The Man Who Sold the World - wikipedia The Man Who Sold the World This article is about the song. For the album, see The Man Who Sold the World ( album ). `` The Man Who Sold the World '' Song by David Bowie from the album The Man Who Sold the World Released 4 November 1970 ( US ) April 1971 ( UK ) Recorded Trident and Advision Studios, London 18 April - 22 May 1970 Genre Psychedelic rock, folk rock Length 3 : 55 Label Mercury Records Songwriter ( s ) David Bowie Producer ( s ) Tony Visconti `` The Man Who Sold the World '' is a song written and performed by David Bowie. It is the title track of his third album, with the same name, which was released in the US in November 1970 and in the UK in April 1971. The song has been covered by a number of other artists, notably by Lulu, who had a UK No. 3 hit with her version in 1974, and Nirvana, whose 1993 performance of the song for the television program MTV Unplugged introduced it to a new audience. The song was reworked by Bowie, featuring a heavy bassline, güiro as percussion and a notably darker mood, for performances in concerts from 1995 to 1997, including the 1995 MTV Europe Music Awards. Bowie later returned to playing the original version in the 2000s. Contents 1 Inspiration and explanation 2 Other releases by Bowie 3 Bowie personnel 4 Cover versions 4.1 Lulu 4.1. 1 Lulu Personnel 4.2 Midge Ure 4.3 Richard Barone 4.4 Nirvana 4.4. 1 Nirvana personnel 4.5 Five Years ( 1969 -- 1973 ) 4.6 Other covers 5 References 6 External links Inspiration and explanation The persona in the song has an encounter with a kind of doppelgänger, as suggested in the second chorus where `` I never lost control '' is replaced with `` We never lost control ''. Beyond this, the episode is unexplained : as James E. Perone wrote, Bowie encounters the title character, but it is not clear just what the phrase means, or exactly who this man is.... The main thing that the song does is to paint -- however elusively -- the title character as another example of the societal outcasts who populate the album. In common with a number of tracks on the album, the song 's themes have been compared to the horror - fantasy works of H.P. Lovecraft. The lyrics are also cited as reflecting Bowie 's concerns with splintered or multiple personalities, and are believed to have been partially inspired by the poem `` Antigonish '' by William Hughes Mearns : `` Last night I saw upon the stair A little man who was n't there He was n't there again today Oh, how I wish he 'd go away... '' In the BBC Radio 1 special programme `` ChangesNowBowie '', broadcast on 8 January 1997, Bowie was interviewed by Mary Anne Hobbs and was asked about the song. He commented : `` I guess I wrote it because there was a part of myself that I was looking for. Maybe now that I feel more comfortable with the way that I live my life and my mental state ( laughs ) and my spiritual state whatever, maybe I feel there 's some kind of unity now. That song for me always exemplified kind of how you feel when you 're young, when you know that there 's a piece of yourself that you have n't really put together yet. You have this great searching, this great need to find out who you really are. '' Other releases by Bowie `` The Man Who Sold the World '' appeared as the B - side on the American single release of the song `` Space Oddity '' ( 1973 rerelease ) and British single `` Life on Mars ? '' ( 1973 ). It also appears on various Bowie compilations such as Sound + Vision ( 1989 ), The Best of David Bowie 1969 / 1974 ( 1997 ), Best of Bowie ( 2002 ), The Platinum Collection ( 2006 ), Nothing Has Changed ( 2014 ), and Bowie Legacy ( 2016 ). Bowie performed the song on Saturday Night Live in December 1979, with Klaus Nomi and Joey Arias. A portion of this show is included in the film The Nomi Song. A new studio version of the song, recorded by Bowie in 1995 and mixed by Brian Eno, appears as a B - side on the CD single `` Strangers When We Meet ''. This version also appears on the bonus disc that followed some versions of Outside - Version 3. It was this arrangement that appeared in Bowie 's 2016 stage musical, Lazarus. A