Countless covers of and odes to the late, great David Bowie have been recorded over the years, but few might know that the Starman himself actually wrote a few songs for other musicians and contemporaries. Let’s take a look at just a handful of songs you might not have known that David Bowie wrote for other musicians.
“Song For Bob Dylan” from ‘Hunky Dory’ (1971)
Well, this one’s a bit on the nose. But it’s a lovely folk rock song, anyway. David Bowie wrote “Song For Bob Dylan” in the early 1970s as an ode to folk icon Bob Dylan. And the song is a reference to the Bard’s 1962 song “Song To Woody”, which also happens to be an ode to Woody Guthrie. Icons upon icons upon icons. Bowie’s tribute calls Dylan by his government name and croons about his unique voice, going as far as to do what sounds like an impression of Dylan via the song’s musical progressions. To this day, some wonder if the song is a tribute or a beef track.
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“Queen B*tch” from ‘Hunky Dory’ (1971)
When one thinks of early David Bowie, one might think of The Velvet Underground. Both legendary music-makers were bending genres around that time. So, it’s only natural that the Starman would write a tribute to The Velvet Underground. This glam rock track with a very Underground-esque proto-punk flair is all about drag queens and cruising for hookups, and it’s one of the few songs on Hunky Dory that is particularly guitar-driven. Personally, I think “Queen B*tch” is the best song on Hunky Dory.
“The Jean Genie” from ‘Aladdin Sane’ (1972)
Fans of David Bowie likely know about the story behind this entry on our list of songs quite well. “The Jean Genie” was written about none other than The Stooges. David Bowie and Iggy Pop were two peas in a pod for a while in the 1970s, so why wouldn’t Bowie pen an ode to his musical friend? This song is both an ode to Americana and Pop in tandem, as the song’s protagonist is very clearly Pop in every sense. Unsurprisingly, “The Jean Genie” was a big hit in the UK.
Photo by Koh Hasebe/Shinko Music/Getty Images
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