In many ways this is the most interesting record in the Bowie discography. This five track EP accompanied Bowie’s 1981 BBC appearance as Bertolt Brecht’s horny, murderous title character.
The Dame teamed up with long time producer Tony Visconti for this record, which is one of only two Bowie albums that were racked in the classical rather than rock section of most record stores (the other: David Bowie Narrates Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf).
This is also the last album that Bowie made for RCA, his home for the duration of the seventies.
Is it good? Yes, especially if you’re fond of Bowie’s takes on Brel’s “Port of Amsterdam” and Brecht/Weil’s “Alabama Song.” Although I can’t find numbers, I’m confident that this is Bowie’s worst selling record since his Deram debut, and yet it is still quite affordable. You should be able to find a copy in the five to fifteen dollar range, maybe a little bit more if like mine it’s still sealed. Happy hunting.
Why It Matters 
Responses to “From the Stacks: David Bowie in Bertolt Brecht’s Baal”
[…] section, but rather in the classical bins. The first (actually the last) of these was 1982’s David Bowie in Bertolt Brecht’s Baal. The other one: 1978’s David Bowie Narrates Prokofiev’s Peter and the […]
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[…] oddballs include a five song EP from his appearance in Baal, his narration for Peter and the Wolf with Ormandy conducting, and The Buddha of Suburbia. Of the […]
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[…] in the Bowie discography: David Bowie Narrates Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf (The other: David Bowie in Bertolt Brecht’s Baal). So what’s my point here? My point is that this is a really weird promo. Normally a […]
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It’s true – Bowie’s comfort zone still seems to be not being in a comfort zone, at least artistically.
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I like how David Bowie has never been afraid to step out of the comfort zone…our comfort zone anyway…his comfort zone is probably huge!
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