Little Wonder (David Bowie song)
"Little Wonder" is a song and single by David Bowie from the 1997 album, "Earthling". It was the album's biggest hit, reaching number 14 in the UK. At the 1998 Brit Awards, the song was nominated for Best British Video. Background. Bowie uses the names of all seven dwarfs in the lyrics. The sampled spoken line "If it's good to ya, it's gotta be good for ya" during the instrumental break, comes from the spoken intro of a live Steely Dan song called "Bodhisattva" from the "Citizen Steely Dan" box. Two  main interpretations to the lyrics are given by James E. Perone, who writes that the song may simply represent some characteristics of Bowie's own personality or, in another case, an alien observing aspects of the life on Earth. The drum break is sampled from The Winstons instrumental, "Amen, Brother", a popular drum solo and sample commonly referred to as the "Amen break". The chord progression is similar to an early David Bowie song, "Can't Help Thinking About Me." Live versions. Bowie performed "Little Wonder" as the opening song at his fiftieth birthday celebration concert in New York City  on 9 January 1997. This performance was included on the "Earthling in the City" CD. Bowie played the song live (along with "Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)") on the 8 February 1997 episode of "Saturday Night Live". A July 1997 performance at the Phoenix Festival was released in 2021 on "Look at the Moon! (Live Phoenix Festival 97)". The song was performed at the GQ Awards in New York City on 15 October 1997, later released on the live album "LiveAndWell.com" in 2000. Bowie's 25 June 2000 performance of the song at the Glastonbury Festival was released in 2018  on "Glastonbury 2000". A live version recorded at BBC Radio Theatre, London, on 27 June 2000 was released on the bonus disc accompanying the first releases of "Bowie at the Beeb" in 2000. Music video. The music video for "Little Wonder" was directed by Floria Sigismondi, an Italian-Canadian photographer and director. It is set in a dystopian world of mutants, depicting rapid-pace shots of Bowie as an aging Ziggy Stardust and Halloween Jack wandering the New York streets and subways. The video includes video sculptures by the artist Tony Oursler. Bowie has said of Sigismondi's work, "I  thought she just has a wonderful eye, great textures, fabulous cutting." The video is in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art, New York. Track listings. An additional three promo CD singles were also released.