This section of Compilations covers the albums A New Career In A New Town (2017) to Divine Symmetry (2022). 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.



A New Career In A New TownHeroes EPStageLodgerRe:Call 3

A New Career In A New Town [1977-1982] Editions on vinyl
(Parlophone DBX 3), September 2017 (EC).

"Heroes" EP: "Heroes"/"Helden" (Album Version)/"Helden" (German Single Version)/"Heroes"/"Héros" (Album Version)/"Héros" (French Single Version).

Stage (2017 Edition): Warszawa/"Heroes"/What In The World/Be My Wife/The Jean Genie/Blackout/Sense Of Doubt/Speed Of Life/Breaking Glass/Beauty And The Beast/Fame/Five Years/Soul Love/Star/Hang On To Yourself/Ziggy Stardust/Suffragette City/Art Decade/Alabama Song/Station To Station/Stay/TVC 15.

Lodger (2017 Tony Visconti Mix): Fantastic Voyage/African Night Flight/Move On/Yassassin/Red Sails/DJ/Look Back In Anger/Boys Keep Swinging/Repetition/Red Money.

Re:Call 3: "Heroes" (Single Version)/Beauth And The Beast (Extended Version)/Breaking Glass (Australian Single Version)/Yassassin (Single Version)/DJ (Single Version)/Alabama Song/Space Oddity (1979 Version)/Ashes To Ashes (Single Version)/Fashion (Single Version)/Scary Monsters (Single Version)/Crystal Japan/Under Pressure (Single Version)/Baal's Hymn/Remembering Marie A./Ballad Of The Adventurers/The Drowned Girl/Dirty Song/Cat People (Soundtrack Album Version)/Peace On Earth-Little Drummer Boy.

Also available on vinyl as a 13LP set (Parlophone DBXL 3).

A 12CD box set featuring the albums Low, Heroes, Lodger and Scary Monsters, plus the live album Stage. The latter is included in its original configuration plus a 2017 Edition (third) that includes the previously unreleased 'The Jean Genie' and 'Suffragette City'. Lodger too appears in two editions: a remastered version of the original album, plus a 2017 Tony Visconti Mix (fourth). The foreign language versions of 'Heroes' are compiled on a dedicated EP. This would have been an option for the Baal EP as well. Instead, the five tracks from this EP were placed in chronological order on Re:Call 3. On the 2LP configuration of this album, the Baal tracks are grouped on side four.

A much-discussed volume drop in the title track of the Heroes album eventually resulted in replacement discs being shipped by Parlophone.

Bowie Now

Bowie Now Editions on vinyl
(Parlophone DBNOW 77), April 2018 (EC).

Reissue of the 1978 promo LP on white vinyl. Compared to the original, this Record Store Day 2018 exclusive has updated artwork.

Loving The AlienSerious MoonlightNever Let Me Down 2018Glass SpiderDanceRe:Call 4

Loving The Alien [1983-1988]
(Parlophone DBX 4), October 2018 (EC).

Serious Moonlight (Live '83): Look Back In Anger/"Heroes"/What In The World/Golden Years/Fashion/Let's Dance/Breaking Glass/Life On Mars?/Sorrow/Cat People (Putting Out Fire)/China Girl/Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)/Rebel Rebel/White Light/White Heat/Station To Station/Cracked Actor/Ashes To Ashes/Space Oddity/Band Introduction/Young Americans/Fame/Modern Love.

Never Let Me Down 2018: Day-In Day-Out/Time Will Crawl/Beat Of Your Drum/Never Let Me Down/Zeroes/Glass Spider/Shining Star (Makin' My Love)/New York's In Love/'87 And Cry/Bang Bang.

Glass Spider (Live Montreal '87): Up The Hill Backwards/Glass Spider/Day-In Day-Out/Bang Bang/Absolute Beginners/Loving The Alien/China Girl/Rebel Rebel/Fashion/Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)/All The Madmen/Never Let Me Down/Big Brother/'87 And Cry/"Heroes"/Sons Of The Silent Age/Time Will Crawl/Band Introduction/Young Americans/Beat Of Your Drum/The Jean Genie/Let's Dance/Fame/Time/Blue Jean/Modern Love.

