Written by: David Bowie, Brian Eno
Recorded: May 1994 – February 1995
Producers: David Bowie, Brian Eno, David Richards
Released: 25 September 1995
Available on:
1.Outside
Personnel
David Bowie: vocals, keyboards, synthesizer, treatmentsBrian Eno: keyboards, synthesizer, treatments
The penultimate track on David Bowie’s 1.Outside is the second segue narrated by the Nathan Adler character.
It is the only one of five segues to be credited to Bowie and Brian Eno. The others were improvisations credited to Bowie, Eno, Reeves Gabrels, Mike Garson, Erdal Kızılçay, and Sterling Campbell.
In the Outside story, Adler was the main character, a fictional detective who works as detective for Art-Crime Inc. He and his assistant Paddy are on the trail of a mysterious artist/murderer known as The Minotaur.
There are three main suspects in the murder and dismemberment of 14-year-old Baby Grace Blue: Leon Blank, a former convict and outsider; Ramona A Stone, Blank’s former lover, who may also have been in a relationship with Adler; and Algeria Touchshriek, a septuagenarian man who portrays himself – perhaps falsely – as lonely and frail.
The vinyl edition of the album was titled Excerpts From 1.Outside. In addition to shorter edits of ‘Leon Takes Us Outside’ and ‘The Motel’, it omitted the songs ‘No Control’, ‘Wishful Beginnings’, ‘Thru’ These Architects Eyes’, and ‘Strangers When We Meet’, as well as the Algeria Touchshriek and second Nathan Adler segues.
Outside, Track 18 – Segue – Nathan Adler – Version #2
This track may be the one of which I have the least to say. It’s a short one leading way to a very special album closer… #TimsTwitterListeningParty
— Mike Garson (@mikegarson) July 5, 2020
Lyrics
Ramona is so cold.
When she broke it off with Leon, she said: ‘The ring is enough, I don’t wanna see his face again.’
Ramona was so cold, Ramona was so cold…