David Bowie: "Rare" Album (1983)

David Bowie’s Rare was released as an LP album in the UK by RCA Records (catalog number PK 70013) on December 10, 1983.

By this time, his relationship with RCA had deteriorated; he had completed his final recordings for the label with the "Baal" EP and was upset over RCA's release of his five-year-old duet with Bing Crosby, "Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy," without his consent. Dissatisfied with the "Rare" compilation, Bowie chose to leave RCA and signed with EMI Records for his next album. "Rare" included tracks being made available on LP and cassette for the first time.

The compilation featured rarities recorded between 1969 and 1980. RCA did not release "Rare" in the United States, and the album was not reissued on CD alongside most of Bowie's other RCA albums in 1984. On the UK Albums Chart, it peaked at number 34 and stayed on the chart for eleven weeks.

A1 David Bowie Ragazzo Solo, Ragazza Sola D. Bowie

A2 David Bowie 'Round And 'Round Chuck Berry

A3 David Bowie Amsterdam J. Brel, English Lyrics M. Schuman

A4 David Bowie Holy Holy D. Bowie

A5 David Bowie Panic In Detroit D. Bowie

A6 David Bowie Young Americans D. Bowie 8.3 Rate

B2 David Bowie Helden D. Bowie, B. Eno,

B3 David Bowie John, I'm Only Dancing (Again) D. Bowie

B4 David Bowie Moon Of Alabama K. Weill, B. Brecht

B5 David Bowie Crystal Japan (Instrumental) D. Bowie

Side 1

A1. "Ragazzo solo, ragazza sola" (Bowie, Mogol) – An Italian-language song featuring all new lyrics set to the music of "Space Oddity", released as a single in Italy in late-1969/early-1970

A2. "'Round and 'Round" (Chuck Berry) – A cover of the Chuck Berry song "Around and Around", recorded for the Ziggy Stardust sessions, and released as the B-side to the single “Drive-In Saturday"

A3. "Amsterdam" (Jacques Brel, Mort Shuman) – A cover of a Jacques Brel song, recorded for the Ziggy Stardust sessions, and released as the B-side to the single "Sorrow"

A4. "Holy Holy" – An updated version of Bowie's 1970 single, recorded for the Ziggy Stardust sessions, and released as the B-side to the single "Diamond Dogs"

A5. "Panic in Detroit" – Live recording from the same concerts as “David Live”, and released as the B-side to the single "Knock On Wood"

A6. "Young Americans" – US single edit

Side 2

B1. "Velvet Goldmine" – Recorded during the Ziggy Stardust sessions, and released as the B-side to the 1975 reissue of "Space Oddity"

B2. "Heroes"/"Helden" (Bowie, Brian Eno, Antonia Maass) – A version of "Heroes" with English and German lyrics, released as a single in West Germany in 1977

B3. "John, I'm Only Dancing (Again)" – Single edit

B4. "Moon of Alabama" (Bertolt Brecht, Kurt Weill) – Recorded in 1978 and released as a single in 1980 under the title “Alabama Song”

B5. "Crystal Japan" – Recorded in 1979 as the soundtrack for a Japanese commercial. Released as a Japanese single A-side, 1980, then internationally as the B-side to "Up The Hill Backwards" in 1981.