Liza Jane Single: 1964

Backed with "Louie, Louie Go Home" as the B-side, Davie Jones with The King Bees released the single "Liza Jane," in the UK on June 5, 1964.

This marked the first recording released by a 17-year-old David Bowie, then performing under his birth name, Davie Jones. The song is a reworking of the traditional "Li'l Liza Jane," arranged as a six-bar blues with input from the band and their manager, Leslie Conn, who took songwriting credit, likely for royalty purposes. The B-side was a cover of Paul Revere and the Raiders' "Louie, Louie Go Home." Both tracks were recorded in a seven-hour session at Decca Studios in West Hampstead, London.

The King Bees lineup included Davie Jones (vocals, alto saxophone), George Underwood (rhythm guitar, harmonica, vocals), Roger Bluck (lead guitar), Francis Howard (bass), and Robert Allen (drums). Despite promotion on TV shows like Juke Box Jury and Ready Steady Go!, the single sold poorly and the band was dropped from the label. The track is a brash but derivative British R&B effort, with Bowie’s vocals and saxophone standing out, though the B-side has been criticized as one of his weaker recordings.

The single became a rare collector’s item, with original 1964 vinyl copies fetching high prices (e.g., $15.43–$45.45 for a 1978 reissue, per Discogs data). A 1978 promo reissue and a 1964 acetate with a longer fade-out also exist. Bowie revisited the song in 2000 for his unreleased album Toy, which leaked online in 2011 and was partially included in the 2021 Brilliant Adventure (1992–2001) box set. He also performed a brief snippet of "Liza Jane" live on June 5, 2004, during his A Reality Tour in Holmdel, New Jersey, marking the single’s 40th anniversary.

You can stream the song on Spotify, where it appears on compilations like Nothing Has Changed (2014) or And The Beat Goes On (2005). For collectors, sites like Discogs and Atlas Records list vinyl copies, with a 1978 UK reissue noted as a promo in VG+ condition. A rare misprint sleeve labeled "Tom Jones" recently surfaced and is set for auction by Propstar Memorabilia.

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Text taken from press release issues with 1978 reissue

INTRODUCING DAVIE JONES WITH THE KING-BEES.. ... AND THEIR FIRST DISC "LIZA JANE"

Pop Music isn't all affluence. Just ask new seventeen year old recording star Davie Jones. Time was (two months ago, in fact) when he and his group were almost on their uppers, No money, bad equipment. Then Davie had a brainwave. "I had been reading a lot in the papers about John Bloom," says Davie. "So I put pen to paper and wrote him a letter." David told Bloom that he had the chance of backing one of the most talented and up-and-coming groups on the pop scene. All he had to do was advance the several hundred pounds it requires to outfit a pop group with the best equipment.

Davie didn't get the money, but he did get a telegram next day from John Bloom giving the phone number of Artist's Manager Leslie Conn. Davie got in touch, was rewarded with a booking at Bloom's Wedding Anniversary Party. "We were a dismal failure", recalls Davie. "It was a dinner dress affair and we turned up in jeans and sweat shirts, and played our usual brand of rhythm and blues. It didn't go down too well. Still we'll know better next time.

However, all's well that ends well. Leslie Conn liked the earthy type of music the group played, arranged an audition with Decca Records which resulted in a contract and the first release by David Jones with the King-Bees, "Liza Jane", released by Decca (Decca F 13807).

DAVIE JONES WITH THE KING-BEES