Site Maintenance: “I Can’t Explain” (1983)

“I Can’t Explain” is possibly the song Bowie covered on “Pin Ups” that’s best known from its original artists (The Who). Bowie’s makes the song sound raunchy on that album— when he sings, “its a certain kind,” its tough not to get the idea of what kind of feeling he had in mind. This video is of Bowie performing the song as part of the Serious Moonlight tour in 1983.

This version is slightly different than the 1973 version— it is more nostalgically rock and roll, less glam and less raunchy. Bowie’s use of the piano here is sounds 50sish, and his extended use of the sax sounds less like its from a burlesque show and more like its from a 50s band.

On the whole, the song reminds me how much Bowie was going for throwback during the Serious Moonlight tour. His attire harkened back to the 1940s (which would have been equally far away from that time as that time is to now). This arrangement recalls the 50s, the song, of course, was from the 60s and he originally covered it in the 70s. With this one song, Bowie’s performance manages to evoke both the entire history of rock and roll as well as all the decades of his own life to that point.

The other thing I’m reminded of is that Bowie’s performance on the tour was very strong. Some fans disparage the tour and the time as Bowie selling out, but its hard to listen today to him sing, really anything from one of these concerts, and lament not being able to see him again.