Agree. Ronno was brilliant. Not only a great guitarist, but wrote arrangements and played great keyboards too. He also produced a lot of bands albums and did some great work with Ian Hunter.
Ziggy was a persona, a role Bowie played...a fictional rockstar, the Spiders from Mars were his fictional band...I guess you could say that the song is a commentary on star- and fan-dom
The album has to be taken as a whole. It’s loosely based on a concept of the world ending and an alien messiah named Ziggy descending to earth to save us all, but gets distracted and becomes a rockstar. It begins with Five Years and ends with rock and roll Suicide, but a lot of mesmerizing music happens in between! Try Moonage Daydream, it rocks the hardest, and yep, you’ll have a hard time with the lyrics, but that’s half the fun of it!
I never got that Ziggy is an alien. Ziggy is the "starman?" Hmm .... I might hafta relisten to the album with that thought in mind. I've always considered Ziggy just another human.
Ziggy Stardust is one of Bowie's many character's he personified. In the song Ziggy gets so full of himself with fame he destroy's himself. His backup band is called The Spiders from Mars. You should check out some photo's of Ziggy. You'll love it.
@@tm3008 - Yeah,... They've reviewed several songs from Bowie from different eras. "Ashes to Ashes" and "Jump (She Said)" would fill in most of the gaps.
You should 100% absolutely watch this done/performed live….The video is out there. David Bowie was unquestionably one of the great entertainers, cultural icon and songwriter we have ever seen. The entire world misses him….RIP my friend.
Ziggy stardust and the Spiders from Mars is a concept album, the main character of which is a bisexual, alien who comes to Earth and becomes a rock star. Its about rock and roll, sex, drugs and the end of the world. It's pretty amazing
@@clivestainlesssteelwomble7665 similar, but not the same. Ziggy was a very specific storyline, The Man Who Fell to Earth was more abstract, and took elements from a number of Bowie's albums
Brad did a great job with the breakdown. One of the greatest records of all time, completely original, completely mind blowing and game changing. Including his image - wearing makeup etc in an era where that took some real bravery
The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and The Spiders From Mars is a story album and is designed to be listened to from start to finish. I named my cat Ziggy Stardust after his persona. It's honestly one of my favourite Bowie eras.
Early Bowie is the best, one of the greatest albums in his history. Ziggy Stardust was his alter ego in that time. Check the movie if you are interested. What an adorable man with many talents, R.I.P David Robert Jones.
The truth is...David Bowie was not from this world. This song is a true story. No one will ever believe it, which makes it even more special. He just brought us music from the 'other world', the world of our fore-fathers. But it's better to believe this was all a trip, for our own sakes. Long Live Ziggy Stardust, never forgotten but always loved. X
This is the title song on one of the greatest albums of all time. Find the time someday to listen to the whole thing. In the meantime Starman, this song, Suffragette City, and Rock & Roll Suicide are great ways to sped a few minutes apiece. Rock & Roll Suicide has amazing lyrics and imagery, and despite the title, is a hopeful and giving song.
I was eleven when I first heard this , it turned me on to Music , and a love of Bowie . I saw him five time , but for me the best was Glasto 2000 , it was like someone put a pound in the duke box he sang Hit after Hit, the guy was just class ..R.I.P Mate xxx
This is Bowie in his prime legendary young self and his own personal favourite period because as most of us older folk know, he went through quite a few ch-ch-ch-changes (sorry!)
Guitarist Mick Ronson was also a key part of Dylan’s epic ‘74-75 Rolling Thunder Revue tour. His recollection years later was that Bob never spoke to him even once the whole time. 😱🤣
The song was easy to follow. It is about a fictional character, Ziggy who played guitar in a band, The Spiders from Mars. However Ziggy was so bloody good the fans were all over him and mainly ignored the rest of the band. The band grew jealous of Ziggy's success and wondered if they should "break his hand" thus ruining his ability to play the guitar or just "break up the band". However, they could not deny that Ziggy could play and they certainly did not mind the fame he brought them so it was a catch 22 for them.
