Original released on LP Deram SML 1007
(UK 1967, June 1)
David Bowie's first ever LP - the 1967 set that introduced the world to the likes of "Rubber Band" and "There Is a Happy Land" - is an intriguing collection, as much in its own right as for the light it sheds on Bowie's future career. Nobody hearing "She's Got Medals," for instance, can fail to marvel at the sheer prescience displayed by a song about gender-bending. Even within Bowie's subsequent world of alligators, starmen, and astronettes, however, there are no parallels for the likes of "Please Mr. Gravedigger," with its storm-swept lament for a murdered little girl, or "Uncle Arthur," the archetypal mommy's boy, whose one stab at snapping the apron strings shatters when he realizes his new love cannot cook. There's also a frightening glimpse into future Bowie universes, served up by "We Are Hungry Men," a tale of a world in which food is so scarce that the people have resorted to cannibalism. Not all of the songs are such sharp observations of human frailties and failings, while the distinctly family-entertainment style arrangements make it clear that, whatever audience Bowie was aiming for, rock fans were not included among them. But songs like "Love You Till Tuesday" and "Maid of Bond Street" have a catchy irresistibility to them all the same, and though this material has been repackaged with such mind-numbing frequency as to seem all but irrelevant today, David Bowie still remains a remarkable piece of work. And it sounds less like anything else he's ever done than any subsequent record in his catalog. (Dave Thompson in AllMusic)
This is a special edition deluxe version of Bowie's 1967 debut album for Decca Records. Disc One features the original stereo and mono mixes of the album stunningly remastered by Peter Mew and Tris Penna at Abbey Road Studios - this is the first time that the mono mix has been available in any format since the late '60s, and the first time ever on CD. Disc Two features the singles, unreleased stereo mixes, and five previously unreleased tracks recorded for John Peel’s Top Gear programme in 1967. All in all, there are a total of 53 tracks over the two CDs with 26 appearing on CD for the very first time.
No matter how many substandard albums David Bowie has released in the latter part of his career, his eponymous 1967 debut album has always been perceived as the slightest long-player in his catalogue. For some, then, this deluxe version of "David Bowie" – expanded to two CDs, with lengthy booklet notes – will be almost laughably inappropriate. As well as legendary lost song "London Bye Ta-Ta" and contemporaneous non-album Bowie material like the swirling "Let Me Sleep Beside You" and novelty song "The Laughing Gnome", disc two virtually gives us the album we’ve heard twice over (stereo and – first time on CD – mono) on disc one in a different permutation: single and radio session versions and previously unreleased mixes. All very comprehensive, but aesthetically too much even if the parent album was the greatest ever made. "David Bowie" shows talent, but one very much unrefined. Within a musical style that is baroque pop crossed with northern brass band crossed with music hall, parping horns and brisk drums decorate pretty but largely unmemorable melodies. The lyrics are above average – thoughtful character studies – but hardly deep, sort of toytown Eleanor Rigbys. Highlights are the orchestrated, melancholy "Sell Me a Coat", "Rubber Band" – an old-time musician's misty memories set to a marching beat – and "There Is a Happy Land", a shimmering musical adaptation of Keith Waterhouse’s novel of childhood. 
