On This Day in 1973: David Bowie Reached No. 1 in the UK With a Collection of His Favorite ’60s Songs
Photo by RCA Records, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
A Cover Album Hits the Top
On November 3 1973, David Bowie’s seventh studio album, Pin Ups, reached number one on the UK Albums Chart. It began a five-week run at the top and would stay on the chart for 39 weeks.
The record is unusual in Bowie’s discography: it contains only cover versions of songs he admired from the mid-1960s. By recording these tracks, Bowie paid tribute to the London club scene and the groups that shaped his musical outlook.
Choosing the Songs of His Youth
On the album sleeve, Bowie wrote: “These songs are among my favourites from the ’64-’67 period of London. / Most of the groups were playing the Ricky-Tick … / Some are still with us. / Pretty Things, Them, Yardbirds, Syd’s Pink Floyd, Mojos, Who, Easybeats, Merseys, The Kinks. / Love-on ya!”
One of the album’s most successful singles was Bowie’s version of “Sorrow” (originally by The Merseys). His cover reached number 3 on the UK Singles Chart.
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Bowie’s Approach and Impact
The project was recorded quickly following the release of Aladdin Sane. In fact, Pin Ups arrived just six months later in October 1973.
Biographer David Buckley noted that both Pin Ups and Bryan Ferry’s These Foolish Things came out on the same day, raising tensions between the artists.
A Nod to Earlier Rock Eras
Tracks on Pin Ups include “Here Comes the Night” (Them), “I Can’t Explain” (The Who) and “See Emily Play” (Pink Floyd). Bowie re-imagined those hits while maintaining respect for the originals.
The album cover reinforced the connection to the 1960s: Bowie posed with supermodel Twiggy, both styled in the mod aesthetic of the era.
Success and Critique
Commercially, Pin Ups cemented Bowie’s status in the UK. It topped the charts upon release and became one of his most enduring records.
Critical response, however, was mixed. Some reviewers felt the covers lacked the rawness of the originals. One writer observed: “He doesn’t perform these songs as well as the original creations, rough-hewn as they were from the hardly-cooled lava of a musical eruption in London.”
Nevertheless, Bowie’s intention was clear: honoring his influences while putting his own spin on them. The result remains a distinct moment in his career and in the wider story of 1970s rock.
