Starman (song)

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"Starman"
Single by David Bowie
from the album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
B-side(s)	"Suffragette City"
Released	14 April 1972
Format	7" single
Recorded	Trident Studios, London 3 January 1972
Genre	Glam rock
Length	4:16
Label	RCA Records 2199
Producer(s)	David Bowie, Ken Scott
Chart positions
#10 (UK)
David Bowie singles chronology
"Changes" (1971)	"Starman" (1972)	"John, I’m Only Dancing" (1972)
The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars track listing
Side one "Five Years" "Soul Love" "Moonage Daydream" "Starman" "It Ain't Easy" Side two "Lady Stardust" "Star" "Hang on to Yourself" "Ziggy Stardust" "Suffragette City" "Rock 'n' Roll Suicide"

"Starman" is a single by David Bowie, released in April 1972. The song was a late addition to The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, included at the insistence of RCA’s Dennis Katz, who heard a demo and loved the track, believing it would make a great single.^[1] It replaced the Chuck Berry cover "Round and Round" on the album.^[2]

Contents 1 Music and lyrics 2 Release and aftermath 3 Track listing 4 Production credits 5 Other releases 6 Cover versions 7 Appearances in popular culture 8 Notes 9 References

[edit] Music and lyrics

The lyrics describe Ziggy Stardust bringing a message of hope to Earth's youth through the radio, salvation by an alien 'Starman'. The story is told from the point of view of one of the youths who hears Ziggy. According to Bowie himself, speaking to William S. Burroughs for Rolling Stone magazine in 1973, Ziggy Stardust is not the Starman but merely his earthly messenger – contrary to received opinion which often paints Ziggy as an extraterrestrial.^[2] The song has inspired interpretations ranging from an allusion to the Second Coming of Christ,^[3] to an accurate prediction of the plot for the film Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977).^[4]

The music is in a gentle pop rock vein, featuring prominent acoustic guitar and a string arrangement by Mick Ronson, not dissimilar to the style of Bowie's previous album Hunky Dory (1971). The chorus is loosely based on Judy Garland's song "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" from the film The Wizard of Oz. Other influences cited for the track are the T. Rex songs "Telegram Sam" and "Hot Love" (the "boogie" references and "la la la" chorus) and The Supremes' "You Keep Me Hangin' On" (the morse code-esque guitar and piano breaks).^[1]

[edit] Release and aftermath

The single initially sold steadily rather than spectacularly but earned many positive reviews, John Peel for example calling it "a classic, a gem".^[5] Its turning point came when Bowie scored a place on Top of the Pops in July 1972. His performance with the Spiders became famous; according to author David Buckley, "Many fans date their conversion to all things Bowie to this Top of the Pops appearance".^[3] It embedded Ziggy Stardust in the nation’s consciousness, helping push "Starman" to #10 and the album, released the previous month, to #5. The single remained in the UK charts for 11 weeks. In the US it peaked at #65.

From a commercial point of view, "Starman" was a milestone in Bowie’s career. It was his first hit since 1969's "Space Oddity" almost three years before. NME critics Roy Carr and Charles Shaar Murray reported that "many thought it was his first record since 'Space Oddity'",^[6] and assumed that it was a sequel to the earlier single.

In February 1999, Q magazine listed the single as one of the 100 greatest singles of all time, as voted by readers.

[edit] Track listing

1. "Starman" (Bowie) – 4:16
2. "Suffragette City" (Bowie) – 3:25

The Portuguese release of the single had "John, I'm Only Dancing" and "Hang on to Yourself" as additional B-sides.

[edit] Production credits

• Producers:
  • Ken Scott

• Musicians:
  • David Bowie: vocals, guitar
  • Mick Ronson: guitar
  • Trevor Bolder: bass
  • Mick Woodmansey: drums

[edit] Other releases

• The Italian release of "John, I'm Only Dancing" from September 1972 used "Starman" as the B-side.
• It appeared on numerous compilations:
  • The Best of David Bowie (Japan 1974)
  • Best of Bowie (1980)
  • Chameleon (Australia & New Zealand 1979)
  • ChangesTwoBowie (1981)
  • Fame and Fashion - David Bowie's All Time Greatest Hits (1984)
  • Starman (Russia 1989)
  • The Singles Collection (1993)
  • The Best of 1969/1974 (1997)

[edit] Cover versions

• 10,000 Maniacs - Single (1992)
• Birth Marc - Ashes to Ashes: A Tribute to David Bowie (1998)
• Culture Club - Live recording, Culture anthology album and Don't Mind if I Do (1999)
• Dan - Single (1996)
• The Diamonds - Million Copy Hit Songs Made Famous By Elton John & David Bowie
• Joe Dolan - 21st Century Joe
• Bob Downe - Greatest Hits
• The Glitter Band - Wham Bam, Thank You Glam (1996)
• Tomoyasu Hotei - Guitarhythm 2
• Seu Jorge - Portuguese version for the film The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004)
• Mates of State
• Nosferatu - Goth Oddity - A Tribute to David Bowie (1999)
• The Rockridge Synthesiser Orchestra - Plays David Bowie Classic Trax
• Slackdaddy - Loving the Alien: Athens Georgia Salutes David Bowie
• Dar Williams - Web release
• Leningrad Cowboys - Zombie's Paradise
• Magni Asgeirsson - Rock Star: Supernova (2006)
• Boy Eats Drum Machine - Bonus digital-only track on Bridging the Distance: a Portland, OR covers compilation
• Of Montreal - on their 2007 tour
• Nenhum de Nós - Portuguese version called as Astronauta de Mármore

[edit] Appearances in popular culture

• The last episode of Top of the Pops, broadcast on 30 July 2006, featured the 1972 clip of Bowie singing the song.

• The song was used in "Random Shoes", an episode of Torchwood in 2006.

• The song was also used in the television show Life on Mars

[edit] Notes

[edit] References

Pegg, Nicholas, The Complete David Bowie, Reynolds & Hearn Ltd, 2000, ISBN 1-903111-14-5