Ziggy Stardust (song)
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"Ziggy Stardust" is a song written 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 ...
for his 1972
concept album A concept album is an album whose tracks hold a larger purpose or meaning collectively than they do individually. This is typically achieved through a single central narrative or theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, or lyrical. Som ...
''
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 Bowie and
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 Jeff B ...
, he recorded it 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 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 musici ...
,
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 rel ...
. Lyrically, the song is about Ziggy Stardust, a bisexual alien rock star who acts as a messenger for extraterrestrial beings. The character was influenced by English singer
Vince Taylor Vince Taylor (14 July 1939 – 28 August 1991), born Brian Maurice Holden, was an English rock and roll singer. As the lead singer of Vince Taylor and His Playboys, sometimes Vince Taylor and The Playboys, he was successful primarily in France ...
, as well as the
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. ...
and
Kansai Yamamoto was a Japanese fashion designer, most influential during the 1970s and 1980s. Early life and career Kansai was born in 1944 in Yokohama, Japan. He focused on civil engineering in high school, and majored in English at the Nippon University ...
. Although Ziggy is introduced earlier on the album, this song is its centrepiece, presenting the rise and fall of the star in a very human-like manner. Musically, it 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, like its parent album, and is based around a Ronson guitar riff. Since its release, "Ziggy Stardust" has received widespread acclaim from music critics, with the majority praising its story, guitar riff and the band's performance. The song has since been included on lists of Bowie's greatest songs, and by some as one of the greatest songs of all time. ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
'' ranked it number 282 on their list of
The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time" is a recurring survey compiled by the American magazine ''Rolling Stone''. It is based on weighted votes from selected musicians, critics, and industry figures. The first list was published in December 2004 in ...
in 2010. The track is also one of four of Bowie's songs included in
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), sometimes simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum and hall of fame located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States, on the shore of Lake Erie. The museum documents the history of rock music and ...
. Bowie performed the song frequently on the Ziggy Stardust and 1978 Stage tours, and again during his tours in the 2000s. The song was covered by the English gothic rock band
Bauhaus The Staatliches Bauhaus (), commonly known as the Bauhaus (), was a German art school operational from 1919 to 1933 that combined crafts and the fine arts.Oxford Dictionary of Art and Artists (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 4th edn., 200 ...
in 1982; their version peaked at number 15 on the
UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
. While Bowie's original recording was never released as a
single Single may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Single (music), a song release Songs * "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004 * "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008 * "Single" (William Wei song), 2016 * "Single", by ...
, a live version from 1972 was released as a single in France in 1994 to promote the bootleg album ''
Santa Monica '72 ''Santa Monica '72'' is a live album by David Bowie, recorded at Santa Monica Civic Auditorium on 20 October 1972 during the Ziggy Stardust Tour. Taken from KMET FM's radio broadcast,Roy Carr & Charles Shaar Murray (1981). ''Bowie: An Illust ...
''. The song 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 has been remastered several times, including in 2012 for its 40th anniversary; this remaster was included in the box set ''
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 ...
'' in 2015.


