Studio Album · No. 8
Diamond Dogs Songwriting Credits by David Bowie
Produced by David Bowie · Engineered by Keith Harwood
Holds writing credit on 11 of 11 tracks
Authorship Breakdown 11 / 11 documented
Scored across the 11 tracks with documented writers, by whether David Bowie carries a lyricist or composer credit.
Share of the 11 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.
By the Numbers
David Bowie wrote almost all of Diamond Dogs himself, the lone co-write being "Rock 'n' Roll with Me" with Geoff MacCormack. The album began as an aborted musical adaptation of George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four before Orwell's widow refused permission, leaving Bowie to fold those dystopian ideas into a broader concept also drawing on William S. Burroughs. With Mick Ronson gone, Bowie played much of the lead guitar himself and produced the record, mixing it with Tony Visconti.
David Bowie's Diamond Dogs, released April 24, 1974 on RCA Records, is a dystopian glam-rock concept album rooted in a post-apocalyptic future city Bowie envisioned as an adaptation of George Orwell's 1984, a project he ultimately could not license. Bowie produced the album himself, the first record he helmed entirely without a collaborator-producer, and wrote all eleven tracks. The album's centrepiece is the glam stomp of 'Rebel Rebel,' which reached number five in the UK and became one of Bowie's signature singles, while 'Diamond Dogs,' '1984,' and 'Big Brother' develop the dystopian narrative across two sides. The extended 'Sweet Thing / Candidate / Sweet Thing (Reprise)' suite is among Bowie's most ambitious compositional constructions. Without Mick Ronson, who had departed, Bowie plays much of the guitar himself, showcasing a broader instrumental authorship than on any previous album.
Track Listing & Credits 11 tracks
| # | Title | Lyricist(s) | Composer(s) | Producer(s) | Performers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Future Legend
|
David Bowie | David Bowie | David Bowie | David Bowie (Vocals) |
| 2 |
Diamond Dogs
#21
|
David Bowie | David Bowie | David Bowie | David Bowie (Vocals) |
| 3 |
Sweet Thing
|
David Bowie | David Bowie | David Bowie | David Bowie (Vocals) |
| 4 |
Candidate
|
David Bowie | David Bowie | David Bowie | David Bowie (Vocals) |
| 5 |
Sweet Thing (Reprise)
|
David Bowie | David Bowie | David Bowie | David Bowie (Vocals) |
| 6 |
Rebel Rebel
#5
|
David Bowie | David Bowie | David Bowie | David Bowie (Vocals) |
| 7 |
Rock 'N' Roll With Me
|
David BowieWarren Peace | David BowieWarren Peace | David Bowie | David Bowie (Vocals) |
| 8 |
We Are the Dead
|
David Bowie | David Bowie | David Bowie | David Bowie (Vocals) |
| 9 |
1984
|
David Bowie | David Bowie | David Bowie | David Bowie (Vocals) |
| 10 |
Big Brother
|
David Bowie | David Bowie | David Bowie | David Bowie (Vocals) |
| 11 |
Chant of the Ever Circling Skeletal Family
|
David Bowie | David Bowie | David Bowie | David Bowie (Vocals) |