YouTube Transcription #68 Rick Wakeman

Rick Wakeman (keyboard player of progressive rock band “Yes”) was the pianist on David Bowie’s biggest hit in the UK, “Life On Mars?”

Interviewer: What can you tell us about the recording of this?
Wakeman: Erm…I remember leaving there, in St Anne’s Court Trident Studios, and coming home and saying to a couple of friends that I met that evening in a local pub that I’d just played on what I considered to be the best song I’d ever had the privilege to work on.
Interviewer: And why do you think it was so fantastic?
Wakeman: It had every single ingredient. I mean the great thing about David was he was a wonderful melody man, but it wasn’t just the melodies. He had great ideas for chord structures and would always throw in the odd surprise when you were least expecting it, and that’s what was so great about playing his stuff. He would be teaching you a song, and you’d be going along and then suddenly it would… you’d think, “Oh I know how this is gonna go,” and then it would change. Very clever guy.
Interviewer: OK, Rick, take it away.

David Bowie singing “Life On Mars?” in 2012:

The original version:

Video with lyrics:

Rick Wakeman in concert playing his own music: