David Bowie It's Hard to be a Saint in the City (Rare)

[BrianGriffin83]

When two geniuses meet...

[P2000Camaro]

@modst84 I know this is 3 years later, but you may get this, and I may be answering questions that were never answered. Manfred Mann covered For you, Blinded by the Light, and Spirit in the night. This is the only cover I know of of this song. I love David Bowie though so I have genuinely given it a chance as a cover, and I am not disappointed.

[DjBescul]

mmmm...

[sicibatman]

w rock no coment

[MultiRandom84]

boss covers are sooo good.

[KleWdSide]

Good cover. Huge Springsteen fan

[ifukube]

I love this song, as emerging the essense of 70's Bowie composing method.

This is really cool and "Bowie-like" arrangement compared to original Springsteen's.

I am Japanese mid-aged man but I often sing this song when I dirve my car.

[Scoobydoonut]

For me, it's gotta be David Bowie : )

[stars7803]

I love this version by him

[GreveKohlberg]

David Bowie is "THE KING"

[Reddymk]

I'm fan of Springsteen, not Bowie, but that version sounds funny and fits to lyrics :D

[pogopogopogo3]

I love Bowie and Springsteen to death, both of them, so I love that Bowie was such an early Bruce fan.. And this cover is way cool

[utubesux691]

THIS DON'T STINK..........

[desertrun]

Barry White meets Scott Walker

[talkingducksrgreat]

i love both versions. i love how soulfull the end part of this version sounds.

[cuoricinaization]

Wonderful David version!!

[SuperPoida]

BOWIE VERSION IS DA BEST



[4rainbowed]

GREAT! Never knew this existed! Where did you find all the photos of Bowie? Wuld you leave me a note via YouTube mail? Thanks for posting this!!

[garylongden]

A great song, which Bruce still edges.Bowie borrowed Roy Bittan to play keyboards on the Stationto Station album.

[ponzus]

I love Bruce Springsteen more than David Bowie... but I admire him and this cover is very good!

[arisbananatwins]

watch?v=BktOzc8m93U&feature=re­lated

HERES SPRINGSTEEN DOING HIS SONG LIVE IN 1975 (HES 25 YEARS OLD)

DONT MISS THE ENDING, SERIOUSLY !!

youll then understand why they call him the boss.

BLAST IT!

[arisbananatwins]

HERES SPRINGSTEEN DOING HIS SONG LIVE IN 1975 (HES 25 YEARS OLD)

DONT MISS THE ENDING, SERIOUSLY !!

youll then understand why they call him the boss.

BLAST IT!

[MyCatWatchesMe]

Freaking CHOICE! Thank you thank you thank you for putting this out there...

[ziggystardust3113]

i think this cover is great. he really makes it feel like a bowie tune. totally matches his glam rock style with emphasizing the songs imagery.

[pfunkmaster21]

I am a huge Bruce fan but I must say this is quite a cool cover

It is not better or worse just different - exactly what a cover is meant to be ppl so no reason to compare. Either you like it or you hate it, simple as that.

[labhrash]

doesn't he have a better version of this?

[HomeRemedySecrets]

well, it sucks. But better than Manfred Man's Blinded by the Light. I cringe when I hear that.

[alogan101]

i agree i cant believe people fucking like that cheesy shit from Manfred Man

[tubestation66]

shit!shit!shit!

[pnyc1969]

I hear some influence of The Who's "Tommy" in the melody on this song. It's much less obvious on the Springsteen version. This version has a lot more showmanship than the more earnest original.

[Rocklyaway]

I love Springsteen like I love Bowie, but I think that is better the Springsteen's version, because is the original, and is a classic. I like too Growin' Up, the Bowie version.

[BanlieuThug]

Who else is in that first pic?

[ksmallz]

this is a joke lol i cant stop laughing!!!!

[skontch1]

i can't stop laughing....there are actually people that think this version is better than springsteen's? it sounds like wm shatner singing tambourine man....ha ha ha ha ha...best laugh in a while....

[metalgearman242]

so i just listened to Springsteens take on this, and to me it felt like All Along The watch tower. Bob Dylan's original was so fantastic, meaning full with power. Then hendrix did it, and it becomes an all time favorite, less powerfull, but faster, and more fun to listen to. Bowie would be hendrix in this situation.... Its all good.

