# David Bowie BBC Sessions

David Bowie recorded twelve radio sessions for the BBC between 1967 and 1972. Many of the tracks – but not all – were released on the Bowie at the Beeb 2-CD Set (2000). Some of the tracks missing from the first few sessions not included on Bowie at the Beeb 2-CD Set appear on later editions of David Bowie (1967) and David Bowie (1969). A few more tracks appear on BBC Sessions 1969–1972 (Sampler) [1996]; Bowie at the Beeb 4-LP Edition [2016]). However, many of the missing tracks from the Bowie at the Beeb 2-CD Set are only available on bootlegs and online. 'Hang Onto Yourself' from 11 Jan 1972 has, to date, not appeared in either master tape or bootleg form. This is because many of the original mastertapes are long gone, with sometimes only the broadcast tapes existing, meaning songs that were recorded but not originally broadcast, or only broadcast in edited form, are lost; or in at least one case, only a partial recording of a broadcast exists, with the broadcast tape no longer available. This article gives an overview of all the sessions, along with where they have received their official release.
Unreleased | Missing
Four session tracks from John Peel (11 Jan 1972) exist in poor quality off-air recordings and 1 (at-the-time) broadcast track from the same session is still missing ('Hang onto Yourself').
BBC 'Radio 1 Club' Show Appearances
David Bowie appeared on this 'live' lunchtime radio one show during the Ken Pitt management period. Referenced briefly in the Ken Pitt book, 'The Pitt Report.' Oddly, these are not mentioned in the excellent, Ken Garner 'In Session Tonight' book. However, Kevin Cann references these in his, equally excellent 'Any Day Now' book. Bands would usually play several songs 'live' on the show, however, sometimes they would pre-record a BBC studio session ahead of the 'live' broadcast to be broadcast on 'R1 Club'.Another variation was to sing 'live' or with additional vocals to a backing track or even latest release.
Radio One Club: 28 August 1969, Leas Cliff Hall, Folkestone, Kent
Interviewed by Dave Cash about 'Space Oddity.'
Radio One Club: 25 September 1969
Interview with Keith Skues
Radio One Club: 14 November 1969, BBC Glasgow, Scotland
Interview with Dave Lee Travis

## Top Gear: 18 December 1967

Bowie's first session for BBC Radio was recorded on the 18 December 1967, soon after the release of his first album, David Bowie (1967). The session was recorded at Piccadilly Studios and arranged and performed by Arthur Greenslade and his 16 piece orchestra with Bowie on vocals and playing guitar. The session was produced by Bernie Andrews.
| Track | Title | Written by | Length | Broadcast date(s) | Release |
| 01 | "Love You till Tuesday" | Bowie | 3:00 | 24 Dec 196728 Jan 1968 | David Bowie: Deluxe Edition (2009) |
| 02 | "When I Live My Dream" | Bowie | 3:35 | 24 Dec 196728 Jan 1968 | David Bowie: Deluxe Edition (2009) |
| 03 | "Little Bombardier" | Bowie | 3:28 | 24 Dec 196728 Jan 1968 | David Bowie: Deluxe Edition (2009) |
| 04 | "Silly Boy Blue" | Bowie | 3:25 | 24 Dec 196728 Jan 1968 | David Bowie: Deluxe Edition (2009) |
| 05 | "In The Heat Of The Morning" | Bowie | 2:40 | 24 Dec 196728 Jan 1968 | David Bowie: Deluxe Edition (2009) |

## Top Gear: 13 May 1968

| Track | Title | Written by | Length | Broadcast date(s) | Release |
| 01 | "In The Heat Of The Morning" | Bowie | 3:03 | 26 May 196820 Jun 1968 | Bowie at the Beeb Conversation Piece |
| 02 | "London Bye Ta-Ta" | Bowie | 2:36 | 26 May 196820 Jun 1968 | Bowie at the Beeb Conversation Piece |
| 03 | "Karma Man" | Bowie | 3:00 | 26 May 196820 Jun 1968 | Bowie at the Beeb Conversation Piece |
| 04 | "When I'm Five" | Bowie | 3:08 | 26 May 196820 Jun 1968 | David Bowie: Deluxe Edition (2009) Conversation Piece |
| 05 | "Silly Boy Blue" | Bowie | 4:37 | 20 Jun 1968 | Bowie at the Beeb Conversation Piece |

