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As the World Falls Down

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"As the World Falls Down" is a song written by David Bowie for the soundtrack of the 1986 fantasy film Labyrinth.

"As the World Falls Down"
Song by David Bowie
from the album Labyrinth
Released23 June 1986 (1986-06-23)
RecordedJune–July 1985[1]
Length4:50 (album version)
3:40 (edit)
LabelEMI
Songwriter(s)David Bowie
Producer(s)
Music video
"As the World Falls Down" on YouTube

Background and composition

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"As the World Falls Down" is one of five songs Bowie wrote and recorded for the film, in which he also starred as Jareth, the king of the goblins.[2][3] A love ballad, "As the World Falls Down" was written for a dream sequence in which Jareth and the film's heroine, Sarah, dance at a fantastic masquerade ball.[4] Bowie said of the song, "[Director] Jim Henson wanted something which was fairly old-fashioned in its sentiments and it is, for me, the prettiest tune in the movie, and the most relaxed."[5][6] The song's melody is heard at the start of the film as the tune played by Sarah's music box.[7]

"As the World Falls Down" is structured in the traditional 1-6-4-5 form popular in 1950s ballads.[8] The song's intro is in a moderately fast 3/4 time, before an electric bass modifies the rhythm to a slower 4/4 time. The bass line consists of a constant rising musical motif that acts as a hook throughout the song.[6] There is a minor fourth, and later a minor second in the chorus.[8]

Release and promotion

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"As the World Falls Down" is the seventh track on the Labyrinth soundtrack, which was released in July 1986 to coincide with the film's U.S. premiere.[9]

 
Hoggle in the foreground with Bowie, out of focus, in the background, in a still from the official video for the song

EMI planned to also release the song as a single in late 1986, and as a result, a 3:40 edit was produced along with a promotional music video,[4] directed by Steve Barron.[4] The video splices clips from Labyrinth with monochrome footage of Bowie performing the song in an elegant room accompanied by the character Hoggle from the film. The storyline follows photocopies of Bowie enchanting a woman in an office building, portrayed by French actress Charlotte Valandrey.[10] Barron's videos for "As the World Falls Down" and the Labyrinth theme song "Underground" so impressed Jim Henson that he recruited Barron to direct his television series The Storyteller.[11]

However, the single's release and video were cancelled — perhaps because Bowie did not want the love ballad to lessen the impact of his upcoming harder-sounding release Never Let Me Down, biographer Nicholas Pegg suggested. The edit was eventually released as a bonus track on the Virgin Records re-release of Tonight in 1995, and the video was included on Bowie – The Video Collection (1993) and on the DVD version of Best of Bowie (2002).[4]

In 2001, the full-length 4:50 album version of the song was included on the 5-track CD I Am Iman, personally compiled by Bowie as a promotional device packaged with initial copies of his wife Iman's 2001 autobiography of the same name.[4][12]

Reception

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Rolling Stone called the song a "hidden gem" of Bowie's career[13] and included "As the World Falls Down" on its list of 30 essential Bowie songs, describing it as a "sparkling, subdued ballad...which intermingles a tender vocal performance from Bowie and a sinewy bass line with glassy New Romantic synths".[14] The A.V. Club considered it the best song from Labyrinth, and wrote that it "cater[s] in heartfelt empathy, using classic pop chord progressions to relate the joys and pain of love."[15] Smooth Radio chose "As the World Falls Down" as number 11 on its ranking of Bowie's 20 greatest songs,[16] and argued that it "deserves to be considered amongst Bowie's finest ever songs".[17] Newsweek deemed the song "pure 80s cheese", conceding that "it does have a lovely chorus" however.[18] Gigwise named the song as one of "the 50 best ever original songs made for movies".[19]

According to Bowie biographer David Buckley in 2015, "As the World Falls Down" was in the top 30 highest-selling Bowie songs on iTunes in the United Kingdom, and the Labyrinth soundtrack was Bowie's third-best selling iTunes album.[20] At the time of Bowie's death in 2016, the song was the 32nd highest-selling Bowie UK download.[21]

Personnel

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Credits per biographer Chris O'Leary:[1]

  • David Bowie – vocals, backing vocals, producer
  • Arif Mardin – producer
  • Nicky Moroch – lead guitar
  • Jeff Mironov – lead and rhythm guitar
  • Will Lee – bass
  • Steve Ferrone – drums
  • Robbie Buchanan – keyboards, synthesiser, programming, guitars, arranger
  • Robin Beck – backing vocals

