"Unwashed and Somewhat Slightly Dazed" 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 ...

, released on his 1969 album ''

''. It was one of the first songs produced by

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 ...

Inspiration

In July 1969, Bowie performed at the Maltese Music Festival while his father became sick and later died. The feel of the song was meant to show Bowie's feelings after his father's death. The song also seems to be about social structure, as the girl in the song is very wealthy compared to the narrator. Bowie said that the song was written because he got "funny stares" from people.

Song structure

The song opens with acoustic Asus2 and D9 chords. This repeats until the song enters the main structure, a new beat with guitars and harmonica. This part of the song mainly switches between C and F, but occasionally uses other chords as well. After the lyrics finish, the music continues for about two minutes before ending.

Review after "Blackstar"

After the release of "

Blackstar ''Blackstar'' is an American animated science fantasy television series, produced in 1981 by Lou Scheimer and Norm Prescott for Filmation. The series was Filmation's second fantasy epic, the first being '' The Freedom Force'', a segment of '' ...

" and the

death of David Bowie On 10 January 2016, English musician David Bowie died at his Lafayette Street home in New York City, having been diagnosed with liver cancer 18 months earlier. He died two days after the release of his twenty-sixth and final studio album, '' Bl ...

, several lists were created that cited "Unwashed and Somewhat Slightly Dazed" as an important song in Bowie's history. ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...

'' says that the song is "pretty unremarkable except for one thing: It's the first

-produced David Bowie track the world ever heard." Hillary E. Crawford shares this opinion, only including it because "This track, which immediately follows "

Space Oddity "Space Oddity" is a song by English singer-songwriter David Bowie. It was first released on 11 July 1969 by Philips Records as a 7-inch single, then as the opening track of his second studio album ''David Bowie''. After the commercial f ...

," was the first to be produced by Tony Visconti, the man who also produced Bowie's last album ''Blackstar''."

Personnel

According to Chris O'Leary: *

– lead vocal *

Keith Christmas Keith Peter Christmas (born 13 October 1946, Wivenhoe, near Colchester, Essex, England) is an English singer and songwriter. He attended Bath University to read architecture but, because the Architecture School was, at that time, based in Kin ...

– 12-string acoustic guitar *

Mick Wayne Junior's Eyes was a British group led by guitarist Mick Wayne (born Michael Wayne, 1945, Kingston upon Hull - died 26 June 1994), which recorded one album and is notable for acting as David Bowie's backing band during 1969. Beginnings Mick ...

– lead guitar *

Tim Renwick Timothy John Pearson Renwick (born 7 August 1949) is an English guitarist. He is best known for his association with Al Stewart in his early career and for his long-standing role as lead guitarist for the Sutherland Brothers & Quiver. His single ...

– rhythm guitar * John Lodge – bass *John Cambridge – drums *Benny Marshall – harmonica *Unknown musicians – saxophones, trumpets *

– producer

References

Sources

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Unwashed And Somewhat Slightly Dazed David Bowie songs 1969 songs Songs written by David Bowie