Studio Album · No. 7
Pin Ups Songwriting Credits by David Bowie
Produced by Ken Scott, David Bowie · Engineered by Ken Scott
Holds writing credit on 0 of 12 tracks
Authorship Breakdown 0 / 12 documented
Scored across the 12 tracks with documented writers, by whether David Bowie carries a lyricist or composer credit.
Share of the 12 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.
By the Numbers
Pin Ups is a covers album on which David Bowie wrote none of the material, instead reinterpreting British rock and pop songs from 1964 to 1967 that influenced him as a young performer. The track list draws on the Who, Pink Floyd, the Kinks, the Yardbirds, the Pretty Things, Them, the Easybeats, the Mojos, and the Merseys. Bowie recorded it with the Spiders from Mars lineup as their final album together.
David Bowie's Pin Ups, released October 19, 1973 on RCA Records, is an all-covers album dedicated to the British rock and R&B songs Bowie loved as a teenager in the 1960s, featuring twelve covers by The Who, The Kinks, The Pretty Things, The Yardbirds, Syd Barrett, The Animals, and more. Recorded with the Spiders from Mars at the Château d'Hérouville in France after the Ziggy Stardust tour, Pin Ups is notable as the one album in Bowie's catalog that contains no original songwriting, a deliberate tribute project between creative periods. Mick Ronson's guitar work transforms songs like Pete Townshend's 'I Can't Explain,' Harry Vanda and George Young's 'Friday On My Mind,' and Ray Davies' 'Where Have All the Good Times Gone' into high-glam-rock statements. The album reached number one in the UK and confirmed Bowie's status as a tastemaker even when not writing his own material. Because none of the songs are Bowie originals, Pin Ups is one of the few albums that lowers his overall authorship score.
Track Listing & Credits 12 tracks
| # | Title | Lyricist(s) | Composer(s) | Producer(s) | Performers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Rosalyn
|
Jimmy DuncanBill Farley | Jimmy DuncanBill Farley | Ken ScottDavid Bowie | David Bowie (Vocals) |
| 2 |
Here Comes the Night
|
Bert Berns | Bert Berns | Ken ScottDavid Bowie | David Bowie (Vocals) |
| 3 |
I Wish You Would
|
Billy Boy Arnold | Billy Boy Arnold | Ken ScottDavid Bowie | David Bowie (Vocals) |
| 4 |
See Emily Play
|
Syd Barrett | Syd Barrett | Ken ScottDavid Bowie | David Bowie (Vocals) |
| 5 |
Everything's Alright
|
Nicky CrouchJohn KonradSimon StavelyStuart JamesKeith Karlson | Nicky CrouchJohn KonradSimon StavelyStuart JamesKeith Karlson | Ken ScottDavid Bowie | David Bowie (Vocals) |
| 6 |
I Can't Explain
|
Pete Townshend | Pete Townshend | Ken ScottDavid Bowie | David Bowie (Vocals) |
| 7 |
Friday On My Mind
|
Harry VandaGeorge Young | Harry VandaGeorge Young | Ken ScottDavid Bowie | David Bowie (Vocals) |
| 8 |
Sorrow
#3
|
Bob FeldmanJerry GoldsteinRichard Gottehrer | Bob FeldmanJerry GoldsteinRichard Gottehrer | Ken ScottDavid Bowie | David Bowie (Vocals) |
| 9 |
Don't Bring Me Down
|
Johnny Dee | Johnny Dee | Ken ScottDavid Bowie | David Bowie (Vocals) |
| 10 |
Shapes of Things
|
Paul Samwell-SmithKeith RelfJim McCarty | Paul Samwell-SmithKeith RelfJim McCarty | Ken ScottDavid Bowie | David Bowie (Vocals) |
| 11 |
Anyway Anyhow Anywhere
|
Pete TownshendRoger Daltrey | Pete TownshendRoger Daltrey | Ken ScottDavid Bowie | David Bowie (Vocals) |
| 12 |
Where Have All the Good Times Gone
|
Ray Davies | Ray Davies | Ken ScottDavid Bowie | David Bowie (Vocals) |