live version recorded at BBC Radio Theatre, London, on 27 June 2000 was released on the bonus disc accompanying the first releases of Bowie at the Beeb in 2000. A November 2003 live performance from the Reality Tour is featured on the A Reality Tour DVD, released in 2004, as well as the A Reality Tour album, released in 2010. Bowie personnel David Bowie -- vocals, acoustic guitar, organ Mick Ronson -- electric guitar Tony Visconti -- bass guitar, backing vocals Woody Woodmansey -- drums, percussion Cover versions Lulu `` The Man Who Sold the World '' Single by Lulu B - side `` Watch That Man '' Released 11 January 1974 ( 1974 - 01 - 11 ) Format 7 '' single Recorded July 1973 Label Polydor Songwriter ( s ) David Bowie Producer ( s ) David Bowie, Mick Ronson Lulu singles chronology `` Make Believe World '' ( 1972 ) `` The Man Who Sold the World '' ( 1974 ) `` The Man with the Golden Gun '' ( 1974 ) The song was covered by the Scottish singer Lulu in 1974, who, according to biographer David Buckley, performed it in `` a sleazy, almost Berlin cabaret style ''. Lulu would recall Bowie inviting her to a concert he gave after which he met her in his hotel room saying : `` I want to make an MF of a record with you ( because ) you 're a great singer. '' Lulu - `` I did n't think it would happen but ( Bowie ) followed up two days later. He was übercool at the time and I just wanted to be led by him. I loved everything he did. I did n't think ' The Man Who Sold the World ' was the greatest song for my voice, but it was such a strong song in itself. I had no idea what it was about. In the studio Bowie kept telling me to smoke more cigarettes, to give my voice a certain quality. '' Bowie produced the Lulu recording of `` The Man Who Sold the World '' with Mick Ronson during the July 1973 Pin Ups sessions and also contributed guitar, saxophone and backing vocals. The remainder of the band included Ronson on guitar, Trevor Bolder on bass, Mike Garson on piano, and Aynsley Dunbar on drums. Lulu 's `` The Man Who Sold the World '' was released as a single on 11 January 1974 having been introduced by Lulu on the TOTP broadcast of 10 January 1974 : the track only made its Top 50 debut ( at # 27 ) on the chart dated 26 January 1974 following a reprise performance by Lulu on TOTP two days earlier on 24 January 1974, with a third TOTP performance by Lulu on 7 February 1974 broadcast facilitating a boost from No. 13 to No. 5 on the chart dated 9 February 1974. In her TOTP performances in support of `` The Man Who Sold the World '' Lulu has been characterized as `` dressed and sounding exactly like a diminutive Bowie ''. Lulu performed the song in the second - season finale of French and Saunders. Lulu 's chart positions Chart ( 1974 ) Position Belgian Singles Chart ( Ultratop ) 24 Netherlands Singles Chart 10 Irish Singles Chart 8 UK Singles Chart ( Official Chart Company ) Lulu Personnel Lulu -- lead vocals David Bowie -- sax, backing vocals Mick Ronson -- guitars Trevor Bolder -- bass guitar Mike Garson -- piano Aynsley Dunbar -- drums Midge Ure Midge Ure covered this song in a 1982 studio release, which appeared on the Party Party Original Motion Picture Soundtrack ( released 3 December 1982 ) and promotional 7 '' single ( backed with `` Band Of Gold '' by Modern Romance ). The track was subsequently re-recorded / re-mixed and released as a B - side to Midge Ure 's If I Was 12 '' single ( released 13 September 1985 ). This later version is featured as the title song of the 2015 video game Metal Gear Solid V : The Phantom Pain. Richard Barone The song was covered by American singer Richard Barone in 1987 on his proto - chamber pop album, Cool Blue Halo. Using cello, acoustic guitar and symphonic percussion in a live setting. Nirvana `` The Man Who Sold the World '' Promotional single by Nirvana from the album MTV Unplugged in New York Released 1 November 1994 Recorded 18 November 1993 at Sony Music Studios in New York City Length 4 : 20 Label DGC Records Songwriter ( s ) David Bowie Producer ( s ) Alex Coletti, Scott Litt, Nirvana MTV Unplugged in New York track listing 13 tracks `` About a Girl '' `` Come as You Are '' `` Jesus Does n't Want Me for a Sunbeam '' `` The Man Who Sold the World '' `` Pennyroyal Tea '' `` Dumb '' `` Polly '' `` On a Plain '' `` Something in the Way '' `` Plateau '' `` Oh, Me '' `` Lake of Fire '' `` All Apologies '' `` Where Did You Sleep Last Night '' Music video `` The Man Who Sold the World '' on YouTube In his journals, Kurt Cobain of the American grunge band Nirvana ranked the album The Man Who Sold the World at number 45 in his top 50 favourite albums. A live rendition of the song was recorded by the band in 1993 during their MTV Unplugged appearance, and it was released on their MTV Unplugged in New York album the following year. The song was also released as a promotional single for the album, and received considerable airplay on alternative rock radio stations. It was also thrown into heavy rotation on music video stations such as MTV, peaking at number 3 on MTV 's most played videos on February 18, 1995. Nirvana regularly covered the song during live sets after their memorable acoustic performance up until lead singer Cobain 's death in 1994. In 2002, the song was re-released on Nirvana 's self - titled `` best of '' compilation. Bowie said of Nirvana 's cover : `` I was simply blown away when I found that Kurt Cobain liked my work, and have always wanted to talk to him about his reasons for covering ' The Man Who Sold the World ' and that `` it was a good straight forward rendition and sounded somehow very honest. It would have been nice to have worked with him, but just talking with him would have been real cool ''. Bowie called Nirvana 's cover `` heartfelt, '' noting that `` until this ( cover ), it had n't occurred to me that I was part of America 's musical landscape. I always felt my weight in Europe, but not ( in the US ). '' In the wake of its release, Bowie bemoaned the fact that when he performed the number himself he would encounter `` kids that come up afterwards and say, ' It 's cool you 're doing a Nirvana song. ' And I think, ' Fuck you, you little tosser ! ' '' On 14 February 2016, surviving Nirvana band members Krist Novoselic, Dave Grohl and Pat Smear teamed up with contemporary Beck to perform `` The Man Who Sold the World '' at a pre-Grammy Awards party, in tribute to Bowie, who had died the month prior, with Beck performing the vocals. In 2017, to mark what would have been Kurt Cobain 's 50th birthday, the Phonographic Performance Limited released a list of the top twenty most played Nirvana songs on the TV and radio in the UK in which `` The Man Who Sold the World '' was ranked at number six. A louder electric guitar cover appears on the bands ' Live and Loud ' set list. Nirvana 's chart positions Chart ( 1995 ) Peak position Belgium ( Ultratop 50 Flanders ) 40 Canada Top Singles ( RPM ) 22 French Airplay Chart 34 Poland ( LP3 ) US Alternative Songs ( Billboard ) 6 US Mainstream Rock ( Billboard ) 12 US Radio Songs ( Billboard ) 39 Chart ( 2012 ) Position UK Rock and Metal ( Official Charts Company ) 13 Chart ( 2013 ) Position France ( SNEP ) 149 Nirvana personnel Kurt Cobain -- vocals, lead guitar Pat Smear -- rhythm guitar Krist Novoselic -- bass guitar Dave Grohl -- drums Lori Goldston -- cello Five Years ( 1969 -- 1973 ) The song appears on the compilation album Five Years ( 1969 -- 1973 ). `` Metrobolist '' was the album 's original title, planned for release by Bowie as a gatefold presentation, with hand drawn title accompanying cartoon - style drawings front and back, opening up to display a double sleeve photo - spread inside. But the only substantial evidence `` Metrobolist '' was ever proposed as a Mercury record company product are labels with the title `` Metrobolist '' printed on surviving tape boxes. Other covers Lea Laven as `` Mies Joka Myi Maailman '' on her album Niin ( 1974 ). Midge Ure on the film soundtrack Party Party ( 1982 ). This version is also included on No Regrets : The Very Best of Midge Ure, and the compilations The David Bowie Songbook and Starman : Rare and Exclusive Versions of 18 Classic David Bowie Songs, CD premium from the March 2003 issue of Uncut magazine. This version is also played during the opening scene and end credits of the video game Metal Gear Solid V : The Phantom Pain. Here & Now on the album Fantasy Shift ( 1983 ). Električni Orgazam on the album Les Chansones Populaires ( 1983 ). Ed Kuepper on the album The Exotic Mail Order Moods of Ed Kuepper ( 1995 ). Simple Minds on the covers album Neon Lights ( 2001 ). 