David Bowie – Aladdin Sane

Aladdin Sane is the sixth studio album by English musician David Bowie, released on 13 April 1973 through RCA Records. The follow-up to his breakthrough The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (1972), it was the first album he wrote and released from a position of stardom. It was produced by Bowie and Ken Scott and features contributions from Bowie’s backing band the Spiders from Mars — Mick Ronson, Trevor Bolder and Mick Woodmansey — as well as pianist Mike Garson, two saxophonists and three backing vocalists. Recorded at Trident Studios in London and RCA Studios in New York City between legs of the Ziggy Stardust Tour, the record was Bowie’s final album with the full Spiders lineup.

Bowie wrote most of the tracks on the road in the US between shows. Because of this, many of the tracks are greatly influenced by America and Bowie’s perceptions of the country. Due to the American influence and the fast-paced songwriting, the record features a tougher and raunchier glam rock sound than its predecessor. The lyrics reflect the pros of Bowie’s newfound stardom and the cons of touring and paint pictures of urban decay, drugs, sex, violence and death. Some of the songs are influenced by the Rolling Stones, and a cover of their song “Let’s Spend the Night Together” is included. The album features a new character called Aladdin Sane, a pun on “A Lad Insane”, whom Bowie described as “Ziggy Stardust goes to America”. The cover artwork, shot by Brian Duffy and featuring a lightning bolt across Bowie’s face, was the most expensive cover ever made at the time and represents the split personality of the Aladdin Sane character and Bowie’s mixed feelings of the tour and stardom. It is regarded as one of his most iconic images.

Preceded by the singles “The Jean Genie” and “Drive-In Saturday”, Aladdin Sane was Bowie’s most commercially successful record up to that point, topping the UK Albums Chart and helped garner immense popularity for the artist there. It also received positive reviews from music critics, although many found it inferior to its predecessor. The popularity continued throughout the latter half of the Ziggy Stardust Tour, which featured various setlist and stage production changes. In later decades, Aladdin Sane has appeared on several best-of lists and is viewed by Bowie’s biographers as one of his essential releases.