This Day in Music – 1st Sept

On this day in 1967, David Bowie released the single “Love You Till Tuesday” which failed to reach the charts. Not supprising really, have you ever heard “Love You Till Tuesday” on the radio? No, you never have, because it’s so bad, no-body would ever play it! It was the final release for the fresh faced singer on the Deram label – they decided to let him go.
Davy Jones had released a string of singles – the former singer with The Konrads and The King Bees had seen his debut single, “Liza Jane”, credited to Davie Jones and the King Bees, sink without trace. Then came “I Pity The Fool”, then another one, which no one can remember, and then his fifth unsuccessful single release, “Do Anything You Say”.
‘Maybe it’s my name’, he thought, dissatisfied with his stage name as Davy (and Davie) Jones, which in the mid-1960s invited confusion with Davy Jones of The Monkees, Bowie then re-named himself after the 19th century American frontiersman Jim Bowie and the knife he had popularised.
So then came his April 1967 solo single, “The Laughing Gnome”, utilizing sped-up Chipmunk-style vocals. Now David him-self will admit, this was probably a mistake. Lets leave that one there.
Because of his lack of commercial success, Bowie was forced to try to earn a living in different ways. He featured in a Lyons Maid ice cream commercial, but was rejected for another by Kit Kat. Then intended as a vehicle to promote the singer, a 30-minute film featuring performances from his repertoire, “Love You till Tuesday”, was made.
Although not released until 1984, the filming sessions in January 1969 led to unexpected success when Bowie told the producers, “That film of yours—I’ve got a new song for it.” He then demoed the song that would provide his commercial breakthrough. “Space Oddity” was released later in the year to coincide with the first moon landing. “Space Oddity” was released on 11 July, 1969 five days ahead of the Apollo 11 launch, to become a UK top five hit.
Now that is a great song – about the launch of Major Tom, a fictional astronaut, (Bowie would later revisit his Major Tom character in the songs “Ashes to Ashes” and “Hallo Spaceboy”).
“Space Oddity” featured future Yes keyboard wizzard Rick Wakeman on Mellotron and piano, session man Herbie Flowers on bass and Bowie in fine singing voice, guitar, and stylophone. Yes stylophone a miniature stylus-operated synthesizer – if you’ve never seen one, it consisted of a metal keyboard played by touching it with a stylus, it was really a kids toy. Australian entertainer Rolf Harris had made it famous, but after Bowie cleverly utilised it on his first hit record, he ended up advertising the things. “As used by David Bowie”.
Anyway, my point here is that one of the most successful musicial talents of the past five decades got off to a sticky start. Most would’ve given up, loats did, but not our David. All of a sudden he came out with a whole bunch of brilliant tunes. His Hunky Dory from 1971 is in my opinion – a masterpiece, that still sounds as good today as it did in 71. “Kooks” from the album written about his newborn son, is one of this writers all time favorite songs.
Then he gave us Ziggy Stardust – dressed in a striking costume, his hair dyed red, Bowie launched his Ziggy with the Spiders from Mars. “Five Years”, “Moonage Daydream”, “Starman”, “Suffragette City”, “Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide” – everyone’s a winner.
Davy Jones was on a roll, at this point in his career no one, especially Bowie knew were he was going.
And I’m so pleased he didn’t. I’m so pleased he never gave up, because after this, he just got better and made some of the greatest records of the past 50 years.
I’ll have to stop now and come back to this as a part II. I can’t possibly fit in the great mans career in one go!
David Bowie is the definitive rock star. I’m off to listen to “Kooks”.