10 Famous Albums That Left The Best Song On The Cutting Room Floor
5. David Bowie - Black Tie White Noise
Cut Song: "Bring Me The Disco King"
The most astounding thing about "Bring Me the Disco King" is its meandering structure. Bowie will always be remembered for his uncanny ability to seek out the pop hook in even his most experimental tracks, but this straight up jazz ditty stumbles around the chilly back alley of Bowie's subconscious for nearly 8 minutes without ever indulging in a snappy chorus.
Maybe that's why it took him so long to perfect it. Bowie started working on the haunting tune for 1993's Black Tie White Noise but didn't feel like it was ready to be heard for another decade.
By contrast, the other tracks on Black Tie White Noise feel...empty. Not bad, per se, but somehow unfinished. Also, the cheesy saxophone that runs rampant throughout instantly dates the album to the worst part of the 90s.
"Disco King" is by no means on par with the likes of "Golden Years" or "The Man Who Sold the World", but it's certainly a defining moment in the twilight days of his career. Bowie obviously agreed, as it finally showed up on 2003's Reality, making it the best song on one album and the best song left off another.