Velvet Goldmine (song)

For the film, see Velvet Goldmine.

1975 song by David Bowie

"Velvet Goldmine"

Cover to the 1975 maxi-single, with "Velvet Goldmine" as the second track on side B

Song by David Bowie
Released| 26 September 1975 (1975-09-26)
Recorded| 11 November 1971
Studio| Trident, London
Genre| Glam rock
Length| 3:14
Label| RCA
Songwriter(s)| David Bowie
Producer(s)|

* David Bowie
* Ken Scott

"Velvet Goldmine" is a song by the English singer-songwriter David Bowie. A glam rock song with lyrical references to oral sex, it was originally recorded on 11 November 1971 at Trident Studios in London during the sessions for his 1972 album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. It was ultimately left off the album and subsequently released as a B-side (along with "Changes") of the UK re-release of "Space Oddity" in 1975. The song has been praised by Bowie's biographers as an undervalued classic. It later appeared on compilation albums, including on Re:Call 1, part of the Five Years (1969–1973) boxed set, in 2015, and the Rock 'n' Roll Star! box set in 2024. Its namesake was used for Todd Haynes's 1998 film of the same name.

## Overview

[edit]

David Bowie recorded "Velvet Goldmine", originally titled "He's a Goldmine", at Trident Studios in London during the sessions for his 1972 album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars on 11 November 1971,[1][2] the same day as "Star", "Hang On to Yourself", "Sweet Head", "Looking For a Friend" and "Ziggy Stardust".[3] Co-produced by Bowie and Ken Scott, it featured contributions from his backing band the Spiders from Mars—guitarist Mick Ronson, bassist Trevor Bolder and drummer Woody Woodmansey.[1][2] Slated for release on the album's second side as late as 15 December before it was replaced in early 1972, Bowie stating in a radio interview that it was "probably a little provocative".[2]

Musically, "Velvet Goldmine" is a glam rock song that contains a bouncy piano part and backing vocals similar to Hunky Dory (1971), while also anticipating the cabaret feel Bowie soon experimented with on Aladdin Sane.[1][2][4][5] The author Peter Doggett described it as a combination of Gene Vincent's 1950s rock 'n' roll and the "electric thrust" of Marc Bolan.[4] Lyrically, the same exhibits similar themes to "Sweet Head";[2] in Doggett's words, a "teen sex fantasy oozing with references to oral sex".[4] Its title is in part a reference to the Velvet Underground.[2] Discussing its composition, the biographer Chris O'Leary highlights its "salacious" lyric ("I'll be your king volcano" and "heal ya head with my own"), the "eerie" D minor refrain and the almost spoken word backing vocals. He and AllMusic's Ned Raggett also commend Ronson's guitar solo, which was accomplished via a phaser.[1][5]

The song remained unreleased until 1975 when RCA Records included it—with 1971's "Changes"[6]—as part of the "Space Oddity" maxi-single, using a new mix without Bowie's consultation. He was furious, later commenting: "The whole thing came out without my having the chance to listen to the mix. Somebody else had mixed it—an extraordinary move."[2][7] Nevertheless, the maxi-single became Bowie's first UK number-one single.[7] In later decades, the song has been praised by Nicholas Pegg and O'Leary as "superb and undervalued" and "a lost Bowie classic", respectively.[1][2]

## Later releases

[edit]

The song was included on the 1982 RCA compilation Rare, where it was accompanied by a set of inaccurate lyrics.[2] Eight years later in 1990, the song appeared as a bonus track on Rykodisc's CD reissue of Ziggy Stardust.[8] It subsequently appeared on The Best of David Bowie 1969/1974 in 1997,[9] the Ziggy Stardust 30th Anniversary reissue bonus disc in 2002, on Re:Call 1, part of the Five Years (1969–1973) boxed set, in 2015,[2] and the Rock 'n' Roll Star! box set in 2024.[10][11][12]

The song's namesake was also used for filmmaker Todd Haynes's 1998 film of the same name,[1][2][5] a film that features numerous allusions to Bowie's career.[13] The band King Volcano also took their name from the song.[13]

## Personnel

[edit]

According to Chris O'Leary:[1]

* David Bowie – lead and backing vocals, 12-string acoustic guitar
* Mick Ronson – electric guitar, piano, backing vocals
* Trevor Bolder – bass guitar
* Mick Woodmansey – drums

Technical

* David Bowie – producer
* Ken Scott – producer, engineer
* Dennis MacKay – engineer

