"Moonage Daydream" is a song by English singer-songwriter
David Bowie
David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer-songwriter and actor. A leading figure in the music industry, he is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the ...
. It was originally recorded in February 1971 at
Radio Luxembourg
Radio Luxembourg was a multilingual commercial broadcaster in Luxembourg. It is known in most non-English languages as RTL (for Radio Television Luxembourg).
The English-language service of Radio Luxembourg began in 1933 as one of the earlies ...
's studios in London and released as a single by his short-lived band
Arnold Corns
Arnold Corns was a band, formed by David Bowie in 1971, the name of which was inspired by the Pink Floyd song "Arnold Layne".
History
This was one of Bowie’s side projects and something of a dry run for '' Ziggy Stardust''. The band was forme ...
in May 1971 on
B&C Records
B&C Records (which stood for Beat & Commercial) was a British record label run by Trojan Records' owner, Lee Gopthal. It existed primarily between May 1969 and September 1972.
In 1971, the progressive and folk artists that were still signed t ...
. Bowie subsequently re-recorded the song later that year with his backing band
the Spiders from Mars
The Spiders from Mars were rock singer David Bowie's backing band in the early 1970s, and initially consisted of Mick Ronson on guitars, Trevor Bolder on bass guitar, and Mick Woodmansey on drums.
The group had its origins in Bowie's earlier ba ...
—comprising
Mick Ronson
Michael Ronson (26 May 1946 – 29 April 1993) was an English musician, songwriter, arranger, and producer. He achieved critical and commercial success working with David Bowie as the guitarist of the Spiders from Mars. He was a session music ...
,
Trevor Bolder
Trevor Bolder (9 June 1950 – 21 May 2013) was an English rock musician, songwriter and record producer. He is best known for his long association with Uriah Heep and his tenure with the Spiders from Mars, the backing band for David Bowie, a ...
and
Mick Woodmansey
Michael "Woody" Woodmansey (born 4 February 1950) is an English rock drummer best known for his work in the early 1970s as a member of David Bowie's core backing ensemble that became known as the Spiders from Mars in conjunction with the relea ...
—for release on his 1972 album ''
The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
''The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars'' (often shortened to ''Ziggy Stardust'') is the fifth studio album by English musician David Bowie, released on 16June 1972 in the United Kingdom through RCA Records. It was co-pr ...
''. The re-recording was co-produced by
Ken Scott
Ken Scott (born 20 April 1947) is a British record producer and engineer known for being one of the five main engineers for the Beatles, as well as engineering Elton John, Pink Floyd, Procol Harum, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Duran Duran, the Jef ...
and recorded at
Trident Studios
Trident Studios was a British recording facility, located at 17 St Anne's Court in London's Soho district between 1968 and 1981. It was constructed in 1967 by Norman Sheffield, drummer of the 1960s group the Hunters, and his brother Barry.
...
in London in November 1971. The re-recording is a
glam rock
Glam rock is a style of rock music that developed in the United Kingdom in the early 1970s and was performed by musicians who wore outrageous costumes, makeup, and hairstyles, particularly platform shoes and glitter. Glam artists drew on diver ...
song that uses melodic and harmonic hooks, as well as percussion and guitar influenced by
heavy metal. On the album, the song directly introduces the character Ziggy Stardust, who describes himself as a
bisexual
Bisexuality is a romantic or sexual attraction or behavior toward both males and females, or to more than one gender. It may also be defined to include romantic or sexual attraction to people regardless of their sex or gender identity, whi ...
alien rock superstar who will save the Earth from the impending disaster described in the opening track "
Five Years". It features saxophone played by Bowie and a guitar solo and string arrangement by Ronson.
Since its release, "Moonage Daydream" has received critical acclaim, with many deeming Ronson's guitar work its clear standout. Retrospectively, it has been named one of Bowie's greatest songs. He played it in concert throughout 1972–73 on the
Ziggy Stardust Tour
The Ziggy Stardust Tour was a concert tour by David Bowie during 1972–73, to promote the studio albums ''Hunky Dory'', ''The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars'' and '' Aladdin Sane''. Bowie was accompanied by his backi ...
and on later tours. The ''Ziggy'' recording has since appeared on multiple
compilation album
A compilation album comprises Album#Tracks, tracks, which may be previously released or unreleased, usually from several separate recordings by either one or several Performing arts#Performers, performers. If by one artist, then generally the tr ...
s and in the 2014 film ''
Guardians of the Galaxy
The Guardians of the Galaxy is a fictional superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
It may more specifically refer to:
Comic book teams
* Guardians of the Galaxy (1969 team), the original 31st-century team fr ...
