3 Hit Songs Written or Co-Written but Not Originally Performed by David Bowie

David Bowie had the world in the palm of his hand. An icon when it comes to fashion, performance, pop-culture philosophy, and music, there was little the British-born star couldn’t do. And that ability also transferred to other big-name artists, too, as Bowie not only wrote hit songs for himself but also helped others do the same.

Here below, we wanted to explore three examples of that behavior. A trio of tracks that Bowie penned for other artists to perform and help them grow their careers. Indeed, these are three hit songs written but not originally performed by David Bowie.

[RELATED: 3 Movies Every David Bowie Fan Should See]

“Lust for Life” by Iggy Pop from Lust for Life (1977)

Co-written by Iggy Pop and David Bowie, this song has become one of Pop’s biggest hits over the years. In fact, Bowie had a big hand in writing many songs on Pop’s 1977 LP, including “Tonight” and the beloved offering “The Passenger.” Opening with an iconic drum beat, “Lust for Life,” which Bowie wrote on ukulele, has also become one of the most used songs in television commercials. It’s energetic and enlivening and on it, Pop sings,

Here comes Johnny Yen again
With the liquor and drugs
And a flesh machine
He’s gonna do another striptease

Hey man, where’d you get that lotion?
I’ve been hurting since I bought the gimmick
About something called love
Yeah, something called love
Well, that’s like hypnotizing chickens

“Girls” by Tina Turner from Break Every Rule (1986)

Co-written by Bowie, this song was first released by the epic rock singer Tina Turner on her 1986 LP Break Every Rule. A year later, Bowie recorded his own version for his 1987 album Never Let Me Down. Turner’s rendition is soulful. It doesn’t race out at a million miles an hour. Instead, it’s measured, pent-up, as if a climax is perpetually around the corner. And on the titillating tune, she sings,

Girls, we come and we go
We kiss, come and we go
Like a breeze brushing your cheek
Like pain, like the tears on a face
Girls

Girls, we come and we go
Like spirits, we vanish at dawn
My heart suspended in time
Like you, vanish like tears in the rain

“Oh! You Pretty Things” by Peter Noone (Single, 1971)

This song was written by Bowie but first recorded by Peter Noone, who released it as his debut single in April 1971, just months before Bowie released his own version on his album Hunky Dory in December. Noone’s version even features Bowie playing the piano. And on the song, Noone, who was the lead vocalist for the band Herman’s Hermits, sings about how young people drive their parents insane with their rambunctious behaviors. He offers,

Oh, you pretty things, don’t you know
You’re driving your mamas and papas insane?
Oh, you pretty things, don’t you know
You’re driving your mamas and papas insane?
Let me make it plain
You gotta make way for the homo superior

Wake up you sleepy heads
Put on some clothes, shake up your beds
Put another log on the fire for me
I need some breakfast and coffee

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