977. Its presence in ''Low'' tones down the electronic feel of the rest of the album. The song also features a more conventional lyric which is closer to a traditional rock song than the more fragmented lyrics elsewhere on that album. The song features a

ragtime Ragtime, also spelled rag-time or rag time, is a musical style that flourished from the 1890s to 1910s. Its cardinal trait is its syncopated or "ragged" rhythm. Ragtime was popularized during the early 20th century by composers such as Scott J ...

piano opening, which serves the somewhat retro lyrics some justice, although it is soon set against a backdrop of guitars and drums. The song repeats its lyrics, changing the spacing of the lyrics amongst the song's verse. The song closes simply with a fadeout, as the song returns to the introductory ragtime riff repeating indefinitely, with the rest of the band playing behind it. "Be My Wife" became the first new Bowie release since "

Changes Changes may refer to: Books * ''Changes'', the 12th novel in Jim Butcher's ''The Dresden Files'' Series * ''Changes'', a novel by Danielle Steel * ''Changes'', a trilogy of novels on which the BBC TV series was based, written by Peter Dickinson ...

" to fail to break into the UK chart. It was frequently played live on the various tours after its release and Bowie is said to have repeatedly announced this song during live performances as "one of my favourites," as may be seen or heard in such concert footage or audio recordings.

Reception

'' Cash Box'' said that it "demonstrates the rock and roll side of 'Low.'" and that there is also "a shrill organ, unusual guitar and synthesizer lines, and the creative use of a barrelhouse piano."

Music video

"Be My Wife" apparently was Bowie's first official video since " Life on Mars?". The video is in fact rather similar: Bowie stands alone against a white backdrop singing the song alone. However, Stanley Dorfman's new clip featured a Bowie in make-up and clothing influenced by Buster Keaton and giving an irreverent, detached performance on a guitar, which does gel with the candid feeling generated by the song.

Track listing

All tracks written by

. # "Be My Wife" – 2:55 # " Speed of Life" – 2:45

Personnel

* Producers: **

Tony Visconti Anthony Edward Visconti (born April 24, 1944) is an American record producer, musician and singer. Since the late 1960s, he has worked with an array of performers. His first hit single was T. Rex's " Ride a White Swan" in 1970, the first of man ...

* Musicians: **

: lead vocals, lead guitars, pump bass **

Carlos Alomar Carlos Alomar (born 7 May 1951) is a Puerto Rican guitarist. He is best known for his work with David Bowie from the mid-1970s to the early 2000s, having played on more Bowie albums than any musician other than pianist Mike Garson. He has als ...

: rhythm guitar ** George Murray: bass **

Dennis Davis Dennis Davis (August 28, 1949 – April 6, 2016) was an American drummer and session musician best known for his work with David Bowie, playing on ten albums - including seven successive studio albums - during the singer's classic mid- and lat ...

: drums ** Roy Young: pianos ** Brian Eno: synthesizers

Live versions

* A live version was recorded during the Isolar II Tour for the ''

Stage Stage or stages may refer to: Acting * Stage (theatre), a space for the performance of theatrical productions * Theatre, a branch of the performing arts, often referred to as "the stage" * ''The Stage'', a weekly British theatre newspaper * Sta ...

'' album, but was not released until 2005 on the remastered re-release of ''Stage''. Another live performance of the song, from later in the same 1978 tour, was included on the live album '' Welcome to the Blackout'', released in 2018. * A live version from

Earls Court Earl's Court is a district of Kensington in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in West London, bordering the rail tracks of the West London line and District line that separate it from the ancient borough of Fulham to the west, the ...

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

on , was released on the semi-legal album '' Rarestonebowie'' in 1995. * A live performance filmed in Dublin in November 2003 during the

A Reality Tour A Reality Tour was a worldwide concert tour by David Bowie in support of the ''Reality'' album. The tour began on 7 October 2003 at the Forum Copenhagen, Denmark, continuing through Europe, North America, Asia, including a return to New Zealan ...

can be viewed on the

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and is included on the corresponding album.

Other releases

* The song appeared on the following compilation albums: ** '' Sound + Vision'' box set (1989) ** '' Bowie: The Singles 1969-1993'' (1993) * It was released as a picture disc in the

RCA The RCA Corporation was a major American electronics company, which was founded as the Radio Corporation of America in 1919. It was initially a patent trust owned by General Electric (GE), Westinghouse, AT&T Corporation and United Fruit Comp ...

''Life Time'' picture disc set. *

Momus Momus (; Ancient Greek: Μῶμος ''Momos'') in Greek mythology was the personification of satire and mockery, two stories about whom figure among Aesop's Fables. During the Renaissance, several literary works used him as a mouthpiece for their ...

performed a cover version for his 2015 album ''

Turpsycore ''Turpsycore'' is a 2015 album by Scottish musician Momus. It was released on 3 March 2015 by independent record label American Patchwork on CD and distributed by Darla Records. Background ''Turpsycore'' is a triple album dedicated to music ...

''. *

Max Lorentz Max Lorentz (born in Täby, November 16, 1962) is a Swedish musician, songwriter and producer. He has also worked as a session-musician with artists including Ulf Lundell, Sanne Salomonsen, Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Skifs, E-Type, Eldkvarn, ...

released a version for his 2011 album '' Kiss You In The Rain - Max Lorentz Sings David Bowie''.

References

* Pegg, Nicholas, ''The Complete David Bowie'', Reynolds & Hearn Ltd, 2000, {{Authority control 1977 singles David Bowie songs Songs written by David Bowie Song recordings produced by David Bowie Song recordings produced by Tony Visconti RCA Records singles Songs about marriage