Where Are We Now ? - Wikipedia Where Are We Now ? `` Where Are We Now ? '' Single by David Bowie from the album The Next Day A-side `` The Stars ( Are Out Tonight ) '' Released 8 January 2013 ( 2013 - 01 - 08 ) Format 7 '' digital download Recorded The Magic Shop ( New York, New York ) Genre Art rock Length 4 : 08 Label ISO Columbia Songwriter ( s ) David Bowie Producer ( s ) David Bowie Tony Visconti David Bowie singles chronology `` Golden Years David Bowie vs KCRW '' ( 2011 ) `` Where Are We Now ? '' ( 2013 ) `` The Stars ( Are Out Tonight ) '' ( 2013 ) `` Golden Years David Bowie vs KCRW '' ( 2011 ) `` Where Are We Now ? '' ( 2013 ) `` The Stars ( Are Out Tonight ) '' ( 2013 ) Music video `` Where Are We Now ? '' on YouTube `` Where Are We Now ? '' is the first single from David Bowie 's 24th studio album, The Next Day. The single was released on iTunes on 8 January 2013, Bowie 's 66th birthday, along with a video by Tony Oursler, which was posted on Bowie 's website. According to producer Tony Visconti, the timing of the release was Bowie 's idea, and the single was simply `` dropped '' in iTunes for fans to discover, with no warning or fanfare. Upon its release, the song received significant news coverage, which allowed it to peak at number six on the UK Singles chart. This proved to be Bowie 's biggest hit since `` Absolute Beginners '' in 1986 and his last top ten hit before his death in January 2016. The success of the song also meant that Bowie has had a top ten hit on the UK Singles Chart in five different decades ( 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s and 2010s ), something which few other artists have managed to achieve. Contents 1 Release 2 Lyrics 3 Music video 4 Chart performance 4.1 Charts 5 Personnel 6 See also 7 References 8 External links Release Bowie had not released new material since 2003 's Reality, or performed live since 2006, and it was generally believed that he had retired. However, on the morning of his sixty - sixth birthday, `` Where Are We Now ? '' appeared on iTunes, along with information about Bowie 's upcoming new album The Next Day. The release was unusual in that it was issued with no promotion, with fans discovering the existence of the single themselves. The news was widely reported and the single received much radio airplay, quickly topping the iTunes downloads chart and eventually charting at number six on the UK Singles Chart. Despite the media attention surrounding the surprise release, Bowie made no media appearances whatsoever, with producer Tony Visconti instead taking media requests and accepting an interviewer 's suggestion that he was Bowie 's `` voice on earth ''. Lyrics The lyrics are simple and repetitive, an older person reminiscing about time spent and time wasted : `` Had to get the train / from Potsdamer Platz / you never knew that / that I could do that / just walking the dead '', the last line of which, in the video, produces a grimace in the singer. He grimaces again just after : `` A man lost in time near KaDeWe / just walking the dead '', which precedes the refrain : `` Where are we now / where are we now ? '' Chris Roberts called it a `` spectral, frail yearning without chest - beating, candid in its few, clipped phrases and sighs concerning the heart 's filthy lessons. '' Graphic designer Jonathan Barnbrook, who created the cover for The Next Day, wrote that the song is a `` comparison between Berlin when the wall fell and Berlin today ''. Music video The music video, directed by Tony Oursler, shows Bowie and an unnamed female companion as conjoined `` face in a hole '' puppets sitting on a pommel horse, Bowie with the `` permanently anxious eyes of the elderly Duke of Windsor, '' as Robert Everett - Green put it. The woman was later confirmed as artist Jacqueline Humphries, Oursler 's wife. Bowie and Oursler reportedly wanted someone who looked