David Bowie – David Bowie

This album has been released and re-released with various titles and various cover-designs over time. It's generally considered Bowie's first rock album.

The 1969 original versions were released on Philips and titled "David Bowie" while the concurrent North American (US and Canada) releases on Mercury had a strap line "Man of Words/Man of Music" at the top of the album. Although Mercury still cataloged it as "David Bowie" it was commonly called by the strap line and when RCA repackaged and re-released it in 1972, they erroneously referred to this advertising title. Both Philips and Mercury releases use images from the same 1969 portrait photo-shoot on the front cover, but as the Mercury image is a different frame and enlarged the artwork surrounding the portrait was not included.

The 1969 North American Mercury release removes a short hidden track, between track 2 and 3. On the UK Philips edition this piece of music was, as indicated by the groove rills, at the beginning of the third track "Letter to Hermione", yet was timed as being part of the second track.

In 1972 following Bowie's commercial breakthrough, the North American version, without the hidden track, was re-released by RCA titled after the album's hit, "Space Oddity", and with a then current facial portrait photo on the cover. Rear cover art, when including timings, still included the hidden track even though it was not present on any RCA issue. This title and cover art version had international re-releases in 1984 by RCA.

In 1990, using the same front cover as the 1972 RCA issue, the album was issued by RYKO and subsequently EMI with the hidden track subsequently restored and named for the first time - "Don't Sit Down".

All later official editions contain the music as presented on the original 1969 UK Philips album - and post 1997 most do not name the hidden track.

In 1999 EMI and Virgin re-released the album with the 30 year old 1969 cover but with the 1972 title.

In 2009 for the 40th Anniversary edition it was re-released by EMI and Virgin with title and cover art exactly as the original UK release.

The album was remixed by Tony Visconti in 2019 for the 50th anniversary box set David Bowie - Conversation Piece. The remixed version was also issued as a standalone vinyl and CD edition under the name "Space Oddity". This edition restored the track 'Conversation Piece' to the album's running order for the first time, but removed 'Don't Sit Down'

The musicians on the album were hired for the sessions and included among others Herbie Flowers, Rick Wakeman, Tony Visconti and members of the band Junior's Eyes, who would act as Bowie's band promoting the album. While the album didn't chart in 1969 and was considered a commercial failure, the 1972 re-release charted in 17th position on the UK charts.