Everything is agreeable but nothing truly classic and the relentless whimsy gets tiresome. What is extraordinary throughout, though, is a vision and individualism remarkable for a 20-year-old. Young Bowie has a penchant for putting himself in the heads of the old and the unhip, something very unfashionable in the insurrectionist 60s. Meanwhile, he is so determined to stick to his then-daring resolution to sing in his own English accent that in the bopping "Love You Til Tuesday" he spurns the opportunity to rhyme “branch” and “romance” that an American inflection would offer him. As for the closer "Please Mr Gravedigger", its sneeze-punctuated vocal and lightning-and-footsteps backing make it as much radio play as song. "David Bowie" is hardly an essential listen but historically interesting as unmistakably the entrée of someone with a future. This chance of reacquaintance enables us to acknowledge that it deserves a marginally higher place in the pecking order. Let’s see… Let’s Dance – move aside. (in Amazon)
DISCOGRAPHY
(Born
January 8, 1947, Brixton,
Greater London, United Kingdom
/
Died January 10,
2016, Manhattan,
NY, United States)
1964-06-05 Sg (UK Decca Vocalion
Pop V.9221): A. Liza Jane; B. Louie Louie Go Home (Davie Jones With the King Bees)
1966-01-14 Sg (UK Pye 7N.17020):
A. Can’t Help Thinking About Me; B. And I Say to Myself
1966-04-01 Sg (UK Pye 7N.17079):
A. Do Anything You Say; B. Good Morning Girl
1966-08 Sg (UK Pye 7N.17157):
A. I Dig Everything; B. I’m Not Losing Sleep
1966-12-02 Sg (UK Deram DM 107):
A. Rubber Band; B. London Boys
1967-04-14 Sg (UK Deram DM 123):
A. The Laughing Gnome; B. The Gospel According to Tony Day
1967-06-01 LP DAVID BOWIE (UK Deram SML 1007): A1. Uncle Arthur; A2. Sell
Me a Coat; A3. Rubber Band; A4. Love You Till Tuesday; A5. There Is a Happy
Land; A6. We Are Hungry Men; A7. When I Live My Dream; B1. Little Bombardier; B2.
Silly Boy Blue; B3. Come and Buy My Toys; B4. Join the Gang; B5. She’s Got
Medals; B6. Maid of Bond Street; B7. Please Mr. Gravedigger
1967-07-14 Sg (UK Deram DM 135):
A. Love You Till Tuesday; B. Did You Ever Have a Dream
1969-07-11 Sg (UK Philips BF 1801):
A. Space Oddity; B. Wild
Eyed Boy from Freecloud
1969-11-04 LP DAVID BOWIE (UK Philips SBL 7912): A1. Space Oddity; A2.
Unwashed and Somewhat Slightly Dazed; A3. Don’t Sit Down; A4. Letter to
Hermione; A5. Cygnet Committee; B1. Janine; B2. An Occasional Dream; B3. Wild
Eyed Boy from Freecloud; B4. God Knows I’n Good; B5. Memory of a Free Festival
1970-03-06 Sg (UK Mercury MF 1135): A. The
Prettiest Star; B. Conversation Piece
1970-11-04 LP THE MAN WHO SOLD THE WORLD (US Mercury SR 61325): A1. The Width of a Circle;
A2. All the Madmen; A3. Black Country Rock; A4. After All; B1. Running Gun
Blues; B2. Saviour Machine; B3. She Shook Me Cold; B4. The Man Who Sold the
World; B5. The Supermen (released with
another cover in UK – Mercury 6338.041 - in 1971, April 10)
1971-01-17 Sg (UK Mercury 6052049): A. Holy
Holy; B. Black Country Rock
1971-12-17 LP HUNKY DORY (UK RCA Victor SF 8244 / LSP 4623): A1. Changes;
A2. Oh! You Pretty Things; A3. Eight Line Poem; A4. Life on Mars?; A5. Kooks;
A6. Quicksand; B1. Fill Your Heart; B2. Andy Warhol; B3. Song for Bob Dylan; B4.
Queen Bitch; B5. The Bewlay Brothers
1972-04-14 Sg (UK RCA Victor RCA 2199): A.
Starman; B. Suffragette City
1972-06-06 LP THE RISE AND FALL OF ZIGGY STARDUST AND THE
SPIDERS FROM MARS (UK RCA Victor
SF 8287 / LSP 4702): A1. Five Years; A2. Soul Love; A3. Moonage Daydream; A4.
Starman; A5. It Ain’t Easy; B1. Lady Stardust; B2. Star; B3. Hang On to
Yourself; B4. Ziggy Sardust; B5. Suffragette City; B6. Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide
1972-09-01 Sg (UK RCA Victor RCA 2263): A.
