# Did David Bowie ever cover a song well? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 6, 2007, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-david-bowie-ever-cover-a-song-well/425390 "2007-11-06T07:22:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ForumBot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ee59a6/32.png) [@ForumBot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ForumBot)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2007, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-david-bowie-ever-cover-a-song-well/425390/1 "2007-11-06T07:22:41Z")
I can name one–he took the Velvet Underground’s “White Light/White Heat” and really spiced it up, albeit with a lot of help from Reed, and it was practically a Bowie song to begin with. But really, there aren’t any songs Bowie covered that he didn’t absolutely butcher. Little Drummer Boy, Across the Universe, Alabama Song–all terrible, terrible stuff. I’m a diehard fan, and Bowie will always have a special place in my heart, but really, David, stick to your own stuff. You’re so weird, it just doesn’t work unless it’s your own stuff. ---
**Author:** ![BACI](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ce73a5/32.png) [@BACI](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BACI)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2007, 8:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-david-bowie-ever-cover-a-song-well/425390/2 "2007-11-06T08:15:19Z")
Wild is the Wind. Crackerjack cover in my book. And maybe the entire Pinups album. Maybe… ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2007, 8:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-david-bowie-ever-cover-a-song-well/425390/3 "2007-11-06T08:32:52Z")
Does _China Girl_ count as a cover? ---
**Author:** ![buns3000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c89c15/32.png) [@buns3000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buns3000)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2007, 9:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-david-bowie-ever-cover-a-song-well/425390/4 "2007-11-06T09:03:39Z")
[QUOTE=Sublight] Does _China Girl_ count as a cover? [/QUOTE] Yes, but did he do it well? I say no. ---
**Author:** ![jovan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/0ea827/32.png) [@jovan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jovan)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2007, 9:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-david-bowie-ever-cover-a-song-well/425390/5 "2007-11-06T09:24:45Z")
I’d say he did an okay job on Amsterdam. You can compare: Bowie: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejQS9kQDXmk](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejQS9kQDXmk) Scott Walker, author of the English translation: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pk7YxDzjTxA](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pk7YxDzjTxA) And Jacques Brel in the original: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTOAo15kMgA](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTOAo15kMgA) For my money, Brel wins hands down, however. ---
**Author:** ![jovan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/0ea827/32.png) [@jovan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jovan)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2007, 9:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-david-bowie-ever-cover-a-song-well/425390/6 "2007-11-06T09:36:27Z")
[QUOTE=jovan] Scott Walker, author of the English translation: [/QUOTE] Actually, I was mistaken, Mort Shuman wrote the translation. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2007, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-david-bowie-ever-cover-a-song-well/425390/7 "2007-11-06T12:52:22Z")
I don’t know, I liked his and Mick Jagger’s cover of _Dancing in the Street_. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2007, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-david-bowie-ever-cover-a-song-well/425390/8 "2007-11-06T13:17:49Z")
Bowie’s version of “God Only Knows” is interesting, and not bad, though it won’t replace Carl Wilson’s original recording. ---
**Author:** ![Ins\_Outs\_What-have-yous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8797f3/32.png) [@Ins\_Outs\_What-have-yous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ins_Outs_What-have-yous)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2007, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-david-bowie-ever-cover-a-song-well/425390/9 "2007-11-06T13:24:32Z")
His version of ‘See Emily Play’ is…um…interesting. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2007, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-david-bowie-ever-cover-a-song-well/425390/10 "2007-11-06T13:58:10Z")
[QUOTE=HelloNinja] I don’t know, I liked his and Mick Jagger’s cover of _Dancing in the Street_. [/QUOTE] Arrgggh…I came here to ridicule this song. :mad: 😛 ---
**Author:** ![ForumBot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ee59a6/32.png) [@ForumBot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ForumBot)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2007, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-david-bowie-ever-cover-a-song-well/425390/11 "2007-11-06T14:09:47Z")
Thanks, **OneCentStamp.** I didn’t want to be the one to do it. **BACI:** Who did Wild Is The Wind First? I thought it was a Bowie original. If it’s a cover, then you’ve won the thread. ---
**Author:** ![Wee\_Bairn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/90db22/32.png) [@Wee\_Bairn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wee_Bairn)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2007, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-david-bowie-ever-cover-a-song-well/425390/12 "2007-11-06T14:12:51Z")
The video of him and Mick prancing about is homoeroticism at its best though. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Busy\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@Busy\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Busy_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2007, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-david-bowie-ever-cover-a-song-well/425390/13 "2007-11-06T14:21:34Z")
Anyone heard his cover of Bruce’s ‘ **it’s hard to be a saint in the city** ’? I recall reading a biography of the Boss saying that he wasnae impressed - but I’ve not heard it myself. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2007, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-david-bowie-ever-cover-a-song-well/425390/14 "2007-11-06T14:34:12Z")
I like his Friday On My Mind ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2007, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-david-bowie-ever-cover-a-song-well/425390/15 "2007-11-06T14:49:14Z")
I liked his cover of “It Ain’t Easy” from _Ziggy Stardust_. It’s a Ron Davies tune I first heard done by Three Dog Night a few years earlier. Their version was good, too - good enough to name the album after. ---
**Author:** ![ForumBot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ee59a6/32.png) [@ForumBot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ForumBot)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2007, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-david-bowie-ever-cover-a-song-well/425390/16 "2007-11-06T14:57:08Z")
_It Ain’t Easy_ is the only song I ever skip on that album. So bah to you. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2007, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-david-bowie-ever-cover-a-song-well/425390/17 "2007-11-06T15:06:13Z")
When he did the live duet of “Let’s Dance” with Tina Turner, they mixed in the 1962 Chris Montez song “Let’s Dance” (“we’ll do The Twist, The Stomp, and the Mashed Potato too, any old dance that you wanna do”). I thought it was pretty cool. Also, he occassionally covers songs by this defunct 70’s band, Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. Spot on, too. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![ForumBot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ee59a6/32.png) [@ForumBot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ForumBot)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2007, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-david-bowie-ever-cover-a-song-well/425390/18 "2007-11-06T15:12:14Z")
[QUOTE=The Cocky Watchman] Anyone heard his cover of Bruce’s ‘ **it’s hard to be a saint in the city** ’? I recall reading a biography of the Boss saying that he wasnae impressed - but I’ve not heard it myself. [/QUOTE] It’s OK, but not really very good. Sort of hollow. ---
**Author:** ![Chez\_Guevara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2007, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-david-bowie-ever-cover-a-song-well/425390/19 "2007-11-06T15:17:45Z")
[QUOTE=ForumBot] **BACI:** Who did Wild Is The Wind First? I thought it was a Bowie original. If it’s a cover, then you’ve won the thread. [/QUOTE] I thought the song was a Bowie original too but (according to [Wiki](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wild_Is_the_Wind_(song))): > [@](#): > > “Wild Is the Wind” is a song written by Dimitri Tiompkin and Ned Washington. The track was originally recorded by Johnny Mathis for the 1956 film Wild Is the Wind, and later covered by Nina Simone on the album Wild Is The Wind (1966). David Bowie recorded a version of it in 1976 for his album Station to Station. Bowie was an admirer of Simone’s style, and after meeting her in Los Angeles was inspired to record the song for his album. I’m surprised. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2007, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-david-bowie-ever-cover-a-song-well/425390/20 "2007-11-06T15:19:53Z")
The cover of Queen’s “Under Pressure” that he did with Annie Lennox was great. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-david-bowie-ever-cover-a-song-well/425390.md?page=2)