Added: 4 years ago
From: dazza458
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  • ..and the moon rose over an open field.......one love!

  • Terrific...but sure he got the idea from hearing 1-2-3 do this live at the Marquee.....Billy Ritchie was his friend at that time.....listen to the 1-2-3 version and you'll see what I mean...

  • Glorious..

  • bowie like andy warhol...

  • FANTASTIC

    

  • 20 more brain deads

  • @fjbutch yeah - unbelievable

    

  • Esta música é uma obra-prima e não permite vacilos por parte dos eventuais intérpretes. O Yes jogou com toda a sua capacidade instrumental e Bowie botou emoção na medida certa, e elegância, como sempre. Que estas versões sirvam de norte para os incautos que resolverem se aventurar.

  • David, your birthday is coming up, I want to kiss you, I want to hug you tightly. You are the love of my life.

  • @peggy4676 you and a lot of others. God, I miss him not recording and touring.

  • Well, that answers the question --- Yes GOD can sing !

    David Bowie IS and always WAS an absolute Genius !

  • wonderful, heartfelt and sweet. He knows how to tell a story.

  • this is just stunning!!!

  • Raw talent. Absolutely brilliant. What a voice, what emotion

  • It's a very honest performance, in a way you wouldn't see from many others. He's so terrific. He's irreplaceable.

  • honestly, bowie was the best one there at the concert, better then the who and eveyone else, only one who came close was mick jagger

  • Brilliant !

  • Bowie is a true genius. He knew that sitting there in normal clothes playing a tiny keyboard would have maximum effect and leave something in everyones heads forever. A truly stunning live performance like this reminds me why you are my idol. -3

  • Ricky Gervais could easily spoof this, don't you think?

  • He's mine, I'm Iman.

  • What an emotionally subtil cover!!! I love it!

    Has anyone checked out the chords?

    I have a few: Cmaj7/C/Fmaj7/F...

    Then C/F/C/Am

    Em/A/Em/A

    1rst chorus: D/C/G/Cmaj7(back to intro chords)

    I can't get the rest correctly

  • Oh. My God.

  • Damn...... this is epic. This is better than the Simon and Garfunkel version......

  • A Non-American singing about America.....just BEAUTIFUL!!!! Love u SO freaking much David<3<3

  • @SuperILUVMJ lol America is British, historically...

  • @Damnblastify lol I know but it turns out about 95% of Americans r not of Brithish descent:) I still totally respect the British tho. We wouldnt be America w/out them<3

  • @SuperILUVMJ Nah lol in 1790 74% were of British origin... Are you saying they had no descendants? Couldn't possibly be as low as 5%! More like what Wiki says, most British Americans just see themselves as American.  Like most of the UK population. We're all French apparently! Incidentally, some Americans that do identify as British Americans are John Wayne, Jack Daniel, Sigourney Weaver, Clint Eastwood, Robert Redford and Charlton Heston! (You can keep Charlton though, racist tosser lol)

  • @Damnblastify lol thnx 4 the info.

  • @Damnblastify and actually i got the 5% thing from my American History book frm school.But anyway who cares. I LOVE DAVID BOWIE! Point.Blank.PERIOD<3 :)

  • @SuperILUVMJ

    14 of the top 20 names in America are British.

  • 19 people haven’t gone to look for America...

    when he smiles about the bow tie...awsome!

  • Bowie for president.

  • I Love this song, how did you get this version? I can't find it anywhere!

  • @klkgg It's only available of the DVD and cd/downloading. I never get tired of this version. The nuances in this song are so emotional and you can tell he wasn't just performing as someone said he really is wearing his heart on his sole

  • @leonoel42 Oh, thanks for the information. Do you know the name of the DVD? I agree, this song is like no other. Thanks for sharing this.

  • @klkgg This is the DVD you may be to download on the tracks you like. I am not a big Who fan but it's universally accepted that the stole the shoe. Enjoyx

  • @klkgg 

  • You Would be hard pressed to find the clip Of Them Booing The living Crap out of Mr's Clinton.When ABC Rebroadcast it they censored that part and added caned Cheering.

