DAY-IN DAY-OUT

'"Day-In Day-Out"' is a track on David Bowie's album ''Never Let Me Down''. It was issued as a single ahead of the album’s release.
The song criticised the urban decay and deprivation in American cities at the time, concerned largely with the depths a young mother has to sink to in order to feed her child, including attempting to shoplift and become a prostitute.
Julien Temple’s video made the message explicit, showing the young couple’s struggle against an uncaring society, watched by a pair of angels through fake video cameras. This was banned by the BBC amongst others, even after edits removed the female protagonist’s heavily implied rape, and an alternate version of a scene where the couple’s child spells out “Mom”, “Food” and “Fuck” in building blocks (representing the child’s cycle of dependency; the alternate version had the child spell out the meaningless words “Mom”, “Look” and “Luck”) – as a result, EMI issued it on a video EP.
Many critics, both at the time and since, have accused the song of burying its message in over-produced, glossy surroundings. Others, usually a minority it has to be said, claim that this doesn’t overpower the message.
Despite its sales being boosted by a limited-edition version of the 7” single, and two different 12” singles, “Day-In Day-Out” was considered a flop, reaching #17 in the UK charts, and #21 in the Billboard Hot 100.

Contents

Track listing

7": EMI America / EA 230 (UK)

12: EMI America / 12 EA 230 (UK)

12": EMI America / 12 EAX 230 (UK)

12": EMI / V-19239 (US)

Download: EMI / iEAX 230 (UK)

Video EP

Production credits

Other releases

References

Track listing

All songs written by Bowie.

7": EMI America / EA 230 (UK)

# "Day-In Day-Out" – 4:14
# "Julie" – 3:40

12: EMI America / 12 EA 230 (UK)

# "Day-In Day-Out (Extended Dance Mix)" – 7:15
# "Day-In Day-Out (Extended Dub Mix)" – 7:17
# "Julie" – 3:40

12": EMI America / 12 EAX 230 (UK)

# "Day-In Day-Out (Remix)" – 6:30
# "Day-In Day-Out (Extended Dub Mix)" – 7:17
# "Julie" – 3:40

12": EMI / V-19239 (US)

# "Day-In Day-Out (Groucho Mix)" - 6:29
# "Day-In Day-Out (Extended Dance Mix)" - 7:15
# "Day-In Day-Out (Single Version)" – 4:14
# "Julie" – 3:40

Download: EMI / iEAX 230 (UK)

# "Al Alba" – 5:37
# "Julie" – 3:40
# "Day-In Day-Out (Extended Dance Mix)" - 7:15
# "Day-In Day-Out (Extended Dub Mix)" – 7:17
# "Day-In Day-Out (12" Groucho Mix)" - 6:29

Video EP

# "Day-In Day-Out"
# "Loving the Alien"
# "Day-In Day-Out (Extended Dance Mix)"

★ The video for "Loving the Alien" was issued to pad out the tape. The "Extended Dance Mix" video was a re-edited version of the main video.

Production credits

★ 'Producers':

★
★ David Bowie

★
★ David Richards

★ 'Musicians':

★
★ David Bowie: Vocals

★
★ Carlos Alomar: Guitar

★
★ Sid McGinnis: Guitar

★
★ Erdal Kizilcay: Bass, Drums, Keyboards

Other releases

★ A limited edition release contained a 7" red vinyl disc in a numbered box with a set of stickers and a photo booklet.

★ It appeared on the following compilations:

★
★ '' (1993)

★
★ ''The Singles Collection'' (1993)

References

Pegg, Nicholas, ''The Complete David Bowie'', Reynolds & Hearn Ltd, 2000, ISBN 1-903111-14-5