Let The Day Begin...Let The Day Start!: Day 293 - David Bowie/Bryan Ferry

Pinups - David Bowie

RCA

Produced by Ken Scott and David Bowie

Released 19th October 1973

UK Chart #1

US Chart #23

1990 Rykodisc CD Reissue with Two Bonus Tracks

Side A
A1 Rosalyn (The Pretty Things)

 A2 Here Comes the Night (Them)

 A3 I Wish You Would (The Yardbirds)

 A4 See Emily Play (Pink Floyd)

 A5 Everything's Alright (The Mojos)

 A6 I Can't Explain (The Who)

Side B

 B1 Friday on My Mind (The Easybeats)

 B2 Sorrow (The Merseys)

 B3 Don't Bring Me Down (The Pretty Things)

 B4 Shapes of Things (The Yardbirds)

 B5 Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere (The Who)

 B6 Where Have All the Good Times Gone (The Kinks)

Bonus Tracks 1990 Rykodisc CD Reissue
13 Growin' Up (Bruce Springsteen)*
14 Port of Amsterdam (Jaques Brel; English Translation Mort Shuman) 

*The addition of the Springsteen track to me seems out of step with the rest of the album.

Personnel
    David Bowie – vocals, guitar, tenor and alto saxophone, harmonica, arrangements, backing vocals, Moog synthesiser
    Mick Ronson – guitar, piano, vocals, arrangements
    Trevor Bolder – bass guitar
    Aynsley Dunbar – drums

Additional personnel
    Mike Garson – piano, organ, harpsichord, electric piano
    Ken Fordham – baritone saxophone
    G.A. MacCormack – backing vocals
    Ron Wood – guitar on "Growin' Up"

Single on Pinups

(German Picture Sleeve)

Sorrow / Amsterdam

RCA

28th September 1973

UK Chart #3

Australian Chart #1

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These Foolish Things - Bryan Ferry

Island Records

Produced by John Porter, John Punter and Bryan Ferry

Released 5th October 1973

UK Chart #5

Side A

A1 A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall (Bob Dylan)
A2 River Of Salt (Ketty Lester)   
A3 Don't Ever Change (The Crickets and The Beatles recorded it)   
A4 Piece Of My Heart (Erma Franklin)   
A5 Baby I Don't Care (Recorded by Elvis Presley)   
A6 It's My Party (Lesley Gore)   
A7 Don't Worry Baby (The Beach Boys)

Side B  
B1 Sympathy For The Devil (The Rolling Stones)   
B2 The Tracks Of My Tears (The Miracles)   
B3 You Won't See Me (The Beatles)   
B4 I Love How You Love Me (The Paris Sisters)   
B5 Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever (The Four Tops)
B6 These Foolish Things (Recorded by Billie Holiday)

Personnel
    Bryan Ferry – Lead vocals, piano
    John Porter – Guitar, bass guitar
    Phil Manzanera – Guitar
    Eddie Jobson – Strings, keyboards, synthesizer
    Roger Ball – Alto and baritone saxophones, horn arrangements
    Ruan O'Lochlainn – Alto saxophone solo on "I Love How You Love Me"
    Malcolm Duncan – Tenor saxophone
    Henry Lowther – Trumpet
    David Skinner – Piano
    Paul Thompson – Drums
    John Punter – Additional drums on "Don't Worry Baby" and "Sympathy for the Devil"
    The Angelettes – Backing vocals
    Robbie Montgomery, Jessie Davis  – Background vocals on "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall" and "Sympathy for the Devil"

Singles on These Foolish Things

(Dutch Picture Sleeve)

A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall / 2.HB

Island Records

October 1973

UK Chart #10

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I thought I would post these two albums together as there are a couple of similarities between both of them.

Firstly, David Bowie and Bryan Ferry were prime players in the whole Glam Scene of the early 1970s. Bowie accompanied by Mick Ronson and Ferry with the backing of Roxy Music.

Secondly, both albums are full of Cover Versions with very diverse choices.

Thirdly, they both entered the UK Album Chart on the same day despite being released different days. Pinups was released on this very day in 1973 and These Foolish Things 14 days earlier on 5th October 1973.

Fourthly, both albums made the Top Ten with Bryan Ferry on his Debut Solo outing stalling at #5 and David Bowie, with his seventh Studio Album entering the chart at #3 on 3rd November 1973 and peaking at #1 (his second #1 album of the year).

Bowie had written in the liner notes that "These songs are among my favourites from the '64–67' period of London."

When Ferry was asked about the album, he said "It's a very catholic selection, I've given up trying to please all of the people all of the time. Some will like it for one reason, some for another. And some will presumably dislike it for the wrong reasons though I hope the general point of it will be understood. It's amusement value. I think."

Let The Day Begin...Let The Day Start!