  • I am not sure if I read this on YT or somewhere else. McCartney who was organised the even wanted DB to play Heroes as the opener. Sense prevailed and Bowie sang this. I;m glad he did it's one of the best live covers I've heard

  • better then jarfucker, or whatever his name is

  • I really like the S&G version, but for some reason this version gives me goosebumps.

  • Less is more.

  • What's so amazing is that he's doing this, sitting on the floor, playing a little itty bitty tonka toy piano. And he can somehow pull it off. If anyway else did that, it would be immeasureably disrespectful to Simon & Garfunkel.

  • love it , proof of the man's talent

  • increible como logra emocionarme♥

  • Mr.Bowie has resided in NYC for many years . He even mentions his ladder team before Heroes - although he did not give out the number- David yes is a true gentleman and an rock n roll icon.

  • I have to admit, I was never a big David Bowie fan. In some ways, I don' think I ever really " understood " him. And I didn't see the Concert for New York when it originally aired. I caught its re-broadcast yesterday, on the sad tenth anniversary of that sad day. I thought to myself, " Bowie opened it ? Why Bowie ? "

    After this performance, I realized why. The man is a rock star AND a gentleman rolled into one. New York was a better place that night, as is the world, because of him.

  • @MJLatora He's an honourary New Yorker. Iman and he moved to NYC in the early '90s :-)

  • @MJLatora

    He changes this world.... and my world...

    I love David Bowie...

  • Even though he didn't write it, he made it his own. It's emotionally powerful in a way I can't really describe. It's melencholy and slightly hopeful.

    It's beautiful...

  • Will always love DB.

  • Exquisite as ever ))

  • I actually love you. 

  • I actually love you.

  • God he's so pretty

  • @lorenzino1 it's a Paul Simon song

  • The mesmerizing power of one perfect song sung by one great artist. He's just sitting on the floor with a little keyboard and a spotlight. I love it that the crowd gets silent to let him just sing from the heart.

  • I wonder what Paul and Art thought about this awesome cover.

  • A class act.

  • Wonder if the moronic islamic fundamentalists got something in store for us ... 9/11 ... Never forget!

  • @Ronan6610 maybe something like the destruction that the criminal Cheney/ Bush murderers committed on 9/11, is that what you mean? 9/11 was an INSIDE job!

  • @oneirishpoet Take your bullshit conspiracy theories and go hide in the ground for at least a day. You're uninformed, you sound like an idiot, and you embarrass the American people to the rest of the world. Al-Qaeda murdered more than 3,000 people 10 years ago so show some fucking class and respect rather than your "look at me" illogical nonsense that everybody is sick and tired of hearing.

  • Hi ! I'm a big D.Bowie fan, and got 15 vynils, 17 DVDs (all he had put on the web, a gift from my brother ; the song are not album/album, but in the order they had been written, even if they were on an album only 2 years after...)+ the albums that I had before that gift, but I don't know this song, & I'm really stonished to "discover" a Bowie's song. We can't know all his songs, but I think having already heard more than 95% of them.If someone could tell me more about this song? Thanks. BYE !

  • @lorenzino1 Hey, not sure if anyone else responded. As you probably know, "America" is a song originally by Simon & Garfunkel on their Bookends album released in 1968. This was taken from wikipedia: The song describes in first-hand terms with non-rhyming lyrics, the physical and metaphorical journey of two companions in search of the true meaning of America. On a metaphorical level, the lovers' initial hopefulness, turns to a sense of angst and maybe sadness.

    Bowie is using a omnichord,

  • @mrvasthorizon Thank you for the explanation. Bowie may seem a strange choice to sing the song but he lives in NYC and was deeply affected about 9/11. I have played this cover so mant times, there is so much sadness and hope in Bowies rendition. And he IS a real gentleman.

  • Those that Know his yesterdays,This style is a return to his past.The Past Stuff before"he Was Who he is" was this.

