Actors - Alabama Song

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	Actors - Alabama Song

"Alabama Song" was a single by David Bowie. It was a cover of a song from Bertold Brecht’s opera Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny.The translated English language version had previously been covered by The Doors.

Bowie, a Brecht fan, had incorporated the song into his live show during his 1978 world tour (a live version would subsequently appear on the 1991 reissue of Stage
). He recorded a version at Tony Visconti’s studio after the European leg of this tour, and in 1980 it was issued as a single to hasten the end of Bowie’s contract with RCA.

An unconventional departure, the song was backed with a stripped-down acoustic version of “Space Oddity” recorded in December 1979.

The single reached #23. Bowie would later appear in a BBC version of Brecht’s Baal, and release an EP of songs from the play.

Bowie performed the number again on his 1990 Sound + Vision and 2002 Heathen tours.

Track listing

# "Alabama Song" (Brecht, Weill) – 3:51 # "Space Oddity" (Bowie) – 4:57

The German 1982 rerelease of the single also had "Amsterdam" as an additional B-side.

Production credits

Producers:
* Tony Visconti
* David Bowie

Musicians:
* David Bowie
: Vocals, Guitar
* Adrian Belew: Guitar
* Carlos Alomar: Guitar
* Simon House: Violin
* Sean Mayes: Piano
* Roger Powell: Keyboards
* George Murray: Bass
* Dennis Davis
: Drums

Live versions

A live version recorded at Philadelphia Spectrum April 28-29, 1978, was released as a bonus track on the Rykodisc reissue of the live album Stage
.

Other releases

It was released as the B-side of the Japanese single "Crystal Japan
" in February 1980.
The German release of the single "Ashes to Ashes
" in August 1980 had "Alabama Song" as the B-side.
In 1992 it was released as a bonus track on the Rykodisc reissue of Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)
.
It appeared on the compilation The Singles Collection in 1993.

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