"Future Legend" is the opening track of David Bowie's 1974 album Diamond Dogs. Its spoken narrative introduces the album's setting in a "glitter apocalypse".[2]
Barely a minute in length, "Future Legend" begins with a distorted howl and features Bowie's spoken-word vision of a post-apocalyptic Manhattan, now renamed Hunger City. He describes "fleas the size of rats" and "rats the size of cats", and compares the humanoid inhabitants to "packs of dogs".
Halfway through the narration, the Richard Rodgers' tune "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered" strikes up (the song and its composer appear on the track list of the original vinyl album but this credit is omitted on CD releases). "Future Legend" then transitions into the album's title track with the cry, "This ain't rock and roll. This is genocide!"
The narrative has been compared to the writings of William Burroughs, particularly such phrases as "a baying pack of people" in Naked Lunch.[3]
Other usesedit
A backing tape of the track was played as the lead-in to "Diamond Dogs" at some performances on Bowie's North American tour in 1974.[4]
A Page containing the lyrics hanging in the window of West Village record store Rebel Rebel following its shutdown in 2016 due to rising rent prices. A photo of Bowie, who died earlier that year, hangs to the side. Note the words "BLEECKER STREET" superimposed over "Love-Me Avenue"
Notesedit
^. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
^Buckley, David (1999). Strange Fascination: David Bowie - The Definitive Story. Virgin Books. p. 213. ISBN0-7535-0457-X.
^Pegg, Nicholas (2000). The Complete David Bowie. Reynolds & Hearn Ltd. p. 80. ISBN1-903111-73-0.
January 01, 1970
future, legend, opening, track, david, bowie, 1974, album, diamond, dogs, spoken, narrative, introduces, album, setting, glitter, apocalypse, song, david, bowiefrom, album, diamond, dogsreleased24, 1974, recordedearly, 1974studioolympic, londongenreglam, rockl. Future Legend is the opening track of David Bowie s 1974 album Diamond Dogs Its spoken narrative introduces the album s setting in a glitter apocalypse 2 Future Legend Song by David Bowiefrom the album Diamond DogsReleased24 May 1974 1 RecordedEarly 1974StudioOlympic LondonGenreGlam rockLength1 10LabelRCASongwriter s David Bowie Bewitched Bothered and Bewildered by Richard RodgersProducer s David BowieMusic and lyrics editBarely a minute in length Future Legend begins with a distorted howl and features Bowie s spoken word vision of a post apocalyptic Manhattan now renamed Hunger City He describes fleas the size of rats and rats the size of cats and compares the humanoid inhabitants to packs of dogs Halfway through the narration the Richard Rodgers tune Bewitched Bothered and Bewildered strikes up the song and its composer appear on the track list of the original vinyl album but this credit is omitted on CD releases Future Legend then transitions into the album s title track with the cry This ain t rock and roll This is genocide The narrative has been compared to the writings of William Burroughs particularly such phrases as a baying pack of people in Naked Lunch 3 Other uses editA backing tape of the track was played as the lead in to Diamond Dogs at some performances on Bowie s North American tour in 1974 4 nbsp A Page containing the lyrics hanging in the window of West Village record store Rebel Rebel following its shutdown in 2016 due to rising rent prices A photo of Bowie who died earlier that year hangs to the side Note the words BLEECKER STREET superimposed over Love Me Avenue Notes edit Diamond Dogs album is forty today Archived from the original on 23 September 2015 Retrieved 6 June 2015 Carr Roy Murray Charles Shaar 1981 Bowie An Illustrated Record Avon p 14 ISBN 0 380 77966 8 Buckley David 1999 Strange Fascination David Bowie The Definitive Story Virgin Books p 213 ISBN 0 7535 0457 X Pegg Nicholas 2000 The Complete David Bowie Reynolds amp Hearn Ltd p 80 ISBN 1 903111 73 0 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Future Legend amp oldid 1139580311, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