Ziggy was a guitar player in a band called The Spiders From Mars. But his guitar playing became so good that the fans cheered for him and be became so famous that it was now Ziggy's band. The other band members became so frustrated that they bitched about it and wondered if they should crush his sweet hands so that he couldn't play guitar anymore. Listen to the lyrics again.
Bowie was a musical pioneer who set the standard. He created not one but several genres of music. He was a method actor, also an incredible musician and a poetical lyricist rolled into one. You really need to react to Bowie in some kind of chronological order, to appreciate six decades of his metamorphosis and his true genius. Ps. I do really do love your show, BTW Brad & Lex. ❤
Ziggy Stardust was a character David Bowie created, and performed as, in concert and on stage in that era. Ziggy was David's alter ego. this was the David Bowie of the early 1970s.
“I was just feeling like I was starting to get Bowie, starting understand Bowie, y’know what I mean…” Yes. Yes, we do. Happened to me every time he released a new album.
Who doesn't love David Bowie. The voice (he probably could have sung opera if he wanted), the characters and lyrics and the sound was always top shelf. I saw him him late in the game on the Let's Dance tour and even though it had become more Pop by then, it was still good.
You guys need to listen to the album as a whole or watch the last concert he played with the spiders from Mars in 1973 in order to fully appreciate it. David Bowie was quite innovative and imaginative.
I've loved every persona Bowie inhabited, over the decades. The bravest, most influential artist in contemporary music. He landed on "Plastic Soul" after the "Diamond Dogs" album. A fascinating career AND person.
BTW, Brad is right. He had to metaphorically "kill" Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders, in order to move on. Mick Ronson was his better half, and really got the shaft. Great guitarist and producer, but got no credit for any of it. Died young of liver cancer. If you want to know the Bowie story, watch the BBC documentary "Cracked Actor". Fascinating.
You have some great commentary here from other viewers - on this song as part of an entire concept album. I hope you will watch the live version of this song available here on youtube (from 1972) in which Bowie actually becomes Ziggy Stardust on stage. Remember he was doing this at a time when the "feel good" music of the '60's was winding down and the folksy "we're in this together" rock of the 70's was beginning. There was simply nobody else doing the type of performance art that Bowie was doing. Though it's out of order in your listening experience of Bowie - this is really the beginning of your journey through his music. I'm glad you have done many Bowie reactions. Thanks for this one.
Ziggy is a concept album meant to be understood as a whole n played at maximum volume. Bowie is playing n singing the character of Ziggy Lot of good music there!
one of the finest concerts i have ever seen!! its a song that is the keystone to a theme, concept work of art . in one sense its not meant to stand alone the outfits , make up and stage performance were integral
Bowie went through phases. The recognizable first one was Ziggy Stardust. Then the Diamond Dog, the Thin White Duke, The Berlin Trilogy, New Wave, etc.
Growing up and listening to this great music, we just got high and listened to it, Loud. And loved it!!! Bowie was a totally different animal. Of the hundreds of concerts I attended in the 70's, 80's, 90's, Bowie's concert, and especially his crowd, was the most unusual and bizarre.
THe 70's was the Guitar Hero era, Iomie, Paige, and Blackmore, and every guitar player wanted to be but wasnt. But they were the song, like now is the era of the vocalist, that was the era of guitars.
When I was little I watched labyrinth and bc I get obsessed with things, I became obsessed with David Bowie. My ex step dad who had eclectic taste in music found out and bought me the Ziggy Stardust album. I loved it, tho my friends were all like, what the actual fck are you listening to.
"Panic in Detroit" is another great one, and probably the inspiration for quite a few dystopian SF novels and films. That and "The Man Who Sold the World" were my soundtrack for reading science fiction books when I was a growing up.
A classic media move! Create a persona, the video has his wife first row cheering him on. Genius.....especially as a new one on the scene. It worked. Rather ingenious! Of course if one didn't have talent it would fall flat. But it didn't. Welcome to early Bowie! 😽💋🎶
My late brother was a huge fan of David Bowie and he always told me that Bowie wrote Ziggy Stardust an alien who came to earth and got caught up in Rock and Roll. Also "Ziggy" character is based on Iggy Pop.
