Álbum Hunky Dory (David Bowie)

Hunky Dory de David Bowie

Álbum de David Bowie

1971
★★★★☆
Basado en 13 votos
  • Fecha de lanzamiento: 17 de Diciembre de 1971
  • Sello Discográfico: RCA Victor
  • Compositores: David Bowie
  • Productores: Ken Scott, David Bowie

Valora este álbum

Hunky Dory es un álbum de David Bowie, publicado en 1971 por RCA Victor. El disco incluye 11 canciones, entre ellas «Changes», «Oh! You Pretty Things», «Eight Line Poem» y «Life On Mars?».

Lanzado en 1971, Hunky Dory es el cuarto álbum de estudio de David Bowie y es considerado por la crítica como su primera obra sobresaliente indiscutible. Tras el hard rock de su disco anterior, Bowie regresó a un sonido más acústico y melódico, pero con una sofisticación y una ambición artística sin precedentes. "Hunky Dory" es una deslumbrante colección de canciones de art rock y pop barroco, con un fuerte protagonismo del piano y los arreglos de cuerda. El álbum es una galería de retratos y homenajes a sus ídolos, como Andy Warhol y Bob Dylan, y contiene algunas de las canciones más queridas y perdurables de su carrera, como los himnos "Changes" y "Life on Mars?". Es el sonido de un artista en pleno control de su genio creativo, justo antes de su transformación en Ziggy Stardust.

Cómo se grabó

Este fue el primer álbum de Bowie para su nueva discográfica, RCA Records, lo que le dio una mayor libertad y presupuesto. La grabación del álbum marcó la consolidación definitiva de la banda que se conocería como The Spiders from Mars, con la incorporación del teclista Rick Wakeman (antes de unirse a la banda Yes), cuya increíble interpretación de piano es una de las señas de identidad del disco. La producción, a cargo de Ken Scott, quien había sido ingeniero en sus álbumes anteriores, es exquisita, logrando un sonido cálido y detallado.

El sonido del álbum

El sonido de "Hunky Dory" es una mezcla de pop barroco, folk rock y glam rock. El piano es el instrumento dominante, y los arreglos de cuerda de Mick Ronson son de una belleza extraordinaria. Es un álbum mucho más melódico y accesible que su predecesor, pero líricamente es igual de complejo. Las letras son una mezcla de homenajes artísticos, reflexiones sobre la fama y la identidad, y narrativas surrealistas, todo ello con una sensibilidad pop inigualable.

Análisis de las canciones

El álbum está repleto de clásicos. "Changes", con su icónico riff de piano y su letra sobre la reinvención artística, se convirtió en el manifiesto de la carrera de Bowie. "Oh! You Pretty Things" y "Queen Bitch" (un homenaje a The Velvet Underground) son dos de los primeros grandes himnos del glam rock. La canción más famosa del álbum es la majestuosa "Life on Mars?", una balada surrealista con una letra enigmática y un arreglo orquestal épico que es considerada una de las mejores canciones de todos los tiempos.

El álbum también incluye homenajes directos a sus héroes en "Andy Warhol" y "Song for Bob Dylan". "Kooks" es una encantadora canción dedicada a su hijo recién nacido, Zowie Bowie.

Salida al mercado y resultados

A pesar de su calidad, el álbum no fue un gran éxito comercial en su lanzamiento inicial. Fue el éxito masivo de su siguiente álbum, "Ziggy Stardust", lo que llevó al público a redescubrir "Hunky Dory" y convertirlo en un éxito de ventas.

Opiniones de la crítica

La crítica recibió el álbum con una aclamación universal y es consistentemente clasificado como uno de los mejores álbumes de la historia. Fue elogiado por su brillantez melódica, su sofisticación lírica y su increíble diversidad. "Hunky Dory" es el sonido de un genio en su punto álgido, un álbum perfecto que contiene la esencia de todo lo que haría de David Bowie una leyenda.

Listado de Canciones

  1. Changes3:33

    Letra

    Oh yeah Mm Still don't know what I was waiting for And my time was running wild A million dead-end streets and Every time I thought I'd got it made It seemed the taste was not so sweet So I turned myself to face me But I've never caught a glimpse Of how the others must see the faker I'm much too fast to take that test Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes (turn and face the strain) Ch-ch-changes Don't want to be a richer man Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes (turn and face the strain) Ch-ch-changes Just gonna have to be a different man Time may change me But I can't trace time I watch the ripples change their size But never leave the stream Of warm impermanence So the days float through my eyes But stil the days seem the same And these children that you spit on As they try to change their worlds Are immune to your consultations They're quite aware of what they're going through Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes (turn and face the strain) Ch-ch-changes Don't tell them to grow up and out of it Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes (turn and face the strain) Ch-ch-changes Wheres your shame Youve left us up to our necks in it Time may change me But you can't trace time Strange fascination, fascinating me Ah changes are taking the pace I'm going through Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes (turn and face the strain) Ch-ch-changes Oh, look out you rock n rollers Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes (turn and face the strain) Ch-ch-changes Pretty soon now you're gonna get a little older Time may change me But I can't trace time I said that time may change me But I can't trace time
  2. Oh! You Pretty Things3:12
  3. Eight Line Poem2:53

