Seven (Beck Mix)
By: David Bowie, Reeves Gabrels

Original Performance: David Bowie
Remix: Beck Hansen
Written by: David Bowie, Reeves Gabrels

Versions:
  1. Seven (Beck A Mix) (3:42)
    a.k.a. Seven (Beck Mix #1)
    a.k.a. Seven (Remix By Beck)
    Available on Seven and 1 other release.
  2. Seven (Beck B Mix) (5:13)
    a.k.a. Seven (Beck Mix #2)
    Available on Seven and 1 other release.
  3. Seven (Beck C Mix)
    Available on Seven.
 
Lyrics:
Seven (Beck A Mix) [Version (a)]:

I forgot what my father said, I forgot what he said
I forgot what my mother said, as we lay upon your bed
A city full of flowers, a city full of rain
I got seven days to live my life or seven ways to die

I forgot what my brother said, I forgot what he said
I don't regret anything at all, I remember how we wept
On a bridge of violent people, I was small enough to cry
I got seven days to live my life or seven ways to die
Hold my face before you, still my trembling heart
Seven days to live my life or seven ways to die

The Gods forgot they made me, so I forgot them too
I listen to the shadows, I play among their graves
My heart was never broken, my patience never tried
I got seven days to live my life or seven ways to die
Seven days to live my life or seven ways to die

Seven seven seven die... seven seven seven die
Seven seven seven die... seven seven seven die
Seven seven seven... seven seven seven
 
The Song:

"Seven" is a song on Hours..., David Bowie's 2000 album. Beck, as a huge fan, couldn't pass up an opportunity to remix one of his songs, after Bowie asked him to do it.

(Beck's covered Bowie's "Win" in concert, and the original was an influence on "Debra." He's also released a version of "Diamond Dogs" and recorded "Sound and Vision" for a video.)

Anyway, "Seven" is one of the best songs on the album. It is very melodic with lots of momentum and nice guitar. Beck, frankly, kills all that. That's not to say Beck's remix is bad (it's not), just hugely different and stripped down. He adds some more hiphop effects and slows the vocals to a jerky, cut-and-paste melody. Roger Manning adds a little piano to the ending. In 2020, Beck recalls he was inspired to strip it down and trying to make it sound like D'Angelo's Voodoo album. Beck had one night to do the remix, however, before going on tour for Midnite Vultures.

Apparently, Beck made two remixes of the song, one is much more common than the other. The second Beck mix is a "complete guitar freakout meltdown," as Beck described it in 2020. It's rare and I'm not sure I've ever even heard it.