like Bowie 's PA, Corinne `` Coco '' Schwab, as she did in the 1970s in Berlin, where she, Bowie and Iggy Pop would hang out together. Bowie and Humphries as conjoined puppets The video is set in what could be an artists ' studio in Berlin, where Bowie lived from 1976, showing moving black - and - white footage of the city from the 1970s on a screen. It opens with a shot of a large diamond and an empty picture frame lying on the floor, before moving into a studio containing a mishmash of items, possibly from Bowie 's own life or apartment in Berlin : there are mannequins, bottles, an egg, an eyeball on a shelf, a crystal, a snowflake, and a giant blue ear. Bowie is seen toward the end of the video wearing jeans, and a T - shirt that reads `` m / s Song of Norway ''. Sophie Heawood writes that Song of Norway ( 1970 ) was a film ( based on the operetta ) that Bowie 's girlfriend at the time, Hermione Farthingale, left him to appear in. The footage on the screen and references in the lyrics include the Berlin Wall and mention of the Bösebrücke, the first border crossing that opened when the Wall fell on 9 November 1989 ; 20,000 East Germans crossed over during the first hour the border was unofficially opened, wondering whether it was safe. The lyrics read : `` twenty thousand people / Cross Bösebrücke / Fingers are crossed / just in case. '' Other reference points in the video and song are the Brandenburg Gate ; the Dschungel nightclub ; the Fernsehturm, or television tower ; KaDeWe, the department store ; graffiti from Kunsthaus Tacheles, an art centre ; Nürnberger Straße ; Potsdamer Platz railway station ; the Reichstag, where the Bundestag sits ; the Siegessäule, or Victory Column ; and the auto repair shop below the apartment in which Bowie lived. Chart performance Bowie in 1976 and 2009 The single made it to the top of the charts in eight countries on the day of its release. It was no. 1 on the British iTunes chart by 3 pm that day. It was at first deemed ineligible for placement on other British singles charts because, in addition to being sold separately, the song was also free to those who pre-purchased The Next Day on iTunes, making the sales difficult to separate. The Official Charts Company resolved the issue, and on 13 January the song entered the UK Singles Chart at no. 6, Bowie 's highest charting single there since `` Absolute Beginners '' reached no. 2 in 1986. It is his first UK top - ten single since `` Jump They Say '' in 1993. His first top - ten hit was in the UK in 1969 with `` Space Oddity. '' The Next Day was no. 1 on the iTunes charts in 17 countries on 8 January : Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. It made the top 10 in Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Norway and the United States on the same day. Charts Chart ( 2013 ) Peak position Australia ( ARIA ) 78 Austria ( Ö3 Austria Top 40 ) 40 Belgium ( Ultratop 50 Flanders ) 5 Belgium ( Ultratop 50 Wallonia ) 7 Canada ( Canadian Hot 100 ) 59 Denmark ( Tracklisten ) Europe ( Euro Digital Songs ) France ( SNEP ) 9 Germany ( Official German Charts ) 47 Greece Digital Songs ( Billboard ) 9 Iceland ( Tonlist ) 30 Ireland ( IRMA ) 9 Israel ( Media Forest ) 10 Italy ( FIMI ) 10 Japan ( Japan Hot 100 ) 21 Japan Hot Overseas ( Billboard ) Mexico Ingles Airplay ( Billboard ) 19 Netherlands ( Dutch Top 40 ) 28 Poland ( LP3 ) Portugal ( Billboard ) Scotland ( Official Charts Company ) 11 South Korea International Singles ( Gaon ) 132 Spain ( PROMUSICAE ) 9 Switzerland ( Schweizer Hitparade ) 53 UK Singles ( Official Charts Company ) 6 US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles ( Billboard ) 16 Personnel David Bowie : Vocals, Keyboards Henry Hey : Piano Tony Visconti : String Arrangement Gerry Leonard : Guitar Tony Levin : Bass Guitar Zachary Alford : Drums See also `` Heroes '' ( album, 1977 ) `` Heroes '' ( single, 