Space Oddity cover art

  Studio Album · No. 2

Space Oddity Songwriting Credits by David Bowie

1969 Philips Records 9 tracks 45 min

Produced by Tony Visconti, Gus Dudgeon  ·  Engineered by Ken Scott, Malcolm Toft, Barry Sheffield

Philips Records Folk RockPsychedelic Rock
100%
Authorship
Complete Artist

Holds writing credit on 9 of 9 tracks

Authorship Breakdown 9 / 9 documented

Who wrote the songs?

Scored across the 9 tracks with documented writers, by whether David Bowie carries a lyricist or composer credit.

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

Share of the 9 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.

Lyricist100%
Composer100%
Producer0%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

9
Tracks
1
Lyricists
2
Producers
1969
Released
Data Insight

David Bowie wrote every song on his 1969 second album himself, marking his first fully self-authored long-player. The title track was produced by Gus Dudgeon while Tony Visconti handled the rest, and Bowie drew on the folk and psychedelic currents of the late 1960s alongside acoustic balladry. The record arrived on the back of the "Space Oddity" single, the only piece here that found an audience at the time.

David Bowie's Space Oddity, released November 4, 1969 on Philips Records, is the album that introduced Major Tom and announced Bowie as a serious songwriter capable of cinematic, conceptual storytelling. The title track 'Space Oddity,' produced by Gus Dudgeon and timed to the Apollo 11 moon landing, reached number five on the UK Singles Chart and remains one of the most recognized songs in rock history. Bowie wrote every track on the album, ranging from the sprawling, ten-minute 'Cygnet Committee' to the delicate 'Letter to Hermione,' demonstrating a lyrical sophistication and narrative ambition that set him apart from his contemporaries. Tony Visconti produced the majority of the album's folk-influenced tracks, with arrangements that draw on acoustic guitar, Mellotron, and orchestral colours. Space Oddity marks the first major statement of Bowie's solo authorship and his ability to write characters and worlds, a creative approach that would define his entire career.

Track Listing & Credits 9 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers
#TitleLyricist(s)Composer(s)Producer(s)Performers
1
Space Oddity #5
David Bowie David Bowie Gus Dudgeon David Bowie (Vocals)
2
Unwashed and Somewhat Slightly Dazed
David Bowie David Bowie Tony Visconti David Bowie (Vocals)
3
Letter to Hermione
David Bowie David Bowie Tony Visconti David Bowie (Vocals)
4
Cygnet Committee
David Bowie David Bowie Tony Visconti David Bowie (Vocals)
5
Janine
David Bowie David Bowie Tony Visconti David Bowie (Vocals)
6
An Occasional Dream
David Bowie David Bowie Tony Visconti David Bowie (Vocals)
7
Wild Eyed Boy from Freecloud
David Bowie David Bowie Tony Visconti David Bowie (Vocals)
8
God Knows I'm Good
David Bowie David Bowie Tony Visconti David Bowie (Vocals)
9
Memory of a Free Festival
David Bowie David Bowie Tony Visconti David Bowie (Vocals)

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 3 contributors

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Frequently Asked Questions Space Oddity

Who wrote the songs on Space Oddity by David Bowie?
David Bowie wrote all nine songs on Space Oddity himself. It was his first album made up entirely of his own compositions with no cover versions.
Did David Bowie write Space Oddity himself?
Yes. David Bowie wrote the entire 1969 album, including the title track. The songs span folk rock and psychedelic styles, all credited to Bowie as sole writer.
What genre is Space Oddity by David Bowie?
Space Oddity is generally described as folk rock and psychedelic rock. The album leans on acoustic arrangements and the studio textures common to the late 1960s.
How did the single Space Oddity by David Bowie chart?
The single Space Oddity reached number 5 on the UK Singles Chart on its 1969 release. It was Bowie's first commercial hit and gave the album its later title.
Who produced Space Oddity by David Bowie?
Tony Visconti produced most of the 1969 album, while Gus Dudgeon produced the title track Space Oddity. The recording took place at Trident Studios in London.
Why is the 1969 David Bowie album called Space Oddity?
The album was originally released untitled as David Bowie, and US copies were retitled Man of Words/Man of Music. Later reissues named it Space Oddity after its best known song.
Was Space Oddity by David Bowie a commercial success at first?
No. The original 1969 release sold poorly before it gained traction after the 1972 RCA reissue. It later charted in both the UK and US.

Sources