"Moonage Daydream" is a song written by David Bowie in 1971, first released as a single with the band Arnold Corns. A re-recorded version, featuring Bowie and his band The Spiders from Mars, was released in 1972 on The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars.
The song tells of an alien messiah and hints at his destiny to save the world from the impending disaster described in Bowie's "Five Years", as well as his fate as the quintessential "soul lover". "With Bowie, you're spoilt for choice when it comes to sci-fi-inspired songs," observed Tim Wheeler of Ash. "But 'Moonage Daydream' is my favourite. It's got a great riff and it sounds really pretty in a weird kind of way, even though the lyrics are quite dark."
In the story arc of The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, this is one of the most important songs. It describes the creation of Ziggy from a combination of religion, romance, sexual freedom, rebellion, and passion; he metamorphoses into the archetypal rock star.
Moonage Daydream: The Life and Times of Ziggy Stardust is the title of a book written by Bowie, published in 2002 by Genesis Publications, named after this song. It documents the years 1972-73 and is fully illustrated with the photography of Mick Rock. Bowie and Rock met in 1972 and formed a working relationship and lasting friendship. Subsequently, Rock was the only photographer authorised to record the two-year career of Ziggy Stardust.
The Arnold Corns version of "Moonage Daydream", recorded on 25 February 1971, was released by B&C as a single in the UK on 7 May 1971. "Hang on to Yourself" was the B-side. The official band line-up, fronted by dress designer Freddi Buretti, was a total fabrication; Buretti was at the session but his contributions were simply lost alongside Bowie's.
This version was released on CD in 1990, as a bonus track on the Rykodisc rerelease of the The Man Who Sold the World album. It also appeared on the Ziggy Stardust - 30th Anniversary Reissue bonus disc in 2002.
Arnold Corns version (recorded February 1971)
Producer:
David Bowie
Musicians:
David Bowie: vocals, piano
Freddi Buretti: vocals
Mark Carr-Pritchard: guitar
Peter DeSomogyi: bass
Tim Broadbent: drums, tambourine
Album version (recorded November 1971)
Producer:
Ken Scott
Musicians:
David Bowie: lead vocals, acoustic guitar, saxophone, string/flute arrangements
Mick Ronson: electric guitar, piano
Trevor Bolder: bass guitar, trumpet
Mick "Woody" Woodmansey: drums
Bowie recorded the song for the BBC radio programme "Sounds of the 70s: John Peel" on 16 May 1972, and this was broadcast on 23 May 1972. In 2000, this recording was released on the Bowie at the Beeb album.
A live version recorded at Santa Monica Civic Auditorium on 20 October 1972 has been released on Santa Monica '72 and Live Santa Monica '72.
The version played at the famous concert at the Hammersmith Odeon, London, 3 July 1973 was released on Ziggy Stardust - The Motion Picture.
A recording from the 1974 tour was released on David Live. Another live recording from the 1974 tour was released on the rare live album A Portrait in Flesh.
On the Outside tour in 1995 Bowie once again played "Moonage Daydream" and a live version recorded on 13 December 1995 was released on the "Hallo Spaceboy" single in 1996. This version was also released on the bonus disc that followed some versions of Outside - Version 2.
The 1971 Dutch Philips single (issued as "Moonage Dream") starts with someone (presumably the engineer) saying "Whenever you're ready...."
The song was released as the B-side of the rerelease of the single "Space Oddity" in December 1972.
It also appeared on the compilations The Best of David Bowie (Japan 1974), Starman (Russia 1989), Sound + Vision (box set) (1989), Best of Bowie (US/Canada 2002), Nothing Has Changed (2-CD/3-CD 2014), and Bowie Legacy (2-CD 2016).
A new mix of the song appeared on the Ziggy Stardust - 30th Anniversary Reissue bonus disc.
The song appeared in the movie Guardians of the Galaxy and on its soundtrack in 2014.
Eifo HaYeled - Track on the compilation Somebody hears me (1998)
Brazzaville - Track on the album Jetlag Poetry
Crowded House - Live during their 2010 Tour available on their website
The Chameleons - Track on the album This Never Ending Now
Cienfuegos - Cienfuegos
Dennis Dunaway Project - Hero: The Main Man Records Tribute to David Bowie (2007)
He's My Brother She's My Sister - He's My Brother She's My Sister EP (2010)
Sass Jordan - Live Recording
The Killers - Live Recording (30 Sept. 2005, Jones Beach)
LA Guns - Rips the Covers Off (2004)
The Last Shadow Puppets - Covered numerous times during the 2016 Everything You've Come To Expect Tour
Ann Magnuson - Single
Mars Needs Women - Hero: The Main Man Records Tribute to David Bowie (2007)
Danny Michel - Loving the Alien: Danny Michel Sings the Songs of David Bowie (2004)
Of Montreal - Live many times, including at Lollapalooza 2009 with Janelle Monáe.
Portugal. The Man - Live Recording 2009/2010
Racer X - Second Heat and Vol. 2 - Live Extreme (1986)
Mick Ronson - Live Recording
Patti Rothberg - Track on the Album Candelabra Cadabra (2001)
Mike Scott - King Electric CD Single
Sexy Sadie - Odd tracks out! (2000)
Ty Segall - SiriusXMU Sessions
The Smashing Pumpkins - Unreleased recording for an aborted tribute album in 1993/1994
The Spiders from Mars - The Mick Ronson Memorial Concert (2001). Joe Elliott (vocals, acoustic guitar), Phil Collen (guitar), Bill Nelson (guitar), Trevor Bolder (bass), Woody Woodmansey, (drums), Billy Rankin (guitar), and Phil Lanzon (keyboards)
Matthew Sweet - Live Recording
10,000 Maniacs - Single
Terrorvision - Long Live Tibet (various artists) (1997)
Warrior Soul - (Love Is) The Drug single (1995)
The White Stripes - Live Recording (27 November 1998)
Rozz Williams - Live Recording
Zen Guerrilla - Trance States in Tongues (1999)
The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain - Uke-Werk - Live recordings from German concerts (2013)
Beth Ditto - Girls Rock Camp Foundation (2015)
The Winery Dogs - published on their YouTube Channel on January 14 as a tribute to David Bowie after the news of his death. The song had been recorded previously by the band during the "Hot Streak" recording sessions (2016)
The Featherz - Forget All You Know single (2016)
The Last Shadow Puppets - Live on several occasions during their 2016 Everything You've Come To Expect-Tour
