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The Loneliest Guy

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Wikipedia article




"'The Loneliest Guy'" is a song written by David Bowie in 2003 for his album 'Reality'. It's a slow-tempo minimalistic piece in which, according to James E. Perone, "Bowie's character also lives in denial: in spite of the shards of glass that he finds near his windows, the solitary life he lives, and 'all the pages that have turned,' he expresses the belief that he is not 'the loneliest guy' in the world, but, rather, 'the luckiest guy'."James E. Perone, 'The words and music of David Bowie', Greenwood Publishing Group, 2007, p.139. The biographer also writes: "The slow, solemn pace of the piece, the long phrases sung with a slowly pulsing vibrato suggest a profound sadness."

The piano is played by long-time Bowie pianist Mike Garson in a sombre form that led David Buckley to make an analogy with the "psychotic menage" of Bowie's 'Outside' (1995), although the biographer concludes: "Bowie's vocal, quivering and unstable, is just too much. As music writer Alex Petridis put it, the song was sadly 'overcooked'."David Buckley, 'Strange fascination: David Bowie, the definitive story', Virgin Books, 2005, p.499.

Lou Reed praised the song, writing for 'Rolling Stone': "He's always changing, so you never get tired of what he's doing. And I mean all the way up to his later records: 'The Loneliest Guy' on his album 'Reality' is a great song. Yet another one."Lou Reed. "[https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/100-greatest-artists-of-all-time-19691231/david-bowie-19691231 100 Greatest Artists: David Bowie] ". 'Rolling Stone'. Consulted on October 10, 2011. Margaret Cho also wrote in her compilation of essays and prose 'I Have Chosen to Stay and Fight' (2005) that she likes many Bowie songs, "and the new songs from the 'Reality' album, a new favorite being 'The Loneliest Guy.' It's almost too much to ask for, the ageless, timeless, faultless, flawless Bowie in a vocal storm of versatility [...]"Margaret Cho. 'I have chosen to stay and fight'. Riverhead Books, 2005, p.198.

Live versions



* It was played during A Reality Tour.

* A live version recorded at the Riverside Studios, Hammersmith, London, 8 September 2003 was released on the 'Tour Edition' of 'Reality'.

* Another version recorded live during Bowie's concerts at The Point, Dublin, Ireland, 22 and 23 November 2003, was released on the live DVD 'A Reality Tour' and included in the corresponding album, 'A Reality Tour'.

Personnel



According to Chris O'Leary:

*David Bowie vocals, synthesizers

*David Torn guitar

*Mike Garson piano, keyboards

*Tony Visconti bass

*Sterling Campbell drums

'Production'

*David Bowie producer

*Tony Visconti producer, engineer

*Mario J. McNulty engineer

References



Category:2003 songs

Category:Songs written by David Bowie

Category:David Bowie songs

Category:Song recordings produced by Tony Visconti

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