ParlophoneThe fourth installment of the previously announced six-song digital EP of rare David Bowie recordings Is It Any Wonder? has just been released via streaming services.
The EP is being issued one track each week through February 14. The latest track, “Baby Universal ’97,” is a previously unreleased version of a tune that appeared on the second studio album by the Bowie-fronted band Tin Machine, 1991’s Tin Machine II. David co-wrote “Baby Universal” with Tin Machine guitarist Reeves Gabrels. The original version was released as a single, and peaked at #21 on Billboard‘s Modern Rock Tracks chart.
The re-recorded version of the song was initially intended for David’s 1997 album Earthling, but was cut before the track list was finalized.
According to DavidBowie.com, prior to Earthling‘s release Bowie explained in an interview why he wanted to redo the song for the album.
“I thought ‘Baby Universal’ was a really good song and I don’t think it got heard,” he said. “I didn’t really want that to happen to it.”
“Baby Universal ’97” was recorded at in New York City with Bowie’s touring band at that time. It features Gabrels on guitar, synthesizers and vocals; Gail Ann Dorsey on bass and vocals; Mike Garson on keyboards; Mark Plati on programming and keyboards; and Zachary Alford on drums.
In addition to streaming the track, you also can listen to “Baby Universal ’97” on YouTube.
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