Let's Dance is almost 2 separate songs: the strange, yet commercial and danceable, single version (first widget on the bottom) and the incredibly bizarre club-bounce album version (second). Don't be afraid to like the single version better, though; even classic rock stations that always play the album version if there is one play the single version of this one. The single version, which even Bowie would agree is the real song, opens with a Beatlesque rising vocal harmony, segueing into a high-bass, Chic-inspired, segmented stomp with synthesized, distorted brass alternating with a deliciously funky bass riff. It is then followed with a heavily echoed, phased, everything'ed vocal trade-off of the Beatlesque backup singers wailing "Let's dance" with Bowie crooning "Put on your red shoes and dance the blues." Vocals, songwriting, instrumentation is all exellent. It's obviously a product of the musically gilded '80s, but it is definitely one of the best products, showcasing the instruments and vocals in a non-sickening way, which is better than most '80s songs could be said to do. Also, instead of just using the drum machine because he can, Bowie's drum machine on this song aids the melody and texture of the song.The album version opens with a strange, heavily synthesized and hypnotic percussion beat, followed by pumping, funky synths and heavy bass, then a sharper, more synthesized version of the main guitar riff, eventually leading into a muddier version of the well-known vocal intro, but with the drum machine and bleak synthesizers much higher in the mix. This leads into the background singers, accompanied by a hellishly high synthesized and/or distorted saxophone. This version is generally faster, and mimics the electronica and club music which would find its way closer to mainstream a few years later.
I would love to hear your comments as to which version is better. My vote is with the more melodic single version.
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