David had many alter-egos - right from the early days of his career - he was driven, at least in part, by the notion that a single person could be built up of more than one personality - this is most clearly introduced in the lyrics to 'The Man Who Sold the World' where, in the title track, he has a conversation with himself...
as previously stated , at this period in time , it was all about the character he was portraying , watch the film , the man who fell to earth , bowie was playing a roll , great reaction again guys
One of the best things about this period of Bowie's music is the guitar work of the late Mick Ronson.
That's saying a lot. I mean, to upstage Bowie...just wow. Nobody will ever make records like this again.
I loved Mick Ronson's playing!!! RIP
Even though Bowie always surrounded himself with great guitarists, no-one came close to the connection he had with Ronno. Wonderful arranger as well.
@@Buk99 I fully agree.
Agree. Ronno was brilliant. Not only a great guitarist, but wrote arrangements and played great keyboards too. He also produced a lot of bands albums and did some great work with Ian Hunter.
Ziggy was a persona, a role Bowie played...a fictional rockstar, the Spiders from Mars were his fictional band...I guess you could say that the song is a commentary on star- and fan-dom
Technically it was a real band including mick ronson
Was this song part of a theme album?
@@willasacco9898 The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. I would say musical theatre rather than a simple "theme album".
This song is a shot a Sir Paul. Left handed guitar player. Broke up the band.
@@adrianbenson28 That is an incisive observation. Only DB could have produced a musical theatrical concept album like that.
The whole album that this track is on is all themed and should be heard as a whole if possible
MUST be heard as a whole. IMHO this is not the best track either.
at least once should be heard in it's entirety.
All albums should be heard as a whole.
@@dayleclarke4433 that's true, but also a lot to ask of someone just trying to get a feel for an artist.
Epic album!
The album has to be taken as a whole. It’s loosely based on a concept of the world ending and an alien messiah named Ziggy descending to earth to save us all, but gets distracted and becomes a rockstar. It begins with Five Years and ends with rock and roll Suicide, but a lot of mesmerizing music happens in between! Try Moonage Daydream, it rocks the hardest, and yep, you’ll have a hard time with the lyrics, but that’s half the fun of it!
This probably helped when he had to play an an alien in the movie "The Man Who Fell To Earth".
Thanx for saving me the work of explaining.
@@bobcorbin3294 Did You Know? There's a remake of that movie in progress.
I never got that Ziggy is an alien. Ziggy is the "starman?"
Hmm .... I might hafta relisten to the album with that thought in mind. I've always considered Ziggy just another human.
@@artao5 Well I hope that goes better than most remakes!
What a freaking genius Bowie was. The world is a poorer place without him.
Ziggy Stardust is one of Bowie's many character's he personified. In the song Ziggy gets so full of himself with fame he destroy's himself. His backup band is called The Spiders from Mars.
You should check out some photo's of Ziggy. You'll love it.
Played it left hand …three piece band.,..Ziggie was Hendrix bro
some ppl just don't get it. Strange I know. Best album ever IMO
Brad & Lex, Bowie's "Changes", "Young Americans" and Suffragette City" are next for you!!
Ashes to Ashes, the official video is MUST!
@@tm3008 - Yeah,...
They've reviewed several songs from Bowie from different eras.
"Ashes to Ashes" and "Jump (She Said)" would fill in most of the gaps.
You should 100% absolutely watch this done/performed live….The video is out there. David Bowie was unquestionably one of the great entertainers, cultural icon and songwriter we have ever seen. The entire world misses him….RIP my friend.
Ziggy Stardust, was a character that Bowie became in the 70's. The style of clothes and the lighting bolt across his face, were all Ziggy Stardust.
Ziggy stardust and the Spiders from Mars is a concept album, the main character of which is a bisexual, alien who comes to Earth and becomes a rock star. Its about rock and roll, sex, drugs and the end of the world. It's pretty amazing
The film was called The man who fell to Earth.
@@clivestainlesssteelwomble7665 similar, but not the same. Ziggy was a very specific storyline, The Man Who Fell to Earth was more abstract, and took elements from a number of Bowie's albums
Brad did a great job with the breakdown.
