Pin Ups Album UK Chart: 1973

A Covers Album That Pinned No. 1 For Five Weeks

Released in the UK on October 19, 1973, on RCA Victor (catalogue: RS1003), David Bowie’s Pin Ups — his seventh studio album — was a loving tribute to the 1964–1967 London bands that shaped him. Produced by Bowie & Ken Scott at Château d’Hérouville, this 12-track covers set stormed to No. 1 on the Official Albums Chart for five consecutive weeks (November 3 to December 1, 1973), staying in the Top 75 for 39 weeks and re-entering in 1983.

Album Overview

Release Details

Label: RCA Victor.

Formats: Vinyl LP (gatefold).

Side A

1. Rosalyn (The Pretty Things)

2. Here Comes The Night (Them)

3. I Wish You Would (The Yardbirds)

4. See Emily Play (Pink Floyd)

5. Everything's Alright (The Mojos)

6. I Can't Explain (The Who)

Side B

1. Friday On My Mind (The Easybeats)

2. Sorrow (The Merseys)

3. Don't Bring Me Down (The Pretty Things)

4. Shapes Of Things (The Yardbirds)

5. Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere (The Who)

6. Where Have All The Good Times Gone (The Kinks)

Production and Context

Produced by David Bowie & Ken Scott. Recorded July–August 1973 at Château d’Hérouville, France. Last album with Mick Ronson, Trevor Bolder, and the Spiders From Mars lineup. Cover shot by Justin de Villeneuve featuring Twiggy.

Official Albums Chart Data

Peak position: 1

5 weeks at No. 1 – November 3, 1973 to December 1, 1973

Total Top 75: 39 weeks (1973–1974) + 12 weeks re-entry 1983

Do you have Pin Ups in your vinyl stack? Which cover pins you? Share in the comments!

Sources

Information is drawn from my personal knowledge and supplemented by web sources, including Discogs, 45cat, AllMusic, Rate Your Music, Wikipedia, BBC Official Charts Company, Billboard Chart History and YouTube

Whilst every effort is made to provide accurate information, mistakes do happen. Simply leave a comment and the post will be updated. Thank you.

Ziggy's Nostalgic Jukebox

David Bowie’s Pinups LP, was released in the UK on October 19, 1973, on RCA Records (catalogue: RS 1003). This 12-track album of 1960s rock and pop cover versions showcased Bowie’s glam rock reinterpretations during the height of his Ziggy Stardust era. Produced by Bowie and Ken Scott, Pinups featured energetic performances backed by the Spiders from Mars, peaking at No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart for five weeks. Issued in a vibrant sleeve with a Twiggy-and-Bowie photo by Justin de Villeneuve, it’s a nostalgic tribute to the Swinging Sixties.

Album Overview

Release Details:

Label: RCA Records (UK).

Formats: Vinyl LP, cassette; later CD reissues (detailed below).

℗ & ©: 1973 RCA Records. Recorded at Château d’Hérouville, France, July 1973. Matrix numbers (e.g., RS 1003 A-1) confirm authenticity.

UK Release Formats and Track Listings

Pinups was released in the UK in 1973 as a vinyl LP and cassette, with CD reissues later.

The vinyl LP and cassette maintain the 12-track sequence, with the cassette reordered, and the 1990 CD reissue includes two bonus tracks:

Vinyl LP (Catalogue: RS 1003):

Side A:

Rosalyn (2:21, Jimmy Duncan, Bill Farley)

Here Comes The Night (3:09, Bert Berns)

I Wish You Would (2:48, Billy Boy Arnold)

See Emily Play (4:12, Syd Barrett)

Everything’s Alright (2:28, Nicky Crouch, John Konrad, Simon Stavely, Stuart James, Keith Karlson)

I Can’t Explain (2:15, Pete Townshend)

Side B:

Friday On My Mind (2:56, George Young, Harry Vanda)

Sorrow (2:53, Bob Feldman, Jerry Goldstein, Richard Gottehrer)

Don’t Bring Me Down (2:05, Johnnie Dee)

Shapes Of Things (2:53, Paul Samwell-Smith, Jim McCarty, Keith Relf)

Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere (3:12, Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey)

Where Have All The Good Times Gone (2:41, Ray Davies)

Packaging: 33⅓ RPM, stereo, in a single sleeve with Twiggy-and-Bowie photo by Justin de Villeneuve, including inner sleeve with liner notes.

Cassette (Catalogue: PK 1003):

Side A:

Rosalyn (2:21, Jimmy Duncan, Bill Farley)

I Wish You Would (2:48, Billy Boy Arnold)

See Emily Play (4:12, Syd Barrett)

Everything’s Alright (2:28, Nicky Crouch, John Konrad, Simon Stavely, Stuart James, Keith Karlson)

I Can’t Explain (2:15, Pete Townshend)

Friday On My Mind (2:56, George Young, Harry Vanda)

Side B:

Here Comes The Night (3:09, Bert Berns)

Sorrow (2:53, Bob Feldman, Jerry Goldstein, Richard Gottehrer)

Don’t Bring Me Down (2:05, Johnnie Dee)

Shapes Of Things (2:53, Paul Samwell-Smith, Jim McCarty, Keith Relf)

Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere (3:12, Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey)

Where Have All The Good Times Gone (2:41, Ray Davies)

Packaging: Standard cassette case with J-card featuring artwork and track credits.