  • @SmokeBojangles absolutely!!earliest stuff"images",his earliest stuff,like childrens nursery rhymes,but sung like this,is incredible!!bowies a one-off,one of the biggest influences,and stars,in popular music!this was fantastic!!

  • This was the performance of the night in my opinion.

  • David Bowie and Freddie Mercury - the best entertainers ever!

  • @Octa1981 don't forget mick jagger!

  • Is this song on an album?

  • @fumzn Yeah, a Simon and Garfunkel album. :-)

  • @fumzn Precisely on the ''Bookends'' album by Simon and Garfunkel.... It was also covered by prog rock band Yes

  • I think what makes this song a beautiful interpretation (apart from the reason of the concert) is that he's singing in his own accent - A Brit singing praises to America.

  • Bowie fucking rules!

    Great Simon and Garfunkel song!!!!!!

  • David Bowie is Cult!!!

  • congrats america, you handed over all your freedom to a government that rules you by the gun...way to go, dipshits

  • God Bless America, and amen, he loves Bowie!

  • So beautiful and sensitive a tribute to New York.

  • he gaves rock a new name. lovely.

  • Take all the props away and strip bowie of his stage caracters,and what you have is a compasionate intellectual who cares about his fellow man and where the world is heading.A true artist who is not afraid to wear his heart on his sleeve.

  • @reekashade Amen to that, Its when hes at his best. Most recording artist won't let you see them than naked.

  • Crying

  • When I watched this concert live in Oct. 2001, I was amazed how Bowie put his twist on Simon and Garfunkel and opened this emotional night with his take on "America." All I could do was cry. Cry at the situation, and cry that an Englishman was suffering with us. Then Bowie made it all better by telling us that we could be "Heroes" He was my "hero" that night. Rock on...

  • @imarocker14 wow your comment made me cry. There are millions of us who suffered your tragedy that will never be forgotten

  • @imarocker14 yea this guys something special!!!

  • I LOVE THIS SONG!! He is unbelievable, were did you find this song? I've been looking for it! =D Great video

  • perfect choice for this concert! and the original song....wow....so honest and raw

  • America is a blend of all nations.

  • @64blueblue I agree.

    

  • Thank you Mr. Bowie.....an English Man showed the world what America is, was, and will always be.....hope for a better tomorrow. God, Allah, and ect. bless us all.

  • @andrewjacksonbr I wouldn't say allah!

  • I remember watching this LIVE too. The simplicity of it took my breath away. The reaction of the crowd at 3:15 when he mentions the NJ Turnpike was deafening. Bowie also had a temperature of 105 that night, but refused NOT to play. We were all New Yorkers that night........

  • I remember watching this live. Just the way that the camera came into him, dressed in generic clothing playing such a small instrument really brought home to me that we are all the same inside. I always liked Bowie but after that night I knew he was a better person than I ever imagined.

  • That is a QChord he is using. Wow! I'd better pull my old one out.

  • Oh, it's such a shame that it's taken me such a long time for me to come to appreciate this song and this artist!

  • @MART0613 don't worry just think of all the great songs you have still got to hear from him. If you need any help..lol don't be afraid to ask.

  • At all performers in the world: look, listen and learn

  • Bowie NEVER ceases to amaze and entertain :)

  • Fabuloso! There's one of those instruments for sale on craigslist at the moment. Good thing I don't have $500 to throw around!

  • @GirlLuvsMuscles That was so moving, what a class act David Bowie is. Thanks for the pointer GirlLuvs.... :)

  • a great cover of a classic

    

  • I cry.

  • Bowie proves with this one understated performance that he is truly a class act, and no one else coulod have pulled off opening this show, and to do it so stark and quiet, true showmanship.

  • This is brilliant showmanship: the impulse is to go over the top, and Bowie gives the audience a single person, sitting crosslegged, in a stark spotlight.

    If you have seen other videos from this concert, you will have realized that, while the other acts are really wonderful, Bowie offers one of the few subtle, thoughtful, and truly poignant performances of the evening. The way he shortens the originally lengthened second syllable of "america" gives it an achingly bittersweet flavor.

  • i cant believe ive never seen this before and never heard this song. its awesome.