3 Melancholy Gypsys sampled the Nirvana version in their song `` 2010 ''. which appears on the Living Legends album Legendary Music, Vol. 1. Jordis Unga on Rock Star INXS, also released as a digital single. Cocosuma on BowieMania : Mania, une collection obsessionelle de Beatrice Ardisson ( 2007 ). Apoptygma Berzerk uses the guitar melody for a live rendition of the song Mourn, which can be heard on the album APBL2000 ( 2001 ). Cross Canadian Ragweed have also covered the song on various occasions. Meat Puppets have also covered this song. John Cougar Mellencamp performed it as a bonus track on his album The Kid Inside ( 1983 ). Mohsen Namjoo used the main riff on the song Morq - e Sheidâ. Artist Jeremy Deller uses the song, as performed by the Melodians Steel Orchestra ( a steel band from South London ), as part of the soundtrack for his 2013 short film English Magic. Kamyaniy Gist covered this song in Ukrainian ( album `` 70 / 80 '', 2015 ). Source. Actor Gary Oldman, who was a close friend of Bowie 's, performed it in tribute on February 8, 2016 at the Roxy Theatre in Los Angeles. March 29, 2016 Michael Stipe of R.E.M. performs the song on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon accompanied by only a piano in tribute to David Bowie. October 31, 2016 Bubbles from Trailer Park Boys released a cover. Source The television show Ozark, season 2, trailer and episode 4, featured a cover version of the song. References Jump up ^ King, Maureen, `` Future Legends : David Bowie and Science Fiction '', in Morrison, Michael A. ( ed. ) ( 1997 ). Trajectories of the Fantastic : Selected Essays from the Fourteenth International Conference on the Fantastic in the Arts. Westport, CT : Greenwood. p. 131. CS1 maint : Extra text : authors list ( link ) Jump up ^ Perone, James E. ( 2007 ). The Words and Music of David Bowie. Westport, CT : Praeger. pp. 15 -- 6. Jump up ^ Roy Carr & Charles Shaar Murray ( 1981 ). Bowie : An Illustrated Record : p. 38. Jump up ^ David Buckley ( 1999 ). Strange Fascination - David Bowie : The Definitive Story : p. 100 ; Allmusic review. allmusic.com. Retrieved 24 July 2010. Jump up ^ Wallace, Grant ( 27 June 1999 ). `` ChangesNowBowie Transcript - Radio 1 ''. Retrieved 19 January 2013. Jump up ^ David Buckley ( 1999 ). Op. cit : p. 196. Jump up ^ Spitz, Marc ( 2009 ). Bowie : a Biography ( 1st US ed. ). New York : Crown Publishing Group. p. 228. ISBN 978 - 0 - 307 - 39396 - 8. Jump up ^ Roy Carr & Charles Shaar Murray ( 1981 ). Op. cit. : p. 118. Jump up ^ Bartlett, Neil ( 1988 ). Who Was That Man : a present for Mr Oscar Wilde. London : Serpent 's Tail. p. 244. ISBN 978 - 1 - 85242 - 123 - 6. ^ Jump up to : Lulu - The Man Who Sold the World - peak chart positions dutchcharts.com. Retrieved 3 November 2013. Jump up ^ Lulu - Irish Singles Chart peak positions irishcharts.ie. Retrieved 3 November 2013. Jump up ^ Lulu - UK Singles Chart peak positions officialcharts.com. Retrieved 3 November 2013. Jump up ^ Kurt 's Journals - His Top 50 Albums. http://www.nirvanaclub.com. Retrieved 24 July 2010. Jump up ^ Nirvana - The Man Who Sold the World discogs.com. Retrieved 5 May 2014. Jump up ^ `` Billboard Magazine - Video Monitor '' ( PDF ). Billboard. February 18, 1995. Retrieved August 5, 2018. Jump up ^ St Thomas, Kurt and Smith, Troy. Nirvana : The Chosen Rejects. St Martin 's Griffin ( 2004 ). pp. 191. ISBN 0 - 312 - 20663 - 1. Jump up ^ Gundersen, Edna ( 14 September 1995 ), `` Cover Story : Bowie, beyond fame and fashion '', USA Today : D1, 2 Jump up ^ Nicholas Pegg ( 2000 ). The Complete David Bowie : pp. 138 - 139. Jump up ^ Beck and living Nirvana members honour David Bowie at pre-Grammy party nme.com. Retrieved 15 February 2016. Jump up ^ 20 most - played Nirvana songs revealed to mark Kurt Cobain 