Dance: Shake It (Re-mix aka Long Version)/Blue Jean (Extended Dance Mix)/Dancing With The Big Boys (Extended Dance Mix)/Tonight (Vocal Dance Mix)/Don't Look Down (Extended Dance Mix)/Loving The Alien (Extended Dub Mix)/Tumble And Twirl (Extended Dance Mix)/Underground (Extended Dance Mix)/Day-In Day-Out (Groucho Mix)/Time Will Crawl (Dance Crew Mix)/Shining Star (Makin' My Love) (12" Mix)/Never Let Me Down (Dub/Acapella).

Re:Call 4: Let's Dance (Single Version)/China Girl (Single Version)/Modern Love (Single Version)/This Is Not America/Loving The Alien (Remix)/Don't Look Down (Remix)/Dancing In The Street (Clearmountain Mix)/Absolute Beginners/That's Motivation/Volare/Labyrinth Opening Titles-Underground/Magic Dance/As The World Falls Down/Within You/Underground/When The Wind Blows (Single Version)/Day-In Day-Out (Single Version)/Julie/Beat Of Your Drum (Vinyl Album Edit)/Glass Spider (Vinyl Album Edit)/Shining Star (Makin' My Love) (Vinyl Album Edit)/New York's In Love (Vinyl Album Edit)/'87 And Cry (Vinyl Album Edit)/Bang Bang (Vinyl Album Edit)/Time Will Crawl (Single Version)/Girls (Extended Edit)/Never Let Me Down (7" Remix Edit)/Bang Bang (Live Promotional Mix)/Tonight (Live)/Let's Dance (Live).

Also available on vinyl as a 15LP set (Parlophone DBXL 4).

A 11CD box set featuring the albums Let's Dance, Tonight and Never Let Me Down, the live albums Serious Moonlight (second) and Glass Spider (fourth), plus Dance (fifth), a compilation of remixes. Serious Moonlight contains the same tracks as the DVD, with the live B-side of 'Modern Love' tagged on (and thus represents an incomplete show). Glass Spider was previously released as a bonus disc to the DVD, but this version is an improved mix. Dance was originally conceived in 1985 as a compilation of remixes from Let's Dance and Tonight, but never materialised; the album here uses the intended artwork but has a completely different tracklisting. Never Let Me Down is included in both its original form (minus the deleted 'Too Dizzy'), plus a posthumously reconstructed version of the album (third), inspired by the remix of 'Time Will Crawl' from iSelect. Re:Call 4 contains the usual selection of single versions, edits from the vinyl edition of Never Let Me Down and Bowie's many contributions to soundtracks (The Falcon And The Snowman, Absolute Beginners, Labyrinth, When The Wind Blows). 'Magic Dance' is the edited 4'14" version as released on the post-2017 Labyrinth reissues. The live tracks are the ones with Tina Turner from Tina Live In Europe.

The original albums, as well as Serious Moonlight and Glass Spider were released as standalone albums in 2019.

Spying Through A Keyhole

Spying Through A Keyhole
(Parlophone 9029549508), April 2019 (EC).

Mother Grey (Demo)/In The Heat Of The Morning (Demo)/Goodbye 3d (Threepenny) Joe (Demo)/Love All Around (Demo)/London Bye, Ta-Ta (Demo)/Angel, Angel, Grubby Face (Demo Version 1)/Angel, Angel, Grubby Face (Demo Version 2)/Space Oddity (Demo Excerpt)/Space Oddity (Demo).

A box set with four 7"es rather than a proper album, but included in this section nonetheless. These nine demos were all previously unreleased. Initially available only in this gimmicky format and through steaming services, but compiled together with Clareville Grove Demos on Conversation Piece.

