Have you heard some of the earlier songs by David Bowie? It's an astonishing 50 years since Bowie's first release in 1964, and he's produced a vast array of work in the decades since. Most of his songs are quality, but my favorite songs come from his first ten years or so. Here are some amazing songs by David Bowie from the early part of his long career that you may not know …
My absolute favorite of all the songs by David Bowie is Velvet Goldmine. It inspired the movie Velvet Goldmine, which was based on a Bowie-like singer and starred Jonathan Rhys Meyers. There's a real glam rock flavor to this song, which isn't surprising since it comes from the early '70s.
Although it comes from the same era as Velvet Goldmine, Moonage Daydream is a much dreamier song. It's the kind of song that you should listen to while lying on the grass looking up at the stars. If you like trippy lyrics then you should listen to this song. It's right up near the top of my personal Top Ten Bowie songs.
This is definitely one of the very earliest Bowie songs, and in fact you might not recognise it as one of his. Let Me Sleep Beside You was recorded before Bowie hit it big with Space Oddity and has a very different feel from his '70s songs. These early recordings are worth listening to as part of Bowie's musical development - he's never been afraid to experiment.
Have you seen the British movie Kinky Boots, about how a drag queen saves a failing shoe factory? (Yes I know, sounds odd, but it's a very good film.) The Prettiest Star was used in the opening credits, as the younger version of Lola dances. It's a whimsical but enchanting song that's sure to make you smile.
And here we have another beautiful, yearning song. Lady Grinning Soul has some exquisite piano and is a song to be listened to while letting your mind wander off and dream. Another one to put on your playlist for gazing up at the stars perhaps.
This is a much livelier song! If you're in the mood for something more uptempo, try Diamond Dogs. I think it would make a good song to listen to first thing in the morning, to wake you up! It comes from the last album Bowie made in his glam rock period, which features the better known Rebel Rebel.
A lot of (younger) people think that Bowie covered Nirvana with this song, but it was actually the other way round. In fact, it's been covered many times and by some surprising people. But you should definitely listen to the original and best version by the man himself.
It's a tough challenge to pick my favorite tracks from Bowie's early years. He's recorded so many superb songs! But I've tried to choose some that you may not have heard yet. Hopefully these songs will inspire you to discover more of Bowie's many fantastic songs. Which is your own favorite Bowie song - is there one that means a lot to you?