  • @markillingworth1972 Agreed. This is an incredible version.

  • bowie just awesome .

  • is this a popular song? ive never heard it before, this is just brilliant. love bowie.

  • @markillingworth1972

    Sort of popular 40 years ago. Yes did a somewhat popular version and Josh Groban has performed this in his concerts. The 2002 tour for sure.

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  • Quite a poignant and ominous cover. To the point in light of future events now unravelling and the shape of things to come. The simple minimalist melody is almost futuristic in its appraisal of a long gone epoch and bowie's yearning for a sentiment now dissolved. Mind-blowing stuff. Where's davey stance on the 9/11 so-called 'inside' job??lol

    Out of sight and out of mind now..

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  • simply wonderful

  • i said be careful.. his bowtie is really a camera..

  • No point looking for America any more.

    That place is gone. All that is left, is a zionist controlled country, with too many of the dual-citizenship leaches in positions of power, bleeding a once proud country dry....

    God save America, because no-one else is prepared to anymore.

  • @noozilander Yawn.

  • Am I the only one who gets goosebumps when he sings the line "Counting the cars on the New Jersey turnpike." ? I got them when this concert aired & it still gets to me.Hard to believe that it has been almost 10 years since the 9/11 attacks.

  • @TNO73 Me too man! So epic

  • @TNO73 I am not an American but I have family and friends who live mostly in New York. I still play this version of America. It is so pure and emotional. The bit that really gets me is his ability to modulate his voice right at end when he sings 'they've all come to look for America.' Pure magic.

  • @leonoel42 that's the bit that gets me too. There are few live acts that could pull this off. Bowie is just genious.

  • Wow that voice there's no one else in rock that can compare to it.

  • @leonoel42 Bowie is a freak of nature. Who looks and sounds that good at any age? Also he is a true original. I would put Robert Plant in his league as well.

  • 12 people didn't survive the four days long hitch-hike from Saginow....

  • i never get tired to see this wonderful performance, thanks David

  • oh my dearest. I am truly losing it. I need to make a long distance phone call tomorrow - stat. You can obtain so many theatrical ideas from this simple video yet brilliant performance that I am slowly becomming speachless in 1 month, ...AGAIN. Just spinning in my mind like a Ferris Wheel. I can finally offer 1 idea of merit to a Pro. This nice man thanked me for tiny good-will gesture with case of fine Rum. Found where I lived. That says a lot about respect and no-string friendship.

  • Great...

  • The one and only: Mr Bowie! Voice and feeling!

  • Nothing more to say: THE greatest artist of our time!

  • @katjasunflower270971 Um....ok. :-)

  • @katjasunflower270971

    indeed....

  • @katjasunflower270971 Um ok...Lets not get carried away lol

  • good

  • Brechtian version superb

  • Simply respectful.

  • @78910pj  : I agree with you totally.

  • so you people realize that this guy once said that england might benefit from a fascist leader....wrong person for this song at this time.....in my own personal opinion

  • @lowryt21 it was also at a time when he was in his heyday, and any sensationalistic foder, that came from his mouth primarily, made world wide news, think about that...same as when he said he was homosexual, correct ? of course....

  • @lowryt21 seems to me that you haven't understand that it's in a human beeing to make mistakes and to learn from it. Bowie DID learn from it. Hopefully you can say that out of your own mistakes....

  • Reminds me of Little Bombadier

  • Anyone who doesn't get this song doesn' get life. Simple we have opportunity to live or worry about wat might happen. The exit door draws close for all of us at some time point

    And you know what; a second before we slip away to oblivion we won't care!

    EGO HAS A LOT TO ANSWER FOR !!!

  • Nobody wanted to open or follow he Who. Bowie answered the former....

  • finally a practical use for the omnichord

  • Amazing and you can really tell he has some emotion invested in the song's theme.

  • Who are the 11 morons who gave this a thumbs down? Al Queda members?

  • i love how he shouted out to the folks from his local ladder. what a doll!

  • @anunnaki2006 You're an idiot.