Clareville Grove Demos

Clareville Grove Demos (with John 'Hutch' Hutchinson)
(Parlophone 0190295495060), May 2019 (EC).

Space Oddity/Lover To The Dawn/Ching-A-Ling/An Occasional Dream/Let Me Sleep Beside You/Life Is A Circus.

Another boxset with 7"es, the three discs containing six Space Oddity-era demos. 'Space Oddity' and 'An Occasional Dream' had previously appeared on the 40th Anniversary Edition of Space Oddity.

Conversation Piece

Conversation Piece
(Parlophone DBCP 6869), November 2019 (EC).

Home Demos: April's Tooth Of Gold/The Reverend Raymond Brown (Attends The Garden Fête On Thatchwick Green)/When I'm Five/Mother Grey 1/In The Heat Of The Morning 1/Goodbye 3d (Threepenny) Joe 1/Love All Around 1/London Bye Ta-Ta 1/Angel Angel Grubby Face (Version 1) 1/Angel Angel Grubby Face (Version 2) 1/Animal Farm/Space Oddity (Solo Demo Fragment) 1/Space Oddity (Version 1) 1/Space Oddity (Version 2)/Space Oddity (Version 3) 2/Lover To The Dawn 2/Ching-A-Ling 2/An Occasional Dream 2/Let Me Sleep Beside You 2/Life Is A Circus 2/Conversation Piece/Jerusalem/Hole In The Ground.

Mercury Demos: Space Oddity/Janine/An Occasional Dream/Conversation Piece/Ching-A-Ling/I'm Not Quite (Letter To Hermione)/Lover To The Dawn/Love Song/When I'm Five/Life Is A Circus.

Conversation Pieces: In The Heat Of The Morning (Decca Mono Version)/London Bye Ta-Ta (Decca Alternative Version)/In The Heat Of The Morning 3/London Bye Ta-Ta 3/Karma Man 3/When I'm Five 3/Silly Boy Blue 3/Ching-A-Ling/Space Oddity (Morgan Studios Version; Alternative Take)/Space Oddity (UK Single Edit)/Wild Eyed Boy From Freecloud (Single B-side; Mono Version)/Janine (Mono Version)/Conversation Piece (Mono Version)/Let Me Sleep Beside You 4/Unwashed And Somewhat Slightly Dazed 4/Janine 4.

The David Bowie (aka Space Oddity) Album: Space Oddity/Unwashed And Somewhat Slightly Dazed/Don't Sit Down/Letter To Hermione/Cygnet Committee/Janine/An Occasional Dream/The Wild Eyed Boy From Freecloud/God Knows I'm Good/Memory Of A Free Festival/Wild Eyed Boy From Freecloud (Single B-side; Stereo Version)/Letter To Hermione (Early Mix)/Janine (Early Mix)/An Occasional Dream (Early Mix)/Ragazzo Solo, Ragazza Sola (Full Length Version).

The Space Oddity Album (2019 Mixes): Space Oddity/Unwashed And Somewhat Slightly Dazed/Letter To Hermione/Cygnet Committee/Janine/An Occasional Dream/Wild Eyed Boy From Freecloud/God Knows I'm Good/Memory Of A Free Festival/Wild Eyed Boy From Freecloud (Single Version)/Ragazzo Solo, Ragazza Sola.

A 5CD set, accompanied by a 120 page hardback book, which compiles and expands Spying Through A Keyhole 1, Clareville Grove Demos 2, The 'Mercury' Demos (CD2), the 1968/69 BBC sessions, 3 Top Gear and 4 Dave Lee Travis Show (see BBC Sessions) and the 1969 David Bowie album (CD4 and 5). Unique to this compilation are eight new demos, previously unreleased alternative takes of the original versions of 'Space Oddity' and 'London Bye Ta-Ta' and several early mixes. The 2019 Mix was also released as a standalone album, but minus its bonus tracks.

Is It Any Wonder

Is It Any Wonder?
(Parlophone DBCD 80120), March 2020 (EC).

