90.9 The Bridge: Top 909 Cover Songs of All Time

90.9 The Bridge: Top 909 Cover Songs of All Time

Over the 4th of July weekend in 2026, the Kansas City radio station 90.9 The Bridge did a countdown of the top 909 cover songs of all time as voted on by listeners. Here were the results. Click here to see other genre-specific song lists. 1. “Hurt” Johnny Cash 2. “The Man Who Sold the World” Nirvana 3. “Killing Me Softly” Fugees 4. “Hallelujah” Jeff Buckley 5. “Nothing Compares 2U” Sinead O'Connor 6. “All Along the Watchtower” Jimi Hendrix Experience 7. “Smooth Criminal” Alien Ant Farm 8. “I Will Survive” Cake 9. “Sweet Jane” Cowboy Junkies 10. “A Hazy Shade of Winter” Bangles 11. “Take Me to the River” Talking Heads 12. “Personal Jesus” Johnny Cash 13. “In Bloom” Sturgill Simpson 14. “Mad World” Michael Andrews w/ Gary Jules 15. “Jolene” White Stripes 16. “Me and Bobby McGee” Janis Joplin 17. “I Can't Get No Satisfaction” Devo 18. “Where Did You Sleep Last Night” Nirvana 19. “Wild Horses” Sundays 20. “Respect” Aretha Franklin 21. “The Sound of Silence” Disturbed 22. “With a Little Help from My Friends” Joe Cocker 23. “I Will Always Love You” Whitney Houston 24. “Landslide” Smashing Pumpkins 25. “Proud Mary” Ike & Tina Turner 26. “Mrs. Robinson” Lemonheads 27. “Superstar” Sonic Youth 28. “Because the Night (Unplugged)” 10,000 Maniacs 29. “Heartbeats” Jose Gonzalez 30. “Valerie” Mark Ronson f. Amy Winehouse 31. “Tainted Love / Where Did Our Love Go” Soft Cell 32. “It's Oh So Quiet” Bjork 33. “Hard to Handle” Black Crowes 34. “Everybody Knows” Concrete Blonde 35. “What's So Funny 'Bout Peace, Love and Understanding” Elvis Costello 36. “Lake of Fire (Unplugged)” Nirvana 37. “Last Kiss” Pearl Jam 38. “Angel from Montgomery” Bonnie Raitt 39. “Boyz-n-the-Hood” Dynamite Hack 40. “Across the Universe” Fiona Apple 41. “Close to Me” Get Up Kids 42. “Such Great Heights” Iron & Wine 43. “Somewhere Over the Rainbow / What a Wonderful World” Israel Kamakawiwo?ole 44. “Istanbul (Not Constantinople)” They Might Be Giants 45. “Kansas City / Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey!” The Beatles 46. “Nothing Compares 2 U” Chris Cornell 47. “Save It for Later” Eddie Vedder 48. “Knockin' on Heaven's Door” Guns N' Roses 49. “I Love Rock and Roll” Joan Jett 50. “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” Marilyn Manson 51. “Try a Little Tenderness” Otis Redding 52. “Mahna Mahna” Cake 53. “Gloria” Patti Smith 54. “Common People” William Shatner 55. “I Think We're Alone Now” Tiffany 56. “Twist and Shout” Beatles 57. “You Really Got Me” Van Halen 58. “Toxic” Calvin Arsenia 59. “Easy” Faith No More 60. “Got to Get You into My Life” Earth Wind & Fire 61. “House of the Rising Sun” Animals 62. “Sea of Love” Cat Power 63. “Just Like Heaven” Dinosaur Jr. 64. “Live and Let Die” Guns N' Roses 65. “Hallelujah” Rufus Wainwright 66. “Big Yellow Taxi” Counting Crows 67. “Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen” Santana 68. “Doin' Time” Lana Del Rey 69. “Darling Nikki” Foo Fighters 70. “Pressure Drop” The Clash 71. “Stop Your Sobbing” Pretenders 72. “Love Song” 311 73. “The Boys of Summer” The Ataris 74. “Take on Me” Reel Big Fish 75. “Smells Like Teen Spirit” Tori Amos 76. “Summer Breeze (Part 1)” The Isley Brothers 77. “Changes” Charles Bradley 78. “People Are Strange” Echo & the Bunnymen 79. “Blinded by the Light” Manfred Mann's Earth Band 80. “You Found Me” Waxahatchee & Kevin Morby 81. “War Pigs” Cake 82. “She Came in Through the Bathroom Window`” Joe Cocker 83. “The Chain” Highwomen 84. “99 Red Balloons” Goldfinger 85. “American Woman” Lenny Kravitz 86. “Running Up That Hill” Meg Myers 87. “Pictures of Matchstick Men” Camper Van Beethoven 88. “Always on My Mind” Pet Shop Boys 89. “Make You Feel My Love” Adele 90. “Baker Street” Foo Fighters 91. “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” Slits 92. “Take Me Home, Country Roads” Toots and the Maytals 93. “Rusty Cage” Johnny Cash 94. “I Fought the Law” Clash 95. “Walk This Way” Run-DMC / Aerosmith 96. “Come Together” Aerosmith 97. “Dancing Barefoot” U2 98. “Come on Eileen” Save Ferris 99. “Blackbird” Billy Preston 100. “Iron Man” Cardigans 101. “You're Still the One” Lake Street Dive 102. “Eleanor Rigby” Aretha Franklin 103. “Pinball Wizard” Hillbenders 104. “Dear Prudence” Siouxsie and the Banshees 105. “Got My Mind Set on You” George Harrison 106. “When You Were Mine” Cyndi Lauper 107. “Happiness Is a Warm Gun” Breeders 108. “Weird Fishes” Lianne La Havas 109. “Once in a Lifetime” Angelique Kidjo 110. “Romeo & Juliet” Indigo Girls 111. “The Loco-Motion” Grand Funk Railroad 112. “Billie Jean” The Civil Wars 113. “Gloria” Laura Branigan 114. “Take Me Home, Country Roads” Brandi Carlile 115. “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” Marvin Gaye 116. “I Feel for You” Chaka Khan 117. “Without You” Harry Nilsson 118. “Higher Ground” Red Hot Chili Peppers 119. “Kansas City Star” Kacey Musgraves 120. “Dancing in the Dark” Lucy Dacus 121. “Running Up That Hill” Placebo 122. “Police and Thieves” Clash 123. “Torn” Natalie Imbruglia 124. “I Can't Get No Satisfaction” Otis Redding 125. “Beautiful Strangers” Mavis Staples 126. “Ring of Fire” Social Distortion 127. “Head On” Pixies 128. “Landslide” The Chicks 129. “Love Hurts” Nazareth 130. “La Bamba” Los Lobos 131. “Heroes” The Wallflowers 132. “Life on Mars” Seu Jorge 133. “Anthems for a Seventeen Year-Old Girl” Maggie Rogers & Sylvan Esso 134. “The Weight” Aretha Franklin 135. “Renegades of Funk” Rage Against the Machine 136. “You've Got to Hide Your Love Away” Eddie Vedder 137. “Behind Blue Eyes” Limp Bizkit 138. “Africa” Weezer 139. “Wish You Were Here” Milk Carton Kids 140. “Billie Jean” Chris Cornell 141. “Viva Las Vegas” Dead Kennedys 142. “A Whiter Shade of Pale” Annie Lennox 143. “Red Red Wine” UB40 144. “The Boxer” Mumford and Sons 145. “Jolene” Beyonce 146. “I'm a Believer” Smash Mouth 147. “Love Rollercoaster” Red Hot Chili Peppers 148. “Ain’t That a Shame” Cheap Trick 149. “Hey Jude” Wilson Pickett 150. “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” Elton John 151. “War Pigs (Live)” Faith No More 152. “Everybody Hurts” Al Green 153. “Mony Mony” Billy Idol 154. “Morning Has Broken” Cat Stevens 155. “At