David Bowie BBC Sessions
David Bowie recorded twelve radio sessions for the BBC between 1967 and 1972. Many of the tracks – but not all – were released on the Bowie at the Beeb 2-CD Set (2000). Some of the tracks missing from the first few sessions not included on Bowie at the Beeb 2-CD Set appear on later editions of David Bowie (1967) and David Bowie (1969).[1] A few more tracks appear on BBC Sessions 1969–1972 (Sampler) [1996]; Bowie at the Beeb 4-LP Edition [2016]). However, many of the missing tracks from the Bowie at the Beeb 2-CD Set are only available on bootlegs and online. Finally, three tracks are lost, and one other track only exists in edited form. This is because many of the original mastertapes are long gone, with sometimes only the broadcast tapes existing, meaning songs that were recorded but not originally broadcast, or only broadcast in edited form, are lost; or in at least one case, only a partial recording of a broadcast exists, with the broadcast tape no longer available. This page gives an overview of all the sessions, along with where they have received their official release.
Top Gear: 18 December 1967
Bowie's first session for BBC Radio was recorded on the 18 December 1967, soon after the release of his first album, David Bowie (1969). The session was recorded at Piccadilly Studios and arranged and performed by Arthur Greenslade and his 16 piece orchestra with Bowie on vocals and playing guitar. The session was produced by Bernie Andrews.[2]
Track | Title | Written by | Length | Broadcast[3] | Release |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
01 | "Love You Till Tuesday" | Bowie | 3:00 | 24-12-67; rept 28-1-68 | David Bowie (1967): Deluxe Edition (2010) |
02 | "When I Live My Dream" | Bowie | 3:35 | 24-12-67; rept 28-1-68 | David Bowie (1967): Deluxe Edition (2010) |
03 | "Little Bombardier" | Bowie | 3:28 | 24-12-67; rept 28-1-68 | David Bowie (1967): Deluxe Edition (2010) |
04 | "Silly Boy Blue" | Bowie | 3:25 | 24-12-67; rept 28-1-68 | David Bowie (1967): Deluxe Edition (2010) |
05 | "In The Heat Of The Morning" | Bowie | 2:40 | 24-12-67; rept 28-1-68 | David Bowie (1967): Deluxe Edition (2010) |
Top Gear: 13 May 1968
Track | Title | Written by | Length | Broadcast[4] | Release |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
01 | "In The Heat Of The Morning" | Bowie | 3:03 | 26-5-1968; rept 20-6-68 | Bowie at the Beeb 2-CD Set (2000) |
02 | "London Bye Ta-Ta" | Bowie | 2:36 | 26-5-1968; rept 20-6-68 | Bowie at the Beeb 2-CD Set (2000) |
03 | "Karma Man" | Bowie | 3:00 | 26-5-1968; rept 20-6-68 | Bowie at the Beeb 2-CD Set (2000) |
04 | "When I'm Five" | Bowie | 3:08 | 26-5-1968; rept 20-6-68 | David Bowie (1967): Deluxe Edition (2010) |
05 | "Silly Boy Blue" | Bowie | 4:37 | 20-6-68 | Bowie at the Beeb 2-CD Set (2000) |
Dave Lee Travis Show: 20 October 1969
Track | Title | Written by | Length | Broadcast[5] | Release |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
01 | "Unwashed and Somewhat Slightly Dazed" | Bowie | 4:04 | 26-10-1970 | David Bowie (1969): Special Edition (2009) |
02 | "Let Me Sleep Beside You" | Bowie | 4:49 | not broadcast | Bowie at the Beeb 2-CD Set (2000) David Bowie (1969): Special Edition (2009) |
03 | "Janine" | Bowie | 3:05 | not broadcast | Bowie at the Beeb 2-CD Set (2000) David Bowie (1969): Special Edition (2009) |
The Sunday Show [Live]: 5 February 1970
Sound Of The Seventies: 25 March 1970
Track | Title | Written by | Length | Broadcast[6] | Release |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
01 | "Amsterdam" | Jacques Brel trans. Mort Shuman | 3:02 | 8-2-1970 | Bowie at the Beeb 2-CD Set (2000) |