Baby Universal ‘97/Fun (Clownboy Mix)/Stay ’97/I Can’t Read ’97/Nuts/The Man Who Sold The World (Live Eno Mix).

Compared to the streaming EP, the track listing has been shuffled and 'Fun (Clownboy Mix)' replaces the ChangesOneBowie-version of 'The Man Who Sold The World'. Also available as a 12" EP (Parlophone DB 80120).

Is It Any Wonder

The Width Of A Circle
(Parlophone CDWOAC 50), May 2021 (EC).

Amsterdam 1/God Knows I'm Good 1/Buzz The Fuzz 1/Karma Man 1/London Bye Ta-Ta 1/An Occasional Dream 1/The Width Of A Circle 1/Janine 1/The Wild Eyed Boy From Freecloud 1/Unwashed And Somewhat Slightly Dazed 1/Fill Your Heart 1/The Prettiest Star 1/Cygnet Committee 1/Memory Of A Free Festival 1/When I Live My Dream 2/Columbine 2/Harlequin 2/Threepenny Pierrot 2/When I Live My Dream (Reprise) 2/The Prettiest Star (Alternate Mix)/London Bye Ta-Ta (Mono Mix)/London Bye Ta-Ta (Stereo Mix)/Memory Of A Free Festival (Part 1)/Memory Of A Free Festival (Part 2)/Holy Holy/Waiting For The Man 3/The Width Of A Circle 3/The Wild Eyed Boy From Freecloud 3/The Supermen/The Prettiest Star (2020 Mix)/London Bye Ta-Ta (2020 Mix)/Memory Of A Free Festival (2020 Mix)/All The Madmen (Single Edit - 2020 Mix)/Holy Holy (2020 Mix).

1 The Sunday Show, 05-02-70; 2 The Looking Glass Murders; 3 Sounds Of The 70s: Andy Ferris Show, 25-03-70.

A 2CD in a format comparable to Conversation Piece, although here the size of the 48-page hard-cover book is a little bit more manageable. The main attaction of this companion piece to Metrobolist is the complete 1970 Sunday Show recording. See BBC recordings for more information on this show and the Andy Ferris session (of which this set officially premieres 'The Width Of A Circle'). The songs from The Looking Glass Murders had previously appeared on the Love You Till Tuesday DVD. Four of the 2020 Mixes were released separately on 10" vinyl (Parlophone 10WOAC50).

Is It Any WonderToyIs It Any Wonder

Brilliant Adventure [1991-2001]
(Parlophone DBX 5), November 2021 (EC).

BBC Radio Theatre, London, June 27, 2000: Wild Is The Wind/Ashes To Ashes/Seven/This Is Not America/Absolute Beginners/Always Crashing In The Same Car/Survive/The London Boys/I Dig Everything/Little Wonder/The Man Who Sold The World/Fame/Stay/Hallo Spaceboy/Cracked Actor/I'm Afraid Of Americans/All The Young Dudes/Starman/"Heroes"/Let's Dance.

Toy: I Dig Everything/You've Got A Habit Of Leaving/The London Boys/Karma Man/Conversation Piece/Shadow Man/Let Me Sleep Beside You/Hole In The Ground/Baby Loves That Way/Can't Help Thinking About Me/Silly Boy Blue/Toy (Your Turn To Drive).