[FireOnHighEldorado]

You clearly watched the wrong version of the song...sorry buddy. Try this one instead: watch?v=BktOzc8m93U

Don't get me wrong, I love Bowie, but his version just doesn't compare to Springsteen's original IMO. Springsteen has some unknown quality to his music and performances, an X factor, if you will, that just can't be compared to anyone else. Again, I like Bowie and I don't dislike this version of the song, but Springsteen's version just blows my mind every single time I listen to it.

[metalgearman242]

wow, that is fantastic! I like that one better...

[Arseface87]

Agreed. This song has a charm i'm really drawn to though. I think it's that dirty swinging charm with the strings. And Bowie's voice in general. However Bruce's is so intense and powerful. It just hits like a ton of bricks.

[JeroenK]

This version rocks just as well IMO, just in its own way.

[lesterclaypool1]

Bowie has been candid about the fact that he was high as a motherfucker, on cocaine, when he recorded this. I don't know why, but that fact alone makes this rendition seem more desperate and genuine to me.

[timbosoccer1080]

ok Springsteens is 10x better than this crap versoin so suck it Bowie

[jagerjack1]

if u prefer the bowie version jump off a building or into a lava bed.... this is aweful, bowie needed to stop covering springsteen songs...... bowie's a clown, these are street poet songs, ie growin up as well

[LosHombresRectos]

No no no, mejor Bruce en The Hammersmith Odeon, 1975...

Locos!

[brightlitcity]

This was also released on the Bruce Springsteen cover album One Step Up/Two Steps back.

[rockandrollgun]

I prefer the bowie version!

[julieinorbit]

compare it to Bruce's live in london 75 version.

[rickrobertbob]

@julieinorbit that's the version that got me over here, honestly the version that sticks out is bowies, but obviously mad props to the boss for writing an amazing song. not trying to take away from the man at all but i just prefer bowies version i tiny bit more.

[WoodRatGirl]

I want my tombstone to say: "It's Hard to be a Saint in the City."

I actually have this song on The Best Of David Bowie 1974 - 1979 so it's not that RARE to find.

[George12String]

Even though Bruce wrote it, I have to say I prefer David's version.

Sorry Bruce!

[ithinksammie]

Wait... who first made the song: Bruce or Bowie?

[pr0pagandhi]

Springsteen

[BanlieuThug]

Bowie version > Springsteen version

[vin4242]

Bowie of course

[Bahnzo99]

Bruce was living the song and Bowie sounds like some trick singing it that saw these things happen. Definitely not my favorite of Bowie's collection.

[nedzroz]

For that same reason, it IS one of my Bowie favourites. He is at his best when giving us his interpretations of stuff. Think "White Light White Heat"

[Bahnzo99]

If that's what you are into, I guess so

[maarten35]

Bowie's version is really dramatic, i like it a lot, it's less pale than Bruce's original.

[MJ2327]

i think nothing (including this version) can compete against the versions bruce did in the late 70s. they were just epic like almost everything he did in that days

[weimer495]

Springsteen does it wayyyy better.

[SkeweD2k]

BB laten nr1!!

Friday!

[lonelygirll15]

I love this song. It is really hot!

[mari7891011]

or maybe it is

[mari7891011]

This is not the best song from Sound and Vision special pack 3 tape box set though. But I did not know that Brucie baby sang this song.

[mari7891011]

yay sound and vision I had that! ;P Thanks :)

[DEADHAWK076]

I think this version is more epic then Springsteen's, and its got as much power.

But I like Springsteen's just raw, lay-your-heart-out-in-the-open sound on his live versions.

May beat the original studio version tho, but I'm still thinking on that

[stars7803]

This is ONE of my FAVORITE songs from Bowie :)

[giubattelli]

ma la canzone è di bruce.... sia chiaro!

[lioralourie3]

ohhhh the shot at 1:08.

[minutegongcoughs]

You have a nice stash of videos. Thankyou for putting up Uncle Arthur and She's Got Medals.

[icu60]

damn good Springsteen cover. Bowie can make any song sound good....

[Redsrevenge]

I love both versions of this song so much. I fell in love with the Bowie version and tracked down the original =D Bruce's is more fun to rawk to but Bowie pumps so much emotion into it :3

[modst84]

This is what a good cover sounds like. He really captured the essence of the song and still managed to make it sound completely different.

