Studio Album · No. 2
Space Oddity Songwriting Credits by David Bowie
Produced by Tony Visconti, Gus Dudgeon · Engineered by Ken Scott, Malcolm Toft, Barry Sheffield
Holds writing credit on 9 of 9 tracks
Authorship Breakdown 9 / 9 documented
Scored across the 9 tracks with documented writers, by whether David Bowie carries a lyricist or composer credit.
Share of the 9 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.
By the Numbers
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
| # | Title | Lyricist(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) |