Re:Call 5: Real Cool World (Sounds From The Cool World Soundtrack Version)/Jump They Say (7" Version)/Lucy Can't Dance/Black Tie White Noise (Radio Edit)/Don't Let Me Down & Down (Indonesian Vocal Version)/Buddha Of Suburbia (Single Version)/The Hearts Filthy Lesson (Radio Edit)/Nothing To Be Desired/Strangers When We Meet (Edit)/Get Real/The Man Who Sold The World (Live Eno Mix)/I’m Afraid Of Americans (Showgirls Soundtrack Version)/Hallo Spaceboy (Remix)/I Am With Name (Alternative Version)/A Small Plot Of Land (Long Basquiat Soundtrack Version)/Little Wonder (Edit)/A Fleeting Moment (Seven Years In Tibet - Mandarin Version)/Dead Man Walking (Edit)/Seven Years In Tibet (Edit)/Planet Of Dreams/I'm Afraid Of Americans (V1 Edit)/I Can't Read (The Ice Storm Long Version)/A Foggy Day In London Town/Fun (BowieNet Mix)/The Pretty Things Are Going To Hell (Stigmata Soundtrack Version)/Thursday’s Child (Radio Edit)/We All Go Through/No One Calls/We Shall Go To Town/1917/The Pretty Things Are Going To Hell (Edit)/Thursday's Child (Omikron: The Nomad Soul Version)/New Angels Of Promise (Omikron: The Nomad Soul Version)/The Dreamers (Omikron: The Nomad Soul Version)/Seven (Demo)/Survive (Marius de Vries Mix)/Something In The Air (American Psycho Remix)/Seven (Marius de Vries Mix)/Pictures Of Lily.

Also available on vinyl as a 18LP set (Parlophone DBXL 5).

A 11CD box set featuring remasters of the albums Black Tie White Noise, The Buddha Of Suburbia, 1. Outside, Earthling and hours..., plus an expanded version of BBC Radio Theatre, London, June 27, 2000 (which unfortunately maintains the fadeouts between the songs). Of particular interest is the inclusion of Toy, two months ahead of its standalone release as a 3CD; see its entry for more info.

Re:Call 5 contains a fair share of surprises:

  • 'Real Cool World' is a previously unreleased mix, not the soundtrack version
  • 'A Small Plot Of Land' is the version with the longer intro found only on a very rare in-house promo cassette
  • 'Little Wonder' is a new edit, not the single version
  • 'Fun' is the rare version found exclusively on the BowieNet sign-up CD-ROM
  • 'We All Go Through' is a longer (4'20" vs 4'11"), previously unreleased mix, sounding much like a demo
Is It Any Wonder

Brilliant Adventure EP
(Parlophone DBBARSD 2022/0190296359309), April 2022 (EC).

Johnny Downloader (aka I'm Afraid Of Americans) (Early Version)/I Have Not Been To Oxford Town (Alternative Single Mix)/A Small Plot Of Land/My Death.

Both this and the Toy EP were Record Store Day 2022 exclusives (at least until they appeared in August on streaming services). Released on 12" vinyl as Parlophone DBBARSD 2022/0190296670510. This obviously is the more interesting EP, as it features two unreleased versions, plus two excellent live performances with Mike Garson at The Shakespeare Festival (The Grand Ballroom at Manhattan Center, New York, 18-09-95).

Is It Any Wonder

Toy EP "You've Got It Made With All The Toys"
(Parlophone DBTOYRSD 2022/0190296359095), April 2022 (EC).

You've Got A Habit Of Leaving (Radio Edit)/Shadow Man (Vocal And Piano Mix)/Silly Boy Blue (Alternative Ending Mix)/Can't Help Thinking About Me (Live BBC Radio 1 Session)/I Dig Everything (Live)/The London Boys (Live).

Also available as a 10" (Parlophone DBTOYRSD 2022/0190296596704). This EP wraps up the "B-sides" of the digital singles and adds two previously unreleased live tracks recorded at Roseland Ballroom, New York, 19-06-00.

Is It Any WonderIs It Any Wonder

Divine Symmetry
(Parlophone DBDS 71), November 2022 (EC).

The Songwriting Demos Plus: Tired Of My Life (Demo)/How Lucky You Are (aka Miss Peculiar) (Demo)/Shadow Man (Demo)/Looking For A Friend (Demo)/Waiting For The Man (San Francisco Hotel Recording)/Quicksand (San Francisco Hotel Recording)/King Of The City (Demo)/Song For Bob Dylan (Demo)/Right On Mother (Demo)/Quicksand (Demo)/Queen Bitch (Demo)/Kooks (Demo)/Amsterdam (Demo)/Life On Mars? (Demo)/Changes (Demo)/Bombers (Demo).