Last” Etta James 156. “Murder on the Dancefloor” Royel Otis 157. “I Can't Get No Satisfaction” Tom Jones 158. “Bridge Over Troubled Water” Aretha Franklin 159. “Take Me Home, Country Roads” Brandi Carlile and Emmylou Harris 160. “Land of Confusion” Disturbed 161. “Driver 8” Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit 162. “Hound Dog” Elvis Presley 163. “Patience” Chris Cornell 164. “Imagine” A Perfect Circle 165. “In Between Days” Ben Folds 166. “Suspicious Minds” Dwight Yoakam 167. “California Sun” Ramones 168. “Bizarre Love Triangle” Frente 169. “My Funny Valentine” Elvis Costello and the Attractions 170. “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow” Amy WInehouse 171. “Linger” Lake Street Dive 172. “California Man” Cheap Trick 173. “Crimson and Clover” Joan Jett and the Blackhearts 174. “Whole Lotta Love” Dread Zeppelin 175. “Addicted to Love” Florence + the Machine 176. “I Shot the Sheriff” Eric Clapton 177. “I Want to Hold Your Hand” Al Green 178. “Kids in America” Muffs 179. “Unchained Melody” The Righteous Brothers 180. “The Letter” Joe Cocker 181. “I Put a Spell on You” Nina Simone 182. “Raspberry Beret” Hindu Love Gods 183. “Remember (Walking in the Sand)” Aerosmith 184. “Helter Skelter (Live)” U2 185. “Wichita Lineman” Flea, Nick Cave 186. “There She Goes” Sixpence None the Richer 187. “Born Under Punches” Angelique Kidjo 188. “Friday I'm in Love” Yo La Tengo 189. “Summertime Blues (Live)” Who 190. “Signs” Tesla 191. “You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman” Carole King 192. “Ball of Confusion” Love and Rockets 193. “Down in the Park” Foo Fighters 194. “Border Song (Holy Moses)” Aretha Franklin 195. “Dancing Days” Stone Temple Pilots 196. “Do You Wanna Dance?” Ramones 197. “Time After Time” Willie Nelson 198. “Warm Leatherette” Grace Jones 199. “32 Flavors” Alana Davis 200. “Rockin' in the Free World (Live)” David Byrne 201. “I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow” The Soggy Bottom Boys 202. “Footsteps in the Dark” Cannons 203. “Just a Girl” Florence + the Machine 204. “Thirteen” Elliott Smith 205. “Helter Skelter” Aerosmith 206. “Pictures of Lily” David Bowie 207. “Purple Haze” The Cure 208. “Oh Pretty Woman” Van Halen 209. “Statesboro Blues” Allman Brothers Band 210. “Take Me Home, Country Roads” Lana Del Rey 211. “Just Like Heaven (with Robert Smith)” Olivia Rodrigo 212. “I Can't Get No Satisfaction” P!nk, Brandi Carlile, Dolly Parton 213. “American Girl” Frank Turner 214. “Mr. Blue Sky” Antennas Up 215. “All Tomorrow's Parties” St. Vincent 216. “All by Myself” Sheryl Crow 217. “Downpressor Man” Sinead O'Connor 218. “Whole Lotta Love” Hozier 219. “Sheena Is a Punk Rocker” Rancid 220. “One” Johnny Cash 221. “Can't Get Enough of You Baby” Smash Mouth 222. “Bury a Friend” Duran Duran 223. “Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa” Hot Chip and Peter Gabriel 224. “Heartbreak Hotel” Willie Nelson 225. “Pride and Joy” Bonnie Raitt 226. “Summertime” The Fun Boy Three 227. “Dancing in the Dark” Cannons 228. “No Scrubs” Weezer 229. “My Back Pages” The Ramones 230. “Bigmouth Strikes Again” Placebo 231. “Enjoy the Silence” Tori Amos 232. “Hey, Hey, What Can I Do” Hootie and the Blowfish 233. “Fall on Me” Death Cab for Cutie 234. “Making Plans for Nigel” The Rembrandts 235. “So Far Away” Lake Street Dive 236. “True Faith” Sophie Ellis-Bextor 237. “God Only Knows” David Bowie 238. “Dreams” The Corrs 239. “California Girls” David Lee Roth 240. “That's When I Reach for My Revolver” Moby 241. “Summertime Blues” Joan Jett and the Blackhearts 242. “Space Oddity” Brandi Carlile 243. “Psycho Killer” Velvet Revolver 244. “Don't Worry, Baby” She & Him 245. “Out of Time” The Ramones 246. “Shake Some Action” Cracker 247. “A Face in the Crowd” Spoon 248. “Gypsy Woman” David Byrne 249. “Come Together” Gary Clark, Jr. 250. “Route 66” Depeche Mode 251. “Where Is My Mind?” Placebo 252. “Louie Louie” The Kingsmen 253. “I'm on Fire” Johnny Cash 254. “I'm Not Your Steppin' Stone” Sex PIstols 255. “Why Can't We Be Friends?” Smash Mouth 256. “Blue” Sarah McLachlan 257. “D'yer Mak'er” Sheryl Crow 258. “Video Killed the Radio Star” Erasure 259. “Crosstown Traffic” Living Colour 260. “I Walk on Gilded Splinters” Paul Weller 261. “It's My Life” No Doubt 262. “Rockin' in the Free World (Live in Kansas City)” Pearl Jam 263. “Hungry Heart” The Mavericks 264. “China Girl” David Bowie 265. “Superman” R.E.M. 266. “Mama Told Me Not to Come” Tom Jones and Stereophonics 267. “All Along the Watchtower (Live at Red Rocks)” Dave Matthews Band 268. “Fade into You” Valerie June 269. “Wichita Lineman” Johnny Cash 270. “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” Cyndi Lauper 271. “The First Cut is the Deepest” Sheryl Crow 272. “911 Is a Joke” Duran Duran 273. “Whole Lotta Love” Ike and Tine Turner 274. “I Can't Get No Satisfaction” Cat Power 275. “Love is the Drug” Grace Jones 276. “#9 Dream” R.E.M. 277. “Gin and Juice” The Gourds 278. “Personal Jesus” Trevor Horn, Iggy Pop, Phoebe Lunny 279. “Whiskey in the Jar” Metallica 280. “I Don't Want to Grow Up” Ramones 281. “Breakdown” Spoon 282. “Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On)” Robert Plant & Alison Krauss 283. “Ball of Confusion” Duran Duran 284. “That Don't Impress Me Much” Haim 285. “Giving Him Something He Can Feel” En VOgue 286. “Bette Davis Eyes” Kim Carnes 287. “Behind Blue Eyes” Sheryl Crow 288. “Caroline, No” The Wedding Present 289. “Go Your Own Way” The Cranberries 290. “Creep” Arlo Parks 291. “Bohemian Rhapsody” Elton John with Axl Rose 292. “Oh My God” Mark Ronson f/ Lily Allen 293. “Yesterday” Willie Nelson 294. “Summertime” Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong 295. “She Don't Use Jelly” Ben Folds Five 296. “There She Goes Again” King Princess 297. “Clocks” Rhythms Del Mundo with Coldplay 298. “The Ballroom Blitz” Tia Carrere 299. “Let's Have a Party” Spencer Davis Group 300. “Get Your Kicks on Route 66” The Rolling Stones 301. “53rd and 3rd” Metallica 302. “Don't Think Twice It's Alright” Johnny Marr 303. “In the Air Tonight” Lucy Dacus 304. “Good Vibrations” Todd Rundgren 305. “Something in the Way” Rufus Du Sol 306. “Mama Told Me Not to Come” Wilson Pickett 307. “All Along the Watchtower” U2 