John, I’m Only Dancing; B. Hang On to Yourself
1972-11-24 Sg (UK RCA Victor RCA 2302): A. The
Jean Genie; B. Ziggy Stardust
1973-04-06 Sg (UK RCA Victor RCA 2352): A.
Drive-In Saturday; B. Round and Round
1973-04-13 LP ALADDIN SANE (UK RCA Victor RS 1001 / LSP 4852): A1. Watch
That Man; A2. Aladdin Sane (1913-1938-197?); A3. Drive-In Saturday; A4. Panic
In Detroit; A5. Cracked Actor; B1. Time; B2. The Prettiest Star; B3. Let’s
Spend the Night Together; B4. The Jean Genie; B5. Lady Grinning Soul
1973-10-19 LP PIN UPS
(UK RCA Victor RS 1003): A1. Rosalyn; A2. Here Comes the Night; A3. I
Wish You Would; A4. See Emily Play; A5. Everyting’s Alright; A6. I Can’t
Explain; B1. Friday on My Mind; B2. Sorrow; B3. Don’t Bring Me Down; B4. Shapes
of Things; B5. Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere; B6. Where Have All the Good Times Gone
1974-04-24 LP DIAMOND DOGS (US RCA Victor APL 1-0576): A1. Future Legend;
A2. Diamond Dogs; A3. Sweet Thing; A4. Candidate; A5. Sweet Thing (reprise);
A6. Rebel Rebel; B1. Rock ‘n’ Roll With Me; B2. We Are the Dead; B3. 1984; B4.
Big Brother; B5. Chant of the Ever Circling Skeletal Family
1974-09-29 LP DAVID LIVE (UK RCA Victor APL 2-0771): A1. 1984; A2. Rebel
Rebel; A3. Moonage Daydream; A4. Sweet Thing; B1. Changes; B2. Suffragette
City; B3. Aladdin Sane; B4. All the Young Dudes; B5. Cracked Actor; C1. Rock
‘n’ Roll With Me; C2. Watch That Man; C3. Knock On Wood; C4. Diamond Dogs; D1.
Big Brother; D2. The Width of a Circle; D3. The Jean Genie; D4. Rock ‘n’ Roll
Suicide
1975-03-07 LP YOUNG AMERICANS (US RCA Victor APL 1-0998): A1. Young Americans;
A2. Win; A3. Fascination; A4. Right; B1. Somebody Up There Likes Me; B2. Across
the Universe; B3. Can You Hear Me; B4. Fame
1976-01-23 LP STATION TO STATION (UK RCA Victor APL 1327): A1. Station to Station;
A2. Golden Years; A3. Word on a Wing; B1. TVC15; B2. Stay; B3. Wild is the Wind
1977-01-14 LP LOW (UK
RCA Victor PL 12030): A1. Speed of Life; A2. Breaking Glass; A3. What in the
World; A4. Sound and Vision; A5. Always Crashing in the Same Car; A6. Be My
Wife; A7. A New Career in a New Town; B1. Warszawa; B2. Art Decade; B3. Weeping
Wall; B4. Subterraneans
1977-10-14 LP HEROES
(UK RCA Victor PL 12522): A1. Beauty and the Beast; A2. Joe the Lion;
A3. “Heroes”; A4. Sons of the Silent Age; A5. Blackout; B1. V-2 Schneider; B2.
Sense of Doubt; B3. Moss Garden; B4. Neukoln; B5. The Secret Life of Arabia
1978-09-08 LP STAGE (LIVE) (US RCA Victor CPL 2-2913): A1. Hang On to
Yourself; A2. Ziggy Stardust; A3. Five Years; A4. Soul Love; A5. Star; B1.
Station to Station; B2. Fame; B3. TVC 15; C1. Warszawa; C2. Speed of Life; C3.
