Illustrated db Discography

 B


Baal's Hymn (Der Choral Vom Großen Baal) (Brecht): in the "Baal" play, this song is performed acoustically and serves as a story line. Released on the David Bowie In Bertolt Brecht's Baal EP/12" (RCA BOW 11). Not officially released on CD until the 2003 Sound + Vision 4CD edition. Also available as a digital download through iTunes. The entire Baal EP was released in 2017 on Re:Call 3.

Baby Can Dance (Bowie): from Tin Machine. A US advance cassettecontains an edit fading at 2'19". Live versions appeared on the EMI MT 76 'Prisoner Of Love' B-side (Paris, La Cigale, 25-06-89) and on the Best Of Grunge Rock compilation (Hamburg, Docks, 24-10-91); other live versions can be heard on bootlegs of the 1989 and 1991/92 Tin Machine tours.

Baby Grace (A Horrid Cassette) (Bowie/Eno/Gabrels/Garson/Kizilcay/Campbell): first intermezzo on 1. Outside. Alternate and additional segues are found on the 1. Outside outtakes CD.

Baby It's Too Late Now: released as a single (CBS 201812) by Bowie's former group The Kon-Rads in 1965, backed by 'I'm Over You'. A second single (Decca 32060), 'I Didn't Know How Much' b/w 'I Thought Of You Last Night' ', was released in Canada in the same year. In 2003, much to everyone's surprise a Konrads rehearsal tape was said to have found its way into the collector's circuit. Not long after, the bootleg Ziggy Final Farewell 1973 (Rattle Snake RS 313/32) appeared, containing seven songs supposedly recorded in 1963. According to the liner notes, these tracks were "The Kon-Rads rehearsals, Bromley Scout Hut, South London, July-August 1963." The following titles are given to the seven tracks: The Better I Know/Now I'm On My Way/Baby It's Too Late/I'm Over You/Judgement Day/I Don't Know How Much/I Thought Of You Last Night. With the inclusion of four songs that were released in 1965, it is clear that these songs were recorded during a 1965 studio session without Bowie.

Baby Loves That Way (Jones): B-side to 'You've Got A Habit Of Leaving' (Parlophone R 5315); see the Early Works section. A re-recording for Toy appeared in remixed form on the Japanese 'Slow Burn' (Sony SICP-162) and UK/EC 'Everyone Says 'Hi' CD single (ISO/Columbia 673134 5).

Baby Universal (Bowie/Gabrels): the second UK single from Tin Machine II (London/Victory LON 310). Different mixes of the song appeared on (CD-)single (7" Version) and 12" (New Mix or Extended Mix). On a US promo CD (Victory CDP 588), the 7" Version and New Mix are called Radio Edit and Extended Version respectively. On 29-05-91, BBC Radio One broadcast about a minute of a demo/rough mix during an interview with Bowie. In 2008, three different takes surfaced in the collector's circuit. A version recorded for Earthling appeared on Is It Any Wonder?. A BBC studio recording can be found on the 12" (London/Victory LONX 310), and the Japanese Radio Session (Victory VICP-15014) CD. The video clip has not yet appeared on an official videotape. On the Oy Vey, Baby video however, the studio version is used, accompanied by live footage. Released in live format on bootlegs of the 1991/92 Tin Machine It's My Life tour and, by Bowie solo, on the 1996 Outside tour.

Back To Where You've Never Been (Hill): a track recorded with Feathers as a possible B-side for 'Ching-A-Ling'. A recently unearthed acetate demonstrates that the song features a lead vocal by Tony Hill, with David and Hermione providing backing vocals. This and the fact that the song was written by Hill probably is the reason why 'Back To Where You've Never Been' has never left the vaults.

Ballad Of The Adventurers (Die Ballade Von Den Abenteurern) (Brecht): from the Baal EP (RCA BOW 11). In the "Baal" play, this song is performed live in a pub. Although Baal was released just before the rise of the CD, this song is one of the few in the Bowie canon that has never officially been released in this format. In 2007, Baal was released through iTunes, whereas in 2017 appeared in complete form on Re:Call 3.

Band Intro: released as a separate track on the Rykodisc version of David Live. It appears uncredited after 'Rock 'N' Roll Suicide' on the 2005 edition.