308. “Sweet Jane” Sweet 309. “American Girl” Everclear 310. “Can't Help Falling in Love with You” UB40 311. “Such Great Heights” Postmodern Jukebox f. Kiah Victoria 312. “Can't Take My Eyes Off of You” Lauryn Hill 313. “Don't Let Me Down” Stereophonics 314. “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” Weezer 315. “Little Wing” Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble 316. “Blueberry Hill” Elton John 317. “Sad But True” Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit 318. “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg” Rolling Stones 319. “Guitar Man” The Jesus and Mary Chain 320. “Hey Bulldog” Toad the Wet Sprocket 321. “Disguises” The Jam 322. “Fast Car” Luke Combs 323. “Wonderwall” Mike Flowers Pops 324. “Thirteen” Wilco 325. “Watching the Detectives” Duran Duran 326. “China Girl” James 327. “Enjoy the Silence” Foushee 328. “You and Your Folks, Me and My Folks” Brittany Howard 329. “Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps” Cake 330. “Rockin' in the Free World” Simple Minds 331. “Graceland” Willie Nelson 332. “God Only Knows” Daniel Johnston 333. “The Train from Kansas City” Neko Case 334. “Gimme Shelter” Voice of the Beehive and Jimmy Sommerville 335. “Friend of the Devil” Counting Crows 336. “Don't Be Cruel” Cheap Trick 337. “Born to Run” Cowboy Mouth 338. “Honky Tonk Women” Tom Jones 339. “Sunshine on My Shoulders” Train 340. “Viva Las Vegas” ZZ Top 341. “Spanish Castle Magic” Santana 342. “Always Something There to Remind Me” Naked Eyes 343. “Wouldn't It Be Nice” She & Him, Zoey Deschanel, M Ward 344. “Where Is My Mind” Tkay Maidza 345. “Heroes” Oasis 346. “I'm a Believer” EMF with Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer 347. “Dear God” Sarah McLachlan 348. “Paint It, Black” Duran Duran 349. “Running Up That Hill” Kiki Dee 350. “Wichita Lineman” R.E.M. 351. “Come Together” Sugababes 352. “Cum on Feel the Noize” Oasis 353. “I'm Only Sleeping” The Vines 354. “My Back Pages” The Hollies 355. “Whiskey in the Jar” The Pogues 356. “The Way You Do the Things You Do” UB40 357. “Just Dropped in to See What Condition My Condition Was In” Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings 358. “Bein' Green” Andrew Bird 359. “Route 66 (Live)” Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers 360. “Summertime” Billie Holiday 361. “Good Lovin'“ The Rascals 362. “Good Guys” Heidi Lynne Gluck 363. “Hey Joe” Wilson Pickett 364. “I Just Wasn't Made for These Times” Jim James 365. “White Lines” Duran Duran 366. “Get Rhythm” Little Richard 367. “Solsbury Hill” Erasure 368. “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” Elton John 369. “Stand by Your Man” The Chicks 370. “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” Making Movies 371. “Enjoy the Silence” Bell X1 372. “Twist and Shout” The Isley Brothers 373. “The Best” Tina Turner 374. “This Is Radio Clash” The Urge 375. “The Ghost in You” Counting Crows 376. “Mama Told Me Not to Come” Three Dog Night 377. “A Forest” British Sea Power 378. “No Woman, No Cry” Fugees 379. “Sad But True” Royal Blood 380. “King of Carrot Flowers Part One” Death Cab for Cutie 381. “Never Going Back Again” matchbox twenty 382. “The Lion Sleeps Tonight (We-Mo-Weh)” The Tokens 383. “Gold Dust Woman” Warren Haynes 384. “Love Buzz” Nirvana 385. “When Doves Cry” Patti Smith 386. “They Don't Know” Tracey Ullman 387. “Whole Wide World” Cage the Elephant 388. “Second Hand News” Tonic 389. “Rudie Can't Fail” The MIghty Mighty Bosstone 390. “I'll Take You There” General Public 391. “Love Hurts” Joan Jett 392. “No More I Love You's” Annie Lennox 393. “Love Song” The Big Pink 394. “Creep” Macy Gray 395. “Life During Wartime” Staple Singers 396. “Fascination Street” Monotony Street 397. “Rapper's Delight” Sugarhill Gang with Ellen Dow 398. “Wind of Change” AWOLNATION f. Brandon Boyd and Portugal. the Man 399. “Patience (Thundergong)” Ted Lasso 400. “What to Do” Meat Puppets 401. “Golden” Cannons 402. “Take Me Home Country Roads” Olivia Newton-John 403. “Burning Down the House” Bonnie Raitt 404. “Come and Get It” The Beatles 405. “Heroes” Janelle Monae 406. “I Can't Explain” Snuff 407. “The Chain” Shawn Colvin 408. “Manic Monday” Billie Joe Armstrong 409. “Papa Was a Rollin' Stone” Temptations 410. “Gimme Some Truth” Crew ft. Krystle Warren 411. “Tangerine” Big Head Todd and the Monsters 412. “Route 66” The Brian Setzer Orchestra 413. “I've Been Loving You Too Long” Tina Turner 414. “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” Bette Midler 415. “Burning Love” Ronnie Spector 416. “Working Class Hero” Screaming Trees 417. “Whatta Man” Salt-N-Pepa 418. “Ring of Fire`” Ray Charles 419. “I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend” Pete Yorn 420. “This Old Heart of Mine” Rod Stewart with Ron Isley 421. “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” Sophie B. Hawkins 422. “Dreams” The Kills 423. “Don't Be Cruel” The Mavericks 424. “Pinball Wizard” Elton John 425. “Use Me” Mick Jagger 426. “You'll Never Walk Alone” Brittany Howard 427. “Redemption Song” Wyclef Jean 428. “The Greatest Love of All” Whitney Houston 429. “Baby One More Time” Tenacious D 430. “Paint It, Black” The Flaming Groovies 431. “You Really Got Me” Robert Palmer 432. “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” Sammy Rae 433. “No Matter What” The Knack 434. “Here Comes the Sun” Peter Tosh 435. “Band on the Run” Foo Fighters 436. “I Wanna Be Sedated” The Offspring 437. “Here Comes Your Man” Teenage Fanclub 438. “Don't Stop” Elton John 439. “Spirit in the Sky” The Blind Boys of Alabama 440. “The Scientist” Natasha Bedingfield 441. “You Keep Me Hanging On” Madness 442. “Take a Chance on Me” AWOLNATION ft. Jewel 443. “Roll Over Beethoven” The Beatles 444. “Inspiration Information” Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings 445. “Creep” Postmodern Jukebox f. Haley Reinhart 446. “Seven Nation Army” The Flaming Lips 447. “Let's Stay Together” Tina Turner 448. “Gold Dust Woman” Sister Hazel 449. “Let It Be” Tito Nieves and Tito Puente 450. “You Spin Me Round Like a Record” Sweet 451. “Harvest Moon” Sunflower Bean 452. “Miss Otis Regrets” The Lemonheads 453. “Fool in the Rain” O.A.R. and Robert Randolph 454. “Dancing in the Moonlight” Smashing