David Bowie was quite an inspirational musician, and his legacy and impact are still felt in the music world (and pop culture) today. Plenty of artists have written odes to the Thin White Duke, but the following songs inspired by David Bowie might just surprise you. Let’s take a look!
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1. “Trans-Europe Express” by Kraftwerk
Everybody knows about David Bowie’s Berlin era, which resulted in some of his finest career records. During that era in the late 1970s, Bowie connected with other musicians, one group being the German electronic outfit Kraftwerk.
The band was a clear influence on albums like Bowie’s Station To Station. However, inspiration often goes both ways. Kraftwerk paid tribute to Bowie in the song “Trans-Europe Express”, specifically in the line “From station to station and to Dusseldorf city / Meet Iggy Pop and David Bowie.”
2. “(David Bowie I Love You) Since I Was Six” by Brian Jonestown Massacre
This entry is on the more direct side of songs that were clearly inspired by David Bowie. Brian Jonestown Massacre’s tribute to the art pop icon is incredibly sincere in a way that only a diehard fan could produce. Lyrics like “You’re my favorite thing by far” and “I absolutely love you” make “(David Bowie I Love You) Since I Was Six” sound more like a prayer to a god than a tribute to a musician.
After Bowie’s death, the band’s frontman Anton Newcombe wrote a heartbreaking tribute to the musician as well.
3. “Terrence Loves You” by Lana Del Rey
Even diehard fans of Lana Del Rey might not know that she wrote a song about David Bowie. “Terrence Loves You” by Lana Del Rey is on the deep cut side of songs inspired by David Bowie, and it’s actually quite a touching tribute. Del Rey weaves together the story of Major Tom as he drifts through space into a story about a fading relationship.
Del Rey even borrows the line “Ground control to Major Tom” in the song, changing it into a yearning metaphor that is quite different from the subject matter’s original intention. The imagery in this song is vivid and quite beautiful.
Photo by Lester Cohen/Getty Images
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