One of the greatest records of all time, completely original, completely mind blowing and game changing. Including his image - wearing makeup etc in an era where that took some real bravery
The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and The Spiders From Mars is a story album and is designed to be listened to from start to finish. I named my cat Ziggy Stardust after his persona. It's honestly one of my favourite Bowie eras.
Yes, I have a ginger cat named Ziggy!
Almost positive that Ziggy is Bowie's alter-ego. As the character he created, and his own internal self-perception. The early 70's was a funky time.
Nope
I was waiting for it to keep flowing into "Suffragette City" the following song on the album which has a killer intro.
Saw David Bowie in Dec 1972 when he was using this persona. I was 14 and my first concert, it was absolutely amazing.
Early Bowie is the best, one of the greatest albums in his history. Ziggy Stardust was his alter ego in that time. Check the movie if you are interested. What an adorable man with many talents, R.I.P David Robert Jones.
I still have Hunky Dory on my playlist.
Totally agree.
To this day I still get a shiver down my spine at the line " He took it all too far, but boy could he play guitar"
The planet earth is 40 million years old. Be thankful that you were on it the same time as David Bowie.
No it isn't, it's 4.5 billion years old.
The truth is...David Bowie was not from this world. This song is a true story. No one will ever believe it, which makes it even more special. He just brought us music from the 'other world', the world of our fore-fathers. But it's better to believe this was all a trip, for our own sakes. Long Live Ziggy Stardust, never forgotten but always loved. X
David Jones was from Brixton. Just up the road. Still miss him
No matter what, every Bowie track you listen to will throw you for a loop. They call him the music chameleon
This is the title song on one of the greatest albums of all time. Find the time someday to listen to the whole thing. In the meantime Starman, this song, Suffragette City, and Rock & Roll Suicide are great ways to sped a few minutes apiece. Rock & Roll Suicide has amazing lyrics and imagery, and despite the title, is a hopeful and giving song.
Honestly, I think "Rock & Roll Suicide" is my favorite Bowie song, as hard as "favorite" is to be definitive with.
@@andyfletcher3561 Yep. Either Rock and Roll Suicide or Under Pressure. That's how I feel today.
They've done Starman before. And, of course, out of context they didn't quite "get it."
Rock & Roll Suicide is not only my favorite bowie song. It is my favorite song, period. A very important song to many.
The live version is tremendous
I was eleven when I first heard this , it turned me on to Music , and a love of Bowie . I saw him five time , but for me the best was Glasto 2000 , it was like someone put a pound in the duke box he sang Hit after Hit, the guy was just class ..R.I.P Mate xxx
This is Bowie in his prime legendary young self and his own personal favourite period because as most of us older folk know, he went through quite a few ch-ch-ch-changes (sorry!)
😁👌
That riff... Mick Ronson was so underrated.
This song is so bad ass, one of my favourite Bowie tunes.
When bowie was bowie. Best album of his catalog 🤘❤️
Guitarist Mick Ronson was also a key part of Dylan’s epic ‘74-75 Rolling Thunder Revue tour. His recollection years later was that Bob never spoke to him even once the whole time. 😱🤣
Mick Ronson is a legend guitarist and helped make Bowie
Called him his Jeff Beck
Mick Ronson was the king of the Les Paul, just my opinion!
His Les Paul recently sold for 100k.
The song was easy to follow. It is about a fictional character, Ziggy who played guitar in a band, The Spiders from Mars. However Ziggy was so bloody good the fans were all over him and mainly ignored the rest of the band. The band grew jealous of Ziggy's success and wondered if they should "break his hand" thus ruining his ability to play the guitar or just "break up the band". However, they could not deny that Ziggy could play and they certainly did not mind the fame he brought them so it was a catch 22 for them.
Ziggy was a guitar player in a band called The Spiders From Mars. But his guitar playing became so good that the fans cheered for him and be became so famous that it was now Ziggy's band. The other band members became so frustrated that they bitched about it and wondered if they should crush his sweet hands so that he couldn't play guitar anymore. Listen to the lyrics again.
