4 of David Bowie’s “Worst” Songs (And Why They’re Still Great)

Even the most casual of David Bowie’s fans would have a hard time picking out songs that were truly the “worst” in his discography. However, these four tracks are often considered swings and misses from the experimental superstar. Though, we’d say they have some redeeming qualities worth noting. Let’s take a look!

1. “God Only Knows”

Bowie has always been excellent at taking on cover tracks. He covered everyone from Nine Inch Nails to The Velvet Underground. However, his art-pop era yielded less successful results in terms of covering other people’s music. Specifically, his rendition of “God Only Knows” by The Beach Boys didn’t really resonate with listeners.

Bowie takes on the cover with a much more dramatic and somber perspective that some listeners didn’t love at the time of the track’s release. However, we think this approach was a bold choice. Rather than singing the track as a sappy love song, Bowie decides to make it more lustful and sinister.

2. “Too Dizzy”

Out of all of David Bowie’s “worst” or least-popular songs, we think “Too Dizzy” deserves to be seen in a different light. It’s an experimental work from Never Let Me Down that wasn’t exactly loved by many. Even Bowie himself hated the version of the song that made it to the album.

Still, these were Bowie’s “Phil Collins years”, according to the hitmaker himself. You can hear a lot of interesting stylistic choices on this album and in that song. You may not like it (Bowie certainly didn’t), but it’s interesting to hear how Bowie tried to experiment with style and production.

3. “If I’m Dreaming My Life”

Bowie loved to play around with various iterations of rock music, from soul to dance. He was rarely ever boring in his pursuits of something new and unique. However, many fans think “If I’m Dreaming My Life” was a bit of a snooze fest.

We don’t exactly agree. We rarely ever got the chance to hear Bowie mellow out, and the seven-minute-long “If I’m Dreaming My Life” features Bowie cruising along without much holding him back. If anything, this song is a testament to how well Bowie could direct his energy.

4. “Please Mr. Gravedigger”

This track from Bowie’s very first album is one of many from the pre-”Space Oddity” days that weren’t exactly… great? Every artist out there has had their wet-behind-the-ears period, and Bowie is no exception.

However, one can’t deny that “Please Mr. Gravedigger” is a very creative effort. The rain is the percussion of the song, and Bowie’s haunting and ominous vocals are reminiscent of musical theater. It’s like proto-Bowie, except it was an actual Bowie work.

Photo by Gijsbert Hanekroot/Redferns

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