Pumpkins 455. “I'm Free” Soup Dragons f/ Junior Reid 456. “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” Jimmy Barnes 457. “Ziggy Stardust” Seu Jorge 458. “Whiskey in the Jar” Pulp 459. “Hotel Yorba (Playback)” Katy Guillen & the Drive 460. “Please Mr. Postman” The Beatles 461. “Good Vibrations” The Troggs 462. “Blitzkrieg Bop” Sweet 463. “Hello, Dolly” Louis Armstrong 464. “Piece of My Heart” Melissa Etheridge 465. “Folsom Prison Blues” Keb' Mo' 466. “Spanish Castle Magic” Spin Doctors 467. “Sunday Morning” Michael Stipe 468. “You Want It Darker” Iggy Pop 469. “All Through the Night” Cyndi Lauper 470. “Police on My Back” Billie Joe Armstrong 471. “Mighty Quinn” Manfred Mann 472. “Reason to Believe” Rod Stewart 473. “A Whiter Shade of Pale” Joe Cocker 474. “House of the Rising Sun” Nina Simone 475. “Walkin' After Midnight” Patsy Cline 476. “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” Samantha Mumba 477. “Soak Up the Sun” Soccer Mommy 478. “Oh! You Pretty Things” Lisa Hannigan 479. “Like a Rolling Stone” Michael Bolton 480. “Maniac” AWOLNATION 481. “I'll Be There (MTV Unplugged) ft Trey Lorenz)” Mariah Carey 482. “In My Life” Jose Feliciano 483. “Back Home Again” Old Crow Medicine Show 484. “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” The Vaccines 485. “Let My Love Open the Door” Natalie Imbruglia 486. “Senses Working Overtime” Spacehog 487. “Long Black Train” Cadillac Flambe 488. “Downbound Train” Raul Malo 489. “That's All for Everyone” Tame Impala 490. “Gone Daddy Gone” Gnarls Barkely 491. “Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want” Hootie & the Blowfish 492. “Just Dropped In” Kenny Rogers 493. “Pet Sounds” Architecture in Helsinki 494. “Mack the Knife” Louis Armstrong 495. “Queen of Hearts” Juice Newton 496. “The Tracks of My Tears” Go West 497. “Uncle John's Band” Lucius 498. “Light My Fire” Shirley Bassey 499. “Barracuda” Fergie 500. “Imagine” Gerry and the Pacemakers 501. “Here Comes Your Man” Kate Roges 502. “I'm Bad I'm Nationwide” Dwight Yoakam 503. “Guns of Brixton” Unwritten Law 504. “Misty Mountain Hop” 4 Non Blondes 505. “Ain’t That a Shame” John Lennon 506. “The Sky Is Crying” Stevie Ray Vaughan 507. “The E Street Shuffle” John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band 508. “Many Shades of Black” The Raconteurs with Adele 509. “I'll Be Your Mirror” Courtney Barnett 510. “Heroes” Blondie 511. “Fade into You” Maximo Park 512. “The Loco-Motion” Kylie Minogue 513. “She's Leaving Home” Billy Bragg 514. “Route 66” Chuck Berry 515. “Secret Garden” Tom Cochrane and Damhnait Doyle 516. “Lola” Madness 517. “Working in a Coal Mine” Devo 518. “Right Down the Line” Local Natives 519. “Femme Fatale” Sharon Van Etten 520. “I Get a Kick Outta You” Louis Armstrong 521. “I Shall Be Released” Paul Weller 522. “Gimme Some Truth” Billie Joe Armstrong 523. “Games People Play” Lissie 524. “Stacy's Mom” Postmodern Jukebox f. Casey Abrams 525. “Can't Help Falling in Love” Hall and Oates 526. “Boys Don't Cry” Lostprophets 527. “Can't Get Enough of You Baby” The Colourfield 528. “Wooden Indian” Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes 529. “Dead Flowers” Cowboy Junkies 530. “Alone Again (Naturally)” AWOLNATION 531. “Stayin' Alive” Rhythms Del Mundo f. Wyclef Jean 532. “You Really Got a Hold on Me” The Beatles 533. “Fantastic Voyage” Coolio 534. “Positively 4th Street” Paul Westerberg 535. “The Black Angel's Death Song” Fontaines D.C. 536. “All Along the Watchtower” The Fratelli's 537. “Rebel Rebel” Rickie Lee Jones 538. “I'm Waiting for the Man” Matt Berninger 539. “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” Michael McDonald 540. “Message in a Bottle” Maxi Priest 541. “Rolling in the Deep” Aretha Franklin 542. “You Make Loving Fun” Jewel 543. “Hey Bulldog” Fanny 544. “Lullaby” Editors 545. “Brilliant Disguise” Elvis Costello 546. “Rave On” M Ward ft. Zoey Deschanel 547. “I Don't Want to Know” Goo Goo Dolls 548. “Uncle John's Band” Jimmy Buffet 549. “Jack Straw” Bruce Hornsby and the Range 550. “Ring of Fire” Def Leppard 551. “Love Me Tender” Linda Ronstadt 552. “I Want to Break Free” Lisa Stansfield 553. “Lady Madonna” Fats Domino 554. “I Won't Back Down” Kris Kristofferson 555. “Miss Otis Regrets/Just One of Those Things” Kirsty MacColl ft. the Pogues 556. “Like a Rolling Stone” Jimi Hendrix 557. “Shadows of the Night” Pat Benatar 558. “Some Kind of Wonderful” Joss Stone 559. “Real Wild Child (Wild One)” Iggy Pop 560. “I Say a Little Prayer” Aretha Franklin 561. “White Riot” Cracker 562. “Fade into You” Gregory Alan Isakov, Sylvan Esso 563. “Royals” Postmodern Juke f. Puddles Pity Party 564. “Devil with the Blue Dress On/Good Golly Miss Molly” Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels 565. “Money (That's What I Want)” Flying Lizards 566. “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” Diana Ross 567. “Remember (Walking in the Sand)” The Go-Go's 568. “Born to Run” Frank Turner 569. “Just a Friend” AWOLNATION 570. “Mack the Knife” Bobby Darin 571. “Red House” Buddy Guy 572. “Baby I Love Your Way” Big Mountain 573. “Seven Nation Army” Hard-Fi 574. “Dream Baby” Hootie & the Blowfish 575. “Wild World” Jimmy Cliff 576. “Voodoo Child (Slight Return)” Earth, Wind and Fire 577. “Ces Bottes Sont Faites Pour Marcher” Eileen 578. “Radio Ga Ga” Paul Young 579. “Straight to Hell” Moby featuring Heather Nova 580. “Babe I'm Gonna Leave You” Led Zeppelin 581. “The Tide is High” Blondie 582. “Silver Springs” Lykke Li 583. “Ship of Fools” Elvis Costello 584. “Instant Karma!” Paul Weller 585. “If It Be Your Will” Mavis Staples 586. “Tonight I'll Be Staying Here with You” The Charlatans 587. “Let ‘Em In” Dr. John 588. “Der Kommisar” After the Fire 589. “Songbird” Duncan Shiek 590. “Piece of My Heart” Big Brother & the Holding Company 591. “Hold on I'm Comin” Aretha Franklin 592. “It Ain’t Me Babe” Nancy Sinatra 593. “Love Song” Adele 594. “Spirit in the Sky” Dr. and the Medics 595. “Bad Romance” Lissie 596. “Foxey Lady” Cee-Lo Green 597. “All You Pretty Girls” Crash Test Dummies 598. “Eye in the Sky” AWOLNATION f. Beck 599. “Marquee Moon” Kronos Quartet 600. “That Thing You Do!” Billie Joe Armstrong 601. “Sad Songs and Waltzes” Cake 602. “Jailhouse Rock” John Cougar