BBC Radio In Concert: John Peel: Queen Bitch 1/Bombers 1/The Supermen 1/Looking For A Friend 1/Almost Grown 1/Kooks 1/Song For Bob Dylan 1/Andy Warhol 1/It Ain't Easy 1/Queen Bitch 2/The Supermen 2/Looking For A Friend 2/Kooks 2/Song For Bob Dylan 2/Andy Warhol 2/It Ain't Easy 2.

BBC Radio Session And Live: The Supermen 3/Oh! You Pretty Things 3/Eight Line Poem 3/Kooks 3/Fill Your Heart 3/Amsterdam 3/Andy Warhol 3/Introduction 4/Fill Your Heart 4/Buzz The Fuzz 4/Space Oddity 4/Amsterdam 4/The Supermen 4/Oh! You Pretty Things 4/Eight Line Poem 4/Changes 4/Song For Bob Dylan 4/Andy Warhol 4/Looking For A Friend 4/Round And Round 4/Waiting For The Man 4.

Alternative Mixes, Singles And Versions: Oh! You Pretty Things 5/Eight Line Poem 5/Kooks 5/Queen Bitch 5/Quicksand 5/Bombers-Andy Warhol Intro 5/Lightning Frightening (aka The Man)/Amsterdam (Early Mix)/Changes (Mono Single)/Andy Warhol (Full Length Mono Single) /Amsterdam (Single B-side Mix)/Life On Mars? (2016 Mix)/Changes (2021 Alternative Mix)/Life On Mars? (Original Ending Version)/Quicksand (2021 Mix – Early Version)/Fill Your Heart (2021 Alternative Mix)/Bombers (2021 Alternative Mix)/Song For Bob Dylan (2021 Alternative Mix) / The Bewlay Brothers (2021 Alternative Mix).

Blu-ray: Hunky Dory (2015 Remaster)/A Divine Symmetry (An Alternative Journey Through Hunky Dory)/Life On Mars? (2016 Mix)/Sounds Of The 70s: Bob Harris.

A 4CD+blu-ray set covering the Hunky Dory period, featuring demo's, BBC sessions, a live concert and a set of alternative versions and new remixes. Also included are a 100-page hardback book and a 60-page replica composite of Bowie’s notebooks from the era.

1 Mono and 2 stereo versions of In Concert: John Peel, 3 Sounds Of The 70s: Bob Harris (see BBC Sessions for detailed info for both), 4 Aylesbury, Friars, 25-09-71, 5 BOWPROMO early mixes. The Aylesbury recording unfortunately does not include 'Queen Bitch' due to technical issues, but completists may seek out bootlegs such as Aylesbury Friars Club 1971 (Rattle Snake RS 193) for the complete audience recording that was used to patch up missing bits and pieces.

The blu-ray audio contains the 2016 remaster and A Divine Symmetry, an alternative version of Hunky Dory and the Sound Of The 70s session in 96kHz/24 bit audio, plus 'Life On Mars (2016)' in 5.1 surround. An instrumental version of 'Changes (2021 Alternative Mix)' is used for the blu-ray menu. A Divine Symmetry (Parlophone DBADS 1971; second) was released separately as a vinyl companion in February 2023 and contains the following versions:

A Divine Symmetry: Changes (2021 Alternative Mix)/Oh! You Pretty Things (BOWPROMO Mix)/Eight Line Poem (BOWPROMO Mix)/Life On Mars? (Original Ending Version)/Kooks (BOWPROMO Mix)/Quicksand (2021 Mix - Early Version)/Fill Your Heart (2021 Alternative Mix)/Bombers (2021 Alternative Mix)/Andy Warhol (Original Mix)/Song For Bob Dylan (2021 Alternative Mix)/Queen Bitch (BOWPROMO Mix)/The Bewlay Brothers (2021 Alternative Mix).