## Dave Lee Travis Show: 20 October 1969

| Track | Title | Written by | Length | Broadcast date(s) | Release |
| 01 | "Unwashed and Somewhat Slightly Dazed" | Bowie | 4:04 | 26 Oct 1969 | David Bowie Special Edition Conversation Piece |
| 02 | "Let Me Sleep Beside You" | Bowie | 4:49 | (not broadcast) | Bowie at the BeebDavid Bowie Special EditionConversation Piece |
| 03 | "Janine" | Bowie | 3:05 | (not broadcast) | Bowie at the BeebDavid Bowie Special EditionConversation Piece |

## The Sunday Show [Live]: 5 February 1970

| Track | Title | Written by | Length | Broadcast date(s) | Release |
| 01 | "Amsterdam" | Jacques Brel trans. Mort Shuman | 3:02 | 8 Feb 1970 | Bowie at the Beeb: 2-CD set (2000) |
| 02 | "God Knows I'm Good" | Bowie | 3:29 | 8 Feb 1970 | Bowie at the Beeb: 2-CD set (2000) |
| 03 | "Buzz The Fuzz" | Biff Rose | 2:21 | 8 Feb 1970 | Width Of A Circle 2-CD set (2021) |
| 04 | "Karma Man" | Bowie | 3:02 | 8 Feb 1970 | Width Of A Circle 2-CD set (2021) |
| 05 | "London Bye Ta-Ta" | Bowie | 2:36 | 8 Feb 1970 | Width Of A Circle 2-CD set (2021) |
| 06 | "An Occasional Dream" | Bowie | 2:51 | 8 Feb 1970 | Width Of A Circle 2-CD set (2021) |
| 07 | "The Width of a Circle" | Bowie | 5:58 | 8 Feb 1970 | Bowie at the Beeb: 2-CD set (2000) |
| 08 | "Janine" | Bowie | 3:30 | 8 Feb 1970 | Width Of A Circle 2-CD set (2021) |
| 09 | "Wild Eyed Boy from Freecloud" | Bowie | 4:20 | 8 Feb 1970 | Width Of A Circle 2-CD set (2021) |
| 10 | "Unwashed and Somewhat Slightly Dazed" | Bowie | 5:07 | 8 Feb 1970 | Bowie at the Beeb: 2-CD set (2000) |
| 11 | "Fill Your Heart" | Biff Rose | 2:21 | 8 Feb 1970 | Width Of A Circle 2-CD set (2021) |
| 12 | "I'm Waiting for the Man" | Lou Reed | (unk) | (not broadcast) | lost |
| 13 | "The Prettiest Star" | Bowie | 2:40 | 8 Feb 1970 | Width Of A Circle 2-CD set (2021) |
| 14 | "Cygnet Committee" | Bowie | 8:54 | 8 Feb 1970 | Bowie at the Beeb: 2-CD set (2000) |
| 15 | "Memory of a Free Festival" | Bowie | 6:40 | 8 Feb 1970 (3:41 edit) | full version lost / edit on Bowie at the Beeb: 2-CD set (2000)Tracks 2, 3, 6, 8 repeated on "Sounds Of The Seventies": 2 Sep 1970 |

## Sound Of The Seventies: 25 March 1970

| Track | Title | Written by | Length | Broadcast date(s) | Release |
| 01 | "I'm Waiting for the Man" | Lou Reed | 5:49 | 6 Apr 197011 May 1970 | Width Of A Circle 2-CD set (2021) |
| 02 | "The Width Of A Circle" | Bowie | 5:38 | 6 Apr 197011 May 1970 | Width Of A Circle 2-CD set (2021) |
| 03 | "Wild Eyed Boy From Freecloud" | Bowie | 4:44 | 6 Apr 197011 May 1970 | Bowie at the Beeb: 2-CD set (2000) |
| 04 | "The Supermen" | Bowie | 3:19 | (not broadcast) | Width Of A Circle 2-CD set (2021) |

