Pallas Athena (song)

"Pallas Athena"
"Pallas Athena"
Single by David Bowie as Tao Jones Index
B-side	"V-2 Schneider" (live)
Released	26 August 1997
Recorded	Paradiso, Amsterdam, Netherlands; 10 June 1997
Genre	Drum and bass, alternative dance, IDM
Length	8:18
Label	BMG; 74321 51254 1
Songwriter(s)	David Bowie
David Bowie singles chronology

"Pallas Athena"
"Pallas Athena"
Song by David Bowie
from the album Black Tie White Noise
Released	5 April 1993
Recorded	1992
Genre	House
Length	4:40
Label	Savage
Songwriter(s)	David Bowie
Producer(s)	David Bowie; Nile Rodgers;

"Pallas Athena" is a song written by David Bowie in 1993 for the album Black Tie White Noise. A live version of the song was recorded and released in 1997 during Bowie's Earthling Tour.

Background

The name is taken from the Greek goddess, Athena, the goddess of wisdom, who is famously depicted in Athenian statues and on coins in the form of Pallas Athena. Hence, the name of the song is a suggestion of religion and icons and sets the mood for a dark piece concerning the power that religion has over man.

The lyrics are rather sparse, but the phrase beginning the piece, "God is on top of it, that's all," delivered as though from an African-American preacher, is ominous and intimidating, accompanied with the sound of strings delivering a sorrowful melody. The piece develops into a techno dance piece, using string sounds to hold the ominous mood while overlaid atop bass and drums. David Bowie's saxophone playing is amplified into a scream-like sound, which solos, along with Lester Bowie on trumpet. A lyric, "We are, we are, we are, we are praying," is repeated through the close of the song in a somber, monk-like fashion. Ultimately, the song restates Bowie's interest in how man relates with God.

Bowie used to play a drum'n'bass version of the song during his 1997 Earthling Tour, and a live version recorded at Paradiso, Holland 10 June 1997 was released as a single under the name Tao Jones Index, a very limited edition only available on 12" vinyl.

It was announced in March 2010 that a digital download EP would be made available in June 2010.^[1]

Track listing

All tracks are written by David Bowie.

12": Arista / MEAT 1 (UK)

"Pallas Athena" (Don't Stop Praying Remix No 2) - 7:24
"Pallas Athena" (Don't Stop Praying Remix) - 5:36
"Pallas Athena" (Gone Midnight Mix) - 4:21

UK 1993 promo
All mixes were untitled in the original release, with the titles provided on later reissues^[2]
All remixes by Jack Dangers, Don't Stop Praying Remix No 2 and Gone Midnight Mix were not released elsewhere at the time

12": Arista / 74321 51254 1 (UK)

"Pallas Athena (live)" - 8:18
"V-2 Schneider (live)" - 6:45

Both tracks recorded live at Paradiso, Amsterdam 10 June 1997
Limited edition - 2,000 copies printed

2010 Digital Download EP

"Pallas Athena (Album Version)" - 4:40
"Pallas Athena (Don't Stop Praying Remix)" - 5:38
"Pallas Athena (Don't Stop Praying Remix No. 2)" - 7.24
"Pallas Athena (Gone Midnight mix)" - 4.20

Other releases

The "Don't Stop Praying Remix" and album version of "Pallas Athena" appeared on the single "Jump They Say" (April 1993), and the "Don't Stop Praying Remix No 2" was released as a bonus track on the Japanese CD version of Black Tie White Noise, as well as the tenth anniversary edition in multiple territories. The "Gone Midnight" remix also appears on the 2003 re-release of the Sound + Vision box set.

The live version, mixed by Mark Plati, was released on the single "Seven Years in Tibet" in August 1997, on the EP Earthling in the City (November 1997), and the 2003 re-release of the Sound + Vision box set.

The album version was remastered and released in 2021 as part of the box set Brilliant Adventure (1992–2001).

References

^ "BowieNet (March 26, 2010)". Archived from the original on 27 July 2011. Retrieved 5 April 2010.
^ Altenburg, Ruud. "Pallas Athena (Arista MEAT 1)". The Illustrated db Discography. Retrieved 3 April 2008.

[1] "BowieNet (March 26, 2010)". Archived from the original on 27 July 2011. Retrieved 5 April 2010.

[2] Altenburg, Ruud. "Pallas Athena (Arista MEAT 1)". The Illustrated db Discography. Retrieved 3 April 2008.