Composition

Bowie wrote "Ziggy Stardust" and fellow album track "
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 ...
" "within days" of each other in early 1971. 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 ...
, it was registered with Bowie's publisher
Chrysalis A pupa ( la, pupa, "doll"; plural: ''pupae'') is the life stage of some insects undergoing transformation between immature and mature stages. Insects that go through a pupal stage are holometabolous: they go through four distinct stages in their ...
as early as April 1971, before the recording sessions for ''
Hunky Dory ''Hunky Dory'' is the fourth studio album by English musician David Bowie, released on 17December 1971 through RCA Records. Following the release of his 1970 album, '' The Man Who Sold the World'', Bowie took time off from recording and tourin ...
'' (1971). Bowie recorded an acoustic demo of the track between February and March 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, around the same time he recorded " Moonage Daydream" and " Hang On to Yourself" with his 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 form ...
. This demo was released as a bonus track on the
Rykodisc Rykodisc is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group, operating as a unit of WMG's Independent Label Group and is distributed through Alternative Distribution Alliance. History Claiming to be the first Compact Disc, CD-only independ ...
CD release of ''Ziggy Stardust'' in 1990. The demo also appeared on the ''Ziggy Stardust – 30th Anniversary Reissue'' bonus disc in 2002. The album version was 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 on 11 November 1971. 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 Jeff B ...
, Bowie recorded it with his 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
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 musici ...
,
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 rel ...
. Musically, it 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, like its parent album, that is based around a
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 acc ...
containing both tonic and dominant chords (the latter with a "hammered 4th"), followed by a "shifting-bass run" from C to A minor, thereby going back to the root. Biographer
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' ...
describes the riff as "instantly recognisable and primal but complex." While Ronson plays the main riff on an electric guitar, Bowie plays an acoustic twelve-string guitar, which is mixed beneath the electric. A second electric guitar riff, inspired by the American rock band
the Byrds The Byrds () were an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1964. The band underwent multiple lineup changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn (known as Jim McGuinn until mid-1967) remaining the sole cons ...
, what Doggett calls a "jingle-jangle", is also present but almost buried in the mix. Richard Cromelin of ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
'' notes the "faint ring" of 1970's '' The Man Who Sold the World'' on the track—"stately, measured, fuzzily electric." Bowie begins his vocals, which Doggett describes "like a meteor from a distant galaxy", with "the phrase that defines his hero: 'Ziggy played guitar'." The song ends with a reprise of the same line, but Bowie holds the note "defiantly"; once his voice slides away, and Ronson enters on guitar, sliding away in the same vein. Doggett describes the final seconds: "Then, after one of the most perfectly judged pauses ever captured on vinyl, there was "
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 a ...
"."


