The David Bowie Classic He Finished in a Single Afternoon

David Robert Jones, better known to his millions of fans as David Bowie, stands as one of the most influential rock/pop artists of the modern era. Born in Brixton, London, in 1947, Bowie's eclectic early influences included the King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley, and jazz pioneers John Coltrane and Charles Mingus.

This wide range of inspirations led the singer to produce some of the most fascinating music of his era. As a songwriter, he had an enviable knack for producing ear-catching hits, with a fine ear for melody and an adventurous edge that meant his work was instantly recognisable.

As any creative will tell you, inspiration can come from anywhere. A story or a song might take weeks or even years to perfect, but some come almost fully formed like a strike of lightning. This was the case with one of Bowie's most famous compositions “Life on Mars?”

THE SONG HE FINISHED IN A SINGLE AFTERNOON

This mid-tempo and soaring rock ballad formed part of the singer's celebrated 1971 album, Hunky Dory. Recording for the track took place at London's Trident Studios in August 1971. Guitarist Mick Ronson and drummer Mick Woodmansey, who had both played on Bowie's previous album, The Man Who Sold the World, featured, as did bassist Trevor Bolder, prog rock keyboard wizard Rick Wakeman, and members of the BBC Symphony Orchestra. Released as a single in the UK, Life on Mars reached number three on the charts.

Speaking in a 2008 interview with the UK's Daily Mail, Bowie explained that he came up with the song very swiftly, whilst he was sitting on the steps of a bandstand at Croydon Road Recreation Ground, London:

"I took a walk to Beckenham High Street to catch a bus to Lewisham to buy shoes and shirts but couldn't get the riff out of my head. Jumped off two stops into the ride and more or less loped back to the house up on Southend Road… I started working it out on the piano and had the whole lyric and melody finished by late afternoon. Nice. Rick Wakeman came over a couple of weeks later and embellished the piano part, and guitarist Mick Ronson created one of his first and best string parts for this song, which now has become something of a fixture in my live shows."

A NEW LIFE FOR 'LIFE ON MARS'

Three decades after its first release, “Life on Mars” charted once again in the UK, thanks to its use as the theme tune to the popular crime drama of the same name. Following Bowie's death in 2016, the song enjoyed renewed interest around the world.

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