[1]

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v t e David Bowie singles
Discography Songs
1960s	"Liza Jane" "I Pity the Fool" "You've Got a Habit of Leaving" "Baby Loves That Way" "Can't Help Thinking About Me" "Do Anything You Say" "I Dig Everything" "Rubber Band" "The London Boys" "The Laughing Gnome" "Love You till Tuesday" "Space Oddity"
1970s	"The Prettiest Star" "Memory of a Free Festival" "Holy Holy" "Moonage Daydream" "Hang On to Yourself" "Changes" "Starman" "John, I'm Only Dancing" "The Jean Genie" "Drive-In Saturday" "Time" "Life on Mars" "Let's Spend the Night Together" "Sorrow" "Rebel Rebel" "Rock 'n' Roll Suicide" "Diamond Dogs" "1984" "Knock on Wood" "Rock 'n' Roll with Me" "Young Americans" "Fame" "Golden Years" "Station to Station" (French promo) "TVC 15" "Suffragette City" "Stay" "Sound and Vision" "Be My Wife" "'Heroes'" "Beauty and the Beast" "Breaking Glass" "Boys Keep Swinging" "D.J." "Yassassin" "Look Back in Anger" "John, I'm Only Dancing (Again)"
1980s	"Alabama Song" "Crystal Japan" "Ashes to Ashes" "Fashion" "Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)" "Up the Hill Backwards" "Under Pressure" "Wild Is the Wind" "The Drowned Girl" "Cat People (Putting Out Fire)" "Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy" "Let's Dance" "China Girl" "Modern Love" "Without You" "White Light/White Heat" "Blue Jean" "Tonight" "This Is Not America" "Loving the Alien" "Dancing in the Street" "Absolute Beginners" "Underground" "When the Wind Blows" "Magic Dance" "Day-In Day-Out" "Time Will Crawl" "Never Let Me Down" "Under the God" "Heaven's in Here" "Tin Machine" / "Maggie's Farm (live)" "Prisoner of Love"
1990s	"Fame '90" "You Belong in Rock n' Roll" "Baby Universal" "One Shot" "Real Cool World" "Jump They Say" "Black Tie White Noise" "Miracle Goodnight" "The Buddha of Suburbia" "Ziggy Stardust" "The Hearts Filthy Lesson" "Strangers When We Meet" / "The Man Who Sold the World (live)" "Hallo Spaceboy" "Telling Lies" "Little Wonder" "Dead Man Walking" "Seven Years in Tibet" "Pallas Athena" "I'm Afraid of Americans" "I Can't Read" "Without You I'm Nothing" "Thursday's Child" "The Pretty Things Are Going to Hell"
2000s	"Survive" "Seven" "Slow Burn" "Everyone Says 'Hi'" "I've Been Waiting for You" "Shadow Man" "New Killer Star" "Just for One Day (Heroes)" "Rebel Never Gets Old"
2010s	"Golden Years David Bowie vs KCRW" "Where Are We Now?" "The Stars (Are Out Tonight)" "The Next Day" "Valentine's Day" "Love Is Lost" "'Tis a Pity She Was a Whore" "Sue (Or in a Season of Crime)" "Blackstar" "Lazarus" "I Can't Give Everything Away"
Other songs	"Silly Boy Blue" "Let Me Sleep Beside You" "Karma Man" "Unwashed and Somewhat Slightly Dazed" "Cygnet Committee" "Wild Eyed Boy from Freecloud" "The Width of a Circle" "All the Madmen" "Black Country Rock" "After All" "She Shook Me Cold" "The Man Who Sold the World" "The Supermen" "Oh! You Pretty Things" "Kooks" "Quicksand" "Andy Warhol" "Song for Bob Dylan" "Queen Bitch" "The Bewlay Brothers" "Bombers" "Five Years" "Soul Love" "Lady Stardust" "Velvet Goldmine" "Sweet Head" "Amsterdam" "Round and Round" "Watch That Man" "Aladdin Sane" "Panic in Detroit" "Cracked Actor" "Lady Grinning Soul" "All the Young Dudes" "Future Legend" "Sweet Thing" "Big Brother" "Can You Hear Me?" "Right" "Fascination" "Word on a Wing" "Speed of Life" "What in the World" "Always Crashing in the Same Car" "Warszawa" "Art Decade" "Weeping Wall" "Subterraneans" "Joe the Lion" "Sons of the Silent Age" "Blackout" "V-2 Schneider" "Sense of Doubt" "Neuköln" "Fantastic Voyage" "It's No Game" "Teenage Wildlife" "Scream Like a Baby" "As the World Falls Down" "Girls" "Nite Flights" "I'm Deranged" "Nature Boy" "Cactus" "Pablo Picasso" "The Loneliest Guy" "Try Some, Buy Some" "Fall Dog Bombs the Moon" "Bring Me the Disco King" "Girl Loves Me" "Dollar Days"