“Moonage Daydream” is a song by English singer-songwriter David Bowie. It was originally recorded in February 1971 at Radio Luxembourg‘s studios in London and released as a single by his short-lived band Arnold Corns in May 1971 on B&C Records. Bowie subsequently re-recorded the song later that year with his backing band the Spiders from Mars—comprising Mick Ronson, Trevor Bolder and Mick Woodmansey—for release on his 1972 album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. The re-recording was co-produced by Ken Scott and recorded at Trident Studios in London in November 1971. The re-recording is a glam rock song that uses melodic and harmonic hooks, as well as percussion and guitar influenced by heavy metal. On the album, the song directly introduces the character Ziggy Stardust, who describes himself as a bisexual alien rock superstar who will save the Earth from the impending disaster described in the opening track “Five Years“. It features saxophone played by Bowie and a guitar solo and string arrangement by Ronson.”
I saw Moonage Daydream at a local Regal Theater. Six other people showed up. Moonlight Daydream uses previously unreleased footage from Bowie’s personal archives, including live concert footage mostly from the Ziggy Stardust concerts in the 1970s. Also, a number of interviews including Bowie and Dick Cavett highlight Bowie’s creative process and Bowie’s need to constantly change.
If you’re a fan of David Bowie’s music, there’s plenty of it in Moonage Daydream. Are you a David Bowie fan? GRADE: B+
TRACK LIST:
| 1. | “Time… One of the Most Complex Expressions…” | |
|---|---|---|
| 2. | “Ian Fish U.K. Heir (Moonage Daydream Mix 1)” | |
| 3. | “Hallo Spaceboy (Remix Moonage Daydream Edit)” | |
| 4. | “Wild Eyed Boy From Freecloud (Live) (Stereo)” | |
| 5. | “All The Young Dudes (Live) (Stereo)” | |
| 6. | “Oh! You Pretty Things (Live) (Stereo)” | |
| 7. | “Life on Mars? (2016 Mix – Moonage Daydream Edit)” | |
| 8. | “Moonage Daydream (Live) (Stereo)” | |
| 9. | “Medley: The Jean Genie / Love Me Do / The Jean Genie (Live) [ft. Jeff Beck]” | |
| 10. | “The Light (Excerpt)” | |
| 11. | “Warszawa (Live Moonage Daydream Edit)” | |
| 12. | “Quicksand (2021 Mix – Early Version)” | |
| 13. | “Medley: Future Legend / Diamonds Dogs Intro / Cracked Actor” | |
| 14. | “Rock ‘n’ Roll With Me (Live)” | |
| 15. | “Aladdin Sane (Moonage Daydream Edit)” | |
| 16. | “Subterraneans (2017 Remaster)” | |
| 17. | “Space Oddity (Moonage Daydream Mix)” | |
| 18. | “V-2 Schneider (2017 Remaster)” | |
| 19. | “Sound and Vision (Moonage Daydream Mix)” | |
| 20. | “A New Career in a New Town (Moonage Daydream Mix)” | |
| 21. | “Word on a Wing (Moonage Daydream Mix Excerpt)” | |
| 22. | ““Heroes” (Live Moonage Daydream Edit)” | |
| 23. | “D.J. (Moonage Daydream Mix)” | |
| 24. | “Ashes to Ashes (Moonage Daydream Mix)” | |
| 25. | “Move On (Moonage Daydream A Cappella Mix Edit)” | |
| 26. | “Moss Garden (Moonage Daydream Edit)” | |
| 27. | “Cygnet Committee / Lazarus (Moonage Daydream Mix)” | |
| 28. | “Memory of a Free Festival (Harmonium Edit)” | |
| 29. | “Modern Love (Moonage Daydream Mix)” | |
| 30. | “Let’s Dance (Live Moonage Daydream Edit)” | |
| 31. | “The Mysteries (Moonage Daydream Mix)” | |
| 32. | “Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide (Live Moonage Daydream Edit)” | |
| 33. | “Ian Fish U.K. Heir (Moonage Daydream Mix 2)” | |
| 34. | “Word on a Wing (Moonage Daydream Mix)” | |
| 35. | “Hallo Spaceboy (Live Moonage Daydream Mix)” | |
| 36. | “I Have Not Been to Oxford Town (Moonage Daydream A Cappella Mix Edit)” | |
| 37. | ““Heroes”: IV. Sons of the Silent Age (Excerpt)” | |
| 38. | “★ (Moonage Daydream Film Mix Edit)” | |
| 39. | “Ian Fish U.K. Heir (Moonage Daydream Mix Excerpt)” | |
| 40. | “Memory of a Free Festival (Moonage Daydream Mix Edit)” | |
| 41. | “Starman (Original Single Mix) (2015 Remaster)” | |
| 42. | “You’re Aware of a Deeper Existence…” | |
| 43. | “Changes (2015 Remaster)” | |
| 44. | “Let Me Tell You One Thing…” | |
| 45. | “Well, You Know What This Has Been an Incredible Pleasure…” |
Saw this last week. Loved it. Love Bowie. Mostly his 70’s albums, my favorites being Hunky Dory and Aladdin Sane. Saw him at the Fisher Theater on his Ziggy tour and once in the 90’s.