'', while the Arnold Corns' recording has appeared on reissues of ''
The Man Who Sold the World'' (1970) and ''Ziggy Stardust''. The ''Ziggy'' recording has been remastered multiple times, including in 2012, which was subsequently included as part of the ''
Five Years (1969–1973)
''Five Years (1969–1973)'' is a box set by English singer-songwriter David Bowie, released in September 2015. The period of Bowie's career from 1969 to 1973 is summarised over twelve discs and thirteen LPs. Exclusive to the box sets is ''R ...
'' box set in 2015, along with the Arnold Corns' recording.
Composition and recording
"Moonage Daydream" was written during Bowie's US promotional tour in early February 1971. After the tour Bowie formed a short-lived band,
Arnold Corns
Arnold Corns was a band, formed by David Bowie in 1971, the name of which was inspired by the Pink Floyd song "Arnold Layne".
History
This was one of Bowie’s side projects and something of a dry run for '' Ziggy Stardust''. The band was forme ...
, named after the
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd are an English rock band formed in London in 1965. Gaining an early following as one of the first British psychedelic music, psychedelic groups, they were distinguished by their extended compositions, sonic experimentation, philo ...
song "
Arnold Layne
"Arnold Layne" is a song by English rock band Pink Floyd. Released on 10 March 1967, it was the band's first single release. It was written by Syd Barrett.
Lyrics
The song's title character is a transvestite whose strange hobby is stealing wo ...
". Led by Bowie, the band consisted of guitarist Mark Carr-Pritchard, bassist Peter DeSomogyi and drummer Tim Broadbent, who were known previously as a trio called Rungk. Arnold Corns recorded "Moonage Daydream" and "
Hang On to Yourself" on 25 February 1971 at
Radio Luxembourg
Radio Luxembourg was a multilingual commercial broadcaster in Luxembourg. It is known in most non-English languages as RTL (for Radio Television Luxembourg).
The English-language service of Radio Luxembourg began in 1933 as one of the earlies ...
's studios in London. Bowie later hired openly gay dress designer Freddie Burretti, for whom he wrote "Moonage Daydream", to be the group's frontman. Although credited as a vocalist, Burretti did not appear on either recordings.
Biographer
Peter Doggett
Peter Doggett (born 30 June 1957) is an English music journalist, author and magazine editor. He began his career in music journalism in 1980, when he joined the London-based magazine ''Record Collector''. He subsequently served as the editor t ...
wrote the original version had a "playful science-fiction-inspired chorus, two nondescript verses with a single memorable line, and an arrangement that not only racked his voice like a martyr under the Inquisition but virtually defined the word 'shambolic'." According to biographer
Nicholas Pegg
Nicholas Pegg is a British actor, writer and director. Educated at Nottingham High School and graduating with a Master of Arts in English Literature from the University of Exeter, Pegg subsequently trained at the Guildford School of Acting.
Acti ...
, the Corns' version lacks the "lightness of touch" of the second. Like Doggett, Pegg criticises the recording's arrangement and Bowie's vocal, calling it a "strained attempt" at an American
rock'n'roll vocal, along with an additional "come on, you mothers!" lyric. According to
Marc Spitz
Marc Spitz (October 2, 1969 – February 4, 2017) was an American music journalist, author and playwright. Spitz's writings on rock and roll and popular culture appeared in ''Spin'' (where he was a Senior Writer) as well as ''The New York Times' ...
, the Corns' version is melodically the same as the ''Ziggy'' version, but with a slightly different chorus. Doggett believes that had the track and "Hang On to Yourself" not been re-recorded for ''Ziggy Stardust'', they would have been forgotten. Author Kevin Cann writes that once the lyrics were revised and "given the Ziggy treatment", it became a "glittering glam gem" in the context of the album.
Bowie re-recorded "Moonage Daydream" on 12 November 1971 at
Trident Studios
Trident Studios was a British recording facility, located at 17 St Anne's Court in London's Soho district between 1968 and 1981. It was constructed in 1967 by Norman Sheffield, drummer of the 1960s group the Hunters, and his brother Barry.
