Black Tie White Noise (song)

Background

The track was inspired by Bowie's stay in Los Angeles in April 1992, when the city saw race riots in reaction to the Rodney King incident. It is the epitome of its parent album's feelings towards conformity and corporations, with Benetton and the saccharine charity single "We Are the World" among the targets. Bowie would later explain that the track was concerned with the black community's own identity, and how it didn't need to be absorbed into the white community.

It is among the most jazz- and soul-influenced tracks on the album, highlighted by the key vocal of Al B. Sure!, although Lenny Kravitz was reportedly Bowie's first choice for the duet. Essentially a rhythm and Blues tune, the song ultimately reinforced the feeling of Bowie's tendency as a chameleon of musical styles.

Release

Released as the album's second single, "Black Tie White Noise" was something of a disappointment commercially, stalling at No. 36 in the UK, No. 74 in Australia, and again failing to chart in America despite a concerted promotional push. Audiences were perhaps confused by Bowie's latest departure of style and already somewhat skeptical given the breakup of Tin Machine, despite the promise that his solo career was over.

Video

A music video for this piece was produced by Mark Romanek, featuring a montage of African-American youth playing in urban Los Angeles, while intercut with scenes of Bowie in a blue suit with his saxophone and Al B. Sure! singing. The music video attempted to capture Bowie's image behind the song: multiple ethnic groups coexisting with their own identities, and not attempting to absorb one another.

7" version

1. "Black Tie White Noise" (Radio Edit) (Bowie) – 4:10
2. "You've Been Around" (Dangers Remix) (Bowie, Gabrels) – 4:24

12" version

1. "Black Tie White Noise" (Extended Remix) (Bowie) – 8:12
2. "Black Tie White Noise" (Trance Mix) (Bowie) – 7:15
3. "Black Tie White Noise" (Album Version) (Bowie) – 4:52
4. "Black Tie White Noise" (Club Mix) (Bowie) – 7:33
5. "Black Tie White Noise" (Extended Urban Mix) (Bowie) – 5:32

CD version

1. "Black Tie White Noise" (Radio Edit) (Bowie) – 4:10
2. "Black Tie White Noise" (Extended Remix) (Bowie) – 8:12
3. "Black Tie White Noise" (Urban Mix) (Bowie) – 4:03
4. "You've Been Around" (Dangers Remix) (Bowie, Gabrels) – 4:24

US commercial CD (Savage 74785-50045-2)

1. "Black Tie White Noise" (Waddell's Mix) – 4:12
2. "Black Tie White Noise" (3rd Floor Mix) – 3:42
3. "Black Tie White Noise" (Al B. Sure! Mix) – 4:03
4. "Black Tie White Noise" (Album Version) – 4:52
5. "Black Tie White Noise" (Club Mix) – 7:33
6. "Black Tie White Noise" (Digi Funky's Lush Mix) – 5:44
7. "Black Tie White Noise" (Supa Pump Mix) – 6:36

US promo DJ 12" (Savage SADJ-50045-1)

1. "Black Tie White Noise" (Extended Remix) – 8:12
2. "Black Tie White Noise" (Club Mix) – 7:33
3. "Black Tie White Noise" (Trance Mix) – 7:15
4. "Black Tie White Noise" (Digi Funky's Lush Mix) – 5:44
5. "Black Tie White Noise" (Supa Pump Mix) – 6:36
6. "Black Tie White Noise" (Funky Crossover Mix) – 3:45
7. "Black Tie White Noise" (Extended Urban Remix) – 5:32

US promo DJ CD (Savage SADJ-50046-2)

1. "Black Tie White Noise" (Chr Mix 1) – 3:43
2. "Black Tie White Noise" (Chr Mix 2) – 4:12
3. "Black Tie White Noise" (Churban Mix) – 3:45
4. "Black Tie White Noise" (Urban Mix) – 4:03
5. "Black Tie White Noise" (Album edit) – 4:10

Tracks #1-3 re-produced, re-arranged and mixed by Marc 'Funkyman' Paley, Raul 'DJ EFX' Recinos & Jeremy 'DJ Digit' Cowan
Track # 2 remix and additional production by John Waddell
Track # 4 remix and additional production by Al B. Sure & Timar

Credits and personnel

Other releases

Cover versions

Other uses

A sample of the first bar of the song is the basis for the song Tziporen (Hebrew: ציפורן‎‎) from the 1994 album Iver be-lev yam by the Israeli singer Eran Zur.