"David Bowie" (often referred to as Space Oddity after its most famous track) is the second studio album by English musician David Bowie, originally released on 14 November 1969. It marked a departure from the music hall influences of his 1967 debut David Bowie, incorporating folk rock, psychedelic rock, and early signs of Bowie's evolving style. The album includes themes of love, loss, identity, and space, influenced by both personal experiences and the cultural events of the time, such as the moon landing and the counterculture movement.
The album was largely recorded at Trident Studios in London between June and October 1969, with production divided between Gus Dudgeon (for "Space Oddity") and Tony Visconti (who produced the rest of the album). "Space Oddity," the album's signature track, became a commercial hit and reached the UK Top 5, marking Bowie's breakthrough single. The track, about a fictional astronaut named Major Tom, was released just days before the Apollo 11 moon landing, and its eerie, atmospheric quality made it an instant classic.
Despite Space Oddity's success, the album itself initially struggled commercially due to poor promotion, and it was considered a commercial failure upon its release. In the U.S., the album was retitled Man of Words/Man of Music and featured different artwork, while in the UK, it was issued under its original title. In 1972, following Bowie's rise to fame with The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, the album was reissued as Space Oddity with updated artwork, which helped it chart in both the UK and the US.
The album features a range of collaborators, including Herbie Flowers (bass), Rick Wakeman (keyboard), and Terry Cox (drums). The songs explore a wide range of moods and styles, from the introspective ballads "An Occasional Dream" and "Letter to Hermione" to the more experimental tracks like "Cygnet Committee" and "Unwashed and Somewhat Slightly Dazed." Despite Bowie himself later describing the album as lacking direction, David Bowie is still seen as a key moment in his musical development, showcasing his ability to blend different genres and experiment with new sounds.
The album's later reissues have often included bonus tracks and variations, with Space Oddity being used as the title for a 2019 remix by Tony Visconti. Debate continues regarding whether it should be considered Bowie's "first proper" album, due to its varied musical influences and unfinished sense of cohesion. The album's legacy has grown over the decades, and it is now recognized as a pivotal early work in Bowie's career.
The music on David Bowie blends elements of folk rock, psychedelic rock, and progressive rock, with some touches of country. David Buckley, a biographer of Bowie, notes that rather than developing his own sound at this point, Bowie was drawing from the dominant musical styles of the time. Kevin Cann observes that the album marks a key turning point for Bowie, as he began to draw more from his personal life in his lyrics, replacing the earlier "winsome stories" with more poignant, introspective themes.
The album is often seen as a reflection of Bowie's growing disillusionment and a "darkening vision," especially following the death of his father. Biographer Marc Spitz calls it one of Bowie's "darkest" albums, representing a man coming of age in a world that seemed increasingly "depraved and barren." The kaleidoscopic nature of the album captures Bowie's many influences, including his interests in spirituality, cinema, poetry, and the counterculture of the late '60s.
The album's cover features a striking portrait of Bowie by British photographer Vernon Dewhurst, set against a piece by Hungarian artist Victor Vasarely, reflecting Bowie's interest in art and his growing conceptual vision for his albums. The back cover artwork was illustrated by Bowie's childhood friend George Underwood, and it contains symbolic references to the album's themes, such as astronauts, Buddha, and rats in bowler hats representing the counterculture that Bowie had become disillusioned with.
For the U.S. release, the album was retitled Man of Words/Man of Music, and the artwork was changed to a simpler photograph by Dewhurst, while the UK cover remained the same. The U.S. version also credited the musicians for the first time, while the original UK pressing did not, as many were under contract with other labels.
In 1972, following Bowie's rise to fame with Ziggy Stardust, the album was reissued as Space Oddity to capitalize on the success of his new persona. The new cover featured a contemporary image of Bowie taken by Mick Rock, reflecting his new image as a major rock star.
Legacy and Impact
Though initially a commercial failure, David Bowie (later known as Space Oddity) has become a cornerstone of Bowie's career. The album marked his shift toward more personal and ambitious songwriting, as well as his increasing ability to merge various musical genres. Over time, it has been reassessed as an important early work in Bowie's catalog, with Space Oddity becoming a defining anthem of the late '60s.
The album's themes of alienation, the human condition, and the exploration of identity would become central to Bowie's work throughout the 1970s and beyond. The album laid the groundwork for his later persona-driven works, such as The Man Who Sold the World and Ziggy Stardust, and helped establish Bowie as one of the most innovative and influential figures in rock music.