## In Concert [Live]: 3 June 1971

"The date of this session has been widely misquoted as 5 June", writes Pegg "but BBC records and Bowie at the Beeb confirm 3 June is correct".
| Track | Title | Written by | Length | Broadcast date(s) | Release |
| 01 | "Queen Bitch" | Bowie | 4:31 | 20 Jun 1971 | A Divine Symmetry : 4-CD Box Set (2022) |
| 02 | "Bombers" | Bowie | 3:14 | 20 Jun 1971 | Bowie at the Beeb: 2-CD set (2000) |
| 03 | "The Supermen" | Bowie | 3:08 | 20 Jun 1971 | A Divine Symmetry : 4-CD Box Set (2022) |
| 04 | "Oh! You Pretty Things" | Bowie | (unk) | (not broadcast) | lost |
| 05 | "Looking For A Friend" vocals Mark Carr-Pritchard | Bowie | 3:22 | 20 Jun 1971 | Bowie at the Beeb: 2-CD set (2000) |
| 06 | "Almost Grown" backing vocals Geoffrey Alexander | Chuck Berry | 2:46 | 20 Jun 1971 | Bowie at the Beeb: 2-CD set (2000) |
| 07 | "Kooks" | Bowie | 3:46 | 20 Jun 1971 | Bowie at the Beeb: 2-CD set (2000) |
| 08 | "Song for Bob Dylan" vocals George Underwood | Bowie | 4:46 | 20 Jun 1971 | A Divine Symmetry : 4-CD Box Set (2022) |
| 09 | "Andy Warhol" vocals Dana Gillespie | Bowie | 4:08 | 20 Jun 1971 | A Divine Symmetry : 4-CD Box Set (2022) |
| 10 | "It Ain't Easy" vocals Bowie, Alexander, Underwood | Ron Davies | 3:00 | 20 Jun 1971 | Bowie at the Beeb: 2-CD set (2000) |

## Sound Of The Seventies: 21 September 1971

| Track | Title | Written by | Length | Broadcast date(s) | Release |
| 01 | "The Supermen" | Bowie | 2:52 | 4 Oct 19711 Nov 1971 | Bowie at the Beeb: 2-CD Set (2000) |
| 02 | "Oh! You Pretty Things" | Bowie | 3:17 | 4 Oct 19711 Nov 1971 | A Divine Symmetry : 4-CD Box Set (2022) |
| 03 | "Eight Line Poem" | Bowie | 2:57 | 4 Oct 19711 Nov 1971 | Bowie at the Beeb: 2-CD Set (2000) |
| 04 | "Kooks" | Bowie | 3:23 | 4 Oct 19711 Nov 1971 | A Divine Symmetry : 4-CD Box Set (2022) |
| 05 | "Fill Your Heart" | Biff Rose | 2:49 | 1 Nov 1971 | A Divine Symmetry : 4-CD Box Set (2022) |
| 06 | "Amsterdam" | Jacques Brel trans. Mort Shuman | 3:08 | (not broadcast) | A Divine Symmetry : 4-CD Box Set (2022) |
| 07 | "Andy Warhol" | Bowie | 2:52 | (not broadcast) | A Divine Symmetry : 4-CD Box Set (2022) |

## Sound Of The Seventies: 11 January 1972

| Track | Title | Written by | Length | Broadcast date(s) | Release |
| 01 | "Hang On to Yourself" | Bowie | (unk) | 28 Jan 197231 Mar 1972 | Broadcast but lost |
| 02 | "Ziggy Stardust" | Bowie | 3:19 | 28 Jan 197231 Mar 1972 | Rock n Roll Star! 5-CD set |
| 03 | "Queen Bitch" | Bowie | 3:04 | 28 Jan 197231 Mar 1972 | Rock n Roll Star! 5-CD set |
| 04 | "I'm Waiting for the Man" | Lou Reed | 5:24 | 28 Jan 197231 Mar 1972 | Rock n Roll Star! 5-CD set |
| 05 | "Lady Stardust" | Bowie | 3:19 | 31 Mar 1972 | Rock n Roll Star! 5-CD set |