...
in London for inclusion on ''
The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
''The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars'' (often shortened to ''Ziggy Stardust'') is the fifth studio album by English musician David Bowie, released on 16June 1972 in the United Kingdom through RCA Records. It was co-pr ...
''. Co-produced by
Ken Scott
Ken Scott (born 20 April 1947) is a British record producer and engineer known for being one of the five main engineers for the Beatles, as well as engineering Elton John, Pink Floyd, Procol Harum, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Duran Duran, the Jef ...
, the lineup consisted of Bowie's backing band known as
the Spiders from Mars
The Spiders from Mars were rock singer David Bowie's backing band in the early 1970s, and initially consisted of Mick Ronson on guitars, Trevor Bolder on bass guitar, and Mick Woodmansey on drums.
The group had its origins in Bowie's earlier ba ...
—comprising guitarist
Mick Ronson
Michael Ronson (26 May 1946 – 29 April 1993) was an English musician, songwriter, arranger, and producer. He achieved critical and commercial success working with David Bowie as the guitarist of the Spiders from Mars. He was a session music ...
, bassist
Trevor Bolder
Trevor Bolder (9 June 1950 – 21 May 2013) was an English rock musician, songwriter and record producer. He is best known for his long association with Uriah Heep and his tenure with the Spiders from Mars, the backing band for David Bowie, a ...
and drummer
Mick Woodmansey
Michael "Woody" Woodmansey (born 4 February 1950) is an English rock drummer best known for his work in the early 1970s as a member of David Bowie's core backing ensemble that became known as the Spiders from Mars in conjunction with the relea ...
.
The group recorded the track in two takes, as well as "
Soul Love
"Soul Love" is a song by English singer-songwriter David Bowie, released on his 1972 album ''The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars'' by RCA Records. Co-produced by Bowie and Ken Scott, it features Bowie's backing band know ...
", "
Lady Stardust
"Lady Stardust" is a song written by English singer-songwriter David Bowie that appeared on the album ''The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars'' (1972). Co-produced by Ken Scott, Bowie recorded it with his backing band the S ...
" and a re-recording of ''
The Man Who Sold the World'' (1970) track "
The Supermen
"The Supermen" is a song written by English singer-songwriter David Bowie in 1970 and released as the closing track on the album '' The Man Who Sold the World''. It was one of a number of pieces on the album inspired by the works of literary figur ...
" during the session. The re-recording, like its parent album, is a
glam rock
Glam rock is a style of rock music that developed in the United Kingdom in the early 1970s and was performed by musicians who wore outrageous costumes, makeup, and hairstyles, particularly platform shoes and glitter. Glam artists drew on diver ...
song that uses melodic and harmonic hooks, as well as percussion and guitar influenced by
heavy metal. Doggett states that after learning from the "vocal agonies" of the Corns' recording, the Spiders decided to record the song three semitones lower than before.
Ronson begins the song on guitar with a D chord that has been described as an "avalanche", a "pile-driver", and an "opening thunderbolt" that is Ronson's "declaration of intent". Pegg writes that the chord "cuts across the fade-out" of "
Soul Love
"Soul Love" is a song by English singer-songwriter David Bowie, released on his 1972 album ''The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars'' by RCA Records. Co-produced by Bowie and Ken Scott, it features Bowie's backing band know ...
" taking the listener "into the morass of sleazy sex and surreal science fiction that occupies the album's heart." After a short pause, Bowie begins his vocal, which Doggett believes sounds far better than the "metallic rasp" of his 1970 recordings. Bowie plays a saxophone and a
pennywhistle
The tin whistle, also called the penny whistle, is a simple six-holed woodwind instrument. It is a type of fipple flute, putting it in the same class as the recorder, Native American flute, and other woodwind instruments that meet such criteria. ...
during Ronson's solo, which are inspired by
the Hollywood Argyles
The Hollywood Argyles were an American musical ensemble, assembled for studio recordings by the producer and songwriter Kim Fowley and his friend and fellow musician Gary S. Paxton. They had a US number one hit record, "Alley Oop" (Lute Records 5 ...
' 1960 song "Sho Know a Lot About Love"; Bowie recalled in 2003 that he thought the combination of sax and piccolo was "a great thing to put in a rock song".
