Aladdin Sane

Aladdin Sane
Studio album by
Released13 April 1973 (1973-04-13)
Genre
Length41:32
LabelRCA
Producer
  • Ken Scott
  • David Bowie
David Bowie chronology
The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
(1973)
Aladdin Sane
(1973)
Pin Ups
(1973)

Aladdin Sane is the sixth studio album by David Bowie, released in April 1973 through RCA Records. The album was co-produced by Bowie and Ken Scott and features Bowie's backing band The Spiders from Mars, as well as the pianist Mike Garson, two saxophonists, and three backing vocalists. It was recorded in London and New York City while David Bowie was on the Ziggy Stardust Tour, and was his last album with the full Spiders band.

Most of the songs were written while traveling in the United States and reflect Bowie's views of America. Aladdin Sane is a hard rock and glam rock album, with a heavier sound than Bowie’s previous album, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. Bowie described the album's title character, a pun on "A Lad Insane", as "Ziggy Stardust goes to America". The album had two UK top-five singles, "The Jean Genie" and "Drive-In Saturday", and reached number one on the UK albums chart. The album cover is a photograph by Brian Duffy of Bowie with a lightning bolt painted on his face. This is one of the most well-known and iconic images of David Bowie.

Track listing

All songs are written by David Bowie, except "Let's Spend the Night Together", written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards.[1]

Side one
No. Title Length
1. "Watch That Man" 4:30
2. "Aladdin Sane (1913-1938-197?)" 5:15
3. "Drive-In Saturday" 4:38
4. "Panic in Detroit" 4:30
5. "Cracked Actor" 3:01
Side two
No. Title Length
6. "Time" 5:10
7. "The Prettiest Star" 3:28
8. "Let's Spend the Night Together" 3:10
9. "The Jean Genie" 4:06
10. "Lady Grinning Soul" 3:53

References

  1. ↑ Aladdin Sane (liner notes). UK: RCA Records. 1973. PK-2134.