This past week, we as a collective whole lost two very important people, culturally speaking. Alan Rickman and David Bowie both passed away from cancer at age 69, and the two famous Brits, both known for their respective talents, will always be remembered for their unique contributions to the arts.
With my own personal attachment to David Bowie’s music, I was sad to learn of his passing just two days after his birthday this past week. With that in mind, I would just like to take a few moments of your time to celebrate his life and accomplishments through a list of some of his best songs.
5. "Moonage Daydream."
4. "Changes"
“Changes” is an oddly straightforward and even simple pop hit that laments that even though “time may change me, I can’t trace time,” and thus, we all have to face those changes that come with time. Off of Bowie’s "Hunky Dory," “Changes” is much less indicative of the wonderfully weird and avant-garde music that the artist would later be making, but the song is altogether just a nice piece of music with a good message. Whether or not big changes arise in your life, it’s always OK to stand tall and face the future, and we all can thank David Bowie for that.
3. "Space Oddity"
Now even if you haven’t heard of any of these songs on this list, this has to sound at least vaguely familiar. Easily one of Bowie’s most well-known and covered songs, “Space Oddity” cemented Bowie as an up-and-coming force in music in the early 1970s, and it still stands as a testament to his genius. Combining all of the elements of his musical arsenal: his earnest lyrics, a vibrant and lush orchestra, and a particularly grandiose soundscape encompassing multiple genres, “Space Oddity” just feels so Bowie. Now, whether or not it rings a bell is up to you as a fan of music, but I can guarantee that you’ll enjoy David Bowie’s first big hit.
2. "Young Americans"
Hot damn, this song is funky. David Bowie, always known as a chameleon in terms of both appearance and musical genre, came out with "Young Americans" and its title track in 1974, just two years after the release of the successful "Ziggy Stardust" album. No longer adhering to the glamorous hard rock image that "Ziggy Stardust" afforded him, David Bowie opted to create a new image and sound for himself as a songwriter and storyteller focused on realistic experiences. In 1974, we got “Young Americans,” which was inspired by Philadelphia soul and funky jazz, and we could not have been luckier. The song, focused on a crumbling relationship, spelled success for Bowie and easily made him stand in direct contrast with his younger self as even more successful.
1. "Heroes"
Considered by many to be one of his best songs from one of his best albums, “Heroes” by David Bowie is truly an incredible song. Coming from his “Berlin” period, David Bowie released three albums all written and produced in the same city, and each one contained a different style and feel of music. These albums revitalized his career, which had become mired by drug addiction and the collapse of his marriage, and firmly cemented David Bowie’s name as a true talent in the industry. “Heroes” is full of Bowie’s characteristic musical palette with soaring instrumentation and churning guitars, but its message is even more powerful now with the passing of the musician himself. Essentially, despite all of the hardships and tribulations in life, all it takes is a good person in your life to really keep you grounded. For that matter, David Bowie is, was, and forever will remain, a hero to millions of people across the whole world.