02 | "God Knows I'm Good" | Bowie | 3:29 | 8-2-1970 | Bowie at the Beeb 2-CD Set (2000) |
03 | "Buzz The Fuzz" | Biff Rose | 2:21 | 8-2-1970 | bootleg / online only |
04 | "Karma Man" | Bowie | 3:02 | 8-2-1970 | bootleg / online only |
05 | "London Bye Ta-Ta" | Bowie | 2:36 | 8-2-1970 | bootleg / online only |
06 | "An Occasional Dream" | Bowie | 2:51 | 8-2-1970 | bootleg / online only |
07 | "The Width of a Circle" | Bowie | 5:58 | 8-2-1970 | Bowie at the Beeb 2-CD Set (2000) |
08 | "Janine" | Bowie | 3:30 | 8-2-1970 | bootleg / online only |
09 | "Wild Eyed Boy from Freecloud" | Bowie | 4:20 | 8-2-1970 | bootleg / online only |
10 | "Unwashed and Somewhat Slightly Dazed" | Bowie | 5:07 | 8-2-1970 | Bowie at the Beeb 2-CD Set (2000) |
11 | ""Fill Your Heart" | Biff Rose | 2:21 | 8-2-1970 | bootleg / online only |
12 | "I'm Waiting for the Man" | Lou Reed | ? | not broadcast | lost |
13 | "The Prettiest Star" | Bowie | 2:40 | 8-2-1970 | bootleg / online only |
14 | "Cygnet Committee" | Bowie | 8:54 | 8-2-1970 | Bowie at the Beeb 2-CD Set (2000) |
15 | "Memory of a Free Festival" | Bowie | 6:40 | 8-2-1970 [3:41 edit] | full lost / edit on Bowie at the Beeb 2-CD Set (2000) |
Track | Title | Written by | Length | Broadcast[7] | Release |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
01 | "I'm Waiting for the Man" | Lou Reed | 5:49 | 6-4-1970; rept 11-5-1970 | BBC Sessions 1969–1972 (Sampler) (1996) [Limited release] bootleg / online |
02 | "The Width Of A Circle" | Bowie | 5:38 | 6-4-1970; rept 11-5-1970 | bootleg / online only |
03 | "Wild Eyed Boy From Freecloud" | Bowie | 4:44 | 6-4-1970; rept 11-5-1970 | Bowie at the Beeb 2-CD Set (2000) |
04 | "The Supermen" | Bowie | 3:19 | not broadcast | Bowie at the Beeb 4-LP Edition (2016) bootleg / online |
In Concert [Live]: 3 June 1971
'The date of this session has been widely misquoted as 5 June,' writes Pegg 'but BBC records and Bowie at the Beeb confirm 3 June is correct'.[8]
Track | Title | Written by | Length | Broadcast[9] | Release |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
01 | "Queen Bitch" | Bowie | 4:31 | 20-6-1971 | bootleg / online only |
02 | "Bombers" | Bowie | 3:14 | 20-6-1971 | Bowie at the Beeb 2-CD Set (2000) |
03 | "The Supermen" | Bowie | 3:08 | 20-6-1971 | bootleg / online only |
04 | "Oh! You Pretty Things" | Bowie | ? | not broadcast | lost |
05 | "Looking For A Friend" vocals Mark Carr-Pritchard |
Bowie | 3:22 | 20-6-1971 | Bowie at the Beeb 2-CD Set (2000) |
06 | "Almost Grown" backing vocals Geoffrey Alexander |
Chuck Berry | 2:46 | 20-6-1971 | Bowie at the Beeb 2-CD Set (2000) |
07 | "Kooks" | Bowie | 3:46 | 20-6-1971 | Bowie at the Beeb 2-CD Set (2000) |
08 | "Song for Bob Dylan" vocals George Underwood |
Bowie | 4:46 | 20-6-1971 | bootleg / online only |
09 | "Andy Warhol" vocals Dana Gillespie |
Bowie | 4:08 | 20-6-1971 | bootleg / online only |
10 | "It Ain't Easy" vocals Bowie, Alexander, Underwood |
Ron Davies | 3:00 | 20-6-1971 | Bowie at the Beeb 2-CD Set (2000) |
Sound Of The Seventies: 21 September 1971
Track | Title | Written by | Length | Broadcast[10] | Release |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
01 | "The Supermen" | Bowie | 2:52 | 4-10-1971; rept. 1-11-1971 | Bowie at the Beeb 2-CD Set (2000) |
02 | "Oh! You Pretty Things" | Bowie | 3:17 | 4-10-1971; rept. 1-11-1971 | Bowie at the Beeb 2-CD Set (2000) Japanese Edition only Bowie at the Beeb 4-LP Edition (2016) bootleg / online |
03 | "Eight Line Poem" | Bowie | 2:57 | 4-10-1971; rept. 1-11-1971 | Bowie at the Beeb 2-CD Set (2000) |
04 | "Kooks" | Bowie | 3:23 | 4-10-1971; rept. 1-11-1971 | bootleg / online only |
05 | "Fill Your Heart" | Biff Rose | 2:49 | 1-11-1971 | bootleg / online only |