Still can't believe he covered a Springsteen song. Is this the only one?

[Bowiefanperson]

no. I think he has a cover of growing up but it their is another one from his first album.

[Zumpappa1]

*____________________*

[starkiller4679]

I'm pro Bowie; have been for a long time. But i gotta' give the superior version of this song to 'The Boss'

[theilster]

the best version , is that old one from Live 75-85 .. the guitar duet in the end between the boss and little steve gives chills .

[ladylestrange]

i have a bowie cd with this song *-*

and yeah is really rare....but is my favorite

I LOVEEEE BOWIE

[moondustx8]

Bella bella bella bella bella bella bella bella bella bella ...... Divino, Divine, Divin, .... DIVINUS !!!!

[marilenasonia]

MERAVIGLIOSOOO!!!!

[hammbetta]

its on the best of bowie 74/79

[Bowiefanperson]

that's the same thing as the platnum collection. it's part 2 of it. part one being 1969 to 1974, part 2 1974 to 1979. part 3 is 1980 to 1987.

[bugattibowler]

Bowie has a nice sound, but can't come close! I like this poppish cover.

[moondustx8]

Sovereign..... voice !!!! je t'aime !!!!

[jwr5592]

This is a v. good version of Hard To Be A Saint In The City, but not the best. Check out the Hammersmith Odeon '75 Version. It's on YouTube - by a guy called Glammer. It's amazing.

[Cassidymi]

How many Bruce tunes did this guy do? This makes 2 that I know of including Growing up, anymore.

By the way Manfred Mann did 3 Bruce tunes. Blinded, For You and Spirit in The Night.

[Bowiefanperson]

he did 2 and produced one for another band.

[keith25658]

The way Bowie use his voice is worthy of a really great actor,he make this song a masterpiece that Springsteen could never achieve.Wonderful Bowie!!

[Bowiefanperson]

the springsteen version is still awsome though.

[thekey14]

omg great version and great song

springsteens to live and studio

[Bowiefanperson]

hmm now thinking about it I can understand what you mean.

[JasonBNYC]

Great cover -- better than Bruce's! Too bad he didn't get Roy Bittan to play piano on here (or is it?), as he did so well on Station to Station! BTW, I wouldn't call this rare - it's on SOUND & VISION compilation. But thanks for posting!

[Bowiefanperson]

yea but it's only on three releases. non of which are on albums.

[TVC17]

great cover.This would have been perfect for Bowie's "Young American" album....

[moondustx8]

vocal performance .... incredible ! great

[modst84]

...covering Bruce I mean

[Bowiefanperson]

Yea.

[modst84]

Unexpected cover to say the least....but it works. He does alot better job than Manfred man.

[sandycrack96]

manfred man did blinded by the light, not saint in the city..

[modst84]

I meant covering Bruce, not the song.

As far as I know Manfred man covered Blinded by the light and For you, and they changed them completely.

This cover however is is exactly as it was intended even though its done differently.

[vampwizzard]

they did saint in the city too. blinded by the light was their single.

[Earthling14]

wow! nice!

[Vinca66]

ô Je n'avais jamais entendu Bowie chanter cela, J'adore tout simplement ! ô oui!!!!! Merci Bowiefanperson !

[fionalawsonstalksme]

Incredible!

[Bowiefanperson]

Thanks!

[lorenzino1]

Great song! I don't see many songs of Bowie that I don't like, I've made listen a song of "See Emily play", which wasn't a Bowie song(as nearly the whole album, I say nearly but think the whole album)to a music teacher who, after having analyse the chords,the arrangements, told me "he's fool!"& that's just what I wanted to hear!Awesome Bowie!

[Bowiefanperson]

Funny.

[TigresDelEste]

Relatively rare, I guess. This was on the Springsteen covers compilation "One Step Up, Two Steps Back, from 1997, I believe.

Great cover. Sounds like something Bowie would write. Sound and style wise.

[Bowiefanperson]

U know the Picture at 1 minute 32 seconds was originally the cover for Diamond Dogs. Just thought I'd give u a little fun fact if u didn't know it.

[Bowiefanperson]

Yes, I knew that.

[Bowiefanperson]

Oh, well I bet a few people here didn't. My twin person from an alternate universe has infiltrated my universe.

[Bowiefanperson]

Our battle shall continue.

[PompadourSamurai]

wat