A Collection Of David Bowie Collaborations

One of the many aspects that made David Bowie‘s storied career so diverse and creative was his willingness to work with different musicians. While some splits weren’t amicable, calling the roster of artists that entered Bowie’s orbit over the course of his successful career impressive is an understatement to say the least. For Sunday Cinema this week, the focus is on Bowie the enigmatic and insatiable collaborator.

The first video below shows Bowie on stage with his friend and longtime musical partner Iggy Pop. The grainy footage from 1977 shows a typically shirtless Pop with Bowie by his side on keys performing “Sister Midnight” off of Pop’s now-classic Bowie-produced LP The Idiot.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdciK2Axc4A

Bowie also helmed the producer role for fellow friend and collaborator Lou Reed, notably co-credited along with Mick Ronson on Reed’s landmark 1972 solo album Transformer. Bowie incorporated several of Reed’s band The Velvet Underground’s songs into his live sets over the years, and the pair teamed up at Madison Square Garden in 1997 at Bowie’s 50th anniversary concert for this rendition of the VU’s “Waiting for the Man.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6b5X6oUAXAI

Bowie shows up in this clip to help out acclaimed vocalist Tina Turner on her Private Dancer Tour in 1985. Watch the pair’s duet on “Tonight” – the title track to Bowie’s 1984 LP (which featured Turner) that originally was recorded by Pop for his 1977 LP Lust For Life.

Another pairing at Bowie’s 50th anniversary concert at MSG saw him fronting Foo Fighters with Dave Grohl behind the drum kit. Here’s footage of “Hallo Spaceboy” which Bowie co-wrote with Brian Eno.

More recent collaborations occurred between Bowie and Arcade Fire, the former contributing to the latter’s 2013 record Reflektor . The band and Bowie also appeared together at Radio City Music Hall in September 2005 on the Fashion Rocks television special. Below is footage of Bowie’s “Five Years” and Arcade Fire’s “Wake Up.”

In 2006 Bowie joined David Gilmour on stage at London’s Royal Albert Hall. The two legend’s performed a number of Pink Floyd classics, including “Arnold Layne” and “Comfortably Numb” which can been viewed below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nk2tY1w4kTk

One of the more peculiar collaborations Bowie participated in was with Bing Crosby in 1977, showing up on Bing Crosby’s Merrie Olde Christmas TV Special. Bowie performed his “Heroes” as well as the below duet with Crosby on the holiday songs “The Little Drummer Boy”/”Peace On Earth.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9kfdEyV3RQ

Finally, while the embed below is audio only, it’s included anyway because it’s just too good to overlook. One of Bowie’s most well known collaborations was with Queen in 1981 on the hit single “Under Pressure.” Listen below to the chills-inducing isolated vocals of Queen frontman Freddie Mercury and Bowie recording the popular track.