Art Decade; C4. Sense of Doubt; C5. Breaking Glass; D1. “Heroes”; D2. What in
the World; D3. Blackout; D4. Beauty and the Beast
1979-05-18 LP LODGER
(UK RCA Victor BOW LP1): A1. Fantastic Voyage; A2. African Night Flight;
A3. Move On; A4. Yassassin; A5. Red Sails; B1. D.J.; B2. Look Back in Anger;
B3. Boys Keep Swinging; B4. Repetiton; B5. Red Money
1980-09-12 LP SCARY MONSTERS (AND SUPER CREEPS) (UK RCA Victor BOW LP2): A1. It’s No Game (Nº1);
A2. Up the Hill Backwards; A3. Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps); A4. Ashes to
Ashes; A5. Fashion; B1. Teenage Wildlife; B2. Scream Like a Baby; B3. Kingdom
Come; B4. Because You’re Young; B5. It’s No Game (Nº 2)
1983-04-14 LP LET’S DANCE (UK EMI America AML 3029): A1. Modern Love; A2.
China Girl; A3. Let’s Dance; A4. Without You; B1. Ricochet; B2. Criminal World;
B3. Cat People (Putting Out Fire); B4. Shake It
1983-10 LP ZIGGY STARDUST: THE MOTION PICTURE (LIVE) (US RCA Victor CPL 2-4862): A1. Hang On to
Yourself; A2. Ziggy Stardust; A3. Watch That Man; A4. Medley: Wild Eyed Boy
from Freecloud-All the Young Dudes-Oh! You Pretty Things; B1. Moonage Daydream;
B2. Space Oddity; B3. My Death; C1. Cracked Actor; C2. Time; C3. Width of a
Circle; D1. Changes; D2. Let’s Spend the Night Together; D3. Suffragette City;
D4. White Light/White Heat; D5. Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide
1984-09-24 LP TONIGHT
(UK EMI America DB1): A1. Loving the Alien; A2. Don’t Look Down; A3. God
Only Knows; a4. Tonight; B1. Neighborhood Threat; B2. Blue Jean; B3. Tumble and
Twirl; B4. I Keep Forgetting; B5. Dancing With the Big Boys
1986-06-23 LP LABYRINTH (with Trevor Jones) (UK EMI America AML 3104): A1. Opening Titles
Including Underground; A2. Into the Labyrinth; A3. Magic Dance; A4. Sarah; A5.
Chilly Down; A6. Hallucination; B1. As the World Falls Down; B2. Goblin Battle;
B3. Within You; B4. Thirteen O’Clock; B5. Home at Last; B6. Underground
1987-04-27 LP NEVER LET ME DOWN (US EMI America PJ 17267): A1. Day-In Day-Out;
A2. Time Will Crawl; A3. Beat of Your Drum; A4. Never Let Me Down; A5. Zeroes;
B1. Glass Spider; B2. Shinning Star (Makin’ My Love); B3. New York’s In Love;
B4. ’87 and Cry; B5. Too Dizzy; B6. Bang Bang
1993-04-05 CD BLACK TIE WHITE NOISE (US Savage 74786-50212-2): 1. The Wedding; 2.
You’ve Been Around; 3. I Feel Free; 4. Black Tie White Noise; 5. Jump They Say;
6. Nite Flights; 7. Pallas Athena; 8. Miracle Goodnight; 9. Don’t Let Me Down
& Down; 10. Looking for Lester; 11. I Know It’s Gonna Happen Someday; 12.
The Wedding Song
1993-11-08 CD THE BUDDHA OF SUBURBIA (US Virgin 7243.8.40988.2.7): 1. Buddha of
Suburbia; 2. Sex and the Church; 3. South Horizon; 4. The Mysteries; 5. Bleed
Like a Craze, Dad; 6. Strangers When We Meet; 7. Dead Against It; 8. Untitled
Nº 1; 9. Ian Fish U.K. Heir
1994-04-15 CD SANTA MONICA ’72 (Archival LIVE) (UK MainMan GY002): 1. Intro; 2. Hang On to
Yourself; 3. Ziggy Stardust; 4. Changes; 5. The Supermen; 6. Life on Mars?; 7.