Bang Bang (Pop/Kraal): different versions of this Iggy Pop cover are found on the Never Let Me Down LP and CD (4'01" and 4'29" respectively). The LP version was released as a promo-only 7" in Australia (EMI RPS 25), on the US Bang Bang promo CD (EMI DPRO-31593) and as the digital download of the Never Let Me Down LP. A live version, recorded in Montreal, Olympic Stadium, 30-08-87, appeared on a US promo-only CD-single (EMI DPRO-31593) in 1987. Twenty years later, a different mix of the same song appeared on the bonus 2CD of the Glass Spider Special Edition DVD. Loving The Alien has the LP version, both live mixes and a reworking on Never Let Me Down 2018. The version on the Glass Spider video was recorded in Sydney; the song also features on most of the 1987 live bootlegs.

Bars Of The County Jail (Jones): one of the five early demo's released on Early On.

Battle For Britain (The Letter) (Bowie/Gabrels/Plati): from Earthling. A 4'10" Single Edit appeared on a Radio Singles promo cassette. Played live for the first time on Bowie's birthday concert in New York, Madison Square Garden, 09-01-97, and kept on the set list for the 1997 Earthling tour (liveandwell.com, Look At The Moon!). Also played occasionally on the 2003/04 Reality tour (A Reality Tour).

Be My Wife (Bowie): the second single from Low (RCA PB 1017). A 2'59" video clip of the song is featured on The Video Collection and the Best Of Bowie DVD. Live versions from 1978 have been released on Stage (2005 and later editions), Live In Berlin (1978) and RarestOneBowie/Welcome To The Blackout. Also played live in Sound + Vision, Heathen and Reality tours. A live version from the latter has appeared on the A Reality Tour 2CD/DVD.

Beat Of Your Drum (Bowie): from Never Let Me Down. The CD version (5'03") is longer than the LP version (4'31"). The latter was reissued in digital form as part of the 'vinyl edition' of Never Let Me Down and on Re:Call 4 from Loving The Alien. Never Let Me Down 2018 contains a remake. A Radio Edit (4'28" vs 5'28") was released ahead of Loving The Alien as a digital single and 7" picture disc (Parlophone DB7 8388). A live version is featured on the Glass Spider.

Beauty And The Beast (Bowie): the second single from "Heroes" (RCA PB 1190). An Extended Version (5'18") was issued on 12" in the US (RCA JD 11204, promo only) and in Spain (RCA PC 1204). This remix was reissued only in 2017 on Re:Call 3. Played live in 1978 and released on most of the live albums of that tour, including the official albums Stage and Welcome To The Blackout.

Because You're Young (Bowie): from Scary Monsters, also used as B-side of the single with the same name (RCA BOW 8). An early version is released on the Vampires Of Human Flesh (Midnight Beat MBCD 021) CD. Never actually played on tour, but live versions of this song, recorded during rehearsals of the 1987 Glass Spider tour, are released on both the Rotterdam Rehearsals (The Spiders Mart SPI 1) LP and New York's A Go Go (DOW 001/002) 2CD.

A Better Future (Bowie): from Heathen; the version on the SACD runs shorter (3'56" vs. 4'11") than on the regular CD. A Remix By Air is available on the bonus disc of the 2CD version. Played occasionally on the Heathen tour, available on On Broadway (DB110602; New York, Roseland Ballroom, 11-06-02) and Total Meltdown (Switch On! SO 2002-06-1/2; London, Royal Festival Hall, 29-06-02).

The Better I Know: see 'Baby It's Too Late Now'.

Betty Wrong (Bowie/Gabrels): this Tin Machine song was first released on the 1990 soundtrack of the film The Crossing. A year later, a slightly remixed version appeared on the Tin Machine II album. Two further takes surfaced in 2008 as part of a collection of Tin Machine II outtakes. Extended live versions can be found the Oy Vey, Baby video and on CDs of the It's My Life tour.

The Bewlay Brothers (Bowie): the closing track of Hunky Dory. An Alternate Mix is released as an extra track on the Rykodisc re-release, while Divine Symmetry has a 2021 Alternative Mix. This song was not performed live until 31 years after its recording, premiered on a 2002 BBC Radio 2 Special (on available An Evening With David Bowie (BOWEVEN2002)). Also performed sporadically on the US leg of the Reality tour.

Big Brother (Bowie): from Diamond Dogs. A faded-out version (3'18" instead of 3'21") is released on Sound+ Vision I. Live versions appear on David Live and Cracked Actor. In 1987, this song was revamped for the Glass Spider tour. A live version was released on Glass Spider.

A Big Hurt (Bowie): from Tin Machine II. An instrumental version surfaced as part of the Tin Machine II outtakes. A BBC studio version appears exclusively on the 'Baby Universal' 12" (London/Victory LONX 310). Played on the It's My Life tour.

Black Country Rock (Bowie): from The Man Who Sold The World. Released a few months earlier as flip of the 'Holy Holy' single (Mercury 6052 049). In 1973, it again served as B-side, on the Portuguese issue of 'Life On Mars' (RCA 20119). The 2020 edition of The Man Who Sold The World, titled Metrobolist, contains a remix.

