Out-takes/other Ziggy-era songs of
interest
"Blackhole Kids" (Bowie): Mentioned by Bowie in 1999 as a possible song to be
included in a soundtrack for Ziggy 2002.
"I'm going to include an old song
called "Blackhole Kids," which is fabulous. I have no idea why it wasn't on the
original [Ziggy Stardust] album. Maybe I forgot." - Bowie
(1999)
"I've
pulled out a good deal of scraps that were never used at the time.
Some of them are only 30 seconds long, but I'm extending those. I
thought, 'OK, is this crap and is that the reason why it never
appeared on the first one or is it OK and should I try and do things
with it?' So I've taken those six tracks and thrashed them out and
made them into songs that will support the original. One's called the
'Black Hole Kids' which is fascinating." -
Bowie (2000)
"Bombers" (Bowie): According to Bowie, this semi-comic song was
scheduled for inclusion on a planned (but never completed) bridging album between HUNKY
DORY (1971) and THE RISE AND FALL OF ZIGGY STARDUST AND THE SPIDERS FROM MARS (1972). This
bridging album was to include the songs "He's A Goldmine", "Bombers",
"Starman", "Round & Round" and "Something Happens."
Three of these five songs were considered for the Ziggy Stardust album, but only
"Starman" was to make it. While never slated for the Ziggy album per see,
"Bombers" was officially released on the Rykodisc 1990 re-issue of HUNKY DORY
(1971). In an early 1972 radio interview on songs that he still had "in the can"
Bowie referred to "Bombers" as being "kind of a skit on Neil
Young..." On his Heathen (2002) album Bowie covers a version of Neil
Young's "I've Been Waiting For You".
"Hang Onto Yourself" (Bowie): A very early demo version of this song was recorded
in February 1971 (reportedly with Gene Vincent) and has appeared as such on recent
bootlegs. However, that Gene Vincent was part of this early recording has subsequently
been denied by Bowie as ever having happened. A couple of months later this song was
recorded again with the Arnold Corns project (both of these featured different
lyrics and arrangement to the final version on the Ziggy Stardust album- see Hang Onto Yourself - Arnold Corns version). It is included on the CD2
bonus disc for the EMI 30th Anniversary 2CD set (2002)
"He's a Goldmine" (Bowie): This was the original working title for "Velvet Goldmine" which was scheduled to be on Side Two of the
Ziggy Stardust album. However, in an early 1972 radio interview (see link above), Bowie
indicated that while the song was a "lovely thing" and very "David
Bowie", it was dropped from the Ziggy album because "the lyrics were a
little bit too provocative." "Velvet Goldmine" was eventually
released, without Bowie's permission, as a single by RCA in 1975 on "Space
Oddity/Changes/Velvet Goldmine" RCA 2593 UK (September 1975) and re-released as an
approved bonus track on the 1990 Ryko re-issue of the Ziggy Stardust album and on the CD2
bonus disc for the EMI 30th Anniversary 2CD set (2002)
"He Was Alright (The Band Was
Altogether)" (Bowie):
This was the original working title for "Lady Stardust." A bonus for Bowie
fans was the release of the acoustic demo "Lady Stardust"
on the Ryko 1990 re-issue, which featured slightly different lyrics to the final version;
namely "...ooh how I lied when they asked if I knew his name...".
Prior to the re-issue, the existence of this demo was unknown. A fractionally longer
version of "Lady Stardust" can be found on some bootlegs which show that the
official release of the demo faded-in the introduction to cover a studio mistake. It also
appears on the CD2 bonus disc for the EMI 30th Anniversary 2CD
set (2002)
"Holy Holy" (Bowie): This song was first released as the A-side on "Holy
Holy/Black Country Rock" (Mercury 6052049 - 17 January 1971) and re-recorded (in a
superior version) during the November 1971 Ziggy sessions by Bowie and The Spiders for
inclusion on Side Two of THE RISE AND FALL OF ZIGGY STARDUST AND THE SPIDERS FROM MARS
(1972). However, it was eventually dropped from the Ziggy Stardust album and released as
the B-side of "Diamond Dogs/Holy Holy" (RCA APBO 0293 UK) in June 1974. The
Bowie and Spiders version of "Holy Holy" is included as a bonus track on the
1990 Rykodisc/EMI THE MAN WHO SOLD THE WORLD (1970) CD where, confusingly, it is
mislabeled as the original 17 January 1971 version! and on the CD2 bonus disc for the EMI 30th Anniversary 2CD set (2002)
"Its Gonna Rain Again"
(Bowie): According to the Rykodisc limited edition Ziggy Stardust Booklet, this song was one of four (the others were
"Only One Paper Left", "Shadow Man" and "Looking for a
Friend") that were started but not finished at the Trident Studio November 1971
sessions for THE RISE AND FALL OF ZIGGY STARDUST AND THE SPIDERS FROM MARS (1972). It
currently remains unreleased and unheard in any form.
"Not at all. I’ve seen [tape] boxes and labels
that have those [titles written on them], but no, it means nothing. You
have to understand, in some ways it was just another day at the office.
These things happen and you move on. And it’s exactly the same with
those songs from that period. They happened, they didn’t work, so we put
them aside and then forgot about them." - Ken Scott when asked if
he remembers "Its Gonna Rain Again"; "Only One Paper Left" & "Shadowman"
"Looking for a Friend"
(Bowie): This song was also recorded at the Trident Studio
Ziggy sessions for THE RISE AND FALL OF ZIGGY STARDUST AND THE SPIDERS FROM MARS (1972).