Ronson's guitar solo was mostly improvised after Bowie had conveyed the mood he wanted using an unconventional method. Bowie later recalled in his 2002 book ''Moonage Daydream'' that he would use a crayon or felt-tip pen to draw the "shape" of a solo. This song's solo began as a flat line that became "a fat megaphone type shape" and ended as "sprays of disassociated and broken lines." He stated that he read somewhere that
Frank Zappa
Frank Vincent Zappa (December 21, 1940 – December 4, 1993) was an American musician, composer, and bandleader. His work is characterized by wikt:nonconformity, nonconformity, Free improvisation, free-form improvisation, sound experimen ...
had used the same method to communicate solos to his musicians. Bowie was impressed that Ronson was able to use this method to bring the solo to life. The song's strings, arranged and orchestrated by Ronson, appear at the return of the chorus, climaxing in a "steep pizzicato descent." They appear again during the fadeout, this time having a "swirling phased" effect that was Scott's idea during the mixing stage. Doggett said, "Only in the final moments did Ronson's guitar provide the climactic release that the daydream demanded, continually returning to the same motifs as if in ecstatic spasm."
Lyrics
As the third track on the album, "Moonage Daydream" directly introduces the character of Ziggy Stardust, following "
Five Years" which describes an impending disaster that will result in Earth only having five years left and "
Soul Love
"Soul Love" is a song by English singer-songwriter David Bowie, released on his 1972 album ''The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars'' by RCA Records. Co-produced by Bowie and Ken Scott, it features Bowie's backing band know ...
" in which numerous characters deal with love before the impending disaster.
Once introduced, Ziggy proclaims himself "an exotic hybrid of rock's past and mankind's future": "an alligator" (strong and remorseless), "a mama-papa" (non-gender specific), "the space invader" (alien and phallic), "a rock'n'rollin' bitch" and a "pink-monkey-bird" (gay slang for a recipient of anal sex). Ziggy also praises the virtues of "the church of man, love" (or heard as "the church of man-love"); Pegg believes that this line is inspired in part by the proposed "Church of God, Love and Man" by philosopher
Thomas Paine
Thomas Paine (born Thomas Pain; – In the contemporary record as noted by Conway, Paine's birth date is given as January 29, 1736–37. Common practice was to use a dash or a slash to separate the old-style year from the new-style year. In th ...
, who Bowie often referenced indirectly (and directly on the 1990
Adrian Belew
Robert Steven "Adrian" Belew (born December 23, 1949) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. A multi-instrumentalist primarily known as a guitarist and singer, he is noted for his unusual and impressionistic approach to ...
collaboration "Pretty Pink Rose").
Doggett believes that the "carefree" imagery Ziggy presents heightens the "erotic fantasy" of the chorus, described as "a wet dream that was 'moonage' for the era of the
Apollo
Apollo, grc, Ἀπόλλωνος, Apóllōnos, label=genitive , ; , grc-dor, Ἀπέλλων, Apéllōn, ; grc, Ἀπείλων, Apeílōn, label=Arcadocypriot Greek, ; grc-aeo, Ἄπλουν, Áploun, la, Apollō, la, Apollinis, label= ...
missions" and for the tradition of "muse poetry" by
Robert Graves
Captain Robert von Ranke Graves (24 July 1895 – 7 December 1985) was a British poet, historical novelist and critic. His father was Alfred Perceval Graves, a celebrated Irish poet and figure in the Gaelic revival; they were both Celtic ...
, which is linked to "ancient cults that worshipped the moon, accessing the imagination without involving the intellect." Doggett continues that as philosopher
Colin Wilson
Colin Henry Wilson (26 June 1931 – 5 December 2013) was an English writer, philosopher and novelist. He also wrote widely on true crime, mysticism and the paranormal, eventually writing more than a hundred books. Wilson called his phil ...
said in 1971, "the moon goddess was the goddess of magic, of the subconscious, of poetic inspiration." Hence, a "moonage daydream" might represent "an ecstatic, instinctive path to creativity", or nothing more than an homage to "
Marc Bolan
Marc Bolan ( ; born Mark Feld; 30 September 1947 – 16 September 1977) was an English guitarist, singer and songwriter. He was a pioneer of the glam rock movement in the early 1970s with his band T. Rex. Bolan was posthumously inducted int ...
