The Width of a Circle

Song infobox
Name = The Width of a Circle


Artist = David Bowie
Album = The Man Who Sold the World
Released = November 4 1970 (U.S.) April 1971 (UK)
track_no = 1
Recorded = Trident and Advision Studios, London 18 April - 22 May 1970
Genre = Hard rock, Heavy metal
Length = 8:05
Label = Mercury Records
Writer = David Bowie
Producer = Tony Visconti
prev =
prev_no =
next = "All the Madmen"
next_no = 2

"The Width of a Circle" is a song written by David Bowie in 1970 for the album "The Man Who Sold the World", released later that year in the U.S. and in April 1971 in the UK. It is the opening track to the album, a hard rocker with heavy metal overtones. Bowie had performed a shorter version of the song in concerts for several months before recording it.

Featuring Mick Ronson's lead guitar work and occasional choral effects from the band, this 8-minute song is divided into two parts. The music takes on a heavy R&B quality in the second half, where the narrator enjoys a sexual encounter - with God, the Devil or some other supernatural being, according to different interpretations - in the depths of Hell. [David Buckley (1999). "Strange Fascination - David Bowie: The Definitive Story": p.101] Martin Aston (2007). "Scary Monster", "MOJO 60 Years of Bowie": pp.24-25] [Roy Carr & Charles Shaar Murray (1981). "Bowie: An Illustrated Record": p.38]

In June 1973 the song was released as a single by RCA in Eastern Europe. Its B-side was "Cygnet Committee", from Bowie's 1969 album "Space Oddity".

Live versions

Several live versions of the song have been released:
*A version recorded at Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, on 20 October 1972 was released on "Santa Monica '72".
*A 14-minute version recorded at the Hammersmith Odeon, London, on 3 July 1973 was released on "Ziggy Stardust - The Motion Picture" in edited form in 1983, the complete performance being issued on the "30th Anniversary 2CD Special Edition" in 2003. The additional length, featuring an extended instrumental break by Mick Ronson and the band, allowed for Bowie’s costume change, a common occurrence during the Ziggy Stardust tours.Nicholas Pegg (2000). "The Complete David Bowie": pp.238-239]
*A version from Bowie's 1974 North American tour was released on "David Live" in 1974.
*A version recorded with the Tony Visconti Trio (aka The Hype) on "The Sunday Show" introduced by John Peel, on February 5 1970, was released on "Bowie at the Beeb" in 2000.

Other releases

As well as its 1973 release as a single in Eastern Europe, the song appeared on the Japanese compilation "The Best of David Bowie" in 1974.

Cover versions

*Spurge - "Crash Course for the Ravers - A Tribute to the Songs of David Bowie" (1996)
*The Spiders from Mars - "The Mick Ronson Memorial Concert" (2001); the Spiders here consisting of Joe Elliott (vocals, acoustic guitar), Trevor Bolder (bass), Woody Woodmansey, (drums), Billy Rankin (guitar), and Nicky Graham (piano)

Notes

References

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