Ziggy Stardust

David Bowie

About Ziggy Stardust

"Ziggy Stardust" is a song written and recorded by David Bowie for his 1972 concept album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. The song describes Bowie's alter ego Ziggy Stardust, a rock star who acts as a messenger for extraterrestrial beings. In 2010 the song ranked at No. 282 on Rolling Stone's list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time". The song is one of four of Bowie's songs included in The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll. The character was inspired by British rock 'n' roll singer Vince Taylor, whom David Bowie met after Taylor had a breakdown and believed himself to be a cross between a god and an alien, though Taylor was only part of the blueprint for the character. Other influences included the Legendary Stardust Cowboy and Kansai Yamamoto, who designed the costumes Bowie wore during the tour. The Ziggy Stardust name came partly from the Legendary Stardust Cowboy, and partly, as Bowie told Rolling Stone, because Ziggy was "one of the few Christian names I could find beginning with the letter 'Z'". He later explained in a 1990 interview for Q magazine that the Ziggy part came from a tailor's shop called Ziggy's that he passed on a train, and he liked it because it had "that Iggy [Pop] connotation but it was a tailor's shop, and I thought, Well, this whole thing is gonna be about clothes, so it was my own little joke calling him Ziggy. So Ziggy Stardust was a real compilation of things."The original demo version of the song, recorded in February 1971, was released as a bonus track on the Rykodisc CD release of Ziggy Stardust in 1990. The demo also appeared on the Ziggy Stardust - 30th Anniversary Reissue bonus disc in 2002. The album version of the song was recorded in November 1971. 


Year:
1972
3:13
3,378 
#14

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Ziggy played guitar, jamming good with Weird and Gilly
And the spiders from Mars. He played it left hand
But made it too far
Became the special man, then we were Ziggy's band

Now Ziggy really sang, screwed up eyes and screwed down hairdo
Like some cat from Japan, he could lick 'em by smiling
He could leave 'em to hang
'Came on so loaded man, well hung and snow white tan

So where were the spiders, while the fly tried to break our balls
With just the beer light to guide us
So we bitched about his fans and should we crush his sweet hands?

Ziggy played for time, jiving us that we were voodoo
The kid was just crass, he was the nazz
With God given ass
He took it all too far but boy could he play guitar

Making love with his ego Ziggy sucked up into his mind
Like a leper messiah
When the kids had killed the man I had to break up the band

Ziggy played guitar

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David Bowie

David Robert Jones (8 January 1947 - 10 January 2016), known by his stage name David Bowie ( /ˈboʊ.i/ BOH-ee), was an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s. He is known for his distinctive voice as well as the intellectual depth and considerable eclecticism of his work. more »

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Written by: David Bowie

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, TINTORETTO MUSIC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

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10 facts about this song

Song Origin
"Ziggy Stardust" is a song written by English singer-songwriter David Bowie; it was included in his 1972 album "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars."
Song Inspiration
The song was inspired by a British rock star named Vince Taylor whom Bowie met after Taylor had a breakdown when his career collapsed.
Character Name
"Ziggy Stardust" is the name of the central character in the song and the album. The character was created by Bowie as an androgynous rock star who acts as a messenger of extraterrestrial beings.
Conection to Iggy Pop and Lou Reed
Bowie reportedly got the name "Ziggy" by combining the name of a tailor's shop he passed by, Ziggy's, with the first name of American musician Iggy Pop. "Stardust" was inspired by the 'Legendary Stardust Cowboy,' a stage name for American singer-songwriter Norman Carl Odam. Ziggy Stardust also bears similarities with Lou Reed, especially in his vocal delivery.
Song Legacy
"Ziggy Stardust" is considered one of Bowie's most iconic songs. The character of Ziggy played a significant role in establishing Bowie's reputation as a constantly reinventing artist and contemporary musical visionary.
Album Ranking
The album, "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars," is often considered one of the greatest albums of all time, ranking 35 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time in 2003.
Concert Debut
The song was first played live at the Borough Assembly Hall in Aylesbury, England, on September 25, 1971.
Song Duration
The length of the song "Ziggy Stardust" is about 3 minutes and 13 seconds, making it one of the shorter tracks on the album.
Official Release
Although the song, "Ziggy Stardust," is one of Bowie's most iconic, it was never released as a single.
Cover Versions
Many artists have covered "Ziggy Stardust", including Bauhaus, Def Leppard, Bob Dylan, Marilyn Manson, Seu Jorge, and Neil Finn, indicating its influence and significance in popular music.

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