Mellencamp 603. “Laid” Better Than Ezra 604. “I Go Blind” Hootie & the Blowfish 605. “Dream a Little Dream” Eddie Vedder 606. “If I Can't Have You” Eve's Plum 607. “Everyday is Like Sunday” Chrissie Hynde 608. “Suspicious Minds” Fine Young Cannibals 609. “Rebel Rebel” Jimmy Cliff 610. “Ain’t That a Shame” Pat Boone 611. “A Hard Day's Night” Johnny Rivera 612. “Working in the Coal Mine” Devo 613. “I Won't Back Down” John Fogerty 614. “Things We Said Today” Bob Dylan 615. “Mind Games” George Clinton 616. “Love Cats” The Futureheads 617. “Use Me” Hootie & the Blowfish 618. “Dazed and Confused” Led Zeppelin 619. “Maybe I'm Amazed” Billy Joel 620. “Drive” AWOLNATION 621. “It's All Over Now Baby Blue” Echo and the Bunnymen 622. “Live to Tell” Berlin 623. “I Want to Take You Higher” Ike & Tina Turner 624. “I Think We're Alone” Billie Joe Armstrong 625. “I Turn My Camera On” Rock Kills Kid 626. “Ziggy Stardust” Bauhaus 627. “Sloop John B” Dick Dale and His Del-Tones 628. “Hey Jude” Elvis Presley 629. “Iko Iko” Belle Stars 630. “The Spider and the Fly” Buffalo Tom 631. “Strawberry Letter 23” Brothers Johnson 632. “Rihannon” Best Coast 633. “Miss Otis Regrets” Bette Midler 634. “Help Me” kd lang 635. “Burning Down the House” Cardigans with Tom Jones 636. “Material Girl” AWOLNATION f. Taylor Hanson 637. “Landslide” Allison Russell 638. “I Just Wanna Have Something to Do” Garbage 639. “One Way Out” Allman Brothers Band 640. “Ring of Fire” Dwight Yoakam 641. “More, More, More (Part 1)” Babes in Toyland 642. “Lola” Andy Taylor 643. “How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)” Junior Walker & the All Stars 644. “Tomorrow Never Knows” Jimi Hendrix featuring Jim Morrison 645. “Wild World” Maxi Priest 646. “A New England” Billie Joe Armstrong 647. “Denis” Blondie 648. “When I'm 64” Barry Gibb 649. “Ob La Di Ob La Da” Celia Cruz 650. “Light My Fire” Clarence Carter 651. “Have You Ever Been (to Electric Ladyland)” Lenny Kravitz 652. “Stayin' Alive” Dweezil Zappa 653. “Imagine” Blues Traveler 654. “Beds Are Burning” AWOLNATION 655. “Addicted to Love” Alex Clare 656. “Life During Wartime” Ben Lee 657. “I Believe in Miracles” Eddie Vedder with Zeke 658. “The Wind Cries Mary” Sting 659. “You Keep Me Hanging On” Kim Wilde 660. “This Used to Be My Playground” A Flock of Seagulls 661. “Bring the Noise (Thundergong)” Flava Flav and Jason Sudeikis 662. “Here I Am (Come and Take Me)” UB40 663. “That's What Friends Are For” Dionne Warwick and Friends 664. “We Are Family” The Chipmunks and the Chipettes 665. “My Back Pages” Joan Osbourne and Jackson Browne 666. “Day Tripper” Otis Redding 667. “The Boho Dance” Bjork 668. “Anyhow, Anyway, Anywhere” The Flaming Lips 669. “Bennie and the Jets” Beastie Boys with Biz Markie 670. “Cello Song” Fontaines D.C. 671. “You Better Run” Pat Benatar 672. “Revolution” The Radiators 673. “Maggie's Farm” The Specials 674. “Material Girl” KMFDM 675. “Who Are You” Stereophonics 676. “Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In” The 5th Dimension 677. “Casey Jones” Warren Zevon with David Linley 678. “Need You Tonight” Level 42 679. “Blue Monday” Randy Newman 680. “The Crying Game” Boy George 681. “I Want to Hold Your Hand” The Crickets 682. “New York Groove” Ace Frehley 683. “Maybe I'm Amazed” Jem 684. “Jackie Wilson Said” Dexy's Midnight Runners 685. “Band on the Run” Heart 686. “Walking on the Moon” Hot Chocolate 687. “When Doves Cry” Razorlight 688. “Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)” Nancy Sinatra 689. “Oh Pretty Woman” Al Green 690. “Beat on the Brat” U2 691. “Poor Poor Pitiful Me” Linda Ronstadt 692. “The Kids Are Alright” Pearl Jam 693. “You've Got to Hide Your Love Away” The Subway 694. “High and Dry” Jamie Cullum 695. “How Lucky” Kurt Vile with John Prine 696. “Pancho and Lefty” Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson 697. “I'm a Believer” The Monkees 698. “Midnight at the Oasis” That Dog 699. “Looking Out My Back Door” The Stray Cats 700. “Like a Rolling Stone” Mick Ronson with David Bowie 701. “Dancing on My Own” Kings of Leon 702. “Every Breath You Take” Shirley Bassey 703. “Like a Virgin” Annabella Lwin of Bow Wow Wow 704. “Truckin'“ Dwight Yoakam 705. “Oh! You Pretty Things” Herman's Hermits 706. “5.15” Phish 707. “China Doll” Suzanne Vega 708. “Sunny Afternoon” Bob Geldof 709. “All Day and All of the Night” The Stranglers 710. “Uncle John's Band” Indigo Girls 711. “Think About Me” The New Pornographers 712. “Some Kind of Wonderful” Grand Funk Railroad 713. “Feelin’ Alright” Paul Weller 714. “Havana Affair” Red Hot Chili Peppers 715. “New York” Cat Power 716. “Hey Joe” Jimi Hendrix Experience 717. “I Only Have Eyes for You” Flamingos 718. “I'm Walkin'“ Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers 719. “Suspicious Minds” Candi Staton 720. “Everybody’s Talkin’” Harry Nilsson 721. “Voodoo Child (Slight Return)” Angelique Kidjo 722. “Ain’t That a Shame” Edwyn Collins 723. “Stand by Your Man” Tina Turner 724. “Can't Buy Me Love” Ella Fitzgerald 725. “It's Now or Never” Paul McCartney 726. “Fell in Love with a Boy” Joss Stone 727. “I Hear You Knocking” Dave Edmunds 728. “Use Me” Isaac Hayes 729. “America the Beautiful” Ray Charles 730. “Can't Get Enough of You Baby” ? and the Mysterians 731. “Every 1's a Winner” Ty Segall 732. “Wharf Rat” Midnight Oil 733. “Hello Goodbye” The Cure f. James McCartney 734. “Addicted to Love” Eagles of Death Metal 735. “I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself” White Stripes 736. “Leopard Skin Pillbox Hat” Beck 737. “Do You Love Me” Nirvana 738. “Jump Jive an' Wail” The Brian Setzer Orchestra 739. “Jump” Aztec Camera 740. “Killing in the Name” My Brothers and Sisters 741. “Cheat” Rancid 742. “Dizzy” Vic Reeves and the Wonder Stuff 743. “Enter Sandman” Mac DeMarco 744. “Eight Miles High” Husker Du 745. “Louie Louie” Ike & Tina Turner 746. “Linger” Royel Otis 747. “Nightclubbing” Grace Jones 748. “All My Loving” Maxi Priest 749. “How Will I Know” Sam Smith 750. “Time Warp” Tenacious D 751. “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)” Liza Minelli 752. “Brand New Cadillac” The Clash 753. “Secret Agent Man” Devo 754. “Gallows Pole” Led Zeppelin 755. “Sad But True” St. Vincent 756. “Lost in the Supermarket” Afghan