Get Real

Written by: David Bowie, Brian Eno
Recorded: May 1994 – February 1995
Producers: David Bowie, Brian Eno, David Richards

Released: 25 September 1995

Available on:
Re:Call 5

Personnel

David Bowie: vocals, keyboards, synthesizer
Brian Eno: keyboards, synthesizer
Reeves Gabrels: guitar
Erdal Kızılçay: bass guitar
Mike Garson: piano, keyboards
Sterling Campbell: drums

‘Get Real’ was recorded during the initial sessions for David Bowie’s 1.Outside, and first released as a b-side of ‘The Hearts Filthy Lesson’.

The first set of 1.Outside sessions were took place over ten days in March 1994 at Mountain Studios in Montreux, Switzerland. Much of the music was improvised, and many hours of music were recorded. They yielded the majority of album tracks, along with the b-sides ‘Get Real’ and ‘Nothing To Be Desired’.

A pop song with a bouncy rhythm recalling some of Bowie’s 1980s output, ‘Get Real’ sounds like little else on 1.Outside, which perhaps explains its relegation from the main album. ‘Get Real’ was never performed live by Bowie, and it remains something of an obscurity.

‘Get Real’ was first released as a bonus track on the Japanese version of 1.Outside. In November 1995 it appeared on the ‘Strangers When We Meet’ CD single in the UK.

In 2004 1.Outside was reissued by Sony with ‘Get Real’ as a bonus track. That year Columbia also released a limited edition version of the album with a bonus disc of 14 b-sides and remixes, including the song.

The 2021 box set Brilliant Adventure (1992-2001) contained Re:Call 5, a compilation of Bowie’s non-album singles, single versions, remixes and b-sides, including ‘Get Real’.