  • @tmlafrance How intelligent of you! By the way I made an error and the U.S. has been bankrupted 7 times and soon it will be 8. The U.S. is under full Maritime Admiralty Oleron Law and is merely a shipwrecked vessel upon the Sea of Souls controlled like all once nations now vessels under water by the Universal Postal Union based in Berne, Switzerland. Wake up before its too late.

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  • @anunnaki2006 shut up, man. all this video is is a beautiful rendition of a song done by one of the world's most talented and unique musicians. don't drag your stupid political views into something that has nothing to do with this video.

  • @illusionfly Everything has to do with Politics. The facts are David Bowie has no talent and anyone who looks at his work clearly can see this. He's an Opus Dei member therefore should leave Protestant England immediately and keep out. He's a worshiper of the Luciferian Doctrine as evident to those who see the craft and mystery teachings in his work also check out the poor 'Lucy Can't Dance' wow what a poor effort by the Tavistock Institute of Human Relations and their social engineering

  • @anunnaki2006 Do you even know what Opus Dei is? Or are you basing your conclusion off of some stupid movie like the Da Vinci code?

  • @philler22 Yes I'm fully aware of what Opus Dei is and really is thank you as I have contacts inside the Roman Catholic system. Nice how you fell for their gatekeepering movie which was realised to highlight to the knowing what we already know and laugh about it whilst it was to knee-jerk the fast asleep such as yourself to gatekeeper yourself into saying 'its only a movie it can't be real, oh I saw that on TV' wake up. Do you know who was behind that movie being made? I do exactly, you dont

  • @anunnaki2006

    Why don't you go ahead and read back to yourself what you just wrote. Then go down and enroll in an english class. I don't even know if it's worth trying to communicate to someone with your level of intelligence, and as far as Opus Dei goes, I KNOW that you have no idea what you are talking about.

  • @anunnaki2006 You're a fucking nutty idiot.

    Bowie is the man, and if it wasn't for people like him the only basis of Brits for us would be YOU... And if the Brits are more like you and less like Bowie, well than FUCK BRITAIN. All you anti-American Brits are so fucking pretentious on YT, acting like USA is shit... Well this SHIT kicked the ASS it came out of, and now this SHIT rules the ASS that it came out of.

  • @alexwilsonNC Explain how you believe I'm anti American? Explain why you think theres such thing as an American and that you are American? If you do I suggest you study the 14th Amendment far harder. Are you a Sovereign freeman? If not then your merely chattel property of the U.S. corporation in other words a U.S. Citizen and nothing more. You're terribly misguided to think the U.S. rules Britain, in fact laughable. Rome's trojan horse Britain has ruled its U.S. for hundreds of years haha

  • @anunnaki2006 Lol... Ur funny mr crazy man

  • @zomgroflchops Yes he is.....

  • As an American and a New Yorker, I appreciate this with all my heart. Thank you, David Bowie, you're a wonderful person.

  • Bowie's version of S and G's song enhances the emptiness and isolation of the original, not just musically but physically for bowie as he appears alone on stage sitting on the floor almost prayer like, it creates a humbling vision. Bowie delivers a poignant, beautiful version of the song almost childlike, but hopeful at the same time. There is a story that Paul McCartney asked him to do Heroes first as the opener, but Bowie opted for America as he felt Heroes was too uplifting....that's Bowie.

  • Actually when I saw this, the night it aired live, my breath was taken away at the sight of Bowie. To see him sitting on the floor in a white (or possibly gray) outfit just made me think of being generic. It basically told me that deep down inside no matter where we live what religion we follow we are all generic. We're all the same inside!

  • one of his best truly

  • never really paid much mind to Bowie growing up ... but once I listened I was very impressed... artistic, creative, multi-talented. great body of work.

  • Fantastic. Well done, Mr. Bowie.

  • Wow, just saw this for the first time and I'm not embarassed to admit it made me cry.

  • So eh, when was this recorded?

  • The way he nods at the end (4.34 mins). This is from the heart. He is of America. What a great compliment to you. and he then sings the best version of Heroes ever.