Starman
The single RCA asked for, and the Top of the Pops appearance that made Ziggy a star.
David Bowie, from The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (1972)
- Written by
- David Bowie
- Released
- 1972
- Length
- 4:10
- Album
- The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
Bowie wrote it at the label's request for a single, and it was recorded at Trident on 4 February 1972 with Ken Scott. Ronson played electric guitar and Mellotron and contributed strings. It came out on RCA on 28 April 1972, with Suffragette City on the B-side. It reached number ten in the UK and stayed on the chart for eleven weeks. In the US it reached number 65.
Bowie told Craig Copetas in a Rolling Stone interview with William Burroughs that Ziggy is advised in a dream by the infinites to write the coming of a starman. The interview was conducted on 17 November 1973 and published on 28 February 1974.
Top of the Pops
He performed it on Top of the Pops in a rainbow jumpsuit, pointing at the camera. It was recorded on 5 July 1972 and shown on BBC One on 6 July. He also played it on Lift Off with Ayshea in June 1972, at Glastonbury on 25 June 2000 and at Montreux on 18 July 2002.
On stage
- 2000-06-25, Glastonbury Festival Played at the festival.
- 2002-07-18, Montreux Jazz Festival Played at the festival.
More songs by David Bowie
Space Oddity, Life on Mars?, "Heroes", Ashes to Ashes, Lazarus, Changes, Fame, Rebel Rebel, Let's Dance, Under Pressure, Where Are We Now?
Sources
- Starman (song), Wikipedia
- Interview: David Bowie and William Burroughs, Rolling Stone, Bowie Bible
- The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, Wikipedia