Ziggy is a composite character that includes Jimi Hendrix, Vince Taylor, the Legendary Stardust cowboy and Kansai Yamamoto.
Bowie! A genius! One of my very favorite performers!
Do Moonage Daydream next!
Bowie was a musical pioneer who set the standard. He created not one but several genres of music. He was a method actor, also an incredible musician and a poetical lyricist rolled into one. You really need to react to Bowie in some kind of chronological order, to appreciate six decades of his metamorphosis and his true genius. Ps. I do really do love your show, BTW Brad & Lex. ❤
Simply the perfect description of show business, Bowie was a genius.
Ziggy Stardust was a character David Bowie created, and performed as, in concert and on stage in that era. Ziggy was David's alter ego. this was the David Bowie of the early 1970s.
Singer Vince Taylor is one of the main inspirations for the character Ziggy Stardust., he was a quick burnout ...
you guys are awesome! love to watch your reactions!
“I was just feeling like I was starting to get Bowie, starting understand Bowie, y’know what I mean…”
Yes. Yes, we do. Happened to me every time he released a new album.
"We are stardust, we are golden, we are billion year old carbon" - Woodstock by Crosby Stills and Nash, written by Joni Mitchell.
CHANGES,
HEROES
DAVID BOWIE
Who doesn't love David Bowie. The voice (he probably could have sung opera if he wanted), the characters and lyrics and the sound was always top shelf. I saw him him late in the game on the Let's Dance tour and even though it had become more Pop by then, it was still good.
The whole album is such a masterpiece.
The song Sorrow on his album Pinups is one of my favorites.
Absolute class .
The album is a concept album about an Alien.
You guys need to listen to the album as a whole or watch the last concert he played with the spiders from Mars in 1973 in order to fully appreciate it. David Bowie was quite innovative and imaginative.
I've loved every persona Bowie inhabited, over the decades.
The bravest, most influential artist in contemporary music.
He landed on "Plastic Soul" after the "Diamond Dogs" album. A fascinating career AND person.
David Bowie transports you to another universe. Full Stopp
Bowie's glam rock era the 70s brilliant times to have grown up in best decade ever
BTW, Brad is right. He had to metaphorically "kill" Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders, in order to move on.
Mick Ronson was his better half, and really got the shaft.
Great guitarist and producer, but got no credit for any of it.
Died young of liver cancer. If you want to know the Bowie story, watch the BBC documentary "Cracked Actor".
Fascinating.
Mick Ronson was amazing. Think I was more in awe of him than Bowie back then. Bowie/Ronson were the dream team.
As with all concept albums, Ziggy needs to be listened to, from start to finish.
You have some great commentary here from other viewers - on this song as part of an entire concept album. I hope you will watch the live version of this song available here on youtube (from 1972) in which Bowie actually becomes Ziggy Stardust on stage. Remember he was doing this at a time when the "feel good" music of the '60's was winding down and the folksy "we're in this together" rock of the 70's was beginning. There was simply nobody else doing the type of performance art that Bowie was doing. Though it's out of order in your listening experience of Bowie - this is really the beginning of your journey through his music. I'm glad you have done many Bowie reactions. Thanks for this one.
Ziggy is a concept album meant to be understood as a whole n played at maximum volume.
Bowie is playing n singing the character of Ziggy
Lot of good music there!
Bowie had many characters in his early years. Ziggy was a hip rockstar with a band called the spiders from mars
The rise and fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, my older brother used to listen to it all day long.
" Im just startin you understand Bowie" he will always keep you guessing. " Thursday's child" and "Life on Mars" 2 of my favs
it is a story, you should listen to the whole album.. so good!! peace and love from Canada
That was a brilliant analysis on the actual name ”Ziggy Stardust” you did at the end, Brad!
one of the finest concerts i have ever seen!! its a song that is the keystone to a theme, concept work of art . in one sense its not meant to stand alone the outfits , make up and stage performance were integral
Ziggy is a person form another world. Came to earth and became a rock star.
Yes!! Finally, you guys did the thing. Thank you😁😁😁😁😁😁
If you dig Bowie you should check "Sorrow" and "The Jean Genie".