Whigs 757. “If You Leave” Nada Surf 758. “Back on the Chain Gang” Morrissey 759. “Love Is All Around” R.E.M. 760. “Space Oddity” Natalie Merchant 761. “Wedding Bell Blues” Morrissey w Billiy Joe Armstrong 762. “In the Summertime” Yes You Are 763. “Yesterday” Gladys Knight and the Pips 764. “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain” The Mavericks 765. “Spanish Harlem” Aretha Franklin 766. “Beyond the Sea” Bobby Darin 767. “Girl from the North Country” M Ward, Connor Oberst, Jim James 768. “Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)” Robert Palmer 769. “Farewell Transmission” Kevin Morby & Waxahatchee 770. “Down the Line” The Hollies 771. “Let It Be” Chrissie Hynde 772. “Right Down the Line” Bonnie Raitt 773. “Waterloo Sunset” David Essex 774. “Lady Madonna” Allen Toussaint 775. “Purple House” Prince 776. “Atlantic City” Ed Sheeran 777. “The Scientist” Willie Nelson 778. “How Sweet It Is” James Taylor 779. “Have a Cigar” Foo Fighters and Brian May 780. “Dream Baby” Wayne Newton 781. “Living After Midnight” LA Guns 782. “I Wanna Be Your Dog” Uncle Tupelo 783. “Lotta Love” Nicolette Larson 784. “Whole Lotta Love” Beth Hart 785. “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” David Byrne 786. “Land of 1000 Dances” Wilson Pickett 787. “Start Me Up” Manic Street Preachers 788. “Don't You Evah” Spoon 789. “Love Hurts” Sinead O'Connor 790. “La Vie En Rose” Lucy Dacus 791. “Baby Blue” Aimee Mann 792. “Debaser” Rogue Wave 793. “Train in Vain (Stand by Me)” Third Eye Blind 794. “Let My Love Open the Door” Mitski 795. “Summertime Blues” Blue Cheer 796. “Dance Me to the End of Love” Madeleine Peyroux 797. “Someday” Julia Jacklin 798. “Our Lips Are Sealed” Fun Boy Three 799. “Obsession” Animotion 800. “Only Love Can Break Your Heart” Saint Etienne 801. “Handle with Care (Thunder Gong)” Jason Sudeikis, Wil Forte, Fred Armisen 802. “Tears of a Clown” The Beat 803. “Cats in the Cradle” Ugly Kid Joe 804. “Like a Prayer” Loleatta Holloway 805. “Head Over Heels” Japanese Breakfast 806. “Steal My Sunshine” Portugal. the Man f/. Cherry Glaze 807. “A Groovy Kind of Love” Phil Collins 808. “Manic Monday” Bangles 809. “My Way” Sex Pistols 810. “Running Up That Hill” Car Seat Headrest 811. “Bad Romance (Thundergong 2022)” Brendan Hunt 812. “Oye Como Va” Santana 813. “Take Me to Tomorrow” Dave Matthews 814. “Mr. Tambourine Man” Byrds 815. “I Can See Clearly Now” Jimmy Cliff 816. “Nothing Else Matters” Phoebe Bridgers 817. “Jealous Guy” Collective Soul 818. “Champagne Supernova” Matt Pond PA 819. “Espresso” Good Neighbours 820. “Sexual Healing” Soul Asylum 821. “Dancing in the Street” David Bowie and Mick Jagger 822. “Purple Haze” Robert Randolph and the Family Band 823. “Summer Breeze” Type O Negative 824. “Leaving on a Jet Plane” My Morning Jacket 825. “Fast Car” Black Pumas 826. “Careless Whisper” Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio 827. “Spirit in the Sky” Elton John 828. “Twist and Shout” Mamas & the Papas 829. “A Case of You” Prince 830. “Baby I Love Your Way / Freebird” Will to Power 831. “Help!” Deep Purple 832. “What a Wonderful World” Joey Ramone 833. “With a Little Help from My Friends” Wet Wet Wet 834. “Higher Ground” Jass 835. “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” Robert Glasper 836. “Bette Davis Eyes” Kylie Minogue 837. “Go Your Own Way” Lissie 838. “Time After Time” Everything But the Girl 839. “Friend of the Devil” Lyle Lovett 840. “Clampdown” Indigo Girls 841. “Harvest Moon” SYML 842. “Smalltown Boy” Dido 843. “Here Comes the Sun” Nina Simone 844. “Crossroads” Cream (Eric Clapton) 845. “Shout (Parts 1 & 2)” The Isley Brothers 846. “Free Man in Paris” Sufjan Stevens 847. “Blue Suede Shoes” Elvis Presley 848. “California Sun” The Rivieras 849. “Ring of Fire” Lykke Li 850. “Imagine” Dolly Parton 851. “Summertime” Big Brother & the Holding Company 852. “People Get Ready” Rod Stewart 853. “Light My Fire” Stevie Wonder 854. “Instant Karma!” Toad the Wet Sprocket 855. “You Really Got Me” Iggy Pop 856. “Gold Dust Woman (Live)” Sheryl Crow 85. “Jailhouse Rock” The Cramps 858. “Baby I Love Your Way” Diana Ross 859. “Should I Stay or Should I Go” Kaiser Chiefs 860. “Waterfalls” Death Cab for Cutie 861. “Working Class Hero” Green Day 862. “One Step Beyond” Madness 863. “Wild Thing” Divinyls 864. “Mahna Mahna” The Fray 865. “Hateful” No Doubt 866. “Cherry Bomb” L7 and Joan Jett 867. “Love Will Tear Us Apart” Not a Planet 868. “Breaking the Law” Motorhead 869. “Heroes” TV on the Radio 870. “Let's Dance” The Ramones 871. “Dancing in the Dark” Bastille 872. “Dreams” Letters to Cleo 873. “Money Changes Everything” Cyndi Lauper 874. “I Want Candy” Bow Wow Wow 875. “Burning Down the House” Paramore 876. “Wide Open Spaces” Soccer Mommy 877. “Drive” The Script 878. “Holiday” Heaven 17 879. “Ziggy Stardust” Def Leppard 880. “Driver 8” Hootie & the Blowfish 881. “Fire” Pointer Sisters 882. “Venus and Mars Rock Show” KISS 883. “Crazy” Patsy Cline 884. “Just” Mark Ronson f/ Alex Greenwald 885. “Hot Rod Lincoln” Commander Cody and His Lost Planet 886. “Viva Las Vegas” Reverend Horton Heat 887. “Laid” Matt Nathanson 888. “Money (That's What I Want)” Beatles 889. “Video Killed the Radio Star” The Presidents of the United States of America 890. “Safety Dance” Angel Olsen 891. “Crazy Train” Pat Boone 892. “California” Mates of State 893. “Cum on Feel the Noize” Quiet Riot 894. “Flagpole Sitta” AWOLNATION 895. “Sex on Fire” Cannons 896. “Rainbow Connection” Weezer and Hayley Williams 897. “Venus” Bananarama 898. “Take a Chance on Me” Erasure 899. “Lola (909 Session)” Lake Street Dive 900. “The Muppet Show Theme Song” OK Go 901. “Get It on (Bang a Gong)” Power Station 902. “Express Yourself” Information Society 903. “Do You Remember Rock N Roll Radio” KISS 904. “White Man in Hammersmith Palais” 311 905. “Kids in America” Billie Joe Armstrong 906. “Born to Run” Frankie Goes to Hollywood 907. “Psycho Killer ft. Victoria De Angelis” Duran Duran 908. “Baby One More Time” Fountains of Wayne 909. “Just a Gigolo / I Ain’t Got Nobody” David Lee Roth Resources/Related Links Dave’s Music Database: “Other Genre/Category Song Lists” Bridge909.org (July 2026). “Top 909 Cover Songs of All Time” First posted July 4, 2026.