's brand of lyrical imagery." Bowie used several Americanisms on the original version of the song, most of them retained on the re-recording, using abbreviations such as "comin'", "'lectric" and "rock'n'rollin'", as well as phrases such as "busting up my brains", "lay the real thing on me", "freak out" and "far out". According to Pegg, there are several homages present—including one to
Iggy Pop
James Newell Osterberg Jr. (born April 21, 1947), known professionally as Iggy Pop, is an American singer, musician, songwriter and actor. Called the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Godfather of Punk", he was the vocalist and lyricist of ...
, whose lyric "she got a TV eye on me" turns into "keep your 'lectric eye on me", and one to
Legendary Stardust Cowboy
Norman Carl Odam (born September 5, 1947, in Lubbock, Texas), known professionally as the Legendary Stardust Cowboy, is an outsider performer who is considered one of the pioneers of the genre that came to be known as psychobilly in the 1960s.
...
, whose lyric "I shot my space gun" turns into "put your ray gun to my head".
Release and reception
The original version of "Moonage Daydream" by the short-lived band Arnold Corns was released in the UK by
B&C Records
B&C Records (which stood for Beat & Commercial) was a British record label run by Trojan Records' owner, Lee Gopthal. It existed primarily between May 1969 and September 1972.
In 1971, the progressive and folk artists that were still signed t ...
as a 7-inch single
with "Hang On to Yourself" as the B-side in May 1971. The re-recorded version was released as the third track on Bowie's fifth studio album ''The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars'', between "Soul Love" and "
Starman
''StarMan'' is a 1996 fantasy novel by Australian writer Sara Douglass. It follows the second book in the series, '' Enchanter'', with Axis marching north with his army to confront a formidable enemy.
Background
''StarMan'' was first published ...
", on 16 June 1972 by
RCA Records
RCA Records is an American record label currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside RCA's former long-time rival Columbia Records; also A ...
. Discussing the song's placement in the album's track-listing, Pegg describes it as its "keystone" if one identifies the opening and closing tracks ("Five Years" and "
Rock 'n' Roll Suicide
"Rock 'n' Roll Suicide" is a song by English singer-songwriter David Bowie, originally released as the closing track on the album ''The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars'' on 16 June 1972. Co-produced by Ken Scott, Bowi ...
", respectively) as the album's framework.
Since its release, "Moonage Daydream" has received critical acclaim, with many deeming Ronson's guitar work as the clear standout. In his book ''The Complete David Bowie'', Nicholas Pegg praises Ronson's guitar solo, calling it "spectacular" and a "vital ingredient" to the recording. He describes it as arguably Ronson's finest on a Bowie recording and renowned among guitarists as an "all-time classic." Reviewing the album for its 40th anniversary, Jordan Blum of ''
PopMatters
''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, fi ...
'' describes "Moonage Daydream", "Hang On to Yourself" and "It Ain't Easy" as "invigorating rockers" that are highlighted by Ronson's "electrifying timbres."
Following
Bowie's death in 2016, ''Rolling Stone'' listed "Moonage Daydream" as one of his 30 essential songs, giving unanimous praise to Ronson's guitar work, calling it some of the most "jaw-dropping" of his career.
Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Stephen Thomas Erlewine (; born June 18, 1973) is an American music critic and senior editor for the online music database AllMusic. He is the author of many artist biographies and record reviews for AllMusic, as well as a freelance writer, occ ...
of
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
praises Ronson's guitar work, writing "
onsonplays with a maverick flair that invigorates rockers like '
Suffragette City
"Suffragette City" is a song by English singer-songwriter David Bowie. It was originally released in April 1972 as the B-side of the single "Starman" and subsequently appeared on his fifth studio album ''The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and ...
', 'Moonage Daydream' and 'Hang On to Yourself"."
Ned Raggett, also of AllMusic, calls the track one of Bowie's "fiercest rockers ever".
He continues, "As a prototype of glam rock's still-influential formula – descending, slow chords; high singing; sexually charged if not exploded imagery; thick, fat feedback; and more –it nails it on every level."
He finishes his review writing: "Ronson's keyboards and final, swirling string arrangement, matched with a brilliant guitar solo, prove the icing on the cake, sealing 'Moonage Daydream' forever as a rock classic."
''Ultimate Classic Rock'', in their list of Bowie's ten best songs, listed "Moonage Daydream" at number three, calling it one of the most powerful songs on the album—and of his career.
They praised the lyrics and Ronson's guitar work, calling it a "rock'n'roll tour de force."