06 | "Amsterdam" | Jacques Brel trans. Mort Shuman |
3:08 | not broadcast | bootleg / online only |
07 | "Andy Warhol" | Bowie | 2:52 | not broadcast | BBC Sessions 1969–1972 (Sampler) (1996) [Limited release] bootleg / online |
Sound Of The Seventies: 11 January 1972
Track | Title | Written by | Length | Broadcast[11] | Release |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
01 | "Hang On to Yourself" | Bowie | ? | 28-1-1972; rept. 31-3-1972 | lost |
02 | "Ziggy Stardust" | Bowie | 3:19 | 28-1-1972; rept. 31-3-1972 | bootleg / online only |
03 | "Queen Bitch" | Bowie | 3:04 | 28-1-1972; rept. 31-3-1972 | bootleg / online only |
04 | "I'm Waiting for the Man" | Lou Reed | 5:24 | 28-1-1972; rept. 31-3-1972 | bootleg / online only |
05 | "Lady Stardust" | Bowie | 3:19 | 31-3-1972 | bootleg / online only |
Sound Of The Seventies: 18 January 1972
Track | Title | Written by | Length | Broadcast[12] | Release |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
01 | "Queen Bitch" | Bowie | 2:59 | 7-2-1972 | Bowie at the Beeb 2-CD Set (2000) |
02 | "Five Years" | Bowie | 4:24 | 7-2-1972 | Bowie at the Beeb 2-CD Set (2000) |
03 | "Hang On to Yourself" | Bowie | 2:50 | 7-2-1972 | Bowie at the Beeb 2-CD Set (2000) |
04 | "Ziggy Stardust" | Bowie | 3:20 | 7-2-1972 | Bowie at the Beeb 2-CD Set (2000) |
05 | "I'm Waiting for the Man" | Lou Reed | 5:25 | not broadcast | Bowie at the Beeb 2-CD Set (2000) |
Sound Of The Seventies: 16 May 1972
Track | Title | Written by | Length | Broadcast[13] | Release |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
01 | "Hang On To Yourself" | Bowie | 2:50 | 23-5-1972; rept. 25-7-1972 | Bowie at the Beeb 2-CD Set (2000) |
02 | "Ziggy Stardust" | Bowie | 3:24 | 23-5-1972; rept. 25-7-1972 | Bowie at the Beeb 2-CD Set (2000) |
03 | "White Light/White Heat" | Lou Reed | 3:48 | 23-5-1972; rept. 25-7-1972 | Bowie at the Beeb 2-CD Set (2000) |
04 | "Suffragette City" | Bowie | 3:29 | 23-5-1972; rept. 25-7-1972 | Bowie at the Beeb 2-CD Set (2000) |
05 | "Moonage Daydream" | Bowie | 4:59 | 25-7-1972 | Bowie at the Beeb 2-CD Set (2000) |
Johnnie Walker Lunchtime Show: 22 June 1972
Track | Title | Written by | Length | Broadcast[14] | Release |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
01 | "Starman" | Bowie | 4:05 | 6-6-1972; 7-6-1972; 8-6-1972; 9-6-1972 | Bowie at the Beeb 2-CD Set (2000) |
02 | "Space Oddity" | Bowie | 4:17 | not broadcast | Bowie at the Beeb 2-CD Set (2000) |
03 | "Changes" | Bowie | 3:30 | not broadcast | Bowie at the Beeb 2-CD Set (2000) |
04 | "Oh! You Pretty Things" | Bowie | 2:58 | 5-6-1972 | Bowie at the Beeb 2-CD Set (2000) |
Sound Of The Seventies: 23 May 1972
Track | Title | Written by | Length | Broadcast[15] | Release |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
01 | "Andy Warhol" | Bowie | 3:15 | 19-6-1972 | Bowie at the Beeb 2-CD Set (2000) |
02 | "Lady Stardust" | Bowie | 3:21 | 19-6-1972 | Bowie at the Beeb 2-CD Set (2000) |
03 | "White Light/White Heat" | Lou Reed | 3:56 | 19-6-1972 | Bowie at the Beeb 2-CD Set (2000) |
04 | "Rock 'n' Roll Suicide" | Bowie | 3:09 | 19-6-1972 | Bowie at the Beeb 2-CD Set (2000) |
References
General
- O'Leary, Chris, Rebel Rebel: All the Songs of David Bowie from '64 to '76, Zero Books, 2015 - ISBN 9781780992440
- Pegg, Nicholas, The Complete David Bowie: Expanded and Updated Seventh Edition, Titan Books, 2016 - ISBN 9781785653650
Specific
- Pegg, p. 629
- Pegg, p. 629
- Pegg, p. 629
- Pegg, p. 629-630
- Pegg, p. 630
- Pegg, p. 630
- Pegg, p. 631
- Pegg, p. 631
- Pegg, p. 631
- Pegg, p. 632
- Pegg, p. 632
- Pegg, p. 632-633
- Pegg, p. 633
- Pegg, p. 633
- Pegg, p. 633