David Bowie’s Top 10 Songs
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After the death of superstar David Bowie, it would be a crime not to list off some of his most popular songs from his decades in music. He has a roster of nearly 30 studio albums, nine live albums, and over 100 singles.
Young Americans
The title song of his 1975 album, Young Americans brought up some touchy American issues, but despite this managed to reach the top ten spot in the country. The song took two days to record, and Bowie said that the song was about ‘the predicament of two newlyweds’.
Under Pressure
Recorded in 1981, Under Pressure saw Bowie and opera-rock band Queen collaborate for the first time, and was later added to Queen’s 1982 album Hot Space. The band also continued to play the song at every Queen concert from the beginning of their touring career to its end in 1986.
Starman
One of the oldest songs on the list, recorded on 4th of February 1972, it was released as a single in April of the same year. The song was a late addition to the album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, and replaced the Chuck Berry cover Round and Round.
Ashes to Ashes
Described by Bowie himself as a way to ‘wrap up the seventies’, the song was described as a ‘nursery rhyme for the 80s and 90s’. The music video was once the most expensive of the time, costing £250,000, and it was voted the best music video of 1980.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMThz7eQ6K0
Fashion
Second single from the album Scary Monsters and Super Creeps, Fashion was noted for its emotionally vacant effect and the use of harsh, mechanical riffs to accompany the funk and reggae feel. The music video was also voted alongside Ashes to Ashes as the best video of 1980.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GA27aQZCQMk
Ziggy Stardust
Another hit from his fifth studio album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. The track is ranked on the Rolling Stone’s list of 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. The song was recorded in November of 1971, and has been released and re-released many times over the last few decades.
All the Young Dudes
Written by Bowie, this song was recorded by Mott the Hoople and released in 1972. This glam rock anthem has been performed many times by Bowie and many other glam rock artists. In 1992, twenty years after initial release, Bowie performed the song again with the surviving members of Queen, Mick Ronson and Def Leppard’s Joe Elliot at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert.
The Little Drummer Boy/Peace on Earth
A Christmas song, given its own twist from Bowie and Bing Crosby. The Little Drummer Boy itself was recorded and written in 1941, and the Peace on Earth parts were recorded and written by Bowie to accompany the song especially for Crosby and Bowie’s recording.
Modern Love
The first track on his album Let’s Dance, which was released in 1983, was inspired by Little Richard, and the album is said to be about the struggle between God and man. The single reached number two in the UK charts and 14 in the US Billboard Hot 100.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hDbpF4Mvkw
Heroes
Revered as one of his signature songs, after a somewhat slow start in 1977, it is his most covered song apart from Rebel Rebel. It was the lead track on Peter Gabriel’s 2010 covers album, Scratch My Back, and Bowie’s performance in Berlin on June 6th 1987 was said to be the catalyst to the fall of the Berlin Wall two years later.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBuwC4VJi50
Few artists could ever hope to have the same impact as David Bowie did. From his many albums and singles, to his performances in film, he will surely be missed in music, and be used as an inspiration to countless artists worldwide.