Black Tie White Noise (Bowie): second single from the album of the same name (Arista/BMG 74321 139432). In advance of the album, Excerpts 1993 (Arista/BMG DB 001) with a 2'08" excerpt of 'Black Tie White Noise' was issued; a different 1'59" edit featured on the 'Jump They Say' promo cassette (Savage SADJ 50039-4). A US promo CD-single (Savage SADJ-50046-2) contains the following mixes: CHR Mix 1, CHR Mix 2 and Churban Mix. The UK Arista/Savage/BMG BLACK 1 promo 12" additionally feature Here Comes Da Jazz and Dub mixes; on the US Savage SADJ-50045-1 promo 12" the Churban Mix from the promo CD is called Funky Crossover Mix. The UK CD-single (Arista/BMG 74321 14868 2) contains a Radio Edit, an Extended Remix and an Urban Mix, while a Trance Mix, Club Mix and an Extended Urban Mix are found on the vinyl counterpart (Arista/BMG 74321 14868 1). The US CD-single (Savage/BMG 74785-5045-2) additionally features a Digi Funky's Lush Mix and Supa Pump Mix; CHR Mix 1 and CHR Mix 2 from the promo CD are respectively called 3rd Floor Mix and Waddell's Mix here, and the Urban Mix from the UK CD is listed as Al B! Sure Mix. Finally, a Digital Remix was released on the Hot Tracks 12-4 remix set (Hot Tracks being a remix service for clubs, comparable to the more familiar Disconet service). The Radio Edit has reappeared on the Danish edition of Best Of Bowie and on Re:Call 5, while the 3rd Floor Mix and Here Come Da Jazz were included on the Limited Edition 2CD+DVD of Black Tie White Noise. Alphabetically summarising, the following 16 mixes are available:

The video to this song is available on the Black Tie White Noise video, the Jump interactive CD-ROM and the Best Of Bowie DVD. On the latter it is also possible to remix 'Black Tie White Noise' from eight original studio tracks. Played live only on The Arsenio Hall Show (06-05-93) and The Tonight Show (10-05-93); both performances have been released on the 1993 (BOW1993) CD.

Blackout (Bowie): originally released on "Heroes". Three live versions from 1978 were officially released. The first appeared on Stage and was also used as a B-side to the Japanese RCA SS-3166 'Soul Love' single. A live version from Berlin appeared in 2018 as the B-side to the 'Beauty And The Beast' picture disc (Parlophone DBBATB40A) and later in the same year also was released on the limited edition Live In Berlin (1978). Finally, a live version from London was included on Welcome To The Blackout.

★ (Blackstar) (Bowie): premiered as music for the opening credits of the TV series 'The Last Panthers', in a mix different from the album version. Shortly after, the title track of Bowie's final album was released as its first single. At 9'57", it immediately classified as the longest and most unusual in his entire career. The Moonage Daydream Film Mix Edit on the Moonage Daydream soundtrack incorporates the closing section of 'Silly Boy Blue'.

Bleed Like A Craze, Dad (Bowie): from the The Buddha Of Suburbia soundtrack.

Blue Jean (Bowie): the first single released from Tonight (EMI EA 181). On 12" (EMI 12 EA 181), an Extended Dance Mix was issued. This remix reappeared on the Blue Jean EP and on Loving The Alien. The full 21 minute video is released as Jazzin' For Blue Jean, while a 3'18" excerpt can be found on The Video Collection. Both versions, plus a clip recorded for MTV at the Wag Club, are included on the Best Of Bowie DVD. Featured on the 1987 Glass Spider (released on the Glass Spider CD/DVD) and 1990 Sound + Vision tours; also played sporadically on the 2003/04 Reality tour.

Bombers (Bowie): included on the rare BOWPROMO 1A-1/1B-1 promo LP, including a bridge to 'Andy Warhol', but ultimately dropped from Hunky Dory. This version appeared on several bootlegs (e.g. ChangesThreeDavidRobertJones (Grace AZL1-1984). In 1990, a different mix was used for the Ryko reissue of Hunky Dory. A basic demo with Bowie on piano appeared on The Axeman Cometh (DB003). See BBC Performances section for a 1971 radio performance (included on Bowie At The Beeb). Divine Symmetry compiles the demo, the BBC performance and a 2021 Alternative Mix.

Born Of The Night (Bowie): recorded in 1965 and touted by David as a new single. This, however, never came to be. This song remained unheard until in 2016 a set of three single-sided acetates was unearthed. Also see 'I Wish You Would' and 'I Don't Mind'.

