David Bowie: David Bowie (debut album) (2LP, cream and green vinyl) [POLYDOR]

Why you'll love it

This deluxe 2LP set on cream and green vinyl adds a full bonus LP of 1966 to 1968 recordings, including "The Laughing Gnome" and the "Space Oddity" from Love You Till Tuesday. The album itself features "Uncle Arthur," "Love You Till Tuesday" and "Rubber Band."

This edition

• 2LP set
• Cream and green vinyl
• Deluxe edition
• Bonus LP of 1966 to 1968 recordings
• Stereo mix

About the album

Every superstar has a first album, and Bowie's arrived on Deram on June 1, 1967, the same day as Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Produced by Mike Vernon, it's a world away from Ziggy: music hall, orchestral pop and character songs sung by a 20-year-old with an actor's flair.

"Uncle Arthur," "Love You Till Tuesday" and "Rubber Band" set the tone, all brass band jollity and wry storytelling, while "When I Live My Dream" and "Silly Boy Blue" hint at the romantic who'd emerge later, and "Sell Me a Coat" and "Maids of Bond Street" show off his gift for character songs. "Please Mr. Gravedigger" is a spoken piece with sound effects, which tells you how adventurous he already was. Bowie wrote every song himself, and Dek Fearnley helped with the arrangements, which lean more toward a West End revue than a rock record. The bonus LP gathers singles and rarities like "The London Boys," "Let Me Sleep Beside You," "Karma Man" and "In the Heat of the Morning."

It all ends with an early "Space Oddity," the future turning up a couple of years ahead of schedule.

Also at Kops: more David Bowie on vinyl · browse Rock

Tracklist

Listen

On Deram (cat# 655 4734), a reissue of the 1967 album.