1977 ) History of Berlin References Jump up ^ Terich, Jeff ( 11 March 2013 ). `` David Bowie : The Next Day ''. Treblezine. Retrieved 28 December 2015. ^ Jump up to : Robert Everett - Green, `` After a decade of silence, David Bowie makes an intriguing return '', The Globe and Mail, 8 January 2013. ^ Jump up to : Shirley Halperin, `` David Bowie Producer Talks New Music, Health Scare : ' Album is Physical Evidence That He 's Fine ' ( Q&A ) '', Hollywood Reporter, 11 January 2013. Jump up ^ When Will David Bowie Return to the Stage ? Music News Rolling Stone Jump up ^ David Bowie 65th birthday : Why glam rock legend is content to have retired from the limelight - Mirror Online Jump up ^ David Bowie to release new album, with surprise single out now Music guardian.co.uk Jump up ^ BBC News - David Bowie releases first single in a decade Jump up ^ David Bowie 's new single ' Where Are We Now ' is no longer banned and WILL make the top 40 singles charts Mail Online Jump up ^ Mikael Wood, `` David Bowie messes with mystery in ' Where Are We Now ? ' '', Los Angeles Times, 9 January 2013. Jump up ^ Chris Roberts, `` David Bowie : The Return Of The Thin White Hope '', The Quietus, 9 January 2013. Jump up ^ `` David Bowie : The Next Day. That album cover design '', Barnbrook Blog, VirusFonts, 8 January 2013. ^ Jump up to : Sophie Heawood, `` David Bowie has gone from new to old -- and what a beautiful thing it is '', The Independent, 8 January 2013. Jack Seale, `` David Bowie rocks music world with Where Are We Now ? - video '', Radio Times, 8 January 2013. Jump up ^ Lucy Jones, `` ' Where Are We Now ? ' - 6 Amazing Things About David Bowie 's New Single '', NME, 9 January 2013. Jump up ^ Helen Pidd, `` Where are we now ? Here are some hints, Bowie '', The Guardian, 8 January 2013. `` New Website, Album, Single And Video For The Birthday Boy '', davidbowie.com, 9 January 2013. ^ Jump up to : Brian Anthony Hernandez, `` David Bowie 's Album Tops iTunes Charts in 17 Countries Before '', Mashable, 9 January 2013. Jump up ^ `` David Bowie 's comeback single rockets to Number One on iTunes '', NME, 8 January 2013. Jump up ^ Alice Vincent, `` David Bowie 's Where Are We Now ? ineligible for place in singles chart '', The Daily Telegraph, 9 January 2013. Jump up ^ `` David Bowie single may reach UK chart '', BBC News, 9 January 2013. Lauren Kreisler, `` David Bowie secures first Top 10 single in two decades '', Official Charts Company, 13 January 2013. Jump up ^ `` Chartifacts ''. Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on 22 January 2013. Retrieved 22 January 2013. Jump up ^ `` Austriancharts.at -- David Bowie -- Where Are We Now ? '' ( in German ). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Jump up ^ `` Ultratop.be -- David Bowie -- Where Are We Now ? '' ( in Dutch ). Ultratop 50. Jump up ^ `` Ultratop.be -- David Bowie -- Where Are We Now ? '' ( in French ). Ultratop 50. Jump up ^ `` David Bowie Chart History ( Canadian Hot 100 ) ''. Billboard. Jump up ^ `` Danishcharts.com -- David Bowie -- Where Are We Now ? ''. Tracklisten. Jump up ^ `` David Bowie -- Chart history '' Billboard Euro Digital Songs for David Bowie. Jump up ^ `` Lescharts.com -- David Bowie -- Where Are We Now ? '' ( in French ). Les classement single. Jump up ^ `` Offiziellecharts.de -- David Bowie -- Where Are We Now ? ''. GfK Entertainment Charts. Jump up ^ `` Digital Singles Charts - Greece ''. Billboard. Jump up ^ `` Icelandic Singles Chart ''. Tonlist.is. Retrieved 11 May 2013. Jump up ^ `` Chart Track : Week 02, 2013 ''. Irish Singles Chart. Jump up ^ `` David Bowie -- Where Are We Now Media Forest ''. Israeli Airplay Chart. Media Forest. Jump up ^ `` Top Digital Download - Classifica settimanale WK 2 ( dal 07 / 01 / 2013 al 13 / 01 / 2013 ) '' ( in Italian ). Federation of the Italian Music Industry. Archived from the original on 17 January 