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Ultimate Classic Rock JANUARY 8, 2013 - by Spencer Kaufman

TOP TEN DAVID BOWIE SONGS

David Bowie has been called many things in his life - rock 'n' roll chameleon, musical genius, Ziggy Stardust and Thin White Duke, to name a few. Today (January 8), we're calling him 'Birthday Boy,' as the rock star celebrates sixty-five years on planet Earth (give or take a few years he's likely spent on other planets). To come up with a list of Bowie's ten best songs is both pleasurable and painful. How does one narrow such an eclectic and magnificent career down to just ten tunes? Missing from this list are his only two Number 1 U.S. songs (Fame and Let's Dance), as well as classics such as Starman, Oh! You Pretty Things, Life on Mars? and countless others. Perhaps a Top 65 Songs would have been more fitting on this occasion, but for now please enjoy this list of the Top 10 David Bowie Songs:

10 THE MAN WHO SOLD THE WORLD - from The Man Who Sold The World (1970): The title track off Bowie's third album, The Man Who Sold The World is one of his most haunting songs of all time. Despite the mastery of the original tune, it largely went unnoticed at the time of its release. Its popularity grew over time, as cover versions by Scottish singer Lulu and grunge goliaths Nirvana helped bring the song into the mainstream.

9 FIVE YEARS - from Ziggy Stardust (1972): Five Years serves as an epic opening to Bowie's greatest album, The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars. The tune offers a doomsday scenario in which the world ends in five years. Lyrically, it paints one of Bowie's most vivid pictures in a song, while musically it builds into a chaotic crescendo highlighted by the ominous sense of panic in Bowie's voice during its climax.

8 MODERN LOVE - from Let's Dance (1983): Modern Love may not be Bowie's greatest tune ever, but it could easily be called the best 'pop song' of his illustrious career. From its spoken intro to its infectious chorus, the track plays as well on a wedding dance floor as it does at a hipster dive bar. As with the rest of the Let's Dance album, the tune features guitar playing by the late, great Stevie Ray Vaughan.

7 REBEL REBEL - from Diamond Dogs (1974): A glam-rock anthem if there ever was one, Rebel Rebel features one of the most recognisable guitar riffs in rock history - and it was Bowie himself who handled lead guitar duties on this track. A rough-and-dirty song with lyrics like "She's not sure if you're a boy or a girl" and "Hot tramp, I love you so", the tune serves as the perfect bridge between The Rolling Stones and punk rock.

6 ZIGGY STARDUST - from Ziggy Stardust (1972): The signature song of Bowie's signature character, Ziggy Stardust offers up an overview of Ziggy's talents and exploits with multiple mentions of his backing band, The Spiders From Mars. One of those Spiders was virtuoso axeman Mick Ronson, whose guitar hook on Ziggy Stardust gives the song as much of its personality as Bowie's lyrics do. Ten years after its release, the tune was famously given the goth-rock treatment by Bauhaus.

5 YOUNG AMERICANS - from Young Americans (1975): Bowie takes on soul music with the fabulous Young Americans off the 1975 album of the same name. Featuring memorable saxophone playing by David Sanborn and a samba-like beat, the tune offered up a new direction for Bowie as he transitioned from Ziggy Stardust to the Thin White Duke. The song contains a lyrical nod to the Beatles' A Day In The Life - fitting, considering that John Lennon contributed to two other tunes on the album, including Fame and a cover of Across The Universe.

4 "HEROES" - from "Heroes" (1977): Not only is "Heroes" one of Bowie's most inspirational songs, it's also one of his best. Co-written by Bowie and Brian Eno, the track's title was inspired by a song Hero by the experimental German band Neu! While the tune contains an underlying sense of irony, its hopefulness and optimism reign supreme. Who can forget Bowie performing the song at 2001's Concert For New York City in front of the brave men and women who risked their lives during the tragic events of 9/11?

3 MOONAGE DAYDREAM - from Ziggy Stardust (1972): Previously recorded under Bowie's Arnold Corns project, Moonage Daydream was given new life on his Ziggy Stardust album and proved to be one of the most powerful songs on the disc - and of his career. Featuring in-your-face, sexually charged lyrics and a monster guitar riff by Mick Ronson, Moonage Daydream is a rock 'n' roll tour de force. The tune is also quite significant in that it serves as a musical introduction to the Ziggy Stardust character.

2 CHANGES - from Hunky Dory (1971): Bowie has often been called a rock 'n' roll chameleon, and he lays that out himself on one of his best-known hits Changes. The lyrics deal with reinvention and could be construed as a declaration of what was to come from Bowie. Musically, Changes is a beautiful tune that features piano playing by Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman. Additionally, Bowie's singing is at its finest on Changes, showcasing one of the most unique voices in rock history.

1 SPACE ODDITY - from Space Oddity (1969): For an artist who created several masterpieces, perhaps his finest one was the 1969 song Space Oddity. To think that Bowie was only twenty-two years old when this song was released is mind-blowing. In a five-minute song, Bowie manages to tell a story that can easily serve as the plot to a two-hour sci-fi film. The song was revolutionary for its time, musically and lyrically, and helped introduce the masses to one of the most dynamic and creative music acts we will ever know.