All the Midnights In the World vs. Running Gun Blues

Song:  All The Midnights in the World
Album:  Planet Earth
Year:  2007

A supposed love song that contains a section that sounds weirdly similar to Here Comes Santa Claus.  It's a short song at 2:22 and, though the sentiment is sweet, it doesn't have anything that I can sink my teeth into.  I suppose I could make a correlation to the Santa Claus thing, midnight and the fact that a brief Google search indicates that 222 represents happiness that one finds in giving to others.  Actually, that elevates the song a smidge but doesn't fully redeem it, especially since I'm just making things up at this point. 

Verdict:  2/5 stars

Would I sing it at karaoke?  No thanks.

Song:  Running Gun Blues
Album:  The Man Who Sold the World
Year:  1970

Another David Bowie blog has this to say:

An early entrant in the distinguished “crazy Vietnam veteran” genre, “Running Gun Blues” features an ex-soldier turned serial killer. Bowie sounds unhinged in the verses, tries for menace in the choruses, going on about cracking the heads of “gooks.” It’s satire fit for (and seemingly written by) a squalid 13-year-old boy.

Mick Ronson offers amends—beefing up the D-C-G riff that Bowie first offers on his acoustic, locking in with Tony Visconti’s bass to ride out the track. It’s no use, as the track’s nothing but cheap, loud burlesque with “social commentary” pretensions. Angela Bowie recalled that her husband wrote the lyrics to “Running Gun Blues” over an afternoon when he kept being interrupted to do interviews, and it shows (“for I promote oblivion/and I’ll plug a few civilians”). As rancid as it is forgettable.

Recorded 18 April-22 May 1970; never performed again by Bowie, or anyone else.

I disagree.  I've always felt this album is commenting on the madness brought on by war and, in that context, this song works well.  It may not be the strongest or most memorable track on the album but it serves to make the album as a whole more cohesive. 

Verdict:  3/5 stars

Would I sing it at karaoke?  Sure.  Why not.

Winner:  Running Gun Blues

Running Score:  Bowie 16, Prince 8