Goodbye, David Bowie

There is no single David Bowie performance — there’s just the one you think of first.

Here’s mine — “Young Americans,” from a 1974 Dick Cavett appearance. Luther Vandross is one of his backup singers:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydLcs4VrjZQ

And then you can keep going. And you should.

Here he is in 1972, at the BBC, with “Queen Bitch”:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ljv8xCt4Bq8

“Under Pressure,” with Annie Lennox and Queen, at the 1992 Freddie Mercury tribute concert:

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

And here’s another version of the same song — Bowie and Mercury’s vocal tracks from the original 1981 recording:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMQb9LCNGxs

It’s also telling, I think, that so many great Bowie performances aren’t by Bowie, but by other people singing his songs.

Nirvana covering “The Man Who Sold the World” on MTV Unplugged in 1993:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fregObNcHC8&app=desktop

And “Queen Bitch,” again, this time by Seu Jorge, at the end of “The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou”:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGF7zeEXCKY

And great Bowie memories aren’t limited to his hits, either. I’ve always remebered his 2006 cameo on HBO’s “Extras,” where he lovingly eviscerates Ricky Gervais’s character:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jv6mEv_rDdE&feature=youtu.be

Want more? Me too. Send me your favorite clips, with a link, and I’ll add them as we go along today. Peter@recode.net.

Update: Thanks for the suggestions, please keep them coming.

The original “Life on Mars,” sent by Josh Weinberger:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v–IqqusnNQ

“Golden Years,” from the Serious Moonlight tour, sent by Gilson Rodrigues:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcKrr0s2yuY&feature=youtu.be

“Starman,” from 1972, featuring Mick Ronson, sent in by Rafael Ángel:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4B5zmDz4vR4

“Blackstar,” his very latest, from last November (the new album dropped three days ago), from staffer Amy Keyishian:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kszLwBaC4Sw

Simon and Garfunkel’s “America,” performed at the Concert for New York City benefit in 2001. Sent by Doug Hill:

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8s3su_david-bowie-simon-and-garfunkel-ame_music

“Sweet Thing,” 1974. Sent by Elizabeth Heichler:

https://youtu.be/uwIko2lGR8Q

“Space Oddity,” performed by Chris Hadfield, an actual astronaut. Sent by Samit Sarkar and Re/code’s Eric Johnson:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaOC9danxNo

“Life on Mars” and “Ashes to Ashes” on the “Tonight Show” in 1980. Sent by Nathan Taylor:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkefglL9c4c

“Heaven’s In Here,” from his Tin Machine phase. Sent by Matt Rosoff:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6pV3rfyTFM

This article originally appeared on Recode.net.

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