On January 10th, 2016, the world lost one of its greats, music star David Bowie, age 69. As he says in the title of one of his songs, we must all accept changes, and, although his death brings sorrow to many, it should provide a time of reflection and appreciation rather than of mourning. Born in England, David Bowie gained worldwide recognition and acclaim for his 1969 hit, “Space Oddity,” which described the strange new world of space travel. He continued his success in the early 70’s with his movement into glam rock, securing himself as one of the greats with his album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. This album describes Bowie’s “transformation” into his androgynous alter-ego Ziggy Stardust, and is most notable for containing the song “Starman,” recognizable to many for being featured in The Martian. Ziggy Stardust, as a sex symbol, represented the sexually experimental and diverse nature of the 70’s, displayed via bizarre costumes and highly theatrical stage performances.
He continued to try new forms of music, venturing into “plastic soul” and collaborations with other musicians, most notably “Under Pressure” with Queen, and “Dancing in the Streets” with Mick Jagger. His constant changes in musical style have earned him the title of “Rock and Roll Chameleon.” For those who still are unaware of whom this article is about, he is also famous for these songs: “Changes” (in Shrek II), “Moonage Daydream” (in Guardians of the Galaxy), and “Young Americans.” David Bowie, one of the most acclaimed musicians of the past 50 years, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996. Even after that hallmark in his career, Bowie did not stop writing music; two days before his death, on his birthday, he released his final album, Blackstar, to overwhelming critical acclaim. Now finally at rest, David Bowie really is the Starman in the sky that he always sung about.
My Top Six Bowie Songs:
- Young Americans
- Moonage Daydream
- China Girl
- Space Oddity
- Rebel Rebel
- Modern Love