Steve, like you I listened to a lot of David Bowie music in the 1970s and early 1980s. Love “China Girl” and “Let’s Dance.” Sadly, I never saw Bowie live in concert but MOONAGE DAYDREAM gives viewers a good idea what it was like.
Yes, I’m a fan. I saw Bowie in concert on his Glass Spiders tour. It was good (Peter Frampton on guitar, choreography by Toni Basil of “Oh Mickey” fame, excellent use of visuals), but I wish I’d caught him on the Serious Moonlight tour. My favorite sing by Bowie is “Golden Years”. I’ll try to catch this if/when it’s available on a streaming service.
Deb, friends who saw David Bowie on the Serious Moonlight tour still talk about how fabulous it was. Love “Golden Years,” too!
Never having seen Bowie live is probably my greatest rock regret. Yes, “Golden Years” is a big favorite, along with “Suffragette City” and too many others to mention. I’ll see this as soon as I can.
Michael, David Bowie was a prolific recording artist. At one point in MOONAGE DAYDREAM an interviewer mentions Bowie had released 17 albums…and this was only in the early 1980s!
Hoping this comes closer to me. Don’t understand why it doesn’t have a wider release.
Patti, MOONAGE DAYDREAM is showing at only TWO theaters in Western NY. I picked the Regal Theater closest to me…but it was still a half-hour drive to get there.
No. Not a fan. Don’t know the music. No interest in this.
Jeff, I was mesmerized by David Bowie’s “evolution” in this documentary. He never stood still, never repeated himself. Bowie was addicted to change.
I’ve usually liked rather than loved Bowie’s music, and liked his work in other media as well (the film THE HUNGER, for example). It did strike me as a teen in New Hampshire (late ’70s) that fans who would throw nothing but insults and worse at “variant” sexuality folks had No Problem with Bowie.
I never saw Bowie and nor have yet seen Frampton in concert, but was in the audience with both on a packed night at the DC nightclub BLUES ALLEY, where Donna and I along with Dave and Pete were very happy to see the Koko Taylor and Albert King bands…sadly, not too long before King’s death. (I even participated in King’s crowdwork).
Todd, I came away from MOONAGE DAYDREAM with increased respect for David Bowie and his work ethic. Bowie never stood still and embraced change. A true artist!
I am SOOOOOO jealous!
I LOVE David Bowie and saw him 3 times in concert.
Moonage Daydream isn’t coming anywhere near me so I pre-ordered the Blu-Ray coming out in November.
Sirius XM has a Bowie channel running thru September. They also run one in January. I think it should be a permanent addition to their line-up.
Beth, I can safely predict you’ll love MOONAGE DAYDREAM when you see it. The Bowie movie is showing at just two theaters in Western NY. When it hits a streaming service like HULU, I’ll watch it again.
I especially liked (and still do …) his SF-oriented songs.
And I will never forget when my first wife and I had the chance to go to a concert by Tina Turner in Frankfurt in the mid 80s (Private Dancer Tour).
After a few fantastic songs she just stood there and suddenly you could hear “Tonight” – and see David coming down from the lights to perform with her.
That was such a delight!
Wolf, Bowie and Tina! What a pair of great performers! You’re lucky you saw them together!