Lyrics

The song describes Bowie's alter ego Ziggy Stardust, a rock star who acts as a messenger for extraterrestrial beings. The character was inspired by English rock 'n' roll singer
Vince Taylor Vince Taylor (14 July 1939 – 28 August 1991), born Brian Maurice Holden, was an English rock and roll singer. As the lead singer of Vince Taylor and His Playboys, sometimes Vince Taylor and The Playboys, he was successful primarily in France ...
, whom Bowie met after Taylor had a breakdown and believed himself to be a cross between a god and an alien, though Taylor was only part of the character's blueprint. Bowie's allusions to Taylor include identifying himself as a "leper messiah". Other influences included the
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. ...
and
Kansai Yamamoto was a Japanese fashion designer, most influential during the 1970s and 1980s. Early life and career Kansai was born in 1944 in Yokohama, Japan. He focused on civil engineering in high school, and majored in English at the Nippon University ...
, who designed the costumes Bowie wore during the tour. Bowie told ''Rolling Stone'' that the name "Ziggy" was "one of the few Christian names I could find beginning with the letter 'Z'". He later explained in a 1990 interview for '' Q'' magazine that the Ziggy part came from a tailor's shop called Ziggy's that he passed on a train, and he liked it because it had "that Iggy opconnotation but it was a tailor's shop, and I thought, Well, this whole thing is gonna be about clothes, so it was my own little joke calling him Ziggy. So Ziggy Stardust was a real compilation of things." On the album, the Ziggy Stardust character is introduced directly on the third track, "Moonage Daydream". However, "Ziggy Stardust" is the central piece of the narrative of the album, presenting a complete "birth-to-death chronology". Both "Ziggy Stardust" and fellow album track "Lady Stardust" offer vastly different portraits of Ziggy. According to the author
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 ...
, "Lady Stardust" presents an unfinished tale with "no hint at a denouement beyond a vague air of melancholy", while "Ziggy Stardust" shows Ziggy's rise and fall in a very human manner. O'Leary notes that the song's narrator is not definitive: it could be an audience member retrospectively discussing Ziggy, it could be one of the Spiders or even the "dissociated memories" of Ziggy himself. Ziggy has several rock star characteristics: drug use, an enormous cock, and the "too-wasted-to-leave-the-room pallor." He plays guitar "left hand", which Doggett and Pegg believe is inspired by American guitarist
Jimi Hendrix James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942September 18, 1970) was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. Although his mainstream career spanned only four years, he is widely regarded as one of the most ...
, along with the lines "jiving us that we were voodoo" and "killed" by "the kids". Ziggy is "well-hung" and has a "snow-white tan", which Pegg believes suggests the "coked-up sexuality of
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 ...
's stage persona." Pegg also notes the presence of
Lou Reed Lewis Allan Reed (March 2, 1942October 27, 2013) was an American musician, songwriter, and poet. He was the guitarist, singer, and principal songwriter for the rock band the Velvet Underground and had a solo career that spanned five decades. ...
of
the Velvet Underground The Velvet Underground was an American rock band formed in New York City in 1964. The original line-up consisted of singer/guitarist Lou Reed, multi-instrumentalist John Cale, guitarist Sterling Morrison, and drummer Angus MacLise. MacLise ...
in the line "came on so loaded man". He also describes himself as "the Nazz", which was the American comedian
Lord Buckley Lord Richard Buckley (born Richard Myrle Buckley; April 5, 1906 – November 12, 1960) was an American stand-up comedian and recording artist, who in the 1940s and 1950s created a character that was, according to ''The New York Times'', "an unli ...
's nickname for Christ (as in "Nazarene"), as well as the name of several former backing bands for
Todd Rundgren Todd Harry Rundgren (born June 22, 1948) is an American multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, multimedia artist, sound engineer and record producer who has performed a diverse range of styles as a solo artist and as a member of the band Ut ...
and
Alice Cooper Alice Cooper (born Vincent Damon Furnier, February 4, 1948) is an American rock singer whose career spans over five decades. With a raspy voice and a stage show that features numerous props and stage illusions, including pyrotechnics, guillot ...
; Cooper had also fronted a group known as the Spiders in 1965. Doggett notes the similarity between the story of Jesus and Ziggy: the story of Jesus ended in death, and is followed by "a mysterious afterlife, acolytes, skeptics, and all the other paraphernalia associated with the premature demise of modern-day icons", mentioning the likes of
Marilyn Monroe Marilyn Monroe (; born Norma Jeane Mortenson; 1 June 1926 4 August 1962) was an American actress. Famous for playing comedic " blonde bombshell" characters, she became one of the most popular sex symbols of the 1950s and early 1960s, as wel ...
,
James Dean James Byron Dean (February 8, 1931September 30, 1955) was an American actor. He is remembered as a cultural icon of teenage disillusionment and social estrangement, as expressed in the title of his most celebrated film, ''Rebel Without a Cause' ...
, Hendrix,
Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...
,
John Lennon John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer, songwriter, musician and peace activist who achieved worldwide fame as founder, co-songwriter, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of ...
and Kurt Cobain. According to Pegg, the line "making love with his ego" most likely refers to
Jim Morrison James Douglas Morrison (December 8, 1943 – July 3, 1971) was an American singer, poet and songwriter who was the lead vocalist of the Rock music, rock band the Doors. Due to his wild personality, poetic lyrics, distinctive voice, unpredicta ...
and
Mick Jagger Sir Michael Philip Jagger (born 26 July 1943) is an English singer and songwriter who has achieved international fame as the lead vocalist and one of the founder members of the rock band the Rolling Stones. His ongoing songwriting partnershi ...
, but believes "the list of applicants is still growing." The line "Ziggy sucked up into his mind" reprises the line "your laughter is sucked in their brains" from the ''
Hunky Dory ''Hunky Dory'' is the fourth studio album by English musician David Bowie, released on 17December 1971 through RCA Records. Following the release of his 1970 album, '' The Man Who Sold the World'', Bowie took time off from recording and tourin ...
'' track "
Queen Bitch "Queen Bitch" is a song by English singer-songwriter David Bowie. It was originally released on his 1971 album ''Hunky Dory'' before appearing as the B-side of the single "Rebel Rebel" in the United Kingdom in early 1974. The song was inspired by ...
".


