Hang On to Yourself explained

Hang On to Yourself
Cover:	Hang On to Yourself by Arnold Corns UK vinyl 1971.png
Caption:	A-side label of the 1972 UK single
Type:	single
Artist:	Arnold Corns
B-Side:	Man in the Middle
Released:	(as B-side of "Moonage Daydream") 11 August 1972 (A-side single)
Recorded:	25 February 1971
Studio:	Radio Luxembourg, London
Genre:	Glam rock proto-punk
Label:	B&C
Producer:	David Bowie
Chronology:	Arnold Corns
Prev Title:	Moonage Daydream
Prev Year:	1971
Year:	1972

Hang On to Yourself
Artist:	David Bowie
Album:	The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
Released:	^[1]
Recorded:	November 1971
Studio:	Trident, London
Genre:	Glam rock^[2] proto-punk
Label:	RCA
Producer:	David Bowie Ken Scott

"Hang On to Yourself" is a song written by the English singer-songwriter David Bowie in 1971 and released as a single with his band Arnold Corns. A re-recorded version, recorded in November 1971 at Trident Studios in London, was released on the album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. The main riff is representative of glam rock's influence as a bridge between 1950s rock and roll, specifically rockabilly, and the punk to come; it draws on rockabilly influences such as Eddie Cochran, in a way that would influence punk records such as "Teenage Lobotomy" by Ramones.

Arnold Corns version

The Arnold Corns version of "Hang On to Yourself"—recorded at the Radio Luxembourg studios in London on 25 February 1971—was first released by B&C as the B-side to the single "Moonage Daydream" in the UK on 7 May 1971. On 11 August 1972, it was released again, this time as an A-side, by B&C.

1. "Hang On to Yourself" – 2:55
2. "The Man in the Middle" – 4:20

The Arnold Corns version was a bonus track on the 1990 Rykodisc/EMI remastering of Bowie's album The Man Who Sold the World. In 2002, this version appeared on the bonus disc of the Ziggy Stardust album's 30th Anniversary 2-CD reissue, and in 2015 it was included on Re:Call 1, part of the Five Years (1969–1973) boxed set.

The official band line-up, fronted by dress designer Freddi Buretti, was a total fabrication; Buretti was at the session but his contributions were simply lost alongside Bowie's.

Personnel

Arnold Corns version

Personnel per Kevin Cann.

• David Bowie – vocals, piano
• Mark Carr-Pritchard – guitar
• Peter DeSomogyi – bass
• Tim Broadbent – drums, tambourine

Ziggy Stardust version

Personnel per Kevin Cann.

• David Bowie – vocals, acoustic guitar
• Mick Ronson – lead guitar
• Trevor Bolder – bass guitar
• Mick "Woody" Woodmansey – drums

Other releases

• The Ziggy Stardust version appeared on the B-side of the single "John, I'm Only Dancing" in .
• It was also released as the B-side to the single "Looking for a Friend" in .
• The Portuguese version of the single "Starman" from also had "Hang On to Yourself" as the B-side.
• In the Ziggy Stardust version was also released as the B-side of the US release of the single "The Jean Genie".
• It was released as a picture disc in the RCA Life Time picture disc set.
• It also appeared on the Japanese compilation The Best of David Bowie (1974).

Live versions

• Bowie recorded the song for the BBC radio programme Sounds of the 70s Bob Harris on . This was broadcast on . On, Bowie again played the song on Sounds of the 70s: John Peel, and this was broadcast on . Both of these versions were released on the Bowie at the Beeb album in 2000.^[3]
• A live version, recorded for radio broadcast at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium on, part of the Ziggy Stardust Tour, was released on Santa Monica '72. This version also appeared on the Japanese release of Rarestonebowie and on the official 2008 release of that concert as Live Santa Monica '72.^[4]
• The version played at the famous "last concert" at the Hammersmith Odeon, London,, was released on .^[5]
• Performances from the Isolar II Tour were released on Stage (1978) and Welcome to the Blackout (2018).^{[6] [7]}
• A November 2003 live performance from the A Reality Tour was released on the A Reality Tour DVD in 2004, and is included on the A Reality Tour album, released in 2010.^[8]

Cultural influences

The opening bars of Hang On To Yourself have been cited as the influence for Okuda Hiroko's "Rock" rhythm and bass preset backing track included in the Casio MT-40 and subsequently used as the basis of nearly 500 compositions, by artists as diverse as Wayne Smith, 2 Live Crew, Sublime, and Moby.^{[9] [10]}

References

Sources

• Book: Cann, Kevin . 2010 . Any Day Now – David Bowie: The London Years: 1947–1974 . Adelita . 978-0-95520-177-6 .

Notes and References

1. Web site: Happy 43rd Birthday to Ziggy Stardust. 16 June 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20170704031911/http://www.davidbowie.com/news/happy-43rd-birthday-ziggy-stardust-54541. 4 July 2017. dead.
2. 500 Greatest Albums of All Time : 35 – David Bowie, 'The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars' . . 31 May 2012 . 21 January 2016.
3. Web site: Erlewine . Stephen Thomas . Stephen Thomas Erlewine . Bowie at the Beeb: The Best of the BBC Radio Sessions 68–72 – David Bowie . . 10 March 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180702122107/https://www.allmusic.com/album/bowie-at-the-beeb-the-best-of-the-bbc-radio-sessions-bonus-disc-mw0000619751 . 2 July 2018 . live .
4. Web site: Thornton . Anthony . David Bowie – 'Live: Santa Monica '72' review . . 10 March 2020 . 1 July 2008 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121004181122/http://www.nme.com/reviews/david-bowie/9770 . 4 October 2012.
5. Web site: Joe . Viglione . Ziggy Stardust: The Motion Picture . . 10 March 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190424115511/https://www.allmusic.com/album/ziggy-stardust-and-the-spiders-from-mars-the-motion-picture-soundtrack-mw0000691870 . 24 April 2019 . live .
6. Web site: Erlewine . Stephen Thomas . Stephen Thomas Erlewine . Stage – David Bowie . . 12 March 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190805090901/https://www.allmusic.com/album/stage-mw0000193055 . 5 August 2019 . live .
7. Web site: Erlewine . Stephen Thomas . Stephen Thomas Erlewine . Welcome to the Blackout (Live London '78) – David Bowie . . 12 March 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191117143206/https://www.allmusic.com/album/welcome-to-the-blackout-live-london-78-mw0003173016 . 17 November 2019 . live .
8. Web site: A Reality Tour – Davis Bowie. AllMusic. Stephen Thomas. Erlewine. 11 August 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170818165655/http://www.allmusic.com/album/a-reality-tour-mw0001401403. 18 August 2017. live.
9. Web site: Trew . James . How Casio accidentally started reggae's digital revolution . Engadget . 22 December 2023 . 4 December 2015.
10. Web site: Carrasco . Manuel Lagraneme . El Sleng Teng Riddim: De King Jammy a David Bowie . Vice . 22 December 2023 . es . 21 March 2017.