Low cover art

  Studio Album · No. 12

Low Songwriting Credits by David Bowie

1977 RCA Records 11 tracks 38 min

Produced by David Bowie, Tony Visconti  ·  Engineered by Tony Visconti, David Richards, Jonathan Wyner

RCA Records Art RockAvant-PopElectronicAmbientExperimental Rock
100%
Authorship
Complete Artist

Holds writing credit on 11 of 11 tracks

Authorship Breakdown 11 / 11 documented

Who wrote the songs?

Scored across the 11 tracks with documented writers, by whether David Bowie carries a lyricist or composer credit.

100%
11 trackswritten by David Bowie 0 tracksoutside writers
David Bowie's roles on this album

Share of the 11 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.

Lyricist100%
Composer100%
Producer100%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

11
Tracks
4
Lyricists
2
Producers
2.3 million
Worldwide Copies Sold
1977
Released
Data Insight

Low, the first of David Bowie's Berlin Trilogy, splits into Bowie's fragmented song sketches on side one and longer instrumental pieces on side two developed with Brian Eno. Eno co-wrote "Warszawa" with Bowie and shaped much of the album's synthesizer textures, though he was a contributor rather than a co-producer. The lead single "Sound and Vision" shows the method, with Mary Hopkin's backing vocals recorded before lyrics existed and Bowie's own vocal not entering until well into the track.

David Bowie's Low, released January 14, 1977 on RCA Records, is the first and most celebrated album of the Berlin Trilogy, recorded in Berlin with producer Tony Visconti and synthesizer pioneer Brian Eno, and representing one of the most radical genre reinventions in rock history. Bowie co-wrote all eleven tracks, dividing the album between short, broken pop songs on Side 1 (including 'Sound and Vision,' 'Breaking Glass,' and 'Be My Wife') and longer, largely instrumental ambient pieces on Side 2 co-written with Brian Eno, including 'Warszawa' and 'Subterraneans.' The album was a commercial disappointment upon release but is now consistently ranked among the greatest albums ever made, and its influence on post-punk, new wave, and ambient music is incalculable. 'Sound and Vision' reached number three on the UK Singles Chart despite its unconventional, nearly lyric-free structure. The Berlin Trilogy represented the most experimental period of Bowie's songwriting career, yet his authorship of the underlying melodies and concepts remained total throughout.

Track Listing & Credits 11 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers
#TitleLyricist(s)Composer(s)Producer(s)Performers
1
Speed of Life
David Bowie David Bowie David BowieTony Visconti David Bowie (Vocals)
2
Breaking Glass
David BowieDennis DavisGeorge Murray David BowieDennis DavisGeorge Murray David BowieTony Visconti David Bowie (Vocals)
3
What in the World
David Bowie David Bowie David BowieTony Visconti David Bowie (Vocals)
4
Sound and Vision #3
David Bowie David Bowie David BowieTony Visconti David Bowie (Vocals)
5
Always Crashing in the Same Car
David Bowie David Bowie David BowieTony Visconti David Bowie (Vocals)
6
Be My Wife
David Bowie David Bowie David BowieTony Visconti David Bowie (Vocals)
7
A New Career in a New Town
David Bowie David Bowie David BowieTony Visconti David Bowie (Vocals)
8
Warszawa
David BowieBrian Eno David BowieBrian Eno David BowieTony Visconti David Bowie (Vocals)
9
Art Decade
David Bowie David Bowie David BowieTony Visconti David Bowie (Vocals)
10
Weeping Wall
David Bowie David Bowie David BowieTony Visconti David Bowie (Vocals)
11
Subterraneans
David Bowie David Bowie David BowieTony Visconti David Bowie (Vocals)

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 5 contributors

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Frequently Asked Questions Low

When was David Bowie's Low released and what trilogy does it begin?
Low was released in January 1977 on RCA Records. It is the first album in Bowie's Berlin Trilogy, followed by "Heroes" and Lodger.
What genre is David Bowie's Low?
Low spans art rock, avant-pop, electronic, ambient, and experimental rock. The first side leans toward fragmented songs while the second side is largely instrumental and atmospheric.
What role did Brian Eno play on David Bowie's Low?
Brian Eno co-wrote the instrumental "Warszawa" with Bowie and contributed much of the album's synthesizer texture and conceptual direction. He was a key collaborator but not a co-producer, a role held by Tony Visconti.
What is "Sound and Vision" from Low about?
"Sound and Vision" is the album's lead single and reached number 3 in the UK and number 69 on the US Billboard Hot 100. Mary Hopkin sang backing vocals recorded before the lyrics were written, and Bowie's lead vocal enters only after an extended instrumental opening.
What is "Warszawa" on David Bowie's Low?
"Warszawa" is an instrumental on the album's second side, co-written by Bowie and Brian Eno. It features wordless Bowie vocals over a slow, mournful arrangement and is named after the Polish capital.
Who wrote the songs on David Bowie's Low?
David Bowie wrote most of Low himself, with Brian Eno co-writing "Warszawa." The instrumental second side was developed largely from Bowie and Eno's studio experiments.
How well did Low sell?
Low has sold around 2.3 million copies worldwide. It was certified Gold in the UK and Canada.

Sources