Release and reception

"Ziggy Stardust" is the ninth track on the Bowie's fifth studio 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 ...
'', released 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 ...
. The original recording was never released as a
single Single may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Single (music), a song release Songs * "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004 * "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008 * "Single" (William Wei song), 2016 * "Single", by ...
, but a live version recorded at Santa Monica Civic Auditorium during 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 backin ...
was released as a single in France and the United States in 1994 to promote the
bootleg album A bootleg recording is an sound recording, audio or video recording of a performance not officially released by the artist or under other legal authority. Making and distributing such recordings is known as ''bootlegging''. Recordings may be ...
''
Santa Monica '72 ''Santa Monica '72'' is a live album by David Bowie, recorded at Santa Monica Civic Auditorium on 20 October 1972 during the Ziggy Stardust Tour. Taken from KMET FM's radio broadcast,Roy Carr & Charles Shaar Murray (1981). ''Bowie: An Illust ...
'' (1994). This version was accompanied by a video compiled from live footage shot at Dunstable Civic Hall on 21 June 1972 which, according to Pegg, offers "fascinating glimpses of an early Ziggy show in action." In the wake of Bowie's death in 2016, the song peaked at number 86 on the Portuguese AFP chart, number 75 on the ''Billboard'' Japan Hot 100 and at number 17 on the US ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
''
Hot Rock Songs Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (formerly known as Rock Songs and Hot Rock Songs) is a record chart published by '' Billboard'' magazine. From its debut on June 20, 2009, through October 13, 2012, the chart ranked the airplay of songs across alterna ...
chart. Since its release, "Ziggy Stardust" has received widespread acclaim from music critics, with the majority praising its story, guitar riff and the band's performance. In a review for ''Ziggy Stardust'' on release, Richard Cromelin of ''Rolling Stone'' praised Bowie's imagery and storytelling, calling it some of his most "adventuresome" up to that point. Ned Raggett 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 ...
noted the song's restraint compared to other songs on the album: "Rather than being one of the album's quick, stone-cold rockers, it's measured, takes its time, is as acoustic as it is electric." Raggett described the band's performance as "crisp and explosive" praising Ronson's guitar work, believing his riffs and their distortion could "signal ... where rock could go as any of Hendrix's big hits." He also complimented Bowie's vocal performance and called the song a "total classic." ''Ultimate Classic Rock'' ranked "Ziggy Stardust" second on their list of the ten best glam rock songs of the 1970s, behind " 20th Century Boy" by T. Rex, which was written by
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 in ...
, one of the influencers of Ziggy Stardust. The same publication, on their list of Bowie's ten best songs, listed "Ziggy Stardust" at number six, praising Ronson's guitar hook, writing, " tgives the song as much of its personality as Bowie's lyrics do." 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 ...
'' ranked every track on the album from worst to best placing the song at number four, praising its storytelling, Ronson's guitar work and Bowie's vocal performance. 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 ...
'', on their list of Bowie's 40 greatest songs, ranked "Ziggy Stardust" at number 20, calling Ronson's guitar riff one of rock's greatest. ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
'' described the song as "one of rock's earliest, and best, power ballads." In 2010, the song ranked at number 282 on their list of
The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time" is a recurring survey compiled by the American magazine ''Rolling Stone''. It is based on weighted votes from selected musicians, critics, and industry figures. The first list was published in December 2004 in ...
. ''Ultimate Classic Rock'' placed the song on their list of the top 200 songs of the 1970s, writing that as the centrepiece of Bowie's "greatest album", "in a way, it's also Bowie's story turbocharged through the cosmos, ready for whatever the decade offered him." The song is one of four of Bowie's songs included on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's list of The Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll.