Five Years; 8. Space Oddity; 9. Andy Warhol; 10. My Death; 11. The Width of a
Circle; 12. Queen Bitch; 13. Moonage Daydream; 14. John, I’m Only Dancing; 15.
Waiting for the Man; 16. The Jean Genie; 17. Suffragette City; 18. Rock ‘n’
Roll Suicide
1995-09-26 CD 1.OUTSIDE (US Virgin 7243.8.40711.2.7): 1. Leon Takes Us Outside; 2.
Outside; 3. The Hearts Filthy Lesson; 4. A Small Plot of Land; 5. Segue-Baby
Grace (A Horrid Cassette); 6. Hallo Spaceboy; 7. The Motel; 8. I Have Not Been
to Oxford Town; 9. No Control; 10. Segue-Algeria Touchshriek; 11. The Voyeur of
Utter Destruction (As Beauty); 12. Segue-Ramona A. Stone / I Am With Name; 13.
Wishful Beginnings; 14. We Prick You; 15. Segue-Nathan Adler; 16. I’m Deranged;
17. Thru’ These Architects Eyes; 18. Segue-Nathan Adler; 19. Strangers When We
Meet
1997-02-03 CD EARTHLING (UK Arista 7432143077.2): 1. Little Wonder; 2. Looking for
Satellites; 3. Battle for Britain (The Letter); 4. Seven Years in Tibet; 5.
Dead Man Walking; 6. Telling Lies; 7. The Last Thing You Should Do; 8. I’m
Afraid of Americans; 9. Law (Earthlings on Fire)
1999-10-05 CD ‘HOURS…’
(EU Virgin 7243.8.48157.2.1): 1. Thursday’s Child; 2. Something in the
Air; 3. Survive; 4. If I’m Dreaming My Life; 5. Seven; 6. What’s Really
Happening?; 7. The Pretty Things Are Going to Hell; 8. New Angels of Promise;
9. Brilliant Adventure; 10. The Dreamers
2000-09 CD BOWIE AT THE BEEB: THE BEST OF THE BBC
RADIO SESSIONS 68-72 (Archival LIVE) (UK EMI 7243.528629.2.4 / 528958.2.3):
1.1. In the Heat of the Morning; 1.2. Londo Bye Ta Ta; 1.3. Karma Man; 1.4.
Silly Boy Blue; 1.5. Let Me Sleep Beside You; 1.6. Janine; 1.7. Amsterdam; 1.8.
God Knows I’m Good; 1.9. The Width of a Circle; 1.10. Unwashed and Somewhat
Slightly Dazed; 1.11. Cygnet Committee; 1.12. Memory of a Free Festival; 1.13.
Wild Eyed Boy From Freecloud; 1.14. Bombers; 1.15. Looking for a Friend; 1.16.
Almost Grown; 1.17. Kooks; 1.18. It Ain’t Easy; 2.1. The Supermen; 2.2. Eight
Line Poem; 2.3. Hang On to Yourself; 2.4. Ziggy Stardust; 2.5. Queen Bitch;
2.6. I’m Waiting for the Man; 2.7. Five Years; 2.8. White Light White Heat; 2.9
Moonage Daydream; 2.10. Hang On to Yourself; 2.11. Suffragette City; 2.12.
Ziggy Stardust; 2.13. Starman; 2.14. Space Oddity; 2.15. Changes; 2.16. Oh! You
Pretty Things; 2.17. Andy Warhol; 2.18. Lady Stardust; 2.19. Rock ‘n’ Roll
Suicide; Extra Disc (BBC RADIO
THEATRE, LONDON, JUNE 27, 2000): 3.1. Wild Is the Wind; 3.2. Ashes to Ashes; 3.3.