2013. Retrieved 17 January 2013. Jump up ^ `` David Bowie Chart History ( Japan Hot 100 ) ''. Billboard. Jump up ^ `` Billboard Japan Hot Overseas '' ( in Japanese ). Billboard Japan. March 25, 2013. Retrieved January 29, 2017. Jump up ^ `` David Bowie -- Chart history ''. Billboard Mexico Ingles Airplay for David Bowie. Retrieved January 29, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Nederlandse Top 40 -- David Bowie '' ( in Dutch ). Dutch Top 40. Jump up ^ `` WHERE ARE WE NOW -- David Bowie '' ( in Polish ). LP3. Retrieved 29 January 2017. Jump up ^ `` Portugal Digital Songs - Peak ''. Billboard. Retrieved 19 May 2013. Jump up ^ `` Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100 ''. Official Charts Company. Jump up ^ `` South Korea Gaon International Chart ( Week : January 6, 2013 ) ''. Gaon Chart. Jump up ^ `` Spanishcharts.com -- David Bowie -- Where Are We Now ? '' Canciones Top 50. Jump up ^ `` Swisscharts.com -- David Bowie -- Where Are We Now ? ''. Swiss Singles Chart. Jump up ^ `` Official Singles Chart Top 100 ''. Official Charts Company. Jump up ^ `` David Bowie Chart search ''. Billboard. Archived from the original on 21 January 2016. Retrieved 21 January 2016. External links davidbowie.com. `` Where are we now ?, video, davidbowie.com David Bowie 's Videos on Vimeo ( 1 ), Where Are We Now ? Song Premiere Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics David Bowie singles 1960s `` Liza Jane '' `` I Pity the Fool '' `` You 've Got a Habit of Leaving '' `` Ca n't Help Thinking About Me '' `` Do Anything You Say '' `` I Dig Everything '' `` Rubber Band '' `` The Laughing Gnome '' `` Love You till Tuesday '' `` Space Oddity '' `` Ragazzo solo, ragazza sola '' 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 '' `` TVC 15 '' `` Suffragette City '' `` Stay '' `` Sound and Vision '' `` Be My Wife '' `` ' Heroes ' '' `` Beauty and the Beast '' `` Breaking Glass '' `` Boys Keep Swinging '' `` DJ '' `` 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 '' `` As the World Falls Down '' `` Magic Dance '' `` When the Wind Blows '' `` 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 Ca n'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 ) '' `` Never Get Old '' `` Rebel Never Gets Old '' 2010s `` 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 ) '' `` '' `` Lazarus '' `` I Ca n't Give Everything Away '' `` Life on Mars ? ( 2016 Mix ) '' `` Zeroes ( 2018 ) '' Book Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Where_Are_We_Now%3F&oldid=854940576 '' Categories : 2013 singles 2013 songs 2010s ballads David Bowie songs Rock ballads Songs about Berlin Song recordings produced by Tony Visconti Songs written by David Bowie Columbia Records singles Hidden categories : CS1 Italian - language sources ( it ) CS1 Japanese - language sources ( ja ) CS1 Polish - language sources ( pl ) Use British English from January 2014 Use dmy dates from January 2014 Articles with hAudio microformats Singlechart usages for Austria Singlechart usages for Flanders Singlechart usages for Wallonia Singlechart usages for Canada Singlechart called without song Singlechart usages for Denmark Singlechart usages for Billboardeurodigital Singlechart usages for France Singlechart usages for Germany2 Singlechart usages for Ireland Singlechart called without artist Singlechart usages for Israelairplay Singlechart usages for Billboardjapanhot100 Singlechart usages for Dutch40 Singlechart usages for Scotland Singlechart usages for Spain Singlechart usages for Switzerland Singlechart usages for UK Talk Contents About Wikipedia Català Español Français Italiano Nederlands Polski Português Русский Edit links This page was last edited on 14 August 2018, at 20 : 41 ( UTC ). 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Question: where are we now video who is the girl
Answer: artist Jacqueline Humphries, Oursler's wife