Compact Disc (CD) (Reissue, 1990 Rykodisc):

Single Disc:

Rosalyn (2:27, Jimmy Duncan, Bill Farley)

Here Comes The Night (3:09, Bert Berns)

I Wish You Would (2:48, Billy Boy Arnold)

See Emily Play (4:12, Syd Barrett)

Everything’s Alright (2:26, Nicky Crouch, John Konrad, Simon Stavely, Stuart James, Keith Karlson)

I Can’t Explain (2:14, Pete Townshend)

Friday On My Mind (2:57, George Young, Harry Vanda)

Sorrow (2:48, Bob Feldman, Jerry Goldstein, Richard Gottehrer)

Don’t Bring Me Down (2:01, Johnnie Dee)

Shapes Of Things (2:53, Paul Samwell-Smith, Jim McCarty, Keith Relf)

Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere (3:04, Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey)

Where Have All The Good Times Gone (2:46, Ray Davies)

BONUS TRACKS

Growin’ Up (3:26, Bruce Springsteen)

Port Of Amsterdam (3:19, Jacques Brel, Mort Shuman, Eric Blau)

Packaging: Jewel case with booklet featuring liner notes, photos, and credits.

Production and Context

Produced by David Bowie and Ken Scott, recorded at Château d’Hérouville, France, in July 1973. The lineup featured Bowie (vocals, guitar), Mick Ronson (guitar), Trevor Bolder (bass), Mike Garson (piano), and Aynsley Dunbar (drums). Pinups was a tribute to ‘60s bands like The Who and The Kinks, recorded during the Ziggy Stardust tour’s final leg. Released amid glam’s peak, it followed Aladdin Sane (1973) and competed with Slade and T. Rex, serving as a bridge to Diamond Dogs (1974).

Singles Released and Chart Performance

Pinups spawned one single:

“Sorrow” (1973, RCA 2424):

UK Chart Data: Entry October 27, 1973; Peak No. 3; 15 weeks.

Chart Run: No. 39 (Oct 27), No. 15 (Nov 3), No. 7 (Nov 10), No. 3 (Nov 17), No. 4 (Nov 24), No. 5 (Dec 1), No. 7 (Dec 8), No. 9 (Dec 15), No. 11 (Dec 22), No. 13 (Dec 29), No. 15 (Jan 5, 1974), No. 18 (Jan 12), No. 22 (Jan 19), No. 28 (Jan 26), No. 35 (Feb 2).

International: Australia No. 1, New Zealand No. 1, Ireland No. 2, Germany No. 39, France No. 25, Netherlands No. 30.

Artist: David Bowie Label: RCA Victor Country: Netherland Catalogue: RCA 2424

Album Chart Performance

Pinups was a major success:

UK:

Entry Date: October 27, 1973 (Official Albums Chart).

Peak: No. 1 (November 3, 1973, 5 weeks).

Weeks on Chart: 21 (Oct 27, 1973–March 16, 1974).

Chart Run: No. 7 (Oct 27), No. 1 (Nov 3), No. 1 (Nov 10), No. 1 (Nov 17), No. 1 (Nov 24), No. 1 (Dec 1), No. 2 (Dec 8), No. 3 (Dec 15), No. 4 (Dec 22), No. 5 (Dec 29), No. 6 (Jan 5, 1974), No. 7 (Jan 12), No. 8 (Jan 19), No. 10 (Jan 26), No. 12 (Feb 2), No. 15 (Feb 9), No. 18 (Feb 16), No. 22 (Feb 23), No. 28 (Mar 2), No. 32 (Mar 9), No. 35 (Mar 16).

Certification: Gold (100,000 copies sold, BPI).

US: No. 23 (Billboard 200, 20 weeks), Gold (500,000 copies sold, RIAA).

Australia: No. 4 (Kent Music Report, 15 weeks).

Canada: No. 12 (RPM, 12 weeks).

Germany: No. 30 (GfK, 8 weeks).

Netherlands: No. 6 (Dutch Album Top 100, 10 weeks).

New Zealand: No. 2 (RMNZ, 12 weeks).

France: No. 8 (SNEP, 10 weeks).

Sweden: No. 15 (Sverigetopplistan, 6 weeks).

Norway: No. 18 (VG-lista, 5 weeks).

Italy: No. 25 (FIMI, 4 weeks).

Spain, Austria, Switzerland, Japan, Finland: No chart entries due to limited promotion.

Legacy and Collectibility

Pinups is a glam rock gem, with “Sorrow” and “See Emily Play” as standout covers, reflecting Bowie’s love for ‘60s rock.

Streams on Spotify via Pinups preserve the analog grit.

This LP is a must-have for Bowie fans and glam collectors.

Do you have Pinups in your vinyl stack? Which cover rocks your turntable? Share in the comments!

Sources

Discogs: Pinups (1973)

Discogs: Pinups 1990 Rykodisc CD

Official Charts Company: David Bowie Albums

AllMusic: Pinups Discography

Wikipedia: Pinups

Billboard Chart History: David Bowie