The Best Of David Bowie 1969-1974 [Import, Original recording remastered]

David Bowie | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 24, 2000)
• Original Release Date: 2000
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import, Original recording remastered
• Label: EMI Europe Generic
• ASIN: B000009RNM
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #103,480 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

UK issue of 20 track 'Best Of' which was originally released in the U.S. in 1997 for a limited time. Includes the classics you'd expect, 'The Jean Genie', 'Space Oddity', 'Starman', 'Drive In Saturday', 'Ziggy Stardust', 'Suffragette City', 'Changes', 'Sorrow', 'The Man Who Sold the World' and relative obscurities like the B-side 'Velvet Goldmine', Bowie's version of 'All the Young Dudes' and alternate takes of 'John, I'm Only Dancing' and 'The Prettiest Star'. Standard jewel case. 1997 release.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Does Justice to Some of Bowie's Creative Best, November 23, 2000

By 

Zen Valentine (Virginia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Best Of David Bowie 1969-1974 (Audio CD)

This was the first Bowie CD I ever bought, and I consider myself lucky. The songs on this CD give a very good representation of the best of Bowie's early musical work, from his first hit with "Space Oddity" through the glamorous Ziggy Stardust persona to the haunting, post-apocalyptic dystopia of the Diamond Dogs album. Granted, it does focus more on the "Ziggy era" songs than anything else, and a few tracks (namely the alternate versions of "John, I'm Only Dancing" and "Let's Spend The Night Together," along with "Velvet Goldmine") could have been replaced with other, better ones, but there isn't a bad song on this album. Many have said that this album doesn't come close to capturing all the Bowie "classics" from 1969-74. But to do that would mean bundling half of the Hunky Dory album and most of the Ziggy Stardust and Aladdin Sane albums in with this collection. What this track list DOES manage to do, however, is feature a list of works which, through non-chronological order, show what an incredibly diverse collection of music Bowie managed to produce in just 6 years, from the hard-hitting classic rock sound of "The Jean Genie," to the tragic, pompous glam rock of "Ziggy Stardust" and "Rock'n'Roll Suicide" to the softly gliding piano tones of "Aladdin Sane," which is in my opinion the best song on the album.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars SUPERB SELECTION OF SONGS, February 11, 2003

By 

Pieter "Toypom" (Johannesburg) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Best Of David Bowie 1969-1974 (Audio CD)

This excellent compilation draws from the albums The Man Who Sold The World, Space Oddity, Hunky Dory, Pin-Ups, Aladdinsane, Diamond Dogs and his opus magnum Ziggy Stardust and The Spiders from Mars. It thus provides some of his best work with producer Tony Visconti plus a wide variety of different musical styles. There's the wistful pop of Space Oddity and Starman, the pre-punk aggro of Jean Genie (supposedly written about Iggy Pop), the anthemic rock of Rebel Rebel, the 60s pop of Sorrow and Oh You Pretty Things (This was a hit for Peter Noone of Herman's Hermits in 1971). There's also the heavy rock of Man Who Sold The World (a hit for Lulu in the late 1960s) and All The Young Dudes (a hit for Mott The Hoople in 1973), the bleak ballad Drive-In Saturday, his fast and aloof interpretation of Let's Spend The Night Together and the phenomenal and breathtaking Life On Mars with its gripping arrangement and poetic lyrics. Other favorites of mine include the catchy Prettiest Star and Changes with its interesting wordplay, plus the magnificent Diamond Dogs with its howling hound sounds. The choice of tracks is highly intelligent and although these things are always subjective, I do for once agree with the selection of the compilers. Of course, Bowie had a novelty hit in 1973, The Laughing Gnome, but it would have been out of place on this album so I won't complain of the omission, and it was recorded long before 1969. Bowie's early work has stood the test of time very well. These are all strong, melodic songs that still evoke vivid images and emotions. This album well and truly deserves its five stars.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Some masterpieces, January 12, 2001

By 

[e-mail] (Edinburgh, Scotland, UK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Best Of David Bowie 1969-1974 (Audio CD)

If the music industry, like evolution, is about survival of the fittest, natural selection, and adaption to one's environment: then Bowie surely is the Master of Metamorphosis. However, many agree that he was at his best in the beginning, and here is great compilation of Bowie's work from the early years.

Bowie is not an artist who one would immediately fall in love with - however after a bit of listening his songs become more likeable. This album is a great introduction to the Ziggy Stardust years right until he turns into the Glam Rock era in the mid 70's.

Some noteworthy tracks on this album include: Space Oddity, Starman, Ziggy Stardust, Changes (the track that defines the artist himself) and The Man who Sold the World (later covered by Nirvana) to mention a few. However there is a feeling that not all of his BEST tracks of the period were included. However even if some of these tracks are not his "best", this is still a brilliant album.

This is a good introduction to his early years, unfortunately as Bowie has changed so much over the years, a complete compilation of 30+ years of work would perhaps lack continuity.

This is a timeless collection. A must for people interested/fascinated by Bowie or the music of this period.