Bowie went through phases. The recognizable first one was Ziggy Stardust. Then the Diamond Dog, the Thin White Duke, The Berlin Trilogy, New Wave, etc.
Growing up and listening to this great music, we just got high and listened to it, Loud. And loved it!!! Bowie was a totally different animal. Of the hundreds of concerts I attended in the 70's, 80's, 90's, Bowie's concert, and especially his crowd, was the most unusual and bizarre.
Saw Howie four times over 25 years...no show was the same, but spectacular!!!
this is one of my most favorites, listened to this regularly in the 70's at parties and when friends came to visit, have a smoke and a beverage
By far my favorite Bowie song
THe 70's was the Guitar Hero era, Iomie, Paige, and Blackmore, and every guitar player wanted to be but wasnt. But they were the song, like now is the era of the vocalist, that was the era of guitars.
“The Next Day” video version is provocative and super rocking though DB was in his 60’s
It's about Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars! I think the harder you try to figure out Bowie's music the more opaque it becomes.
It is a chapter of the LP.
The ballad style of the intro/chorus with those triplets makes it obvious it's going to be a story. Always a favorite! Fun to play!
Burrough's cut method for the lyrics. Literally scissors for the sentences. He used it a lot.
Beginning of Art rock, mix of punk and early new wave
When I was little I watched labyrinth and bc I get obsessed with things, I became obsessed with David Bowie. My ex step dad who had eclectic taste in music found out and bought me the Ziggy Stardust album. I loved it, tho my friends were all like, what the actual fck are you listening to.
David Bowie...what a legend
this was a real band . a sight to see
A small piece from a flawless album.
"Panic in Detroit" is another great one, and probably the inspiration for quite a few dystopian SF novels and films. That and "The Man Who Sold the World" were my soundtrack for reading science fiction books when I was a growing up.
"Panic in Detroit" is my favorite Bowie song.
One of the most epic track ever recorded!!!!!!!!
Keep them coming love you guys Cheers!
Just love the music... don't really care what else.... love every song on this album...could listen to it every day!!!
A classic media move! Create a persona, the video has his wife first row cheering him on. Genius.....especially as a new one on the scene. It worked. Rather ingenious! Of course if one didn't have talent it would fall flat. But it didn't. Welcome to early Bowie! 😽💋🎶
Bowie was waving goodbye to his old self and putting on his new shoes!! Simple!! 👍
This song takes me Everytime
In England kids went to school dressed as "Ziggy" the persona for this period.
My late brother was a huge fan of David Bowie and he always told me that Bowie wrote Ziggy Stardust an alien who came to earth and got caught up in Rock and Roll. Also "Ziggy" character is based on Iggy Pop.
I'm crying at Brad's confused lool 😂
During the Ziggy Stardust tour Bowie would go through airports with Ziggys make-up on and hairdo.
LMAO! Yep "figure out Bowie"! You do that
Take a look at his stage presence from 1972 to 75. That was him.
"We are stardust" ... "billion year old carbon." Lines from the song "Woodstock". Written by Joni Mitchell, also performed by Crosby Stills and Nash.
If the song 'Woodstock' was an influence, don't forget that the Matthews Southern Comfort version was a number 1 UK hit in 1970.
One man out of his mind !
Bowie's 'Star Man' period.
David had many alter-egos - right from the early days of his career - he was driven, at least in part, by the notion that a single person could be built up of more than one personality - this is most clearly introduced in the lyrics to 'The Man Who Sold the World' where, in the title track, he has a conversation with himself...
This LP was released on the same Day as Roxy Musics self titled debut in the UK. A great day for innovative music. Try Roxy Music re-make/ re-model.
Rebel, Rebel, suffragette city, life on mars, moonage daydream, sound & vision, and heroes are all favorites of mine.
That was a great discussion you two had :)
as previously stated , at this period in time , it was all about the character he was portraying , watch the film , the man who fell to earth , bowie was playing a roll , great reaction again guys
This David Bowie era stuff was very influential for glam / "hair" metal
Give it up guys, you don't get Bowie at all! 😂 It's a shame as he was a genius!