There are three versions of this song. The first (BBC radio version) had been performed by
Bowie on John Peel's In Concert radio show on 5 June 1971. A studio version (Studio
Version #1) was recorded on 17 June 1971 to be the follow-up single for the Arnold
Corns project (later made available as the single "Looking for a Friend/Hang Onto
Yourself/Man in the Middle" Krazy Kat 12" PAST 2 Norway (May 1985).
"Moonage Daydream" (Bowie): An early version of this song was originally
recorded by the Arnold Corns project (the early May single release - B&C CB 149
- has different lyrics and arrangement - see Moonage Daydream -
Arnold Corns version) and then re-recorded for THE RISE AND FALL OF ZIGGY STARDUST AND
THE SPIDERS FROM MARS (1972). It is included on the CD2 bonus disc for the EMI 30th Anniversary 2CD set (2002)
"Only One Paper Left"
(Bowie): According to the Rykodisc limited edition Ziggy Stardust Booklet, this song was another that was started but
not finished at the Trident Studio November 1971 sessions for THE RISE AND FALL OF ZIGGY
STARDUST AND THE SPIDERS FROM MARS (1972). It currently remains unreleased and unheard in
any form.
"Port of Amsterdam"
(Jacques Brel/M.Shuman): A Bowie studio version of this
Jacques Brel song (Bowie also covered "My Death") was recorded during the
Trident sessions in November 1971 for inclusion on Side One of THE RISE AND FALL OF ZIGGY
STARDUST AND THE SPIDERS FROM MARS (1972). However, while eventually forming a regular
part of Bowie's live Ziggy Stardust set, it was dropped from the album line-up and
released two years later as the B-side of "Sorrow/Port of Amsterdam." (RCA
2424 - 28 September 1973). It is included as a bonus track on the Rykodisc PINUPS
(1973) CD and on the CD2 bonus disc for the EMI 30th
Anniversary 2CD set (2002).
"Round and Round"
(Chuck Berry): This song was recorded by Bowie and the
Spiders in November 1971 for inclusion on Side One of THE RISE AND FALL OF ZIGGY STARDUST
AND THE SPIDERS FROM MARS (1972) but dropped from the final line-up. In an early 1972
radio interview, Bowie says that while "Round and Round" would have conceptually
been the perfect kind of number that "Ziggy" would have performed on stage, the
song was only a studio jam and eventually (remaining in contention until March 1972) it
was replaced with the more appropriate "Starman." "Round and Round"
was released as the B-side on "Drive-In Saturday/Round and Round" (RCA 2352 - 6
April 1973) and can be found on the Rykodisc SOUND + VISION I (1989)
and the Rykodisc "Sound + Vision: The CD Press Release" (RCD PRO 0120/21/22
1989) and on the CD2 bonus disc for the EMI 30th Anniversary
2CD set (2002).
"Shadow Man"
(Bowie): Also titled "The Man" this song was
originally recorded by Bowie at Haddon Hall in May 1970 and at Trident Studios on 23rd
April 1971. A third version was recorded at Trident Studios on 14 September 1971. It has
never been officially released. However, it can be readily found on CD bootlegs and is has
a very similar chord structure to "Quicksand".
"Something
Happens" (Bowie): This was the title of a
song mentioned by Bowie in a radio interview in 1971 and scheduled for inclusion on the
fore-mentioned planned (but never completed) bridging album between HUNKY DORY (1971) and
THE RISE AND FALL OF ZIGGY STARDUST AND THE SPIDERS FROM MARS (1972). A version was
recorded at Trident Studios on 14 September 1971. A very poor quality version of this song
is said to circulate amongst collectors on tape. It is said that the song would have
fitted well into the Ziggy concept and that it is similar in nature to "Sweet
Head". Part of the lyrics are reproduced below:
I'll meet you tonight, turn the stars back on
I'll turn you into an old Rachmaninov, I just wanna do it again
Come along and reach that crowd
You made my head go round and round
Something happens when you touch me
Something happens when you touch me
Something happens when you touch me there...
"Starman" (Bowie): No - nothing unusual here either. This
great song was released on the original album, albeit at the last minute. However,
circulating amongst collectors is an almost entirely instrumental version of this song
which was used as the backing track for the television performance of "Starman"
on 5 July 1972. The song in this form is very interesting and worth hearing. While not
officially released, it can be found on CD bootlegs.
"Supermen, The" (Bowie): Song from THE MAN WHO SOLD THE WORLD (1970). A superior
alternate version was re-recorded at the Ziggy Stardust Trident Studios as Bowie's
contribution to REVELATIONS - A MUSICAL ANTHOLOGY FOR GLASTONBURY FAYRE (1971) and is
included as a bonus track on the Rykodisc HUNKY DORY (1971) CD. A live version of this
song from the Ziggy Stardust concert at the Boston Music Hall on the 1st
October 1972 is also included on the CD video SOUND + VISION PLUS
(1989) and on the CD2 bonus disc for the EMI 30th
Anniversary 2CD set (2002)
"Sweet Head" (Bowie): The real bonus of the Ryko 1990 reissue
was the release of this powerful rocker with risqué lyrics. Prior to the Rykodisc
re-release programme, this song was completely unknown to collectors. Judging by the
lyrical content, and like "Velvet Goldmine", it was probably considered too
provocative to release at the time. The rumour is that, even in 1990, Bowie was reluctant
for this song to be released, but eventually agreed. It is included on the CD2 bonus disc
for the EMI 30th Anniversary 2CD set (2002)
"Ziggy Stardust" (Bowie): Another bonus of the Ryko 1990 reissue was
the release of the acoustic demo of this song featuring Bowie on vocals, piano and guitar.
Prior to the re-issue series, the existence of this demo was unknown. It is included on
the CD2 bonus disc for the EMI 30th Anniversary 2CD set (2002)
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