Seven; 3.4. This Is Not America; 3.5. Absolute Beginners; 3.6. Always Crashing
in the Same Car; 3.7. Survive; 3.8. Little Wonder; 3.9. The Man Who Sold the
World; 3.10. Fame; 3.11. Stay; 3.12. Hallo Spaceboy; 3.13. Cracked Actor; 3.14.
I’m Afraid of Americans; 3.15. Let’s Dance
2002-06-11 CD HEATHEN
(US Columbia CK 86630): 1. Sunday; 2. Cactus; 3. Slip Away; 4. Slow
Burn; 5. Afraid; 6. I’ve Been Waiting for You; 7. I Would Be Your Slave; 8. I
Took a Trip on a Gemini Spaceship; 9. 5.15 The Angels Have Gone; 10. Everyone
Says ‘Hi’; 11. A Better Future; 12. Heathen (The Rays)
2003-09-15 CD REALITY
(US Columbia CK 90576): 1. New Killer Star; 2. Pablo Picasso; 3. Never
Get Old; 4. The Loneliest Guy; 5. Looking for Water; 6. She’ll Drive the Big
Car; 7. Days; 8. Fall Dog Bombs the Moon; 9. Try Some, Buy Some; 10. Reality;
11. Bring Me the Disco Kid
2010-01-26 CD A REALITY TOUR (LIVE) (US Columbia 88697588272): 1.1. Rebel Rebel; 1.2.
New Killer Star; 1.3. Reality; 1.4. Fame; 1.5. Cactus; 1.6. Sister Midnight;
1.7. Afraid; 1.8. All the Young Dudes; 1.9. Be My Wife; 1.10. The Loneliest
Guy; 1.11. The Man Who Sold the World; 1.12. Fantastic Voyage; 1.13. Hallo
Spaceboy; 1.14. Sunday; 1.15. Under Pressure; 1.16. Life on Mars?; 1.17. Battle
for Britain (The Letter); 2.1. Ashes to Ashes; 2.2. The Motel; 2.3. Loving the
Alien; 2.4. Never Get Old; 2.5. Changes; 2.6. I’m Afraid of Americans; 2.7. “Heroes”;
2.8. Bring Me the Disco Kid; 2.9. Slip Away; 2.10. Heathen (The Rays); 2.11.
Five Years; 2.12. Hang On to Yourself; 2.13. Ziggy Stardust; 2.14. Fall Dog
Bombs the Moon; 2.15. Breaking Glass; 2.16. China Girl
2013-03-11 CD THE NEXT DAY (US ISO 88765.46186.2): 1. The Next Day; 2. Dirty
Boys; 3. The Stars (Are Out Tonight); 4. Love Is Lost; 5. Where Are We Now?; 6.
Valentine’s Day; 7. If You Can See Me; 8. I’d Rather Be High; 9. Boss of Me;
10. Dancing Out in Space; 11. How Does the Grass Grow?; 12. (You Will) Set the
World on Fire; 13. You Feel So Lonely You Could Die; 14. Heat
2016-01-08 CD [BLACKSTAR] (US ISO 88875173852): 1. [Blackstar]; 2. ‘Tis a
Pity She Was a Whore; 3. Lazarus; 4. Sue (Or In a Season of Crime); 5. Girl
Loves Me; 6. Dollar Days; 7. I Can’t Give Everything Away
2017-02-10 CD LIVE NASSAU COLISEUM ‘76 (US Parlophone RP2-558572): 1.1. Station to
Station; 1.2. Suffragette City; 1.3. Fame; 1.4. Word on a Wing; 1.5. Stay; 1.6.
Waiting for the Man; 1.7. Queen Bitch; 2.1. Life on Mars?; 2.2. Five Years;
2.3. Panic in Detroit; 2.4. Changes; 2.5. TVC15; 2.6. Diamond Dogs; 2.7. Rebel
Rebel; 2.8. The Jean Genie