Live versions and subsequent releases

Bowie recorded the song 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. ...
...
radio programmes '' Sounds of the 70s:
John Peel John Robert Parker Ravenscroft (30 August 1939 – 25 October 2004), known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey (DJ) and radio presenter. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly fr ...
'' and '' Bob Harris'' on 11 and 18 January 1972, respectively. On 16 May 1972, he played the song again on ''Sounds of the 70s: John Peel'', which was broadcast a week later on 23 May 1972. The 18 January and 16 May recordings were released on the ''
Bowie at the Beeb ''Bowie at the Beeb'' is a compilation album by English singer-songwriter David Bowie, first released in 2000. Originally, it came in a three-CD set, the third, bonus CD being a live recording made on at the Portland BBC Radio Theatre. Later ...
'' album in 2000, while the 11 January recording is included on the album ''
BBC Sessions 1969–1972 (Sampler) ''BBC Sessions 1969–1972 (Sampler)'' is a compilation album by David Bowie, released in 1996. This release is notable for the inclusion of "I'm Waiting for the Man" in a different BBC session take to the version released on ''Bowie at the Bee ...
''. Bowie performed the song throughout 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 backin ...
(1972–1973), and it can be heard on '' Ziggy Stardust: The Motion Picture'' (1983) and '' Live Santa Monica '72'' (2008). Performances from the 1978 Stage tour have been released on ''
Stage Stage or stages may refer to: Acting * Stage (theatre), a space for the performance of theatrical productions * Theatre, a branch of the performing arts, often referred to as "the stage" * ''The Stage'', a weekly British theatre newspaper * Sta ...
'' (1978) and '' Welcome to the Blackout'' (2018). Despite having vowed in 1990 never to perform the track again, it was often the closing number on Bowie's 2002
Heathen Tour The David Bowie Heathen Tour was a 2002 concert tour in support of the album, ''Heathen'', and was also notable for the performances of all songs from the 1977 ''Low'' album. History The ''Low'' album, not previously performed live in its ent ...
. Buckley calls his renditions during this tour "heart-stopping". Bowie also performed the song at the 2000
Glastonbury Festival Glastonbury Festival (formally Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts and known colloquially as Glasto) is a five-day festival of contemporary performing arts that takes place in Pilton, Somerset, England. In addition to contemp ...
, released in 2018 on the album ''
Glastonbury 2000 ''Glastonbury 2000'' is a live album by English musician David Bowie. It was recorded during his Sunday night headline slot at the Glastonbury Festival on 25 June 2000. The album marks the first time the full video and audio of the performance a ...
'', and on his 2003 Reality Tour. A performance from that tour is included on the 2010 ''
A Reality Tour A Reality Tour was a worldwide concert tour by David Bowie in support of the ''Reality'' album. The tour began on 7 October 2003 at the Forum Copenhagen, Denmark, continuing through Europe, North America, Asia, including a return to New Zealan ...
'' DVD and the album of the same title. Since its release, "Ziggy Stardust" has appeared on numerous
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, including ''
Changesonebowie ''Changesonebowie'' is a compilation album by English musician David Bowie, issued through RCA Records in 1976. It collected songs from the 1969–1976 period, including the first LP appearance of " John, I'm Only Dancing". A " sax version" of t ...
'' (1976), ''
Changesbowie ''Changesbowie'' is a compilation album by English rock musician David Bowie, released by Rykodisc in the US and by EMI in the UK in 1990. The compilation was part of Rykodisc's remastered Bowie reissue series, replacing the deleted RCA Records ...
'' (1990), '' The Best of David Bowie 1969/1974'' (1997), '' Best of Bowie'' (2002), ''
Nothing Has Changed ''Nothing Has Changed'' (stylised as ''Nothing has changed.'') is a compilation album by English musician David Bowie. It was released on 18 November 2014 through Parlophone in the United Kingdom, and Columbia Records and Legacy Recordings in ...
'' (2014) and ''
Legacy In law, a legacy is something held and transferred to someone as their inheritance, as by will and testament. Personal effects, family property, marriage property or collective property gained by will of real property. Legacy or legacies may refer ...
'' (2016). The song, along with the entire ''Ziggy Stardust'' album, has been remastered multiple times, including in 1990 by
Rykodisc Rykodisc is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group, operating as a unit of WMG's Independent Label Group and is distributed through Alternative Distribution Alliance. History Claiming to be the first Compact Disc, CD-only independ ...
, and in 2012 for its 40th anniversary. The 2012 remaster and a 2003 remix by producer
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 Jeff B ...
were included in the box set ''
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 ...
'' in 2015.


