David Bowie Songbook - The Album

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A collection of Bowie covers from famous groups. Thanks to Eric Slim for this information, Eric Castaing for the album scan, and Tony Paknadel for additional correction.

Songs (Time)

All songs written by David Bowie, except "Heroes" by Bowie/Eno, and China Girl by Bowie/Pop.

1. "Heroes" by Blondie
2. Space Oddity by The Flying Pickets
3. The Man Who Sold The World by Midge Ure
4. Kooks by Danny Wilson
5. Ziggy Stardust by Bauhaus
6. Rock 'N Roll Suicide by Tony Hadley
7. John I'm Only Dancing by Polecats
8. All The Young Dudes by Mott The Hoople
9. Watch That Man by Lulu
10. Rebel Rebel by Sigue Sigue Sputnik
11. Fame by Duran Duran
12. The Secret Life Of Arabia by Billy MacKenzie
13. Boys Keep Swinging by Susannah Hoffs
14. Ashes To Ashes by Tears For Fears
15. China Girl by Iggy Pop
16. Silver Treetop School For Boys by BeatStalkers
17. Over The Wall We Go by Oscar

Release details

Released by Connoisseur Collection

Catalogue number: VSOP-CD-236 (England 1997)

Trivia

• Here are the details on the individual covers:

  Heroes: Blondie

  Originally released on the flipside of Blondie's 1980 #1 UK hit "Atomic" in 1980, this live version has a guest-appearance from guitarist Robert Fripp!!

  Space Oddity: The Flying Pickets

  This very clever version from the gobsmackingly brilliant accapela combo The Flying Pickets can be found on their album "Live At The Albany Empire" from 1983.

  The Man Who Sold The World: Midge Ure

  The Ultravox-frontman Midge Ure contributed this version to the soundtrack for the film Party Party in 1982. It was later rereleased this fabulous version in 1990 on the flipside of the 1985-reissue single "If I Was".

  Kooks: Danny Wilson

  The late eighties-group Danny Wilson released their version of Kooks as the b-side of their first UK Top 3 single "Mary's Prayer" in 1988.

  Ziggy Stardust: Bauhaus

  This version was a UK Top 20 single for Bauhaus in 1982, and the group's biggest ever hit.

  Rock 'N Roll Suicide: Tony Hadley

  The Spandau Ballet vocalist recorded this version in 1992.

  John I'm Only Dancing: Polecats

  Magnificent Top 40 single by the rockabilly group Polecats from 1981, produced by Dave Edmunds

  All The Young Dudes: Mott The Hoople

  The well-known Top 3 hit from Mott The Hoople in 1972, offered by Bowie to the man and also produced by him.

  Watch That Man: Lulu

  Lulu's hit-version of "The Man Who Sold The World" is not presented on this discs, but the b-side is; recorded with the Aladdin Sane session band include Bowie himself on saxophone and backing vocals!

  Rebel Rebel: Sigue Sigue Sputnik

  Recorded by the briefly infamous Sigue Sigue Sputnik, the group launched by ex-Generation X member Tony James. The SSS version was included on their less than commercially succesful 1990 album "The First Generation".

  Fame: Duran Duran

  Duran Duran released this version as the b-side of their 1981 hit single "Careless Memories".

  Secret Life Of Arabia: Billy MacKenzie

  This version was covered in 1981 by BEF (short for British Electric Foundation, a spin-off of the group Heaven 17, who were themselves a spin-off of The Human League) on their ambitious "Music Of Quality & Distinction" album, on which numerous guest stars were invited to participate vocally; Billy MacKenzie, then of The Associates, was chosen for "Secret Life Of Arabia"

  Boys Keep Swinging: Susannah Hoffs

  This song is covered by Susannah Hoffs, ex-member of the well-known Bangles, on her 1991 solo album.

  Ashes To Ashes: Tears For Fears

  This was originally recorded as a contribution to a c ompilation double cassette avilable through the British music weekly paper NME, to celebrate its fortieth anniversary. The tape, named RUBY TRAX, comprised specially recorded covers of former British #1 records by a whole host of various artists. Subsequently, Tears for Fears released it as a B-side in 1992.

  China Girl: Iggy Pop

  The legendary (original) version of Iggy Pop, admired by Bowie, who helped Iggy to record the song for his 1977 album "The Idiot"

  Silver Treetop School For Boys: BeatStalkers

  The Beatstalkers, managed by Ken Pitt at the same moment as Bowie, recorded 3 Bowie cover-versions; the version of "Silver Treetop" was released as a single in 1967.

  Over The Wall We Go: Oscar

  Oscar's version of "Over The Wall We Go', released as a single in 1967, was a somewhat tongue-in-cheek anti-establishment item, on which Bowie himself can be heard as backing vocalist.

This document last updated Thursday, 05-Dec-2002 05:00:55 EST