Dollar Days Explained

Dollar Days
Artist:David Bowie
Album:Blackstar
Released:8 January 2016
Recorded:2015
Studio:
  • Magic Shop, New York City
  • Human Worldwide, New York City
Length:4:44
Label:ISO
Producer:

"Dollar Days" is a song by English musician David Bowie. It is the sixth track on Bowie's twenty-sixth and final studio album, Blackstar, which was released on 8 January 2016. The track was written by Bowie, and it was produced by Bowie and Tony Visconti. "Dollar Days" charted in multiple countries, including Bowie's home country of the United Kingdom, in which the song peaked at number 138.

Composition

"Dollar Days" was recorded without having a demo created for it prior.[1] According to Donny McCaslin, who provided saxophone parts for Blackstar, "One day, David just picked up a guitar ... he had this little idea, and we just learned it right there in the studio."[2]

Critical reception

"Dollar Days" received positive reception from critics. Mike Powell of Pitchfork separately reviewed the song and labeled it their "Best New Track", comparing it to Bowie's older hits "Five Years" and "Ashes to Ashes".[3] Jody Rosen of Billboard labeled the song as "lovely" with a lyrical combination of "delicacy and clatter".[4]

Charts

Chart (2016)Peak
position
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[5] 138
Hungarian Singles[6] 22

Notes and References

  1. News: MUSIC On David Bowie's 'Blackstar,' Turning to Jazz for Inspiration . . 4 January 2016 . 6 February 2016 . Chinen, Nate . 8 January 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160108041432/http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/05/arts/music/on-david-bowies-blackstar-turning-to-jazz-for-inspiration.html?_r=0 . live .
  2. The Inside Story of David Bowie's Stunning New Album, 'Blackstar' . . 23 November 2015 . 26 August 2017 . 22 December 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161222195642/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/features/the-inside-story-of-david-bowies-stunning-new-album-blackstar-20151123 . live .
  3. Web site: David Bowie: "Dollar Days" . . 8 January 2016 . 6 February 2016 . Powell, Mike . 6 February 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160206231550/http://pitchfork.com/reviews/tracks/17902-david-bowie-dollar-days/ . live .
  4. David Bowie's 'Blackstar' Is Filled With Songs About Death and Doom: Album Review . . 7 January 2016 . 7 February 2016 . Rosen, Jody . 10 February 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160210220029/http://www.billboard.com/articles/review/6836029/david-bowie-blackstar-album-review . live .
  5. Web site: Chart Log UK - New Chart Entries - 16.01.2016. zobbel.de. 27 January 2016. 2 February 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160202055320/http://www.zobbel.de/cluk/160116cluk.txt. live.
  6. Web site: Hungarian Singles chart - 17.09.2016 . zobbel.de . 17 September 2016 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120924070100/http://zene.slagerlistak.hu/archivum/kereso-eloado-cim-szerint . 24 September 2012 .