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David Bowie - Space Oddity (Ryko) (1969)

Track listing:
  1. Space Oddity 5:18
  2. Unwashed And Somewhat Slightly Dazed 6:13
  3. Don't Sit Down 0:43
  4. Letter To Hermione 2:34
  5. Cygnet Committee 9:35
  6. Janine 3:23
  7. An Occasional Dream 3:00
  8. Wild Eyed Boy From Freecloud 4:51
  9. God Knows I'm Good 3:20
  10. Memory Of A Free Festival 7:14
  11. Conversation Piece (B-side of 'Prettiest Star' - 1970) 3:08
  12. Memory Of A Free Festival Part 1 (Single Version - 1970) 4:02
  13. Memory Of A Free Festival Part 2 (Single Version - 1970) 3:32

Notes


Originally released as Man of Words/Man of Music, Space Oddity was David Bowie's first successful reinvention of himself. Abandoning both the mod and Anthony Newley fascinations that marked his earlier recordings, Bowie delves into a lightly psychedelic folk-rock, exemplified by the album's soaring title track. Bowie actually attempts a variety of styles on Space Oddity, as if he were trying to find the ones that suited him best. As such, the record isn't very cohesive, but it is charming, especially in light of his later records. Nevertheless, only "Wild Eyed Boy From Freecloud" and "Memory of a Free Festival" rank as Bowie classics, and even those lack the hooks or purpose of "Space Oddity."