Personnel

Personnel per Kevin Cann and Chris O'Leary. *
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 ...
vocals, twelve-string acoustic guitar, producer *
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 musici ...
electric guitar, rhythm guitar *
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 ...
bass guitar *
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 rel ...
drums *
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 Jeff B ...
producer,
engineer Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who invent, design, analyze, build and test machines, complex systems, structures, gadgets and materials to fulfill functional objectives and requirements while considering the l ...
, mixing


Charts


Certifications


Bauhaus version

The English gothic rock band
Bauhaus The Staatliches Bauhaus (), commonly known as the Bauhaus (), was a German art school operational from 1919 to 1933 that combined crafts and the fine arts.Oxford Dictionary of Art and Artists (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 4th edn., 200 ...
recorded a version of "Ziggy Stardust" as their eighth single. The band idolised Bowie, with drummer
Kevin Haskins Kevin Michael Dompe (born 19 July 1960), born and best-known as Kevin Michael Haskins, is an English drummer, best known from the British rock group Bauhaus. He was also a member of Tones on Tail and Love and Rockets. Early career As a child ...
recalling in his book ''Bauhaus Undead: The Visual History and Legacy of Bauhaus'' their first time meeting the late singer-songwriter while on the set of the 1983 gothic horror film '' The Hunger'', in which Bowie starred: "We were all very big fans of Bowie and, like many musicians of the post-punk era, Bowie's performance of "
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 ''Top of the Pops'', was a significant and profound turning point in our lives. So to say that we were excited was somewhat of an understatement." In the film, the band performed their 1979 song " Bela Lugosi's Dead" in a nightclub where Bowie's character was present. Following filming, the group met Bowie in person. He lit a cigarette for Haskins who described being completely starstruck. Bowie also told the band, along with about 20 extras, the reasons he chose the songs he recorded for his 1973 album ''
Pin Ups ''Pin Ups'' (also referred to as ''Pinups'' and ''Pin-Ups'') is the seventh studio album by English musician David Bowie, released on 19October 1973 through RCA Records. Devised as a "stop-gap" album to appease his record label, it is a cove ...
''. According to
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 ...
's Dave Thompson, the band were "killing some downtime" at Trident Studios in London when members Haskins and
Daniel Ash Daniel Ash (born 31 July 1957) is an English musician, songwriter and singer. He became prominent in the late 1970s as the guitarist for the iconic goth rock band Bauhaus, which spawned two related bands led by Ash: Tones on Tail and Love a ...
began an impromptu jam of "Ziggy Stardust" as a "joking tribute" to "the artist with whom virtually every critic in the land had now compared Bauhaus." Tapes were running and once they heard the track, they were "absolutely enthralled" and decided to include it during their upcoming BBC session for
John Peel John Robert Parker Ravenscroft (30 August 1939 – 25 October 2004), known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey (DJ) and radio presenter. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly fr ...
. Bauhaus subsequently recorded their version of "Ziggy Stardust" at a session in 1982. Their version has been categorised as gothic rock and
post-punk Post-punk (originally called new musick) is a broad genre of punk music that emerged in the late 1970s as musicians departed from punk's traditional elements and raw simplicity, instead adopting a variety of avant-garde sensibilities and non-roc ...
. The group filmed a music video for their cover in August 1982 at the Roundhouse under
Camden Market The Camden markets are a number of adjoining large retail markets, often collectively referred to as Camden Market or Camden Lock, located in the historic former Pickfords stables, in Camden Town, London. It is situated north of the Hampstead ...
in London. Directed by Mick Calvert, it features the band performing a full "mock-gig" with complete backline and "riotous" fans. Ned Raggett of AllMusic praised Bauhaus' rendition of "Ziggy Stardust", calling it a "nuclear-strength take" on the original. Bauhaus' version was released as a single in October 1982 by
