"Real Cool World" is a song from the

soundtrack A soundtrack is recorded music accompanying and synchronised to the images of a motion picture, drama, book, television program, radio program, or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack o ...

of the American 1992 animated

black comedy Black comedy, also known as dark comedy, morbid humor, or gallows humor, is a style of comedy that makes light of subject matter that is generally considered taboo, particularly subjects that are normally considered serious or painful to discus ...

fantasy film Fantasy films are films that belong to the fantasy genre with fantastic themes, usually magic, supernatural events, mythology, folklore, or exotic fantasy worlds. The genre is considered a form of speculative fiction alongside science fiction f ...

'' Cool World''. It is performed by British singer-songwriter

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 was released on 10 August 1992, representing his first new solo material since the dissolution of the band Tin Machine.

Song development

The track marked a reunion with '' Let's Dance'' producer

Nile Rodgers Nile Gregory Rodgers Jr. (born September 19, 1952) is an American musician, record producer and composer. The co-founder of Chic, Rodgers has written, produced, and performed on records that have sold more than 500 million albums and 75 million ...

, with whom Bowie began working in the first half of 1992. "Real Cool World" was the first song to come out of their year-long collaboration. After releasing this song, Bowie intended to go back to his band Tin Machine to record a third album, but when the band fell apart, Bowie and Rodgers instead recorded and produced the songs for Bowie's next solo album, '' Black Tie White Noise'' (1993). The song was included in the soundtrack to the film '' Cool World'' (1992).

Other releases

The song was included as a bonus track of the 2003 re-release of ''Black Tie White Noise'', and a digital download version of the single was announced released in June 2010.

Critical reception

A reviewer from ''

Melody Maker ''Melody Maker'' was a British weekly music magazine, one of the world's earliest music weeklies; according to its publisher, IPC Media, the earliest. It was founded in 1926, largely as a magazine for dance band musicians, by Leicester-born ...

'' wrote, "'Real Cool World' sees Bowie re-united with

. The strings are pretty cool and the saxophone which suddenly pops up in the home straight is wonderfully sleazy. Sadly, the quick pace of the track is a bit too much for the Thin White Duke to handle. He sounds dreadfully tired, dreadfully old."

Track listing

All tracks written by David Bowie. * 12": Warner Bros. / W0127 (UK) # "Real Cool World" (Edit) – 4:15 # "Real Cool World" (Instrumental) – 4:29 * 12": Warner Bros. / W0127T (UK) # "Real Cool World" (12" Club Mix) – 5:28 # "Real Cool World" (Cool Dub Thing #2) – 6:54 # "Real Cool World" (Cool Dub Thing #1) – 7:28 # "Real Cool World" (Cool Dub Overture) – 9:10 * 12": Warner Bros. / W0127CD (UK) # "Real Cool World" (Album Edit) – 4:15 # "Real Cool World" (Radio Remix) – 4:23 # "Real Cool World" (Cool Dub Thing #1) – 7:28 # "Real Cool World" (12" Club Mix) – 5:28 # "Real Cool World" (Cool Dub Overture) – 9:10 # "Real Cool World" (Cool Dub Thing #2) – 6:54 * Digital download: EMI # "Real Cool World" (Album Edit) – 4:16 # "Real Cool World" (Radio Remix) – 4:24 # "Real Cool World" (Cool Dub Thing 1) – 7:29 # "Real Cool World" (12" Club Mix) – 5:30 # "Real Cool World" (Cool Dub Overture) – 9:12 # "Real Cool World" (Cool Dub Thing 2) – 6:56

Personnel

* Producers: **

* Musicians: **

– vocals, saxophone **

– guitar **Richard Hilton – keyboards **Barry Campbell – bass guitar **

Sterling Campbell Sterling Campbell (born May 3, 1964) is an American drummer and songwriter who has worked with numerous high-profile acts, including The B-52s, Duran Duran, Soul Asylum, Cyndi Lauper, Nena, Grayson Hugh, Spandau Ballet, Gustavo Cerati and Dav ...

– drums

Charts

References

* * {{Authority control 1992 singles David Bowie songs Songs written by David Bowie Songs written for films Song recordings produced by Nile Rodgers 1992 songs Warner Records singles