David Bowie Hunky Dory released

Hunky Dory David Bowie

Released: December 17, 1971 Peak: 57 US, 3 UK, 43 CN, 39 AU, 12 DW Sales (in millions): -- US, 0.3 UK, 3.5 world (includes US and UK), 10.83 EAS Genre: glam rock/classic rock

Tracks: Song Title (Writers) [time] (date of single release, chart peaks) Click for codes to charts. Changes [3:33] (1/7/72, 41 BB, 38 CB, 26 GR, 28 HR, 1 CL, 2 CO, 49 UK, 32 CN, 80 AU, 1 DF) Oh! You Pretty Things [3:12] (34 CO, 11 DF) Eight Line Poem [2:53] Life on Mars? [3:48] (6/22/73, 2 CL, 2 CO, 3 UK, 67 AU, 5 DF) Kooks [2:49] (35 CO, 23 DF) Quicksand [5:03] (4/11/74, 43 CL, 33 CO, 20 DF) Fill Your Heart (Rose/ Williams) [3:07] Andy Warhol [3:53] (32 CO, 23 DF) Song for Bob Dylan [4:12] (37 DF) Queen Bitch [3:13] (2/15/74, 34 CL, 32 CO, 21 DF) The Bewlay Brothers [5:21] (38 DF) Songs written by David Bowie unless indicated otherwise. Total Running Time: 41:50 The Players: David Bowie (vocals, guitar, saxophone, piano) Mick Ronson (guitar, backing vocals, Mellotron, arrangements) Trevor Bolder (bass, trumpet) Mick Woodmansey (drums) Rick Wakeman (piano)

Rating: 4.504 out of 5.00 (average of 29 ratings) Quotable: “The beginning of the classic Bowie period” – Adrian Denning Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

The Beginning of the Classic Bowie Era “The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars made David Bowie a superstar but, before that, Hunky Dory made him an artist.” CM It is a “quantum leap from his previous material.” AD It “is artistically the album that made the breakthrough for Bowie” AD and “the beginning of the classic Bowie period.” AD He said, “The record provided me, for the first time in my life, with an actual audience.” CM Rolling Stone called it “his first great album.” 500 The Seeds for Ziggy Stardust This album was notable for being “the first to feature the line-up that would become the Spiders from Mars.” CQ That included guitarist Mick Ronson, bassist Trevor Bolder, and drummer Woody Woodmansey. This is “suggestive of a dress rehearsal with Ziggy waiting impatiently in the wings for his understudy to vacate the stage.” PR Hunky Dory “is not a concept album, but the concepts within would eventually solidify and manifest in the character of Bowie’s spaceman and perhaps even in his personal philosophies.” CQ “The themes and ideas scattered throughout the songs’ lyrics and arrangements set the stage for not only Ziggy Stardust, but for much of Bowie’s output in the ’70s.” CQ The Bowie Identity “At a moment when no one knew whether David Bowie was a transvestite, provocateur, folk singer or space alien,” TL “the then 24-year-old released an album that slyly capitalized on the confusion.” TL Up to this point in his career he’d showcased an ability to tackle “a kaleidoscopic array of pop styles” AM and experiment “with a number of personas” PR including guises as “a mod, a folk singer, [and] a jazz buff.” CM His previous album, The Man Who Sold the World, had an “almost heavy-metal sound;” TB Hunky Dory saw Bowie return to “the acoustic guitar-based singer-songwriter sound of his earlier work.” TB “What elevated the album…was Bowie’s newly developed and highly ambitious capacity for bridging the gap between highbrow and lowbrow art forms.” TB He “blends pop, dancehall, art-rock and folk for his most varied effort.” RV It “was a visionary blend of gay camp, flashy rock guitar and saloon-piano balladry.” 500 “On the surface, such a wide range of styles and sounds would make an album incoherent, but Bowie’s improved songwriting and determined sense of style” AM give Bowie the distinction of “inventing – and perfecting – a new style of rock & roll glamour.” 500 He created “a touchstone for reinterpreting pop’s traditions into fresh, postmodern pop music.” AM As Bowie said, “I wasn’t an R&B artist, I wasn’t a folk artist, and I didn’t see the point in trying to be that purise about it. What my true style was is that I loved the idea of putting Little Richard with Jacques Brel and the Velvet Underground backing them. What would that sound like? Nobody was doing that.” CM The Players “The playing and production and arrangements were all assured and professional.” AD “Mick Ronson came into his own…proving himself an adept arranger for strings as well as a fine guitar player. Keyboard superstar and then top session man Rick Wakeman provided fine piano and keyboard flourishes.” AD The latter’s “cabaret piano…dominate[s] the sound of the album.” AM The Songs Here’s thoughts on individual songs. “Changes” “The revamped Tin Pan Alley of Changes,” AM which “proved he could write a great pop song about who he really (maybe) was.” TL It became “a manifesto that Bowie has carried ever since.” CM “Life on Mars?” Bowie also crafted “the soaring Life on Mars?” AM in which he is “flexing his muscles as a songwriter.” CM It recalls “the theme of Bowie’s signature tune ‘Space Oddity,’ but here it tells the story of a girl in suburbia hoping that there is life elsewhere because it sure isn’t here.” CM “Song for Bob Dylan” and “The Bewlay Brothers” On Song for Bob Dylan, Bowie delivers “a powerful examination of the use of an alter ego to create art.” RV That song and The Bewlay Brothers were amongst Bowie’s “more folky songs.” AM Bowie wrote the latter about his brother Terry, who was bipolar and Bowie’s first idol. CM “Oh! You Pretty Things” and “Queen Bitch” He also “inflects his words with a Lou Reed sensibility, as on Oh! You Pretty Things, a rallying cry for homosexuality.” RV It was also “a nod to the British ‘60s beat group and was originally given to Peter Noone of Herman’s Hermits. Here Bowie reclaims it.” CM Bowie also makes “a direct sound connection to the Velvet Underground with Queen Bitch.” CQ Such songs “clarified his earthbound ambition to be a boho poet with prodigal style.” TL That song and “Song for Bob Dylan” have been described as “unabashed fan letters.” CM “Andy Warhol” There’s also “the dark acoustic rocker Andy Warhol,” AM a tribute to the New York artist who’d championed the Velvet Underground. Bowie said of Warhol’s reaction to the song” “he hated it. Loathed it.” CM “Quicksand” In addition to songs that celebrated Bowie’s contemporaries like Dylan, Reed, and Warhol, Bowie also serves up his “Neil Young homage Quicksand.” AM “Kooks” and “Fill Your Heart” Bowie also “again flirted with Anthony Newley-esque dancehall music (Kooks, Fill Your Heart).” AM The former “was a letter welcoming the arrival of his newborn son and Bowie’s attempt to explain to the boy about his kooky parents. It’s probably the happiest Bowie has ever been on record.” CM Notes: The 1990 Rykodisc reissue added the unreleased 1971 recording “Bombers,” and alternate versions of “The Bewlay Brothers,” “Quicksand,” and “The Supermen” (the latter originally on The Man Who Sold the World).