Born In A UFO (Bowie): released as a bonus track on The Next Day Extra.

Boss Of Me (Bowie/Leonard): from The Next Day.

Boys Keep Swinging (Bowie/Eno): the same version appeared on single (RCA BOW 2), picture disc 7" (Spanish promo RCA PL 13254), 12" (RCA PD 1593) and the album Lodger. A rather radical remix was included on the 2017 Tony Visconti Mix of Lodger. This was released as a 40th Anniversary Edition picture disc (Parlophone DBBOYS 40) in 2019. A 3'21" video clip of the song is featured on The Video Collection and the Best Of Bowie DVD. Up to 1995, 'Boys Keep Swinging' was played live only on The Kenny Everett Show (23-04-79) and Saturday Night Live (15-12-79). The Kenny Everret Video Show Version was released as AA-side to the 'DJ' 40th Anniversary Edition picture disc (Parlophone DBDJ 40). The performance on SNL (aired on 05-01-80 and often repeated by MTV Europe in the 90's) is available on several bootlegs, in the best quality on the Naked And Wired (GEMA BOW 005) CD. Bowie incorporated the song into the European leg of the Outside tour.

Breaking Glass (Bowie/Davis/Murray): from Low. A 1978 live version from Stage was released on single (RCA BOW 1), pressed on blue vinyl in Holland (RCA PB 9337). In Australia and New Zealand (both RCA 103295), the single contained an extended studio version (2'47" vs. 1'51" on Low) instead. This extended version appeared in 2017 on Re:Call 3 from the box set A New Career In A New Town. Further 1978 live versions are found on Live In Berlin (1978), Welcome To The Blackout and the 40th Anniversary Edition picture disc of 'Breaking Glass' (Parlophone DBBG 40). The latter two live versions are both recorded in London, Earl's Court, on 30-06 (album) and 01-07-78 (single) respectively. Also present on the setlists of the 1983 Serious Moonlight tour (Serious Moonlight), the 1995/96 Outside tour (Ouvrez Le Chien, No Trendy Réchauffé) and on some of the 2002 Heathen and 2003/04 Reality concerts (A Reality Tour).

Brilliant Adventure (Bowie/Gabrels): an instrumental from hours...

Bring Me The Disco King (Bowie): recorded for both Black Tie White Noise and Earthling, but not released until Reality. The Underworld soundtrack features an excellent Loner Mix, featuring Maynard James Keenan and John Frusciante. Played live on the Reality tour. A live version recorded at the Riverside Studios, London (08-09-03) appears on the bonus DVD of the Reality tour edition. It also appeared on the A Reality Tour 2CD/DVD.

Buddha Of Suburbia (Bowie): two versions of this song are released on the soundtrack with the same name. The first one opens the album, the second, featuring Lenny Kravitz on guitar, closes it. The version opening the album is titled 'Main Theme' on the Arista/BMG BUDDHA 1 promo CD. The single version starts as the album version but closes with Kravitz's guitar solo; the Rock Mix on the CD-single (Arista/BMG 74321 177052) is identical to the version that closes the album. The single version was included on Nothing Has Changed and Re:Call 5. For some very puritanical UK radiostations, 10 CD-R's were pressed with a censored 7" Mix, in which the word 'bullshit' was reversed. More or less the same treatment was applied to the 4'15" video clip, in the form of an additional "non-smoking version". The Best Of Bowie DVD contains the "smoking version".

Bus Stop (Bowie/Gabrels): from Tin Machine. An edit fading at 1'14" was included on a US advance cassette. A Live Country Version (Paris, La Cigale, 25-06-89) was released on the 'Tin Machine/Maggie's Farm' 12"/CD-single (EMI 12 MT 73) and the Virgin re-release of Tin Machine. On the latter, it has a longer introduction by Bowie and therefore lasts 1'59" instead of 1'52". Opener of the Oy Vey, Baby video.

Buzz The Fuzz (Rose): played live for the BBC on the 05-02-70 Sunday Show. This Biff Rose song was omitted from Bowie At The Beeb and not officially released until 2021, on The Width Of A Circle (see BBC Performances). At Aylesbury, Friars, 25-09-71 (on Divine Symmetry), 'Buzz The Fuzz' was still on the set list, but it was dropped afterwards.

By Making Mistakes (Cook/Greenaway): in 2022, an acetate with this song b/w 'Perhaps I'd Rather Be You' was auctioned at Wessex Auction. According to its description, it was recorded by Bowie in 1968 as a session musician. The general consensus among experts, however, was that it was not David singing on this record.