Tonight (song)

Infobox Single
Name = Tonight


Artist = David Bowie
Album = Tonight
B-side = "Tumble and Twirl"
Released = Start date|1984|11
Format = 7"/12" single
Recorded = Le Studio, Morin Heights, May 1984
Genre = Rock
Length = 3:43
Label = EMI
EA187
Writer = David Bowie, Iggy Pop
Producer = David Bowie, Hugh Padgham, Derek Bramble
Certification =
Last single = "Blue Jean"
1984
This single = "Tonight"
1984
Next single = "This Is Not America"
1985

"Tonight" is the title track from the album "Tonight" by David Bowie. It was originally co-written with Iggy Pop for the latter’s 1977 album "Lust for Life".

Bowie re-recorded the song, with guest vocalist Tina Turner, in 1984 for his new album and released it as a single, the song was a duet but the single was in fact only credited to Bowie. The album also featured two new co-compositions with Pop (including "Tonight"’s B-side, "Tumble and Twirl") – causing some cynics to remark that the whole album was largely motivated by Bowie trying to earn some money for his friend. The original spoken word introduction of the 1977 version, establishing that the lyric is addressed to a lover dying of a heroin overdose, was excised for Bowie’s version, substantially changing the message of the song. Bowie claimed at the time that he didn’t want to inflict this reading on Turner, though it’s also likely that this was to soften the song and make it more commercial.

Chart Performance

Nevertheless, the reggae-flavoured song was a considerable flop, only reaching #53 in the UK singles charts (the first ‘current’ Bowie single to miss the top 40 since "Be My Wife" in 1976) at the same time its parent album was rapidly sliding down the album chart, however the single scored #1 in Poland.

UK Chart Run: 58-{53}-59-64-94R(3)->5weeks in the Top100.

Track listing

7" version: -

# "Tonight" (Bowie, Pop) – 3:43
# "Tumble and Twirl" (Bowie, Pop) – 4:56

12" version: -

# "Tonight (Vocal Dance Mix)" (Bowie, Pop) - 4:29
# "Tumble and Twirl (Extended Dance Mix)" (Bowie, Pop) – 5:03
# "Tonight (Dub Mix)" (Bowie, Pop) – 4:18

Production credits

* Producers:
** David Bowie
** Hugh Padgham
** Derek Bramble
* Musicians:
** David Bowie: Vocals
** Tina Turner: Vocals
** Carlos Alomar: Guitar
** Derek Bramble: Bass, Synthesizer
** Carmine Rojas: Bass
** Sammy Figueroa: Percussion
** Omar Hakim: Drums
** Guy St Onge: Marimba

Tonight (Live)

Infobox Single
Name = Tonight Live


Artist = Tina Turner duet with David Bowie
Album = Tina Live in Europe
A-side =
B-side = "River Deep, Mountain High" (Live)
Released = 1988
Format =
Recorded = Start date|1985|3|23, National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham
Genre =
Length =
Label =
Writer = David Bowie, Iggy Pop
Producer = Terry Britten
Audio sample? =
Certification =
Misc = Extra chronology 2
Artist = Tina Turner singles
Type = single
Last single = "Addicted to Love" (Live)
(1988)
This single = "Tonight" (Live)
(1988)
Next single = "634-5789 (Live)"
(1988)

Bowie would perform the song live with Turner at the latter's 23 March 1985 concert at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham. This version was included on Turner's live album "Tina Live in Europe" three years later, and also released as a single in 1988, then becoming a number one hit in the Netherlands.

Chart performance (Live version)

Cover versions

* Herman van Veen - A Dutch version called "De Laatste Dans".

References

* Pegg, Nicholas, "The Complete David Bowie", Reynolds & Hearn Ltd, 2000, ISBN 1-903111-14-5