Resources and Related Links: DMDB encyclopedia entry for David Bowie AM AllMusic.com review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine CQ Consequence of Sound (9/15/2010). “Top 100 Albums Ever” CM Toby Creswell & Craig Mathieson (2012). 100 Best Albums of All Time. Hardie Grant Books. Page 106. AD Adrian Denning RV The Review (Oct./Nov. 2001). “The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time” by Clarke Speicher PR Paul Roland (2001). CD Guide to Pop & Rock. B.T. Batsford LTD: London. Page 34. 500 Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums of All Time TB Thunder Bay (2005). Albums: The Stories Behind 50 Years of Great Recordings. Thunder Bay Press; San Diego, CA. Page 147. TL Time Magazine (11/13/2006). “All-TIME 100 Albums” by Josh Tyrangiel and Alan Light Other Related DMDB Pages: First posted 2/20/2008; last updated 10/1/2024.

David Bowie The Man Who Sold the World charted

The Man Who Sold the World David Bowie

Charted: November 4, 1970 Peak: 105 US, 24 UK, 62 CN, 44 AU Sales (in millions): -- US, 0.1 UK, 2.0 world (includes US and UK) Genre: glam rock/folk rock

Tracks: Song Title (Writers) [time] (date of single release, chart peaks) Click for codes to singles charts. The Width of a Circle [8:05] All the Madmen [5:38] Black Country Rock [3:34] (1/15/71 B-side of “Holy Holy,” 43 CL, 33 CO) After All [3:53] Running Gun Blues [3:12] Saviour Machine [4:26] She Shook Me Cold [4:13] The Man Who Sold the World [3:57] (6/22/73, 25 CL, 14 CO, 39 UK) The Supermen [3:39] All songs written by David Bowie. Total Running Time: 40:29 The Players: David Bowie (vocals, guitar, saxophone, stylophone, organ) Mick Ronson (guitar, backing vocals) Tony Visconti (bass, piano, guitar, recorder, backing vocals, producer) Mick Woodmansey (drums) Ralph Mace (Moog synthesizer) Ken Scott (engineer)

Rating: 3.715 out of 5.00 (average of 25 ratings)

About the Album: “The Man Who Sold the World, for most intents and purposes, is the beginning of David Bowie's classic period.” AMG It marked his move away from the folkier sound of his previous album and toward “a tight, twisted heavy guitar rock that appears simple on the surface but sounds more gnarled upon each listen.” AMG In addition, “the lyrics are darker than his previous releases, exploring themes of insanity, religion, technology and war.” WK Bowie decided to form a band. He enlisted Tony Visconti, who’d produced the Space Oddity album as his bassist, and John Cambridge as the drummer. As the new guitarist, he brought on Mick Ronson. The two met after a performance at London’s Marquee Club on February 2, 1970 and the two hit it off immediately. After Cambridge was replaced by Mick “Woody” Woodmansey, the quartet began recording The Man Who Sold the World in April 1970. While Bowie received sole songwriting credit, biographer Peter Doggett quoted Visconti saying “the songs were written by all four of us.” WK The arranging was predominantly done by Ronson and Visconti. “The mix is off-center, with the fuzz-bass dominating the compressed, razor-thin guitars and Bowie’s strangled, affected voice. The sound of The Man Who Sold the World is odd, but the music is bizarre itself, with Bowie’s bizarre, paranoid futuristic tales melded to Ronson’s riffing and the band's relentless attack. Musically, there isn't much innovation on The Man Who Sold the World — it is almost all hard blues-rock or psychedelic folk-rock — but there's an unsettling edge to the band’s performance, which makes the record one of Bowie's best albums.” AMG Width of a Circle “is an eight-minute epic that delves into progressive rock.” WK Guitar feedback from Ronson is prominent and lyrics reference Lebanese poet Khalil Gibran and a sexual encounter in the devil’s lair with God. WK All the Madmen reflects on the theme of institutionalized madness. It was inspired by Bowie’s half-brother Terry Burns. WK On Black Country Rock, Bowie impersonates Marc Bolan with his vocal performance while the music is a mix of blues rock and hard rock. Meanwhile, After All has some resemblance to the folk rock and music hall numbers of Bowie’s earlier work. The lyrics deal with innocent children who have not been corrupted yet by adulthood. WK Running Gun Blues deals with the Vietnam War and gun-toting assassins. That song and Saviour Machine are once again rooted in blues rock and hard rock. The latter explores the idea that computers could overtake the human race. There is a suggestion that She Shook Me, created largely without Bowie’s input, was written to emulate Cream’s Jack Bruce and bears some similarity to Led Zeppelin. Lyriccally, it explores a sexual conquest similar to Robert Johnson’s “Love in Vain” and Muddy Waters’ “You Shook Me.” WK The “haunting” WK title track has cryptic and evocative lyrics wrapped around a “circular” guitar riff from Ronson. WK The Supermen reflects the themes of Nietzsche. Bowie described it as a “pre-fascist” “period piece.” WK The album was originally to be called Metrobolist but the record company retitled it without Bowie’s consultation. Mercury executives reportedly disliked the album and there were no singles released at the time to promote it. However, “Black Country Rock” and the title cut would eventually surface as B-sides to future singles. Notes: The 1990 Rykodisc reissue added bonus tracks “Lightning Frightening,” 1970 single “Holy Holy,” and the songs “Moonage Daydream” and “Hang on to Yourself.” The latter two were originally released as a 1971 single under the Bowie alias of Arnold Corns. The songs later resurfaced on the 1972 Ziggy Stardust album.

Resources and Related Links: DMDB encyclopedia entry for David Bowie AMG All Music Guide by Stephen Thomas Erlewine WK Wikipedia First posted 2/20/2008; last updated 7/29/2021.