Cover versions

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References

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  1. ^ a b O'Leary (2019), pp. 220–221
  2. ^ Block & Erdmann (2016), p. 164
  3. ^ Pegg (2016), "Labyrinth" in chapt. Stage and Screen
  4. ^ a b c d e f Pegg (2016), p. 27, "As the World Falls Down" in chapt. The Songs from A to Z
  5. ^ The Jim Henson Company (2016) [Production notes first published 1986]. "David Bowie Talks About Labyrinth: Archival 1986 Q&A". Labyrinth (30th Anniversary Edition) (Blu-ray booklet). Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. pp. 14–16.
  6. ^ a b Block & Erdmann (2016), p. 167
  7. ^ Lopez, Kristen (16 September 2016). "Rediscovering Labyrinth: 13 Things to Notice". Culteress. Minute Media. Archived from the original on 5 October 2016. Retrieved 16 January 2021.
  8. ^ a b Schroeder, Kris (contrib.) (17 July 2015). "Australian musicians share their favourite Bowie songs". ABC Online. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 24 March 2020. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
  9. ^ Pegg (2016), "Labyrinth" in chapt. The Albums
  10. ^ Andrian, Andy (16 November 2018). "Son parcours, sa maladie... Les secrets de Charlotte Valandrey" [Her journey, her illness ... The secrets of Charlotte Valandrey]. Linternaute.com (in French). CCM Benchmark Group. Archived from the original on 20 November 2018. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
  11. ^ Pegg (2016), p. 294, "Underground" in chapt. The Songs from A to Z
  12. ^ *"Bowie Collector: I AM IMAN CD". davidbowie.com. 25 July 2018. Archived from the original on 23 August 2020. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  13. ^ Sheffield, Rob (18 August 2016). "David Bowie's Essential Albums". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  14. ^ Edwards, Gavin; Weingarten, Christopher R.; Spanos, Brittany; Newman, Jason; Vozick-Levinson, Simon; Johnston, Maura; Doyle, Patrick; Sterling, Scott; Greene, Andy; Sheffield, Rob (11 January 2016). "David Bowie: 30 Essential Songs". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  15. ^ Brusie, David (12 June 2017). "Labyrinth's soundtrack is an essential part of David Bowie's legacy". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  16. ^ Eames, Tom (26 June 2020). "David Bowie's 20 greatest ever songs, ranked". Smooth Radio. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  17. ^ Eames, Tom (17 July 2020). "A guide to David Bowie's underrated songs from Labyrinth". Smooth Radio. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  18. ^ Schonfeld, Zach; Macallaster, Matt; Seeley, John (8 January 2017). "70 David Bowie Deep Cuts to Listen to on What Would Have Been Thin White Duke's 70th Birthday". Newsweek. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  19. ^ Baggs, Michael; Whitehill, Gabby; Trendell, Andrew (17 January 2014). "The 50 best ever original songs made for movies". Gigwise. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  20. ^ Buckley (2015), p. 70
  21. ^ Myers, Justin (11 January 2016). "David Bowie's Official Top 40 Biggest Selling Downloads revealed!". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  22. ^ Sheffield, Michael (5 April 2010). "MGMT, Duran Duran Cover David Bowie". Spin. Archived from the original on 8 April 2016. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
  23. ^ Shatto, Rachel (January–February 2011). "New spins: fresh takes on old faves make for sweet music". Curve. Vol. 21, no. 1. Avalon Media LLC. p. 72+. Gale A247340164.
  24. ^ Carley, Brennan (15 January 2016). "Grace Potter Pays Tribute to David Bowie With Her Heartbreaking 'As the World Falls Down' Cover". Spin. Archived from the original on 17 January 2016. Retrieved 28 August 2020.
  25. ^ "Grace Potter Releases Cover of David Bowie's "As the World Falls Down"". Jambands.com. 15 January 2016. Retrieved 28 August 2020.
  26. ^ Bernstein, Scott (17 April 2020). "Grace Potter Shares New Single 'We'll Be Alright' & David Bowie Cover". JamBase.com. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
  27. ^ "Now Available - Geek Wedding Vol. 2: The Sequel". Vitamin String Quartet. 19 February 2016.
  28. ^ Clarke, David (9 August 2018). "BWW Album Review: Lena Hall's OBSESSED: DAVID BOWIE is Delightfully Fresh". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 21 August 2020.

Bibliography

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  • Block, Paula M.; Erdmann, Terry J. (2016). Labyrinth: The Ultimate Visual History. London, United Kingdom: Titan Books Ltd. ISBN 978-1-78565-435-0.
  • Buckley, David (2015). David Bowie: The Music and The Changes. London: Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-1-78323-617-6.
  • O'Leary, Chris (2019). Ashes to Ashes: The Songs of David Bowie 1976–2016. London: Repeater Books. ISBN 978-1-91224-836-0.
  • Pegg, Nicholas (2016). The Complete David Bowie (7th ed.). London, United Kingdom: Titan Books Ltd. ISBN 978-1-78565-365-0.
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