Ian Fortnam of ''
Classic Rock
Classic rock is a US radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock (AOR) format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format comprises rock music ranging generally from the mid-1960s through the mid 1990s, primar ...
'', when ranking every track on the album from worst to best, placed the song at number six, and praised Ronson's guitar work, calling his ending guitar solo "überglamtastic" and "to die for." In 2018, ''
NME
''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...
'' listed the song as Bowie's 11th greatest.
Alexis Petridis of ''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'' ranked "Moonage Daydream" 33rd in his list of Bowie's 50 greatest songs, calling Ronson's guitar solo "mind-blowing" and describing it as the best example of "high-drama rock anthemics" on ''Ziggy Stardust''.
Tim Wheeler
Timothy James Arthur Wheeler (born 4 January 1977) is a Northern Irish singer, songwriter, and musician for the alternative rock band Ash. He has written nearly all of Ash's notable works, such as " Oh Yeah", "Shining Light", " Girl from Mars" ...
of the Northern Irish rock band
Ash
Ash or ashes are the solid remnants of fires. Specifically, ''ash'' refers to all non-aqueous, non- gaseous residues that remain after something burns. In analytical chemistry, to analyse the mineral and metal content of chemical samples, ash ...
, in an interview with ''
Q'' magazine, said, "With Bowie, you're spoilt for choice when it comes to
sci-fi
Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel universe ...
-inspired songs. But 'Moonage Daydream' is my favourite. It's got a great
riff
A riff is a repeated chord progression or refrain in music (also known as an ostinato figure in classical music); it is a pattern, or melody, often played by the rhythm section instruments or solo instrument, that forms the basis or accompani ...
and it sounds really pretty in a weird kind of way, even though the lyrics are quite dark."
Live versions
Bowie recorded "Moonage Daydream" for the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
'' on 16 May 1972. This recording was later released on the album ''
'' in 2000. Bowie performed the song throughout 1972–73 on the
, where he would occasionally introduce it as "a song written by Ziggy". A live version from the tour, recorded at Santa Monica Civic Auditorium on 20 October 1972, was released on ''
'' (2008). It was also performed during the tour's final concert at the
, London on 3 July 1973, where Bowie announced: "This is the last show we'll ever do." This was later understood as the retiring of Ziggy Stardust. This recording was released on ''
'' (1983). Bowie subsequently performed the track on the
tours. Recordings from the Diamond Dogs Tour have been released on ''
'' (2017), and ''I'm Only Dancing (The Soul Tour 74)'' (2020). A live version from the Outside Tour, recorded on 13 December 1995, was released on the "
" single in 1996. The entire concert from which the song was taken was released in 2020 as ''
'' (2020).
The Arnold Corns' version (without the spoken intro "Whenever you're ready") was released as a bonus track on the 1990
'' and on the 2002 reissue of ''Ziggy Stardust''.
'' compilation, in 2015.
'' (2016). The ''Ziggy'' recording, along with its parent album, has been remastered multiple times, including in 1990 by
, and in 2012 for its 40th anniversary. The 2012 remaster and a 2003 remix by producer Ken Scott, along with the original Arnold Corns recording, were included in the box set ''
'' in 2015.
A new mix of the track also appears on the 2002 reissue of ''Ziggy Stardust'', on which, in Cann's words, Ronson's guitar is "to the fore."
television commercial.
.
.
Of all the songs on the soundtrack, "Moonage Daydream" was the only song added in post-production.
.
''Moonage Daydream: The Life and Times of Ziggy Stardust'', a book written by Bowie, is named after the song and was published in 2002 by
. It documents the years 1972–73 and is fully illustrated with the photography of
. Bowie met him in 1972 and they formed a working relationship and lasting friendship. Rock was the only photographer authorised to record the two-year career of
.
'' documentary on Bowie, announced on 23 May 2022, consisting of archival material detailing Bowie's life and career. The documentary is the first posthumous film about Bowie to be approved by his estate.
;Arnold Corns version
Personnel per Kevin Cann and Nicholas Pegg.
* David Bowie vocals, rhythm guitar, producer
* Freddie Burretti vocals (credited)
* Mark Carr-Pritchard guitar
* Peter DeSomogyi bass
* Tim Broadbent drums, tambourine
;''Ziggy Stardust'' version
Personnel per Kevin Cann and Nicholas Pegg.
* David Bowie lead vocals, acoustic guitar,