## Sound Of The Seventies: 18 January 1972

| Track | Title | Written by | Length | Broadcast date(s) | Release |
| 01 | "Queen Bitch" | Bowie | 2:59 | 7 Feb 1972 | Bowie at the Beeb: 2-CD set (2000) Rock n Roll Star! Box Set Jun 24 |
| 02 | "Five Years" | Bowie | 4:24 | 7 Feb 1972 | Bowie at the Beeb: 2-CD set (2000) Rock n Roll Star! Box Set Jun 24 |
| 03 | "Hang On to Yourself" | Bowie | 2:50 | 7 Feb 1972 | Bowie at the Beeb: 2-CD set (2000) Rock n Roll Star! Box Set Jun 24 |
| 04 | "Ziggy Stardust" | Bowie | 3:20 | 7 Feb 1972 | Bowie at the Beeb: 2-CD set (2000) Rock n Roll Star! Box Set Jun 24 |
| 05 | "I'm Waiting for the Man" | Lou Reed | 5:25 | (not broadcast) | Bowie at the Beeb: 2-CD set (2000) Rock n Roll Star! Box Set Jun 24 |

## Sound Of The Seventies: 16 May 1972

| Track | Title | Written by | Length | Broadcast date(s) | Release |
| 01 | "Hang On To Yourself" | Bowie | 2:50 | 23 May 197225 Jul 1972 | Bowie at the Beeb: 2-CD set (2000) Rock n Roll Star! Box Set Jun 24 |
| 02 | "Ziggy Stardust" | Bowie | 3:24 | 23 May 197225 Jul 1972 | Bowie at the Beeb: 2-CD set (2000) Rock n Roll Star! Box Set Jun 24 |
| 03 | "White Light/White Heat" | Lou Reed | 3:48 | 23 May 197225 Jul 1972 | Bowie at the Beeb: 2-CD set (2000) Rock n Roll Star! Box Set Jun 24 |
| 04 | "Suffragette City" | Bowie | 3:29 | 23 May 197225 Jul 1972 | Bowie at the Beeb: 2-CD set (2000) Rock n Roll Star! Box Set Jun 24 |
| 05 | "Moonage Daydream" | Bowie | 4:59 | 25 Jul 1972 | Bowie at the Beeb: 2-CD set (2000) Rock n Roll Star! Box Set Jun 24 |

## Johnnie Walker Lunchtime Show: 22 May 1972

| Track | Title | Written by | Length | Broadcast date(s) | Release |
| 01 | "Starman" | Bowie | 4:05 | 6–9 Jun 1972 (4 shows) | Bowie at the Beeb: 2-CD set (2000) Rock n Roll Star! Box Set Jun 24 |
| 02 | "Space Oddity" | Bowie | 4:17 | (not broadcast) | Bowie at the Beeb: 2-CD set (2000) Rock n Roll Star! Box Set Jun 24 |
| 03 | "Changes" | Bowie | 3:30 | (not broadcast) | Bowie at the Beeb: 2-CD set (2000) Rock n Roll Star! Box Set Jun 24 |
| 04 | "Oh! You Pretty Things" | Bowie | 2:58 | 5 Jun 1972 | Bowie at the Beeb: 2-CD set (2000) Rock n Roll Star! Box Set Jun 24 |

## Sound Of The Seventies: 23 May 1972

| Track | Title | Written by | Length | Broadcast date(s) | Release |
| 01 | "Andy Warhol" | Bowie | 3:15 | 19 Jun 1972 | Bowie at the Beeb: 2-CD set (2000) Rock n Roll Star! Box Set Jun 24 |
| 02 | "Lady Stardust" | Bowie | 3:21 | 19 Jun 1972 | Bowie at the Beeb: 2-CD set (2000) Rock n Roll Star! Box Set Jun 24 |
| 03 | "White Light/White Heat" | Lou Reed | 3:56 | 19 Jun 1972 | Rock n Roll Star! Box Set Jun 24 |
| 04 | "Rock 'n' Roll Suicide" | Bowie | 3:09 | 19 Jun 1972 | Bowie at the Beeb: 2-CD set (2000) Rock n Roll Star! Box Set Jun 24 |