I know. It's weird but it's true.
Here is the original opening to the classic Channel 4 animation, first shown in 1982, featuring Bowie in his super blonde phase:
Unsurprisingly, they don't often show this beginning any more, but the copy I had taped from the telly in the late 80s had it, so it is permanently etched on my soul.
So it was the young David Jones that went through the most upsetting cartoon loss since Bambi's mother. Perhaps he was so traumatised by the melting of his snowman that it led to a complete psychotic break. His fragile mind created many personalities to deal with the loss of his only friend: Ziggy Stardust, the Thin White Duke, Major Tom. It explains a lot.
Bowie is also responsible for my least favourite Christmas record - the Little Drummer Boy. The song was already ruined when it was wrote (it's plodding, has no chorus, and goes "pa-rump a pum pum" a lot), but his surreal duet with Bing Crosby really takes the biscuit. Watch the beginning of the video:
Comedy gold, right? Doesn't the chemistry between the two just leap off the screen?
It's good to hear that Bing Crosby thought that some modern music is "really fine", though. The performance was recorded in 1977, so I like to think he's talking about Bony M.
Merry Christmas, everyone!