    Letra

    The tactful cactus by your window Surveys the prairie of your room The mobile spins to it's collision Clara puts her head between her paws They've opened shops down West side Will all the cacti find a home But the key to the city Is in the sun that pins The branches to the sky
  4. Life On Mars?3:48

    Letra

    It's a God awful small affair To the girl with the mousey hair, But her mummy is yelling, "No!" And her daddy has told her to go, But her friend is no where to be seen. Now she walks through her sunken dream To the seats with the clearest view And she's hooked to the silver screen, But the film is sadd'ning bore For she's lived it ten times or more. She could spit in the eyes of fools As they ask her to focus on Sailors fighting in the dance hall. Oh man! Look at those cavemen go. It's the freakiest show. Take a look at the lawman Beating up the wrong guy. Oh man! Wonder if he'll ever know He's in the best selling show. Is there life on Mars? It's on America's tortured brow That Mickey Mouse has grown up a cow. Now the workers have struck for fame 'Cause Lennon's on sale again. See the mice in their million hordes From Ibiza to the Norfolk Broads. Rule Britannia is out of bounds To my mother, my dog, and clowns, But the film is a sadd'ning bore 'Cause I wrote it ten times or more. It's about to be writ again As I ask you to focus on Sailors Fighting in the dance hall. Oh man! Look at those cavemen go. It's the freakiest show. Take a look at the lawman Beating up the wrong guy. Oh man! Wonder if he'll ever know He's in the best selling show. Is there life on Mars?
  5. Kooks2:49

    Letra

    [Chorus (x2)] Will you stay in our Lovers' Story If you stay you won't be sorry 'Cause we believe in you Soon you'll grow so take a chance With a couple of Kooks Hung up on romancing We bought a lot of things To keep you warm and dry And a funny old crib on which the paint won't dry I bought you a pair of shoes A trumpet you can blow And a book of rules On what to say to people When they pick on you 'Cause if you stay with us you're gonna be pretty Kookie too [Chorus:] And if you ever have to go to school Remember how they messed up This old fool Don't pick fights with the bullies Or the cads 'Cause I'm not much cop at punching other people's Dads And if the homework brings you down Then we'll throw it on the fire And take the car downtown [Chorus (repeat ad inf.)]
  6. Quicksand5:03

    Vídeo

    vídeo del tema Quicksand
  7. Fill Your Heart3:07

    Letra

    Fill your heart with love today Don't play the game of time Things that happened in the past Only happened in your Mind Only in your Mind-Forget your Mind And you'll be free-yea' The writing's on the wall Free-yea'. And you can know it all If you choose. Just remember Lovers never lose 'Cause they are Free of thoughts unpure [sic] And of thoughts unkind Gentleness clears the soul Love cleans the mind And makes it Free. Happiness is happening The dragons have been bled Gentleness is everywhere Fear's just in your Head Only in your Head Fear is in your Head Only in your Head So Forget your Head And you'll be free The writing's on the wall Free-yea'. And you can know it all If you choose. Just remember Lovers never lose 'Cause they are free of thoughts unpure And of thoughts unkind Gentleness clears the soul Love cleans the mind And makes it Free!! Free-yea'. Yeah-yeah-yeah, yeah-yeah-yeah [repeat]
  8. Andy Warhol3:53

    Letra

    Like to take a cement fix Be a standing cinema Dress my friends up Just for show See them as they really are Put a peephole in my brain Two New Pence to have a go I'd like to be a gallery Put you all inside my show [Chorus:] Andy Warhol looks a scream Hang him on my wall Andy Warhol, Silver Screen Can't tell them apart at all Andy walking, Andy tired Andy take a little snooze Tie him up when he's fast asleep Send him on a pleasant cruise When he wakes up on the sea Be sure to think of me and you He'll think about paint And he'll think about glue What a jolly boring thing to do [Chorus:]
  9. Song For Bob Dylan4:12
  10. Queen Bitch3:13
  11. The Bewlay Brothers5:21