This section of Compilations covers the albums The World Of David Bowie (1970) to The Best Of Bowie (1980). Soundtracks and most of the albums containing Decca/Deram material are treated under Soundtracks and Early Works respectively, while several semi-official compilations are discussed under Pirates.



World Of David Bowie The World Of David Bowie Editions on vinyl
(Decca SPA 58), March 1970 (UK)

See Early Works.

Images Images 1966-1967 Editions on vinyl
(London BP 61829), May 1973 (US)

See Early Works.

Best Deluxe Best Deluxe Editions on vinyl
(RCA/Victor SRA 9412/13), October 1973 (Japan)

Starman/Moonage Daydream/Five Years/Hang On To Yourself/Suffragette City/Rock 'N' Roll Suicide/The Jean Genie/Time/Let's Spend The Night Together/The Prettiest Star/Watch That Man/Aladdin Sane/Space Oddity/The Man Who Sold The World/The Wild Eyed Boy From Freecloud/Cygnet Committee/Changes/Life On Mars/Fill Your Heart/Andy Warhol/Black Country Rock/The Width Of A Circle.

This Japanese compilation came with a poster/OBI wrapped around the sleeve.

ChangesOneBowie ChangesOneBowie Editions on vinyl
(RCA RS 1055), May 1976 (UK)

Space Oddity/John I'm Only Dancing/Changes/Ziggy Stardust/Suffragette City/The Jean Genie/Diamond Dogs/Rebel Rebel/Young Americans/Fame/Golden Years.

The first pressing of the UK edition (said to be the first 1.000 copies) featured the sax version of 'John I'm Only Dancing' instead of the original single. A 40th Anniversary Edition (Parlophone COBLP 2016), containing the sax version, was released on both clear and black vinyl.

For decades, the only CD was the original RCA edition (PD 81732) from 1984. The 40th Anniversary Edition of the European (Parlophone COBCDX 2016) and Australian (Parlophone 9029599409) editions contain the sax version, whereas the US/Canadian (Parlophone RP2 94099) edition features the original single version.

David Bowie Special David Bowie Special Editions on vinyl
(RCA SRA 9412/13), November 1976 (Japan)

Reissue of Best Deluxe.

Rock Concert Rock Concert Editions on vinyl
(RCA PL 42993), July 1979 (The Netherlands)

Rebel Rebel/Changes/Aladdin Sane/All The Young Dudes/Cracked Actor/Rock 'N' Roll With Me/Watch That Man/Diamond Dogs/Rock 'N' Roll Suicide.

All tracks poorly re-edited from David Live. Also see At The Tower Philadelphia.

Chameleon Chameleon Editions on vinyl
(Starcall Star 101), September 1979 (Australia)

Starman/Aladdin Sane/Sorrow/Diamond Dogs/1984/Breaking Glass/"Heroes"/V-2 Schneider/Beauty And The Beast/Boys Keep Swinging/DJ/Look Back In Anger.

Best Of Bowie The Best Of Bowie Editions on vinyl
(K-tel NE 1111), December 1980 (UK)

Space Oddity/Life On Mars/Starman/Rock 'N' Roll Suicide/John I'm Only Dancing/The Jean Genie/Breaking Glass (live)/Sorrow/Diamond Dogs/Young Americans/Fame/Golden Years/TVC 15/Sound And Vision/"Heroes"/Boys Keep Swinging.

Initial French and UK pressings incorrectly mention 'Drive-In Saturday' on the sleeve instead of 'Breaking Glass', which explains the chronological misplacement of this live track from Stage. There also is a French mispress (K-tel BLP 81001/NS 4119) that lists 'Breaking Glass' on the sleeve but plays 'Drive-In Saturday' instead and on the B-side replaces 'Young Americans' with 'Beauty And The Beast' and 'Breaking Glass'.

Released in a multitude of countries. The most common edition, released in the UK and many other countries, has single versions of Fame/Golden Years/TVC 15/"Heroes" and unique edits of 'Life On Mars' and 'Diamond Dogs'. The Italian edition (K-tel TI 157) is quite different, as it features the full album version of 'Life On Mars' (instead of an edit fading at 3'36"), the original version of 'John I'm Only Dancing' (rather than the sax version), the Low version of 'Breaking Glass' (instead of the Stage version), a version of 'Diamond Dogs' that already fades at 3'05" (rather than the 4'37" edit), the US single version of 'Young Americans' (instead of the LP version), the album versions of 'Fame' and 'Golden Years', and the album version of 'TVC 15' fading at 3'36" (rather than the single edit). The Spanish edition (K-tel 12L0224 5) contains edited versions of 'Diamond Dogs' (4'26"), Fame (3'17") and Golden Years (3'10"). The Australian/New Zealand edition (K-tel NA 580), finally, has unique edits of 'Diamond Dogs' (4'27"), 'Young Americans' (4'03"), 'Golden Years' (3'43"), 'TVC 15' (4'02") and "Heroes" (5'19").

A Radiospot promo cassette (K-tel RCM 2045) was distributed in The Netherlands, with a DJ announcing the tracks. This cassette erroneously features 'Sweet Thing' instead of 'Diamond Dogs'.