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e f g O'Leary 2015, chap. 5.
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Pegg 2016, p. 298.
3. ^ Cann 2010, pp. 230–231.
4. ^ a b c Doggett 2012, pp. 158–159.
5. ^ a b c Raggett, Ned. "'Velvet Goldmine' – David Bowie". AllMusic. Retrieved 8 December 2022.
6. ^ Pegg 2016, p. 781.
7. ^ a b Buckley 2005, p. 234.
8. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars [Bonus Tracks] – David Bowie". AllMusic. Retrieved 8 December 2022.
9. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "David Bowie – The Best of David Bowie 1969–1974". AllMusic. Retrieved 6 August 2017.
10. ^ Sinclair, Paul (21 March 2024). "David Bowie / Rock 'n' Roll Star!". Super Deluxe Edition. Retrieved 30 December 2024.
11. ^ Paytress, Mark (14 June 2024). "David Bowie Rock 'N' Roll Star Review: Five-disc dive into Ziggy Stardust shines new light on Bowie's greatest creation". Mojo. Archived from the original on 22 December 2024. Retrieved 30 December 2024.
12. ^ Grow, Kory (14 June 2024). "David Bowie's 'Rock 'N' Roll Star' Box Set Chronicles the Rise of Ziggy Stardust". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 26 November 2024. Retrieved 30 December 2024.
13. ^ a b Pegg 2016, p. 714.

### Sources

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* Buckley, David (2005) [1999]. Strange Fascination – David Bowie: The Definitive Story. London: Virgin Books. ISBN 978-0-75351-002-5.
* Cann, Kevin (2010). Any Day Now – David Bowie: The London Years: 1947–1974. Adelita. ISBN 978-0-95520-177-6.
* Doggett, Peter (2012). The Man Who Sold the World: David Bowie and the 1970s. New York City: HarperCollins Publishers. ISBN 978-0-06-202466-4.
* O'Leary, Chris (2015). Rebel Rebel: All the Songs of David Bowie from '64 to '76. Winchester: Zero Books. ISBN 978-1-78099-244-0.
* Pegg, Nicholas (2016). The Complete David Bowie (Revised and Updated ed.). London: Titan Books. ISBN 978-1-78565-365-0.

* v
* t
* e

The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars

Songs|

| Side one|

* "Five Years"
* "Soul Love"
* "Moonage Daydream"
* "Starman"
* "It Ain't Easy"

|

Side two|

* "Lady Stardust"
* "Star"
* "Hang On to Yourself"
* "Ziggy Stardust"
* "Suffragette City"
* "Rock 'n' Roll Suicide"

Non-album single|

* "John, I'm Only Dancing"

Outtakes|

* "Velvet Goldmine"
* "Sweet Head"
* "Shadow Man"
* "Looking For a Friend"
* "It's Gonna Rain Again"
* "Round and Round"

Live|

* Ziggy Stardust Tour
* Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (film)
* Ziggy Stardust: The Motion Picture
* Santa Monica '72
* Live Santa Monica '72

Related articles|

* "All the Young Dudes"
* Arnold Corns
* Ziggy Stardust (character)
* The Spiders from Mars
* David Bowie discography
* Moonage Daydream

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David Bowie singles

* Discography
* Songs

1960s|

* "Liza Jane"
* "I Pity the Fool"
* "You've Got a Habit of Leaving"
* "Baby Loves That Way"
* "Can't Help Thinking About Me"
* "Do Anything You Say"
* "I Dig Everything"
* "Rubber Band"
* "The London Boys"
* "The Laughing Gnome"
* "Love You till Tuesday"
* "Space Oddity"

1970s|

* "The Prettiest Star"
* "Memory of a Free Festival"
* "Holy Holy"
* "Moonage Daydream"
* "Hang On to Yourself"
* "Changes"
* "Starman"
* "John, I'm Only Dancing"
* "The Jean Genie"
* "Drive-In Saturday"
* "Time"
* "Life on Mars"
* "Let's Spend the Night Together"
* "Sorrow"
* "Rebel Rebel"
* "Rock 'n' Roll Suicide"
* "Diamond Dogs"
* "1984"
* "Knock on Wood"
* "Rock 'n' Roll with Me"
* "Young Americans"
* "Fame"
* "Golden Years"
* "Station to Station" (French promo)
* "TVC 15"
* "Suffragette City"
* "Stay"
* "Sound and Vision"
* "Be My Wife"
* "'Heroes'"
* "Beauty and the Beast"
* "Breaking Glass"
* "Boys Keep Swinging"
* "D.J."
* "Yassassin"
* "Look Back in Anger"
* "John, I'm Only Dancing (Again)"

