David Bowie – Ashes To Ashes

David Bowie’s “Ashes To Ashes” is one of his most intriguing recordings, revisiting the character of Major Tom from “Space Oddity” while transforming the original space-age hero into a much darker and more troubled figure. Released in 1980 as the lead single from Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps), the song was written by Bowie and produced with Tony Visconti.

Rather than simply continuing the story of Major Tom, Bowie used the character as a vehicle for exploring addiction, isolation and disillusionment. The song also reflected Bowie’s own complicated relationship with his past, with its fragmented imagery and nursery-rhyme-like structure creating an unsettling, dreamlike atmosphere.

Musically, “Ashes To Ashes” combines synthesizers, guitar, bass, piano and electronic textures with a distinctive, slightly otherworldly production. Chuck Hammer’s guitar synthesizer contributes to the futuristic sound, while George Murray’s bass and Dennis Davis’s drumming provide a strong rhythmic foundation. The finished recording manages to sound both experimental and remarkably accessible.

The accompanying video, co-directed by Bowie and David Mallet, became almost as influential as the song itself. Bowie appears in his famous Pierrot costume alongside bizarre, surreal imagery and members of London’s emerging New Romantic scene. Its striking visual style perfectly complemented the song’s strange, melancholic atmosphere.

“Ashes To Ashes” remains a fascinating example of Bowie reinventing his own mythology while simultaneously looking back at the person he had been.

The song peaked at No. 01 in the UK charts on 23rd August 1980.