Beggars Banquet Records Beggars Banquet Records is a British independent record label. Beggars Banquet started as a chain of record shops owned by Martin Mills and Nick Austin and is part of the Beggars Group of labels. History In 1977, spurred by the prevailing DI ...
in 7" and 12" format (as BEG 83 and BEG 83T, respectively). The B-side was a cover of English musician
Brian Eno Brian Peter George St John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno (; born Brian Peter George Eno, 15 May 1948) is a British musician, composer, record producer and visual artist best known for his contributions to ambient music and work in rock, pop an ...
's "Third Uncle", from his 1974 album ''
Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy) ''Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy)'' is the second solo album by English musician Brian Eno, released in November 1974 by Island Records. Unlike his debut album ''Here Come the Warm Jets'', which had featured 16 musicians, this album utili ...
'', which was recorded at the same radio session as "Ziggy Stardust". The 12" single featured an original, "Party of the First Part", and a live cover of the 1967
Velvet Underground Weave details visible on a purple-colored velvet fabric Velvet is a type of woven tufted fabric Textile is an umbrella term that includes various fiber-based materials, including fibers, yarns, filaments, threads, different fabri ...
song "
I'm Waiting for the Man "I'm Waiting for the Man" is a song by American rock band the Velvet Underground. Written by Lou Reed, it was first released on their 1967 debut album, ''The Velvet Underground & Nico''. The lyrics describe a man's efforts to obtain heroin in ...
". The single peaked at number 15 on the
UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
, earning the band an appearance on the television programme ''
Top of the Pops ''Top of the Pops'' (''TOTP'') is a British Record chart, music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly between 1January 1964 and 30 July 2006. The programme was the world's longest-running weekly music show ...
''. The single's success propelled their 1982 album ''
The Sky's Gone Out ''The Sky's Gone Out'' is the third studio album by English gothic rock band Bauhaus, released in 1982 by record label Beggars Banquet. Music '' NME'' said about the music: " inger Peter Murphy comes across like David Bowie imitating Jacques Bre ...
'' to number four on the
UK Albums Chart The Official Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales and (from March 2015) audio streaming in the United Kingdom. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the Official Charts C ...
, becoming the band's biggest hit. This recording later appeared on the group's 1989 album '' Swing the Heartache: The BBC Sessions''. Another studio take, featuring elements of Bowie's 1973 song "
Cracked Actor ''Cracked Actor'' (or full title, ''Cracked Actor: A Film About David Bowie'') is a 1975 television documentary film about the musician David Bowie, made by Alan Yentob for the BBC's '' Omnibus'' strand. It was first shown on BBC1 on 26 Januar ...
", was released on the 2009 reissue of their 1981 album ''
Mask A mask is an object normally worn on the face, typically for protection, disguise, performance, or entertainment and often they have been employed for rituals and rights. Masks have been used since antiquity for both ceremonial and practic ...
''.


Track listings

;7" single #"Ziggy Stardust" (Bowie)3:08 #"Third Uncle" (Eno)5:11 ;12" single #"Ziggy Stardust" (Bowie)3:08 #"Party of the First Part" (Bauhaus)5:22 #"Third Uncle" (Eno)5:11 #"
Waiting for the Man "I'm Waiting for the Man" is a song by American rock band the Velvet Underground. Written by Lou Reed, it was first released on their 1967 debut album, ''The Velvet Underground & Nico''. The lyrics describe a man's efforts to obtain heroin in H ...
" (live) (
Lou Reed Lewis Allan Reed (March 2, 1942October 27, 2013) was an American musician, songwriter, and poet. He was the guitarist, singer, and principal songwriter for the rock band the Velvet Underground and had a solo career that spanned five decades. ...
)5:31


Charts


References


Sources

* * * * * * * * * {{Authority control 1972 songs 1982 singles 1994 singles Bauhaus (band) songs David Bowie songs Songs written by David Bowie 1970s ballads Rock ballads Song recordings produced by Ken Scott Song recordings produced by David Bowie Songs about rock music Songs about musicians Songs about fictional male characters Songs about planets Fiction set on Mars Beggars Banquet Records singles RCA Records singles