1980s|

* "Alabama Song"
* "Crystal Japan"
* "Ashes to Ashes"
* "Fashion"
* "Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)"
* "Up the Hill Backwards"
* "Under Pressure"
* "Wild Is the Wind"
* "The Drowned Girl"
* "Cat People (Putting Out Fire)"
* "Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy"
* "Let's Dance"
* "China Girl"
* "Modern Love"
* "Without You"
* "White Light/White Heat"
* "Blue Jean"
* "Tonight"
* "This Is Not America"
* "Loving the Alien"
* "Dancing in the Street"
* "Absolute Beginners"
* "Underground"
* "When the Wind Blows"
* "Magic Dance"
* "Day-In Day-Out"
* "Time Will Crawl"
* "Never Let Me Down"
* "Under the God"
* "Heaven's in Here"
* "Tin Machine" / "Maggie's Farm (live)"
* "Prisoner of Love"

1990s|

* "Fame '90"
* "You Belong in Rock n' Roll"
* "Baby Universal"
* "One Shot"
* "Real Cool World"
* "Jump They Say"
* "Black Tie White Noise"
* "Miracle Goodnight"
* "The Buddha of Suburbia"
* "Ziggy Stardust"
* "The Hearts Filthy Lesson"
* "Strangers When We Meet"
* "Hallo Spaceboy"
* "Telling Lies"
* "Little Wonder"
* "Dead Man Walking"
* "Seven Years in Tibet"
* "Pallas Athena"
* "I'm Afraid of Americans"
* "I Can't Read"
* "Without You I'm Nothing"
* "Thursday's Child"
* "The Pretty Things Are Going to Hell"

2000s|

* "Survive"
* "Seven"
* "Slow Burn"
* "Everyone Says 'Hi'"
* "I've Been Waiting for You"
* "Shadow Man"
* "New Killer Star"
* "Just for One Day (Heroes)"
* "Rebel Never Gets Old"

2010s|

* "Where Are We Now?"
* "The Stars (Are Out Tonight)"
* "The Next Day"
* "Valentine's Day"
* "Love Is Lost"
* "'Tis a Pity She Was a Whore"
* "Sue (Or in a Season of Crime)"
* "Blackstar"
* "Lazarus"
* "I Can't Give Everything Away"

Other songs|

* "Silly Boy Blue"
* "Let Me Sleep Beside You"
* "Karma Man"
* "Unwashed and Somewhat Slightly Dazed"
* "Cygnet Committee"
* "Wild Eyed Boy from Freecloud"
* "The Width of a Circle"
* "All the Madmen"
* "Black Country Rock"
* "After All"
* "She Shook Me Cold"
* "The Man Who Sold the World"
* "The Supermen"
* "Oh! You Pretty Things"
* "Kooks"
* "Quicksand"
* "Andy Warhol"
* "Song for Bob Dylan"
* "Queen Bitch"
* "The Bewlay Brothers"
* "Bombers"
* "Five Years"
* "Soul Love"
* "Lady Stardust"
* "Velvet Goldmine"
* "Sweet Head"
* "Amsterdam"
* "Round and Round"
* "Watch That Man"
* "Aladdin Sane"
* "Panic in Detroit"
* "Cracked Actor"
* "Lady Grinning Soul"
* "All the Young Dudes"
* "Future Legend"
* "Sweet Thing"
* "Big Brother"
* "Can You Hear Me?"
* "Right"
* "Fascination"
* "Word on a Wing"
* "Speed of Life"
* "What in the World"
* "Always Crashing in the Same Car"
* "Warszawa"
* "Art Decade"
* "Weeping Wall"
* "Subterraneans"
* "Joe the Lion"
* "Sons of the Silent Age"
* "Blackout"
* "V-2 Schneider"
* "Sense of Doubt"
* "Neuköln"
* "Fantastic Voyage"
* "It's No Game"
* "Teenage Wildlife"
* "Scream Like a Baby"
* "As the World Falls Down"
* "Girls"
* "Nite Flights"
* "I'm Deranged"
* "Nature Boy"
* "Cactus"
* "Pablo Picasso"
* "The Loneliest Guy"
* "Try Some, Buy Some"
* "Fall Dog Bombs the Moon"
* "Bring Me the Disco King"
* "Girl Loves Me"
* "Dollar Days"

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