's 50th birthday planetrock.com. Retrieved March 3, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Ultratop.be -- Nirvana -- The Man Who Sold the World '' ( in Dutch ). Ultratop 50. Jump up ^ `` Top RPM Singles : Issue 7984. '' RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 13 August 2015. Jump up ^ `` InfoDisc : Accès direct à ces Artistes ( The user must select `` Nirvana '' from the dropdown list ) ``. Infodisc.fr. Retrieved 14 October 2012. Jump up ^ `` THE MAN WHO SOLD THE WORLD ''. Polskie Radio. Retrieved November 14, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Nirvana Chart History ( Alternative Songs ) ''. Billboard. Jump up ^ `` Nirvana Chart History ( Mainstream Rock ) ''. Billboard. Jump up ^ `` Nirvana Chart History ( Radio Songs ) ''. Billboard. Jump up ^ `` Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart Top 40 ''. Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 15, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Lescharts.com -- Nirvana -- The Man Who Sold the World '' ( in French ). Les classement single. Jump up ^ Five Years ( 1969 -- 1973 ) companion book ( 2015 ) p. 8. Jump up ^ Louisa Buck, `` Jeremy Deller 's English Magic '', The Daily Telegraph, 10 January 2014. Jump up ^ `` Michael Stipe covers David Bowie 's `` The Man Who Sold the World '' on Fallon -- watch ``. Consequence of Sound. March 30, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Michael Stipe : The Man Who Sold the World ''. YouTube. March 30, 2016. Jump up ^ `` zark season 2 trailer song : What is the song in the Ozark trailer ? ''. Daily Express. 3 August 2018. Retrieved 6 September 2018. External links `` The Man Who Sold the World '' cover by Nirvana Official music video ( Live at MTV Unplugged ) on YouTube Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics David Bowie singles 1960s `` Liza Jane '' `` I Pity the Fool '' `` You 've Got a Habit of Leaving '' `` Ca n't Help Thinking About Me '' `` Do Anything You Say '' `` I Dig Everything '' `` Rubber Band '' `` The Laughing Gnome '' `` Love You till Tuesday '' `` Space Oddity '' `` Ragazzo solo, ragazza sola '' 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 '' `` TVC 15 '' `` Suffragette City '' `` Stay '' `` Sound and Vision '' `` Be My Wife '' `` ' Heroes ' '' `` Beauty and the Beast '' `` Breaking Glass '' `` Boys Keep Swinging '' `` DJ '' `` 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 '' `` As the World Falls Down '' `` Magic Dance '' `` When the Wind Blows '' `` 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 '' / `` The Man Who Sold the World ( live ) '' `` Hallo Spaceboy '' `` Telling Lies '' `` Little Wonder '' `` Dead Man Walking '' `` Pallas Athena '' `` I 'm Afraid of Americans '' `` I Ca n'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 Ca n't Give Everything Away '' Other songs `` 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 '' `` Fascination '' `` Word on a Wing '' `` Speed of Life '' `` What in the World '' `` Always Crashing in the Same Car '' `` A New Career in a New Town '' `` Warszawa '' `` Art Decade '' `` Weeping Wall '' `` Subterraneans '' `` Some Are '' `` Joe the Lion '' `` Sons of the Silent Age '' `` Blackout '' `` V - 2 Schneider '' `` Sense of Doubt '' `` Moss Garden '' `` Neuköln '' `` The Secret Life of Arabia '' `` Fantastic Voyage '' `` I Pray, Olé '' `` It 's No Game '' `` Teenage Wildlife '' `` Scream Like a Baby '' `` Criminal World '' `` Girls '' `` Nite Flights '' `` I 'm Deranged '' `` Nature Boy '' `` Cactus '' `` The Loneliest Guy '' `` Fall Dog Bombs the Moon '' `` Bring Me the Disco King '' `` Girl Loves Me '' `` Dollar Days '' Book Category Lulu Studio albums Something to Shout About Love Loves to Love Lulu Lulu 's Album New Routes Melody Fair Lulu Heaven and Earth and the Stars Do n't Take Love for Granted Lulu Take Me to Your Heart Again Independence Together Back on Track A Little Soul in Your Heart Making Life Rhyme Compilation albums The Most of Lulu The Greatest Hits Selected singles `` Shout '' `` Ca n't Hear You No More '' `` Here Comes the Night '' `` Call Me '' `` To Sir With Love '' `` Morning Dew '' `` Boom Bang - a-Bang '' `` Oh Me Oh My ( I 'm a Fool for You Baby ) '' `` Everybody Clap '' `` The Man Who Sold the World '' `` The Man with the Golden Gun '' `` I Could Never Miss You ( More Than I Do ) '' `` My Boy Lollipop '' `` Nellie the Elephant '' `` Relight My Fire '' ( with Take That ) `` How ' Bout Us '' `` Where the Poor Boys Dance '' `` We 've Got Tonight '' ( with Ronan Keating ) `` Put a Little Love in Your Heart '' `` Run Rudolph Run '' Related articles Discography Eurovision Song Contest 1969 UK Here Come the Girls Book : Lulu Nirvana Kurt Cobain Krist Novoselic Dave Grohl Aaron Burckhard Dale Crover Dave Foster Chad Channing Jason Everman Pat Smear Studio albums Bleach Nevermind In Utero Live albums MTV Unplugged in New York From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah Live at Reading Compilation albums Incesticide Nirvana Sliver : The Best of the Box Icon Box sets Singles With the Lights Out Nevermind : The Singles Extended plays Blew Hormoaning Singles `` Love Buzz '' `` Sliver '' `` Smells Like Teen Spirit '' `` Come as You Are '' `` Lithium '' `` In Bloom '' `` Heart - Shaped Box '' `` All Apologies '' / `` Rape Me '' `` Pennyroyal Tea '' `` About a Girl '' `` You Know You 're Right '' Promotional singles `` On a Plain '' `` '' All Apologies '' ( Unplugged ) '' `` The Man Who Sold the World '' `` Where Did You Sleep Last Night '' `` Lake of Fire '' `` Aneurysm '' ( live ) `` Drain You '' ( live ) Split singles `` Candy / Molly 's Lips '' `` Here She Comes Now / Venus in Furs '' `` Puss / Oh, the Guilt '' Other songs `` Been a Son '' `` Breed '' `` Do Re Mi '' `` Dumb '' `` I Hate Myself and Want to Die '' `` Marigold '' `` Negative Creep '' `` Old Age '' `` Polly '' `` Sappy '' `` Scentless Apprentice '' `` Something in the Way '' `` Spank Thru '' Videos Live ! Tonight ! Sold Out ! ! MTV Unplugged in New York Live at Reading Live at the Paramount Live and Loud Related Articles Discography ( Bootlegs ) Awards and nominations Songs Concerts `` Smells Like Nirvana '' Frances Bean Cobain Suicide of Kurt Cobain 12 - 12 - 12 : The Concert for Sandy Relief Verse Chorus Verse Bands Dain Bramage Eyes Adrift Fecal Matter Flipper Foo Fighters Melvins The No WTO Combo Scream Sweet 75 Them Crooked Vultures Queens of the Stone Age Books Come as You Are : The Story of Nirvana Heavier Than Heaven Journals Letters to Kurt Albums Nevermind It 's an Interview The `` Priest '' They Called Him Smells Like Bleach : A Punk Tribute to Nirvana Newermind : A Tribute to Nirvana In Utero, in Tribute, in Entirety Whatever Nevermind Doused in Mud, Soaked in Bleach Montage of Heck : The Home Recordings Films and documentaries 1991 : The Year Punk Broke Teen Spirit : The Tribute to Kurt Cobain Hype ! Kurt & Courtney Classic Albums : Nirvana -- Nevermind Last Days Nirvana -- A Classic Album Under Review -- In Utero Kurt Cobain : About a Son Kurt Cobain : Montage of Heck Soaked in Bleach Autopsy : The Last Hours of... Kurt Cobain Book Category Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Man_Who_Sold_the_World&oldid=859960105 '' Categories : 1970 songs 1974 singles David Bowie songs Lulu ( singer ) songs Nirvana ( band ) songs Songs written by David Bowie Song recordings produced by Tony Visconti Hidden categories : CS1 maint : Extra text : authors list Use British English from January 2014 Use dmy dates from January 2014 Articles with hAudio microformats Singlechart usages for Flanders Singlechart usages for Canadatopsingles Singlechart called without artist Singlechart called without song Singlechart usages for Billboardalternativesongs Singlechart usages for Billboardmainstreamrock Singlechart usages for Billboardradiosongs Singlechart usages for UKrock Singlechart usages for France Talk Contents About Wikipedia Čeština Ελληνικά Español Euskara فارسی Français Italiano עברית Nederlands Norsk Norsk nynorsk Polski Português Русский Slovenčina Svenska Tiếng Việt 8 more Edit links This page was last edited on 17 September 2018, at 12 : 36 ( UTC ). 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Question: who wrote the song the man who sold the world
Answer: David Bowie